The Washington times., 1902-06-23
st. Bartholomew SChurch,
New York, to Be Further
Adorned.
MAGNIFICENT UNDERTAKING
Original Gift Consisted of Bronze Door
ways, But Now Front of St. Barthol-
omew's Will Be 0rnamented With
Magnificent Porch.

Magnificent Porch.
NEW YORK. June ga gift in mem
cry of Cornelius Vanderbilt has been
made by Mrs Vanderbilt; and her ohil
dren to St. Bartholomcw's Church. The
original gift consisted only Of the bronze
doorways for tie three portals of The
church. rrey are composed almost
wholly of sculpture, the central door be-
ing modelled by Daniel C. French in col
laboration with Andrew o'Connor, the
northerly door by Philip Martiny, and
the southerly door by Herbert Adams
The central portal is eleven feet high
and eight feet four inches wide. The
door is in two folds. Each fold is d.
vided into seven panels, the central and
largest panel containing figures repre-
senting the Evangelists. as the idea has
been to illustrate as clearly as may be
the story of the Apostles, chapter by
chapter The Evangolists are flanked
by statues CT those prophets whose
prophecy was nest clearly realized by
the Evangel!sts. Thus Matthew is sup
ported by jeremiah, Luke by Nehemiah.
John by Isaiah. and Mark By Daniel.
These representations OF the prophets
occupy four spaces on the sides adjOin-
ing the central groups. Above and be-
low the central groups are figures OF the
sibyls-Delphic, Persian, Erethrean and
Cume an.
The Toomost Groups.
The topmost groups represent on the
one side the Arnunciation and en- the
other the Alteration Of the Magi. while
the lower groups represent the Way to
the Cross and the Descent from the
Cross. These four gro,-s are surround
ed by various symbclical figures bearing
on the main subject. Thus the Way to
the Cross has about it the symbols IF /
hypocrisy, desolation and repentance
the owl the serpent the dragon, and the /
cock; while abou: the Descent from the !
Cross are the symbols OF self-sacrifce
and immortality-the pelican, the pea
cock, the phoenix, and the eagle. These |
panels are inclosed by an ornament Of
foliage composed of the ivy, thistle, oak, /
and laurel leaves.
The northerly and southcrly portals
are each eleven feet three inches high I
and six feet wide. and these doors also 1
are in two folds.
The North Door.
In the northerly door the two large |
panels picture the Apostles St. Philip |
and st. James in one and st. Andrew |
and St Bartholomew in the other. One |
of the upper elliptical panels represents |
the Pentecost, with the Apostles and |
the Virgin reunited, and the descent OF
the Holy Ghost; the othcf, the Ascen |
sion of Christ. surrounded by the Apos- |
ties. The two lower panels represent |
Christ on Mount Olivet, betrayed by |
Judas. and the intrrsting of the Church |
and its future TO Peter. In the two
small upper circular panels are the |
heads of cherubs. while the lower circu-
lar panels arc occupied by fantastic and
satanical- shaped lizard and dragon fig |
ures, which act as handles to the door. |
The entire ornamentation, consisting of |
olive leaves, is suggestive of peace, and |
also of the first suffering of the Saviour |
at Mount Olivet. and is in harmony with |
the treatment of the entire conception |
Peter and Andrew.
In the southerly door the large cen
trail panel of the left-hand fold shows
the Apostle Peter with Andrew, his |
brother. In the large panel of the |
right hand fold are Paul and Barnabas.
In the upper panel of the left hand fold |
the subject is the TRANSPORTATION, wit |
messed by Peter, James, and John. In |
the corresponding panel of the right
hand fold is represented the Descent OF |
the Spirit on Paul on the road to Da- |
Inascus. The lower panel of the left |
hand fold shows Peter addressing the |
lower panel o. the right-hand fold has |
for its subject the preaching of Paul |
at Philippi and the conversion OF Lydia. |
The sculptors general plan has been |
to suggest in the two large central pan
els the Apostles in the fullness of their |
work; In the TWO upper panels-the de- |
scent of the Spirit on them, and in the |
two lower panels the carrying of this |
Spirit out into the world. In the deco |
rated borders the sculptor has used |
plant forms mentioned in and suggested |
by Bible histoTy-the vine, rose, oak, /
passion flower, and lily.
Cast in Solid Bronze.
The doors are to be cast in solid |
bronze by the Henry Bonnard Bronze |
Company and John Williams.
1t was afterward decided to add to this
gift three marble tympanums, that over
the central door being by Mr.. French in |
collaboration with Mr.. O'Connor and |
representing the Apotheosis-the core
nation of the Christ. who sits on a
throne. surrounded by kneeling angels,
singing. The gold crown is held above
his head by winged angels. This is
fanked by frieze. which. beginning on
one side with a group of Adam and |
Eve, and on the other of Christ and the |
Virgin. represents the expulsion from
Eden for the murder OF Abel. the
Israelites in bondage, led out by Moses.
on one side of the door, and on the other
the procession Of men from the East.
the flight into Egypt and the way to
Calvary. all centering in the tympanum.
The tympanum en- the north by Mr. |
Martiny. represents two angels In adora-
tion before the infant Jesus and John
the Baptist. These two figures occupy
the circle in the center OF the tyr-
panum. John the Baptist holding in mis-
right hand the cross and in his left
the baptismal shell. On each side OF the
infant figures is an angel in kneeling,
fervent attitude, with clasDed hands.
Madona With Infant Christ.