Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-13
THE HALL OF COLUMNS
A SUBLIME MEMORIAL
Painters Facing New Tasks Today Turn
the Wonderful in Egypt Inspiration.
/. MEMORIAL monument, If of

A MEMORlAb monument
II a completely representative
4 h order, is the product of at
least three factors:
81. Form, including scale anu
proportion.
"2. IL -ht and shade.
"3. Color.
"The result will be the realization
of three minds of architect sculptor
painter, interacting and collaporaI
ing. Form as expressed in line ana
mass will fall within the province OF
all three minds; light and SHADE as
well, although they will be reanZeo
in more detail by the sculptor ana
painter, Color will fall within the
special field of the painter"
So spoke Edwin Howland Biasn,
field last May at the war memorial
session of the American Federatioll
of Arts in New York City. His plea
for color in architecture focuseo at
tention on Egypt, where the anclenl
architects worked in unison Win
both the sculptor and the painter,
producing marvellous monuments
temples and tombs whose noble pro
portions, haunting lights and shaoes,
still the delight and inspiration OF
the artist. although in ruins.
Standing out like an obelisk amid
these ancient ruins is the great hall
of Columns of Karnak, one OF the
sublimest memorials in the history
of architecture, and one OF the
noblest monuments that a son ever
erected to the memory of a father
In this building, form, light ano
shade and color meet, making OF
completely representative me-
mortal monument.
The Hyperstyle Hall, or Great
Hall of Karnak, was begun by SET
I in memory of his father, but pe'
fore 1t was finished he climbed the
golden stairs Of the gods to the
Meadow of Reeds, leaving the com
pletion of it to his son, sRameses IL
The great pharaoh felt this worn
was a sacred duty, for in an inscrlp'
tion on one of the walls he proclaims
, his feelings thus: THE most beau
tiful thing to behold, the best Trims
to hear, is a child with thankiu
breast, whose heart beats for MI
father" The story of his upbring
ing follows and he ends by saying
"I will renew the memorial ane
clothe the walls of my parent"
Karnak is the name often appnee
to the northern half OF the ruln'
that lie on the east bank of the Nile
at Thebes. 1t was one of the three
cities built on this ancient site. Th'
| first was near Medinet Habu, on th'
western bank of the Nile, the SECOND
at Luxor, near Amenhotep,s grea
temple. and the third, and Oldest, Il
! the north at Karnak.
The ruins of Karnak, which oc
| cupy a space nearly half a mill
! long and two thousand feet wide
comprise three great Enclosures. Tit
northernmost and smallest con
tanned the temple of the god Mont
built by Amenophis III and restored
by Rameses II. The southern in
| closure contained the temple of th'
goddess Nut. Back of this templ'
was the sacred lake in the shape o
a horseshoe, around which ha
grown up many a weird legend
Even to-day the natives dislike thi
spot. which is only crescent SHAPED
pond. for fear of meeting an enor
nous black cat which walks her
| on dark nights and whose eyes Shin
in the dark like two balls of fire. TIT
hideous creature hypnotizes those OF
whom she fixes her gaze and drag
them down into the water. wher
they drown. On moonlight night
the black cat is displaced by al
Egyptian Lady of Shalott,' VIII
casts her spell over the spot ant
lures by her beautiful voice the un
wary to her castle In the water.
| epths, and there smothers them
| rhe central inclosure contains tn
greatest of all temples-the tempt
of Ammon. which was reared b.
Seti for the priests who performe,
their professional acts of WORSHIP
here. The great hall of the tempt
was one of the largest in Egypt. ]
| was $40 feet long by ITO feet wild
and eighty feet high, and covere
fifty thousand square feet. Tn
whole of Notre Dame could stand o.
/ the ground floor. Its roof was mad
of stone slabs and these were place
on stone beams which rested in tur
upon 1874 columns. Garrett Chat
field Pier says that "the hall wa
originally rooted with gigantic fla
sandstone blocks painted blue an
dotted with gold stars on solar disk
with outspread vultures' wings. ]
was lighted by the subdued ligh
that Uttered through > sort {