The times., 1899-07-16
ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Some Points of Resemblance Be-
tween Them.
a Splendid Local Example of the Ro-
inhuence-The Passing of the Man.
snrd-A Painters Description of n
Freak Structure of the Capital.

architecture II is not OFTEN tnat the work
of their professional brethren of the T.
square meets their notion of what archi-
lecture should be. The painters point of
view Is an entirely different one. His
work serves little, if any, purpose beyond
the purely aesthetic. Indeed, the painter,
II not expected, is at least permitted to
| follow his own sweet will and express his
individual fancy, while the architects
fancy and taste are matters that receive
consideration only after all those features,
which concern the useful purpose of his
work have been disposed of. Occasion
ally bit Of architecture is met with that
is picturesque and entirely satisfying.
Over such examples the painter fingers
with an enjoyment quite as keen as any
other exceptionally fine work of art might
awaken.
These reflections are inspired by the dis
coyery-sidetracked on the edge of town
of a rare example of artistic architecture.
This building is nothing less than barn,
the carhouse of the Capital Traction Com
pany. The Union Station is its dignifed
and appropriate name. 1t is located on
NJ Street, facing the Aqueduct Bridge.
Waddy B. Wood, the architect. has been
very successful with this study OF modern
Romanesque, but it is sincerely to be re-
gretted that so very beautiful a structure
was not placed somewhere on Pennsylva-
mia Avenue, between the Capitol and the
Treasury, for works of this order exert
wholesome influence on local taste and are
forever joy, which is the true mission
of beautiful things.
Picturesque Affair.
This building, on closer acquaintance,
grows in interest and attractiveness. There,
are few examples in this city of fine build
ings outside of those closely following old
classic models, which can lay claim to SO
much picturesqueness and real artistic
charm. This particular style seems to be
increasing in favor since the great Rich
ardson introduced it with Trinity Church
in Boston, twenty years ago. 1t is truly
encouraging to find this lead has met with
the hearty approval of artist and layman
alike.
There are other notable examples OF
Richardson's great art here In Washing
ton, most conspicuous of which are the
Warder and Hay mansions. The street
door of the former is one of the local ar
chitectural gems the painter never tires
marked plainness, the carved ornamental
tion of this doorway is tasteful and artis-
tic. 1t is a constant delight.
If architecture meant this sort of thing
more men born with the artistic instinct
would take it up as a profession. The new
Greek Of colonial days, which, with this
| Romanesque style, seems to be the archi-
lecture of the immediate future, was a
| painters architecture. The flood of Vic
I nd hot NJ
sance, which mansarded many a costly
structure into disgrace and oblivion, has
come and gone. During this mansard Ier-
iod vulgarity ran riot, to the great dis
tress of the painters, the critics, and some
others. In that day. rank and extrava-
CANT decorative detail was loaded on the
exterior of buildings with no higher aim
apparently that the wish to be gayer than
the neighbor over the way.
Money comes faster to any new country
than taste, and love of display which
springs from vanity and ignorance is for
tunately short-lived. The sturdy Roman
esQue was great relief, a most agreeable
change, with its simple lines and wide
reposeful spaces in which were frequently
introduced, with consummate taste, deco
ratiye carvings of great beauty.
a Peculiar Design.
What a progressive age this is, Carved
with great labor and artistic skill on the
great granite base of the tower of the
Union Station is a finely modelled design,
in which appear the wheel and wings OF
Mercury. Over this wheel and winding in
and out of the conventional ornament is a
cable car rope Who knows that antigua
rians may not some day ponder over this
great stone and dwell upon the cumbersome
character of the vehicle used in the earlier
periods of the electric motor?
There is another kind of architecture, and
there is no K sound in it when the artist
architect refers to it. The pronunciation
| is significant. This sort of work is not
provincial merely, for it is something more
even than that. One meets with examples
of this sort OF work in the most unexpected
places. No city is entirely free from this
plague. The Fine Arts Unions are exert
| ing considerable influence and protecting
the cities where they exist from atrocities
of monumental sculpture. Their influence
| is not as wide as one hopes it may become
some day.
! One hardly looks for laws regulating
taste, and since the man who accumuldtes
the money is permitted to build pretty
nearly anything he pleases with 1t, on3
may expect freak building to spring up
| from time to time at the bidding of ig-
norance. 1t is not the purpose of the writ
| er, who pretends to no profound knowledge
/ of the mysteries of architecture, to draw
| fine comparisons or enlighten the reader
/ on the relative excellence of examples of
| local architecture. His point of view is
| always that of the painter who deals en-
tirely with externals and forms his con-
clusions largely by intuition.
| This may be. after all, simply that in
/ defnable something we call taste. 1t is
curious coincidence that located at exactly
| the other extreme Of the city, about as far
! apart in straight line as two buildings
could be placed and still be in the District,
| is a most amusing example of freak ar
chitecture.
A Frenl< Structure.
1t Is a public school building-save the
mark It is located in Congress Heights
and is the most important of the improve
ments in that really beautiful and grow
ing suburb Doubtless, from the utilitari-
an point of view it is most satisfactory
school building.
One would not presume to enquire who
was the architect, for the architect was
probably a contractor whose pull was
sufficient to induce the school committee
not to waste per cent on useless plans,
when he could furnish what drawings were
necessary to build the kind of structure
they desired. 1t IS difficult to describe
such a building. II has fortunately little
resemblance to anything with which one
is familiar. 1t is a respectable cube of
bricks, plentifully supplied with windows,
and if the builder had been content with
this, there could have been no offence to