Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)
At his feet a garland of children is woven in the form of a ring at the
top of the column. At the base of the shaft, just above the basin, is a
cylindrical frieze in low relief, symbolizing Day Triumphant. Weinmann
interprets this as the Spirit of Time, hour-glass in hand, followed by
the Spirit of Light with flaming torch, while Energy trumpets the
approaching day. Interwoven with these figures is an allegory of Truth
with mirror and sword, escaping from the sinister power of Darkness,
Falsehood shrinking from its image in the mirror of Truth, and Vice
struggling in the coils of a serpent. It is not easy to read either
series, or to disentangle one from the other.
In the West the Setting Sun is just alighting, with folding wings. The
luminary, which in the morning was male, to represent the essentially
masculine spirit, the upwardness and onwardness of opening day, has now
become female in its quality of brooding evening. In fact, this same
figure, which the sculptor shows in the Palace of Fine Arts, is there
called by him "Descending Night."
The frieze at the base of the shaft of the Setting Sun is as difficult
to interpret as the other. On it are shown the Gentle Powers of Night.
Dusk folds in her cloak Love, Labor and Peace. Next are Illusions borne
on the wings of Sleep, then the Evening Mists, followed by the Star
Dance, and lastly, Luna, the goddess of the Silver Crescent. Luna may be
recognized, for the Silver Crescent is in her hand; and, with the
sequence I have just given, you may recognize the others.
The figures supporting the basins and the creatures in the pools of each
fountain are merely decorative. The play of water in these fountains is
joyous and delightful. The purpose of a fountain is well and adequately
fulfilled.
There now remain the seven fountains of the lesser courts, connected
more or less intimately in theme with their immediate surroundings.
In the Court of Seasons.--Four are in the Court of Seasons, where
Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, by Furio Piccirilli, have each its
own alcove in the wall and its own play of water. These are pleasant
fountains, simple and quiet. There is some feeling of lonely mountain
cliffs in the plain walls behind them, hung with streamers of the
maidenhair vine.
In the first alcove stands Spring with her flowers; on one side the man,
in whom love awakens, on the other fresh young Flora, bringing the first
offerings of the year. Next comes the alcove of Summer, the time of
fruition. The mother brings her babe to its father, the laborer bears
the first fruits of the harvest. (p. 94.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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