Sculpture

The Court of the Universe has more than its share of the best sculpture

of the Exposition. In this court more than anywhere else one can obtain

an idea of the remarkable scope of the sculptured groups. It is a good

place to linger in if one has heretofore had pessimistic doubts about

the ultimate flowering of the art of sculpture in America.

The Fountain of the Rising Sun is at the east end of the sunken garden.

Its tall shaft is surmounted by the figure of a youth typifying the

Rising Sun-a figure of irresistible appeal. The morning of day and the

morning of life, the freshness of the dawn and the aspiration of youth--

these things are remarkably suggested in the figure. With head up and

winged arms outstretched, the youth is poised on tiptoe, the weight

thrown forward, as if just on the point of soaring.

The Fountain of the Setting Sun is just opposite, at the west end of the

sunken garden. The surmounting figure here, though officially called

"The Setting Sun," is more appropriately named "Descending Night"-the

title the artist has given to the bronze replica in the Fine Arts

gallery. The closing in of night-that is what is so perfectly

suggested in the relaxed body, the folding-in wings, and the remarkable

sense of drooping that characterizes the whole statue. There is, too, an

enveloping sense of purity and sweetness about the figure.

These two statues which surmount the Fountains of the Rising Sun and the

Setting Sun are among the most charming sculptures at the Exposition.

They have not the strength of the figures of the Elements, or the

massive nobility and repose of the Genius of Creation, or the purely

modern native appeal of the works of Stackpole and Young and Fraser. But

for those of us who are sculpture lovers without asking why, they come

closer to our hearts and dwell more intimately in our minds than any of

these. "Descending Night" especially has a sensuous charm of graceful

line, a maidenly loveliness, that appeals irresistibly. Both figures are

by Adolph A. Weinman.

Above the higher basin of each fountain the column drum is decorated

with figures in relief. While the two friezes are meant to be decorative

primarily, the artist has employed in each case a symbolism in keeping

with the crowning figure. The frieze in the Fountain of the Rising Sun

represents "Day Triumphant." The symbolic figures typify the awakening

of man's finer instincts and energies at the call of the morning, and

the shrinking of the vices when the darkness of night gives place to the

light of day. The relief-frieze of the "Fountain of the Setting Sun" is

entitled "The Gentle Powers of Night." It represents Descending Night

bringing with her the Stars, the Moon-goddess, Dreams, and similar

beautiful things. The lower basins of both fountains contain figures of

centaurs (a new sea-variety, with fins) holding sea-monsters.

Groups surmounting arches. The monumental groups surmounting the two

triumphal arches are "The Nations of the East," on the Arch of the

Rising Sun, and "The Nations of the West," on the Arch of the Setting

Sun. The symbolic idea behind the two compositions thus placed facing

each other, is that of the nations of the Eastern and Western

Hemispheres at last meeting on this Pacific shore.

The Nations of the East is made up of five mounted and four unmounted

figures, all typical of the Orient. Reading from the spectator's left to

right, the mounted figures are: 1. an Arab tribal chief on a horse; 2. a

Mohammedan standard bearer on a camel; 3. the East Indian on his

richly-caparisoned elephant; 4. another Mohammedan standard-bearer on a

camel; 5. a Mongolian horseman. Between the mounted figures are the

following on foot: 1. a servant with a basket of fruits; 2. an Arab

falconer; 3. a Thibetan lama or priest; 4. another servant with fruit.

The Nations of the West represents typical figures from the European

nations which have helped to develop America, together with two American

Indians and an Alaskan. A central composition shows the Mother of

Tomorrow and a surmounting group typifying the Spirit of Enterprise

which has led the Aryan race to conquer the West. The figures, from left

to right, are: 1. the French-Canadian (sometimes called "The Trapper"),

on horseback; 2. the Alaskan, carrying totem poles, on foot; 3. the

Spanish-American conqueror, mounted; 4. the German-American, on foot; 5.

the Mother of Tomorrow, on the tongue of the ox-drawn prairie schooner;

6. the Italian-American, on foot; 7. the English-American, mounted; 8.

an Indian squaw; 9. the American Indian, mounted. On top of the prairie

schooner the Spirit of Enterprise is represented by a spirited winged

figure, with a boy at either hand.

The way in which the two groups balance each other at the two ends of

the court is worthy of study-the elephant of the one offset by the

prairie schooner of the other. Indeed each feature of one is balanced in

the other so that the two will mass against the sky with the same

general decorative effect. "The Nations of the East," considered as a

whole, seems the more satisfying group-richer in feeling, more unified

in design, and more massive; in short, more monumental and therefore

better fitted to crown the noble arch. But if this fits its setting

better, and masses against the sky more satisfyingly, "The Nations of

the West" will be found on close examination to contain the better

individual figures. The Alaskan (unfortunately almost lost to view in

the present placing of the group), the Canadian Trapper, and the mounted

Indian are all worthy of prolonged study; and the figure of the Mother

of Tomorrow is one of the finest bits of sculpture at the Exposition. In

these figures, and only slightly less so in the other figures of this

and the opposite group, there is ample evidence that the American

sculptors have outgrown the traditions of by-gone "schools" and have

developed a genuine native medium of expression. The two groups are the

work of A. Stirling Calder, Leo Lentelli, and Frederick G. R. Roth in

collaboration.

Figures at north and south of sunken garden. Flanking the stairways to

the sunken garden at north and south are four large figures by Robert

Aitken, typifying "The Elements."

Air is at the west end of the south stairway, and is represented as a

huge winged female figure putting a star in her hair. Two birds,

old-time symbols of the air, complete the suggestion. At the back a man

has tied himself to the wings of the figure typifying man's effort to

put to his own use the wings of the air.

Earth is placed at the east end of the south stairway. A huge female

figure rests on conventionalized rocks, and a formalized tree partially

supports her. At the back two small struggling figures are seen,

typifying man's struggle with the forces of earth.

Water is placed at the east end of the north stairway. The sea-god, with

his trident in one hand and sea-weed in the other, rides on a wave, with

a dolphin beside him.

Fire at the west end of the north stairway-is typified by the figure

of a man in agony, with one hand grasping the flame, and with jagged

lightning in the other, symbolizing man's terror of fire as well as his

conquering of it. A salamander completes the main design, while at the

back the phoenix, bird fabled to rise from fire, helps support the

figure.

These four figures are of the sort of art that is likely to turn the

unthinking person away, though a study of them will bring out new

beauties with riper acquaintance. Because people fail to get far enough

away from them to obtain the proper perspective, the statues seem too

huge, too strong, too terrible, ever to be attractive. They are, it is

true, out of scale, and thus mar the effect of the court to a certain

extent. But there is in them something of the noble and compelling

strength of the statues of Michael Angelo-to whom the sculptor clearly

owes his inspiration. Stand between the columns at the corner of the

Transportation Palace, and you will see that the figure of Fire not only

is imaginatively conceived but is a fine line composition as well. Study

of the other three from corresponding viewpoints will well repay in

increased understanding and pleasure.

Figures at east and west of sunken gardens. Flanking the east and west

stairways are two groups by Paul Manship. The one representing two girls

dancing or running is called sometimes "Festivity," sometimes "Motion."

Here the artist has welded the figures into an ornamental design in a

way unparalleled in the work of other American sculptors. Note the

finely varied outline, the sense of rhythmic motion, and the rich

feeling that every part is decorative. The opposite group is called

"Music" or "Music and Poetry." It lacks the flowing grace and something

of the richness of feeling of the other, though it is more dignified.

There is the same conventionalization in treatment, again charming.

These groups are not for people who look for realism in art above all

else; but for those who care for the classic, who see in formalization a

short-cut to the expression of the spirit of a thing, there are few more

appealing groups in the grounds. The figures are repeated at the east

and west entrances to the garden.

Minor Sculptures. The slender "Stars" along the top of the colonnade are

the work of A. Stirling Calder. When one remembers that this is the

Court of the Universe, they seem to fit in with the meaning of the

whole, and architecturally their symmetry of form fits them well for

repetition. The low relief friezes on the corner pavilions represent

"The Signs of the Zodiac," and are by Hermon A. MacNeil. A formalized

Atlas is represented in the center, and at each side are seven of his

daughters, the Pleiades and the Hyades, whom the gods changed into

stars. Twelve of the maidens have plaques bearing the symbols of the

Zodiac. The frieze is well composed and beautifully modeled, but the

rough Travertine does not do it justice. The minor sculptures on the

triumphal arches consist of a repeated winged angel with sword

down-turned, by Leo Lentelli; spirited spandrels over the arches,

representing "Pegasus," by Frederick G. R. Roth; and two well-adapted

medallions by A. Stirling Calder and B. Bufano. All of these decorative

features are repeated on both sides of both arches.