The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-05-11

director of Color, Pan-American Expostion]
Exposition has very appropriately been
dedicated to our neighbors in the West
| ern Hemisphere.
All the savage races have manifested
great fondness for strong, crude col
ors, and these will be found on the
buildings nearest the main entrance.
The advancement of man in intelli-
gence and civilization has been marked
by q desire for more refined color COM
binations, and the eliminating point of
subtlety and grace of color being in the
Electric Tower, which, representing
the highest advance in material civili-
cation and occupying the leading posi-
ton intellectually and sculpturally of
the whole Exposition, naturally enough
has come in for the finest color notes.
1t Is happy feature of the color
scheme that the buildings upon which
the artist would naturally lavish pow
erful cOlorS all lie about the southern
entrance. A regular graduation from in
tense to less pronounced coloring Is
thus possible. AS the majority of peo-
pie will come in from the southern en-
trance they will get an impression of
bright, rich, fresh color. They will not,
however, have time to grow weary
with the brilliancy. Before their eyes
are jaded they will have got into the
region of more softly tinted surfaces.
1t must not be supposed. however,
that the primitive color schemes are in
themselves harsh or bad or crude. Va
rious devices have been adopted for Sc
curing harmony.
For one thing. the greater part of the
exterior wall spaces are all in warm
white. Color is employed only at struc-
tural points in the architecture. as
about entrances. Furthermore, no
primitive color Is brought into direct
contrast with other primitive colors; a
mass of ivory white always intervenes
This gives great brilliancy and pre-
of white used on the buildings varies
from a warm creamy white near the
bridge to a cool ivory tone at the Elec-
trio Tower.
AS an essential means of promoting
harmony green. in at least few notes.
is employed In the adornment of every
building of the Exposition. The beauti-
full translucent green Of Niagara has
been fifty chosen as the dominant color
of the whole scheme. Appearing in its
fullness in the recesses of the Electric
Tower and In the restaurant group be-
hind. II Is everywhere repeated. Not a
building but bears its echo mark of Nj
agara green.
The color schemes of a few Of the
buildings may be noted:
orticulture-Orange, with details in
brilliant blue. green. rose and yellow.
Governmental-Yell with details
in primitive colors.
Music Hall-Red.
Machinery-Greenisb gray.
Restaurant Group-Ivory. accented
with green and gold.
Electric Tower-Ivory, yellow, gold
and green.
The roofs of the Exposition are for
the most part covered with red tiles.
though prominent towers and pinnacles
will be In many cases decorated with
green or blue green or with gold.
All the buildings will have play of
colors about their entrspces, balconies,
pinnacles and towers. My idea is to
have the sharpest and freshest green
known carried throughout the entire
scheme, and that will be my reference
to power. Green is one of the more re-
cent and refined colors. 1t has not long
been used In art. Pick up any picture
painted long ago. and you will look in
vain for a suggestion Of green In 1t.
The grass will be represented as brown.
They said it was impossible to secure
1he grass green effect, but 1t Is done
nowadays.
The color scheme has for the most
part been worked out at my studio in
New York. The first step was to get
from the architects small sketches of
all the buildings. Models were made
from these on a scale OF one-slxteenth
inch to the foot which when properly
grouped on platform II by 16 feet rep
whole duty. Its duty may be express
ed, less exhaustively, perhaps. but
with more practical truth, thus: 1t is
place not in which anybody will learn
all it can offer, but in which anybody
may enlarge the scope of his informa-
ton. How far the Pan-American Ex-
position can realize this criterion Of
completeness and of excellence will
depend upon the area Of space at its
disposal and the skill of its officers In
the management of that space. 1t
looks now as IL it will become not an
encyclopedia Of all knowledge, but an
edition de luxe Of the most excellent
selections.
In this phase Of the Exposition win