The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-08-15

ON"A@ way AAiPO1 ouAps cas- buo udU0 lOE
final completion ami the total cost were
approximately fixed beforehand. But
through the wisdom of the late General
Casey and of Bernard R. Green, the off,
Ger In charge, q coherent and harmonious
color scheme was adopted at the begin
ming, and the matter of extra decoration
later on was left for execution as
distances and funds permitted. The
leading sculptors and painters of this
country were called in for aid aud con-
sultation and were found to be not only
willing, but eager and delighted to CO.
operate. 1t was proposed that here was
chance for them to show what they
could do and although the funds availa-
BILE for the purpose were limited, they
entered into the project with spirit and
alaority. Accordingly commissions for
the more important spaces were distrib-
uted among the American artists named
above, at much lower rates (by reason
of it's being public building) than they
would have accepted from individuals or
private corporations, and the remaining
rooms and the general planEof color treat
ment were delegated to Elmer E. earn
sey who was engaged at stipulated
salary to organize the corps, assisted by
Charles Caffin and r. j. Holslag of New
York and W. Mills Thompsonof Washing
ton, while the important function of
passing upon preliminary studies and
final designs, of making timely sugges-
tions and keeping track of the general
system Of decoration in connection with
the officer in charge was intrusted to Ed
ward p. Casey, son of the late general, as
architect. The actual decoration of the
walls was begun April l. 1895, and the
fruits, exceeding all expectation, are
now apparent.
THE FIGURE COMPOSITION.
Their richness impresses the visitor at
the very entrance. Within distance of
twenty steps from the threshold Of the
ored figure compositions, by Vedder, Shir-
law, Benson, Barse. Alexander Reid,
Maynard, Martin and Walker. In the
immediate vicinity are twenty more, by
Simmons and MoEwen, and in the same
hall are to be seen the works of half a
dozen aoulptors. Including Warner, Mac
Monnies an Martiny.
A passing glance at these works Is
suffioien. to indicate their nature and
scope Vedder's picture for example,
consists of five semi-circular panels or
lunettes, in the wide passageway be
tween the stair hall and the rotunda,
executed in oil upon canvas, framed in
marble and mounted on white lead, typi-
ying Good Government and Bad Govern
ment. Pearoe's pictures are also lu-
nettes., illustrative of the Family.
McEwen adorns number of panels with
representations of the Greek heroes OF
mythology and history. and Walkers
work Is series Of pictures oommemora-
tive OF Lyric Poetry. Summons has Minis
panels illustrative of the Nine Muses.
Cox has done two panel pictures. AIT and
| Science. Meloher has executed TWO
analogous companion pictures, Peaca
and War, Maynard has made four pict-
ures representing Adventure Discovery,
Conquest and Civilization, with group
in the center of the ceiling suggesting
Valor, Fortitude, Courage ana Achieve
ment. Dodge has painted similar SER
les representing Music, Art, Literature.
Science and Ambition. Gutharz has
covered another series of panels with
| beautiful representations OF Light in
various con csptions. Garnsey and Dodge
have executed four panels typical of
Earth, Air, Fire and Water, the ceiling
in the same room displaying Apollo driv-
ing his chariot, surrounded ky ornament
ments.
A NOBLE ARCHITECTURE.
| Even the outer shell of this display Ia
vehicle of high art. The building it.
SELF enthusiastically, is a noble fabric of
uniform, cleaning white granite, q
pure example of the Italian renaissance,
| rectangular in form. three stories high,
40 feet long by $40 feet wide, occupying
| two city blocks and covering nearly
| four. acres, with stately pavilions project
| ing at the corners and the east and west
| fronts enriched with majestic monolithic
columns of the Corinthian order, the
| mRssiveness of the walls relieved by l, 800
windows, with castings treated in high
relief by foliated carvings beneath the
pediments and oornices, and By an or
nate balustrade of carved granite above,
the whole crowned by FURNISHED gold
On dome, glistening 1876 feet in air
The keystones of the outer window
arches of the second story are carved
heads correctly depicting the types and
races of mankind, executed by Ellicott
and Boyd. -Four colossal figures of At
las support the roof of the central pa
vilion at the west front, surmounted by
| ape diment with two soulptured Ameri-
can eagles as the center of an EN- blem IT.
| 10 group in granite. Over the central
doors, at the top of the grand granite
staircase to the main entrance, are three
pairs of spandrels carved in granite,
modelled by Pratt. High above these,