Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
On the Arch of the Setting Sun, the prairie schooner is the center of
the group of the Nations of the West, on the top a figure of Enterprise,
the Spirit of the West. (p. 59.) On either side of her is a boy. These
are the Heroes of Tomorrow. Between the oxen rides the Mother of
Tomorrow. Beside the ox at the right is the Italian immigrant, behind
him the Anglo-American, then the squaw with her papoose, and the horse
Indian of the plains. By the ox at the left is the Teuton pioneer,
behind him the Spanish conquistador, next, the woods Indian of Alaska,
and lastly the French Canadian.
Three sculptors collaborated in the modeling of these groups, A.
Stirling Calder, Leo Lentelli, and Frederick G. R. Roth.
Of the Mural Paintings under the Arches of the Nations, the two by
Edward Simmons in the arch on the east are an allegory of the movement
of the peoples across the Atlantic, while those by Frank Vincent Du Mond
in the western arch picture in realistic figures the westward march of
civilization to the Pacific. Historically, the picture on the southern
wall of the Arch of the Nations of the East comes first. Here Simmons
has represented the westward movement from the Old World through natural
emigration war, conquest, commerce and religion, personifying these in
types of the people who have crossed the Atlantic. On the strand, beyond
which appear types of the navies of the ages, are the following: an
inhabitant of the fabled Atlantis, here conceived as a savage; the Greek
warrior, perhaps one of those who fared with Ulysses over the sea to the
west; the adventurer and explorer, portrayed as Columbus; the colonist,
Sir Walter Raleigh; the missionary, in garb of a priest; the artist, and
the artisan. All are called onward by the trumpet of the Spirit of
Adventure, to found new families and new nations, symbolized by the
vision of heraldic shields. Behind them stands a veiled figure, the
Future listening to the Past. The long period in which this movement has
been in progress is expressed by the dress of the travellers.
This might be called the Material Movement to the West, for the picture
opposite depicts the Ideals of that progress. Hope leads the way, though
some of the Hopes, shown as bubbles, were but Illusions. Then follow
Adventure, Art, Imagination, Truth, Religion, and the spirits of
domestic life. Simmons' work is characterized by grace and delicacy. The
pictures are pleasing as form and color alone, but without titles the
allegories are too difficult for people unaccustomed to interpreting
this kind of art.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account