Evening star., 1924-11-13
The North Window
BY LEILA MECHLIN


1t is Of paintings and sculpture that
one thinks first. and yet perhaps the
greatest monuments of art are build
ings, works Of architecture. AS
visiting artist from
abroad once remarked, 1t Is the
buildings which first impress a
stranger; one must stay to visit the
art galleries and become acquainted
in full measure with the works of
the painters and sculptors. In
Europe what Is 1t that shares in in
terest with the picture galleries?
The cathedrals, the works in almost
every instance Of Gothic artists and
craftsmen, architectural monuments
made beautiful in every detail by
collaboration of the arts.
In this country we have assembled
through the assistance and generosity
of private citizens several world
famous collections. One. the Freer
collection, is now permanently
housed in the beautiful Freer Gallery
in this city. In recent years we have
also been adding to our architectural
m monuments, which are with equal
truth to be considered great works of
art-for instance our Lincoln Me-
mortal. the work of Henry Bacon,
architect; Daniel Chester French,
sculptor, and Jules Guerin, painter.
X X X
Within the last six months we
have added yet another building of
great beauty and artistic significance
the permanent home of the National
Academy Of Sciences and National Re
search Council on Twenty first street
between and G streets northwest,
facing the Lincoln Memorial and
modestly, though finely, taking it's
place in our great city plan. This
building was dedicated last May, but
because of its out-of -the-way loca-
tion and the fact that it is a build
ing comparatively few may have yet
realized how priceless it is as
work of art.
The designer, the architect, was the
late Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, who
up TO the time he undertook this
commission had been known almost
exclusively for his Gothic and Span
ish colonial buildings. Mr.. Goodhue
was associated with Mr.. Cram in the
designing of buildings, among them
the beautiful chapel for West Point
The same firm stood sponsor for the
new ST. Thomas Church on Fifth
avenue in New York, one of the most
beautiful Gothic structures in this
country. Mr.. Goodhue designed the
buildings for the worlds fair at San
Diego, California-a brilliant achieve
ment. He had immense creative abil-
ity and an extraordinary sense OF
beauty in design, of fitness, of that
intangible quality which we call
taste.
The designing Of this building was
a new problem. a different problem.
Following classical precedent. Mr..
Goodhue may be said to have created
a style of his own to suit the exi-
gencies of site and need. w. X.
Harrison. in a comprehensive article
on the building, published in the
October number OF Architecture,
says: 1T has much of the character
of Latrobes Washington designs, al
though to express the multiplicity Of
new practical requirements since the
building of the Treasury a freer
adaptation of the Greek was neces-
sary, In the same way that modern
developments have forced, and made
possible, the extension of the small
system laid down by Maj. LEnfant in
his original plan of Washington. Mr..
Goodhue tried to use the Greek de-
tail on a modern building. He con-
fessed to the impossibility of dating
the style of the building, calling 1t
AIexandrian." The truth is that the
building itself is extremely simple,
but its detail Is exquisite.
Approaching from the south one
passes on three low platforms rec
tangular basins of water which are
now lined with American made tiles
of a Persian blue, lending a color
note in the midst of the whiteness.
The central doorway has been char
on hv Nr q
reminiscent of an early stele and OF
Byzantine ivory. They are made OF
wood covered with bronze plates
magnificently embossed, the eight
panels representing crucial epochs in
the history of science. They focus
the artistic interest of the facade at
the axis Of the building. But as one
glances up and across one Is I'M
pressed by the beauty of the carved
holdings and of the bronze decor
alton along the edge of the roof, 80
chaste as to be unobtrusive, yet so
appropriate and beautiful as to truly
decorate. Such use of ornament Is
the perfection of art 1t Is as q
garment exquisitely embroidered.
The series of window openings
across the facade run two stories in
height. but are broken by bronze
panels in relief marking the floor
line. On the top terrace, leading to
the main entrance, are lamps of
unique design, conventionalized busts
Of women crowned with light, figures
reminiscent both Of the Greek and
the Egyptian, classic, regal in their
simplicity, impressive as caryatids.
Most beautiful of all perhaps, are
the grill doors to the central hall.
These are of metal. bronze, designed
after the manner of Italian cutwork,
with a background Of clear glass.
Symbols Of the consultations are
used as the chief features OF the
design. The fireplace in the library
shows a carving in low relief, en-
blematic of the development of
civilization. The spectrograph which
stands in the center of the rotunda
has been given case made beautiful
with modelling and decorative device.
There is great cry today for
originality in art, for escape from
tradition. Here we have true origi-
nality, and at the same time beauty.
The designers have used the mate
rial which science and nature have
given them. but they have used 1t
with the wisdom which comes as the
fruit Of knowledge. 1t is not as
though they said to themselves, Let