The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-18
MAGNIFICENCE AND Y
NOBILITY IN SCULPTURE.

MOBILITY IN SCULPTURE.
The arrangement and style of build
'ngs adopted for the Pan American lcx-
position conduces greatly to the effecs-
iveness of sculptural adornment The
Exposition has been planned so as 10
bring the buildings Of the main group
Into most admirable composition
. about two great Intersecting courts. the
I f.splanade and the Court OF Fountains.
This gives a very Imposing appearance
ana also ministers 10 the comfort OF the
! visitor, who can thus reach the princi-
/ pal buildings without becoming ex-
hausted by long walks between differ-
ent parts OF the grounds. To he sure.
there are some important uildings
\ which do not face upon these courts.
such as the Art gallery and the
New York State building. which are
beautifully cDsconced amid the trees
of Delaware Park, and the state and
Foreign buildings. which are in the
southeastern part of the grounds. bur
readily accessible from the rart OF the
/ transverse court called the Espianade
and which Ehve themselves been placed
/ I'm an admira BILE composition about a
central court The Electric Tower di-
NilSS the 0OuFi OF tOunldlnN ifDfH
I the Plaza, 80 that the latter is really
a continuation of the main court and
\ upon the Plaza front the eIaborately
I decorated buildings which form the en-
1 trance 10 the Midway and Stadium and
I the ornamental approach from the rail-
way station called the Propylma
/ If all the sculpture now completed or
/ under way for the decoration OF the
buildings and grounds OF the Pau
/ American Exposition were To be group
/ ed in one place il would make an ex-
ceedingly Imposing assemblage. New
\ er before were such efforts made
TO beautify an exposition by scup-
I ture. Never before has such work
: been undertaken upon SO elaborate a
scale as has been planned for the Expo
sition which Is 20 celebrate and perpet- ,
uate the closer union of the countries
/ of the western hemisphere. Never be-
/ fore was so elaborate. harmonious and
( poetic a scheme adopted for unifying
the ideas and interpreting the genius OF
the greatest cxponents OF this branch
Of art. Half q million dollars Is being
expended i'm the creation OF these forms
of beauty. But it's aesthetic value is not
20 be measured by the dollar sign The
fact that practically all the noted scuip-
| tors of the American continent are en-
gagged i'm the production of this work
shows what an important achievement
/ i'm art IL is destined TO bS
Now that the Exposition structures
are so far advanced toward completion.
| now that so much OF the scuiptured
! work has been done and forwarded TO
| Buffalo. the magnitude of II and the
nobility OF the whole sculptural plan of
the Exposition begins to be revealed.
The fitness OF these works of art for the
| adornment OF the outward framework
and setting OF the Exposition begins, TO
be more fully realized.
There is a difference between monu-
mental sculpture and exposition scuip-
| ture. To the latter is allowed much
greater latitude In the treatment OF al
legorical figures. 1t is capable OF much
more fanciful treatment and may be
made 10 add life and interest and poet
ry TO buildings and structures whose
purpose might seem almost wholly pro-
| sale. The idea of allegorical use OF
! sculpture for the adornment OF build
ings and grounds will be carried out
| more fully and elabora teiy at the Pam
| American than at any previous exposi-
tion. IL is Mr.. Bitter's desire that the
purposes OF the buildings and their con.
tents shall give character to their sculp-
tural adornments. And. as have said.
| the grouping of the principal buildings
! about the transverse court is especially
| favorable TO the carrying out OF such
| plan.
/ Each building and each group OF
| buildings possesses some dominant
| idea. Those To the left OF the Trium-
phal Bridge and the EspIanade contain
i'm a measure examples OF the natural
1 ,fs,tn ~
! culture, illustrative OF the natural
wealth of the American continent
| what nature can do with or without the
aid of man-and the sculpture in and
about the fountains and courts and
! buildings of this portion of the grounds
| is symbolic i'm some form of these ideas
To the right of the Esplanade are tho
| United States government group OF
| three connected buildings illustrating
political institutions. and the Ethnology
building, illustrating mans history and
! having sculpture portraying the differ
| ent ethnic types. Man and his history
and institutions are the ideas predomi-
mating in this group. and they are in
/ terpreted i'm the sculpture.
Beyond these groups, on either side OF
! the Court OF Fountains the various
buildings afford subjects for illustra-
tions In the sculpture of this court. Aud
7 1T tTTU UHU OF me vista stands the lofty
! Electric Tower, emphasizing the all per-
! vasive influence of the elements. the
/ mysterious force OF electricity and ths
! power Of the great waters. the vast In
I land seas and rushing rivers which
separate the United States and Canada
/ and furnish the means for the great
! commercial and Industrial progress OF
/ which the whole Niagara frontier Is n
! witness. The latter ideas viii be inter
! preted quite elaborately i'm the sculp-
| ture OF the Electric Tower
PAN-AMERICAN THE BEST.