New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-09
Longnans Green & Co., 81 and 90 Fifth Avenue New York


rests large iron crown. This was undoubtedly
raising the emblem OF salvation in order thereby
Indian beholder
In like manner the author finds simple rea-
for another feature which is seldom absent
from the mission domes, consisting Of a series
of steps at each Corner Of the half dome She
says:
Several eminent architects have told me that the
pn 9 9 thefe steps Is a 3ut TO my gsned
there purposely by the clerical architects to afford
accident to this sacred symb6 could be Speedily
remedied 1t must he remembered that the fathers
mind. They knee. nat an accident TO the cross
the supe2os nang %boSe CONVERSION they
sought Hence common praGtical sense demanded I1e
emergency arose.
The motive for the massive buttresses found in
nearly all the mission buildings Is found. Of
course. in the precautions taken against earth
quakes, from the effects of which number Of
the buildings first erected severely suffered Re-
viewing her chapter on mission architecture, the
author finds the buildings at least suggest that
although the mission architects and builders
were dominated by common style, they were
by no means servile imitators of originals or
copyists of one another" The interior decora-
ton of the mission buildings the author regards
clothing her views in these words:
While the fathers understood well the principles
of architecture and created natural spontaneous
STYLE meeting all obstacles Of time and Place Place
skill in interior decoration. possessing neither orig
abied them to become good copytsts, nor Vet the
slightest appreciation OF color harmony. Instead
principles. as they did in architecture, the mis-
sionaries endeavored to reproduce from memory
the ornaments with which they had been famll I
in their early days in Spain in having neither
exactitude nor artistic qualities to MT them for the
cision.
The suggestion that the decorations were
given over to italian workmen the author re-
jects for the same reason that she questions the
explanation of mission priest, who declared
that while the Indians, if left to themselves,
possess harmony of color which seems never
to fail, they always demand startling effects
from US" To this the author replies: THE
Indians color sense in their basketry is perfect,
as also in their blankets, and 1 reason for
the assumption that they should demand from
US what is manifestly so contrary to their own
natural and normal tastes"
The chapter on furniture and woodwork Is es-
pecially interesting, not only in its description
and pictorial representation of the many quaint
and curious examples remaining of the car
pentry and cabinet work of the fathers and
their Indian assistants. but in the revelation or
the fact that there is justification for the use
of the term mission furniture so freely found
in contemporary advertising. If declares the
author, by the use of that name the idea is
conveyed that it is modelled after the furniture
made and used in the old California missions.
it is clearly unjustifed. since the Spanish faith
ers who established the California missions
failed to create a style of furniture as dlstinc-
five as their architecture" The illustrations
fully bear out the contention. although some Of
the articles depicted exhibit at least the undis-
guised constructive lines which the new mis-
sion" style takes as its basis