An Art-Lovers Guide to the Exposition: Explanations of the Architecture, Sculpture and Mural Paintings, With a Guide for Study in the Art GalleryCheney, Sheldon
History
An Art-Lovers Guide to the Exposition: Explanations of the Architecture, Sculpture and Mural Paintings, With a Guide for Study in the Art Gallery
Cheney, Sheldon
Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
5. The Birth of European Art. Four figures surround an altar on which
burns the sacred fire, three being merely attendants preserving the
flame, and the fourth the guardian holding high a torch lit at the
altar. A man from earth grasps this torch as he leans from his flying
chariot. A woman in the lower corner holds a crystal gazing-globe,
wherein the future of art has been revealed, and she turns to gaze after
the man who is carrying the sacred fire to earth.
6. Citrus Fruits, the third "gold" of California.
7. The Inspiration of All Art. Two Angels of Inspiration are at the top,
while below to the left are Sculpture, with a winged statuette, and
Architecture, with the scroll and compass; and to the right, Painting,
with brush and palette, Music, with a lyre, and Poetry, with a book.
8. Wheat, the fourth "gold" of California.
The Outdoor Gallery of Sculpture
Many of the finest bronzes and marbles of the sculpture section are
given an adequate setting which would be impossible within the gallery
building, by being placed in the open, along the two ends of the lagoon,
through the peristyles, and under the Fine Arts rotunda.
As this group of sculpture embraces all types from the playful to the
very serious, it is foolish to try to appreciate the whole series at one
time. Perhaps the best way is to start first to familiarize oneself with
the smaller bronzes of the purely lyric type, the charming garden
figures, sun-dials, and miniature fountains, that make up such an
attractive part of the collection. Note how often the names of Edward
Berge, Janet Scudder and Anna Coleman Ladd recur in connection with this
graceful, intimately appealing sort of sculpture. On another day, when
life seems soberer, spend all your time in study of the more serious
works, such as Saint Gaudens' "Seated Lincoln," and McKenzie's "The
Young Franklin," noting how the dignity, sureness of touch, and sound
purpose of these make them more appealing with longer acquaintance. On
another day take the intermediate group, that is dignified but less
austere in theme-such works as Sherry Fry's "Peace," and Berge's "Muse
Finding the Head of Orpheus." Studied systematically, there is in this
series of statues a broad education in the appreciation of sculpture.
For convenience in reference the whole series is listed here. In regard
to those works which the labels make self-explanatory, no comment is
added, unless to call attention to some special quality which the
unpracticed eye might miss. Where the symbolism or "story" is obscure,
an explanation is given.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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