The Washington herald., 1915-10-04
The San Francisco Exposition.
BY JOHN d. BARRY.

|
On the Marina the architects wisely decided mol
to do much in the way of ornamentation. The,
knew that they could not compete with the mag
,.ifccnt bay of San Francisco, Alcatraz standing
out like a great citadel, unhappy used as a mill.
tary prison, and with Mount Tsmalpais to the
lett looking down on the Golden Gate So they
, kept the Esplanade simple giving an unobstructed
view.
In turning from the bay the visitor sees the
long sweep of the northern wall, very plain, save
for of the most beautiful of those Spanish
Picturesque doorways Of Faville's the background
making the rich design all the more impressive
The adapted figures by Allen Newman the old
Spanish conqueror in the center and the bow
legged pirate in duplicate either SIDE are char
aetcristc and vigorous. The pirate is one Of the
exposition's few sculptured figures that are
touched with humor.
In the distance. to the west. stands the Cali
iornis Building. by George w.. kelham chief of
the board OF architects, and Thomas H. Burditt
OF San Francisco, a stately example OF mission
architecture, splenddly proportioned, but a little
severe. The old padres. who brought this stvle
into California, were kindly men with genial
attitude toward life which expressed itself in their
building.
After observing the sweep OF the northern wall,
convenient course is to return from the Marina
10 the Court of the Universe and to 60 under the
Western Arch in the direction of the Court Of the
-Four Seasons. Under the arch are two m,rals
by Frank Vincent Du Mond celebrating the de-
Parture OF the pioneers from their homes in the
East and their arrival in California Here is am
other picturesque treatment Of the prairie schoon-
er. Zach mural tells its story plainly and presents
well executed types. The symbolistic figures in the
California mural are somewhat exaggerated and
the California bear suggests that the artist is not
used to animals That bear caused him good deal
OF agitation. Inc coloring in these murals is bril-
liant. One popularity of the faces is that they
arc nearly all Jewish types In the mural depict
ing the arrival in California arc introduced the
hgures OF Bret Harte, representing literature, and
William Keith, representing art.
When Fave planned the inner courts or ave-
nues his idea was to make them connect the main
courts without a jarrng effect He succeeded. He
feature OF the exposition The great windows he
designed simply and beautifully The walls he
with picturesque cmblems. He knew
that the other architects were going to make free
use OF the fluted column: so he used the orna-
mentcd column for the sake Of variety. He was
brilliantly helped out by the planting OF Mel aren
and by the warm coloring OF Guerin. In those
inner courts he indulged his fancy for ornamental
doorways. Some Of the smaller doorways are
among his best
.
Bacon, of New York, is more severely classic
than the Court OF the Universe. well-known
architect has said that if he to send stu
dent to study in one particular court, he would
send him here for the that all the details |
are IN harmony. The court is often compared
with the uns of Hadrian's Villa The rcscn,-
Dlance consists chiefly in the ha-dome a bcauti- !
ul example Of a design favored by the Romans. At
either side stands an interesting example OF the
composite column.
OF all the courts, this is the most sequcs-
cred and the most intimate. Visitors instincvcly
seek it out for quiet and The four groups rep
esenting the seasons, by Furio Pccrilli, arc exc
:uted with tenderness OF feeling and with great
beauty OF line. The water flowing the steps
It the base of each makes lovely effect. For the
background, Guerin has used the shade OF pink
hat he seems to be particularly fond OF, daring
,oor. 1t gives warmth to the court as a whole
Over it John McIaren has hung his African dew
iculary delightful when viewed through the screen
If columns. The Romans had special fondness
or glimpsng sculpture in this way The water
unning the steps is a typically Roman
eature. At night Ryan lights it up from beneath
" means of concealed sources.
The bulls in the groups over the court on either
ce" recall the days when the Romans celebrated
he harvest by delcgating young people to wreathe
lowers around the bull and to lead him to slaugh-
er in thanksgiving 70 the gods. Less successful
the Fountain OF Ceres, the entrance court,
" Evelyn Beatrice Longman The dancing figures
# the frieze at the base are good; but Ceres her
elf seems less classic than modern, more prim than
rimtive.
The mural decorations by II. Milton Bancroft
urther illustrate the wisdom in the saying OF
iuerin that a subject asset. These murals
I'll story; but they stand for symbolic ideas,
agan in character and expressed in the pagan
prit. Their very simplicity gives them a certain
lementa quality. In coloring they are probably {
etter than the ancient mural decorative work
1ey try to suggest. The modern painter has big
dvantage in the superiority OF his pigments
The intimacy OF the court whole is greatly
eped out by the arrangement of the planting
hose thick masses of deep gray shrubbery around ,
ne pool in the center show genius on the part of |
icLaren. They give poetry TO the character of the
ourt whole by day. and by night they lend a
uggeston OF mystery. The pool shows some of
he most remarkable of the night reflections
The inner court, avenue. that leads toward r
ne Palace OF Fine Arts has interesting examples r
the twisted columns that the Romans favored
nd that they doubtless borrowed from the ORR I
ntas. Some observers find in those columns r
suggestion OF Oriental subtlety. They arc pic @
lrcsque in themselves and they give an added .
avor OF the Orient to exposition which is dis
ncty and httingly Oriental in character on ac-
punt OF the relation between the Orient and Cali
,rnia. Then, too they have value here because
icy impress upon the mind the superior charm of
le straight columns.