The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-04-02
The Den of Lions
Impressive Pageant
of the Architects
Annual Exhibition Of League
Has Brilliant and Artistic
Preface.

The Architectural League OF New
York last night prefaced its thirty
sixth annual exhibit in the Metropo'i-
tan Museum OF Art with a pageant so
cles combining amateur and professional
talent that 1t was unfortunate the au-
diencs was not larger. The same faith
fulness as to historical outline and de-
tail. color and perspective the archi-
tects give to their professional work
the originators of the pageant applied
to the pageant which was an hour In
length and all too short.
With Mr.. j. Monroe Hewlett, the pres
ident. at its head, the official board of
the league marched to the stage erected
in the main hall of the exhibit for the
ceremonies and entertainment. Park
Commissioner Gallatn walked with Mr.
Hewlett to the platform and listened to
the president thank him for making II
possible for the municipality to play
the host to the league for the first time
in it's thirty-six years. Mr.. Gallatin re-
piled In welcoming the league TO the
museum. commencing highly the aims
Of the organization of architects and
Award of Medals Made.
Mr.. Hewlett then announced the an
nual awards Of medals and certificates
as follows: In architecture, TO Mr..
Charles r. Klauer; in painting. TO Mr..
Eugene +. Savage; in sculpture. to Mr.
John Gregory. vice-president or the
league; In native industrial art. a
medal awarded for the first time, to
Cheney Brothers for the best designs OF
dyeing and craftsmanship In silks; the
Avery Prize in sculpture, to Mr.. Leo
Lantelli, and In landscape architecture
to James L. Greenley. Mr.. Hewlett also
announced the following awards offered
in q competition by the Eastern Terra
Gotta Company: First, TO Messrs +.
Harold Sterner and Salvatore Gril.o :;
second, to Messrs. Granville Rickert and
Benjamin Moscowitz, and third to Fran
els ]. Creamer
The pageant consisted OF a series OF
living pictures in pantomime Of ancient
Babylon during the days of Darius. The
drama of Daniel the golden image and
the lions was used and the argument
was the Scriptural account. IL was
called THE Den OF Lions; Rhythmical
Masque of Babylon the Great in the
Manner of Assyrian Faience.N The
vastness OF the incompleted basement oil
the new south wing of the museum
formed an excellent setting, which the
committee had redecorated deliberately
in keeping with the period.
Shadowy suggestions OF the Babylon
of Darius passed before the curtain as
Mr.. Charles L. Stafford chanted In excel
lent barytone tones the opening passages
from Scripture. Then the curtains
parted upon a scene representing Darius
and his court. It was scene of i'm
pressive beauty, upon a scale that would
have fitted the stage of the Metropolitan
Opera House.
Mr.. Aiken In KinEly Role.
Mr.. Robert Aitken, sculptor. was the
King and Miss Valodia Vestoff, one OF
the few professionals In the cast or 200
actors and actresses. was the Daniel
The first scene was the introduction or
Daniel. the second was the night Of
DduteI IN the lions den and the last
the deliverance. The liors, Nergal and
Nimrud. were Impressive Nubian beasts,
with Messrs. Charles Gulbrandson and
IL. J. PAUL secreted within their imi-
tation hides Care was taken not to
ruin the seriousness OF The picture by
simulated stage lions. The beasts merely
simulated stage lions. TIE beat beasts
posed.
Mr.. Hewlett. president of the league.
was the originator OF the pageant. the
special music for which was composed
or arranged BY Mr.. Kenneth NJ. Murchi-
son. and the whole was presented un-
der the direction OF Mr.. Howard Green
ley. A large orchestra and the mixed
choir from Grace Church. Brooklyn. un-
der Mr.. Frank Wright, furnished the
instrumental and vocal accompaniment.
The audience showed its appreciation
OF the dramatic and pictorial excellence
Of the pageant by its silent absorption
during each one OF the three scenes and
by It's enthusiastic applause during the
intermissions An effort Is being made
10 have the pageant repeated IL possible
for the entertainment OF larger public.