The City of Domes : a walk with an architect about the courts and palaces of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, with a discussion of its architecture, its sculpture, its mural decorations, its coloring and its lighting, preceded by a history of its growthBarry, John D. (John Daniel)
History
The City of Domes : a walk with an architect about the courts and palaces of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, with a discussion of its architecture, its sculpture, its mural decorations, its coloring and its lighting, preceded by a history of its growth
Barry, John D. (John Daniel)
Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
Quotations on Arch of Setting Sun, chosen by Garnett. Panels from left
to right, facing court: "In Nature's infinite book of secrecy a little I
can read," from "Antony and Cleopatra," by Shakespeare, the English
poet;
"Facing west from California's shores,
Inquiring, tireless, seeking what is yet unfound,
I, a child, very old, over waves, toward the house of maternity, the
land of migrations, look afar,
Look off the shores of my Western sea, the circle almost circled. from
"Leaves of Grass," by Walt Whitman the American poet; "Truth, witness
of the past, councillor of the present, guide of the future," from "Don
Quixote," by Cervantes, the Spanish novelist.
Murals in Arch of the Setting Sun, by Frank Vincent Du Mond of New York.
"Westward March of Civilization," beginning on north and continuing on
south wall. Four groups in north panel, from left to right, Emigrants
setting out for the west; two workmen and a woman holding child;
symbolic figure of the Call to Fortune; types of those who crossed the
continent, the driver, the Preacher, the Pioneer, the Judge, the
Schoolmistress, the children; youth bidding farewell to parents; in
background, New England home and meeting place. South wall: four groups
in panel, from left to right; two Spanish-American soldiers and captain
with a Spanish priest, suggesting Mission period; symbolical figure
"Spirit of Enlightenment"; types of immigrants, the Scientist, the
Architect, the Writer Bret Harte, the Sculptor, the Painter William
Keith, the Agriculturist, the Laborer, women and children; California
welcoming the easterners, figures of California bear, farmer, miner,
fruit pickers; orange tree, grain and fruit, symbols of state.
Classic groups at head of steps in front of arches leading down into
gardens by Paul Manship, of New York. North side, "The Dancing Girls";
south, "Music and Art."
Star-figure, along upper edge of court, by Calder. Repeated ninety
times. Contrast with angel in front of arches.
Lion's head, on cornice below star-figure, repeated around court.
Gilt balls on the domes of all six pavilions. Represent an ornamental
motive borrowed from the Byzantines and often used on synagogues. A
feature of St. Mark's. Dr. Jacob Nieto, rabbi of the Temple Israel, of
San Francisco, has an interesting theory as to their origin. "The
ancients always had the greatest regard for the central star of each of
the constellations that made tip the zodiacal signs. No doubt in their
method of representation they would symbolize the central stars by a
globe, as they also did the sun and the moon, looking upon them all as
servants of the earth, and having, possibly, no idea that these other
constellations might be separate solar systems."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account