The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-02-14
Bronze Art Of the Capital

to Tradition" for the preservation Of
their history-all they have of it. On
the panels of the door proper are two
ufe-size women figures, one holding a
tyre representing imagination and the
other clasping the helmet OF her dead
warrior husband. representing memory.
The central door, by Macmonnies. IS
considered the most artistic OF the three
The subject Of its tympanum group is Ars
Typographical, which is chiefly represent
ed by Minerva. the goddess Of learning
and wisdom distributing the products OF
the printing press. Unlike the gorgeous
mosaic Of Minerva. at the head Of the
grand staircase, the goddess is seated.
and on either side of her is a winged
genius carrying immense folios away as
her gift to mankind. To the left and right
Of her also is a Pegasus and stork, the
former representing the poetic inspiration
and the latter symbolizing fIial piety- In
the panels of the door are two beautiful
women. wearing wide full skirts of leaf
figure pattern, representing intellect
and THE Humanities." each bearing a
tall flaming torch.
The third door is by Warner. The fea-
ture of its tympanum is a female figure
with a scroll open before her. She is
teaching two little children to read and
TO write. To the right Of her are figures
Of an Egyptian and Jew, and to the
left Of her are a Christian and a Greek
The Jew and Christian are kneeling, in
allusiOn TO the religious influence they
have had upon the ages, the former hold
ing a staff and the latter a cross. The
Egyptian holds a stylus in his hand and
the Greek carries a Tyre. In the panels
are figure of Truth and Research. The
latter carries in her hand the torch Of
knowledge, and Truth carries a serpent,
symbolizing wisdom. and mirror. signi-
flying careful observation.
In the three doors there are lesser decor
ations which cannot be enumerated here
Entering, one finds in the incomparably
beautiful staircase hall. on the newell
posts on either side, a bronze female fig
ure Of classic type. and rare artistic
beauty, standing on round bronze globes
and bearing many electric lights grouped
into torch. Each is clad in classic
drapery and has laurel wreath about
her head. 1t would be difficult for one to
forget these two divinely beautiful fig
ures
The above constitute the bronze art Of
the library with the exception Of Flanne-
gems famous clock and the heroic-size
figures that stand so silently majestic on
the balustrade Of the Rotunda, looking
down upon the main public reading room.
In each Of the octagonal spaces are two
famous men. sixteen in all. The statues
are arranged in pairs, each pair fianking
a pier of the rotunda. They stand typical
representatives Of the development Of
civilization as follows:
Religion. Moses and St. Paul; Com
merce. Columbus the navigator and dis
coyerer and Robert Fulton the invenetor
of the steamboat; History. Gibbon and
Herodotus; Art. Michael Angelo the paint
e. sculptor and architect, and Beethoven
the musician; Philosophy, Plato and Lord
Bacon: Poetry. Homer and Shakespeare;
Law, Scion and Kent; Science, Isaac
Newton and Joseph Henry.
Moses holds in his hand the table of the
law and out of his head grows a thorn.
an anicent. artistic conventionality. fol-
lowed by Niehaus. and which is said to
have grown out of an early mistransla-
ton OF the book OF EXcdCs
St. Paul is a bearded figure and carries
a two-edged sword.
Solon has a fold of his garment drawn
over his head and holds aloft in his left
hand the scroll of The Law" OF NOMOI
hand he carries an inverted sword
wreathed with Iaurels. signifying that al
though the law supplanted force, the lat
ter is always ready to enforce it.
Homer, who is barefooted. wears a
laurel wreath and carries a cudgel in his
hand
Herodotus IS represented as travelling
for materials for history His Sleeps skin
coat is grid about him rudely; he carries
a long staff and holds scroll over his
eyes. and he seems to lie looking for
destined point in his Journey
Beethoven has his hand uplifted, Fulton
carries a model of h:s steamboat and
Joseph Henry has in his hand an electro
magnet. Shakespeare is a composite Of
his standard picture and the bust Of him
az StratforG-on-Avon. and Kent clad in
ermine. carries in one hand his commen-
taries ard a pen in the other. Gibbon
carries a book anu pen.
\ fun technical description Of Flame
gems clock would require too much time
and space. The dial structure. which is
about eight feet square IS Of rich red
sienna and green African marble incrUst-
ed with MaIachite. Laps Lazuli. Thulite
and other stones Of great ornamental
yalue- The dial proper Is sun IN git
bronze and the hands are two iHtertwin-
ing serpents in enameled copper. On the
right and left of the dial structure are
Af