the city of domes-第4章

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its　kind　had　celebrated　some　great　figure　or　historic　feat；　usually　related　to　war。　But　this　column　stood　for　those　sturdy　virtues　that　were　developed；　not　through　the　hazards　and　the　excitements　and　the　fevers　of　conquest；　but　through　the　persistent　and　homely　tests　of　peace；　through　the　cultivation　of　those　qualities　that　laid　the　foundations　of　civilized　living。　Isidore　Konti　designed　the　frieze　typifying　the　swarming　generations；　by　Matthew　Arnold　called　〃the　teeming　millions　of　men；〃　and　to　Hermon　A。　MacNeil　fell　the　task　of　developing　the　circular　frieze　of　toilers；　sustaining　the　group　at　the　top；　three　strong　figures；　the　dominating　male；　ready　to　shoot　his　arrow　straight　alit　to　its　mark；　a　male　supporter；　and　the　devoted　woman；　eager　to　follow　in　the　path　of　advance。



The　Aim　of　the　Sculptors



It　was　evidently　the　aim　of　the　sculptors　to　express　in　their　work；　in　so　far　as　they　could；　the　character　of　the　Exposition。　And　the　breadth　of　the　plans　gave　them；　a　wide　scope。　They　must　have　welcomed　the　chance　to　exercise　their　art　for　the　pleasure　of　the　multitude；　an　art　essentially　popular　in　its　appeal　and　certain　to　be　more　and　more　cultivated　in　our　every…day　life。　Though　this　new　city　was　to　be　for　a　year　only；　it　would　surely　influence　the　interest　and　the　taste　in　art　of　the　multitudes　destined　to　become　familiar　with　it　and　to　carry　away　more　or　less　vivid　impressions。

The　sculpture；　too；　would　have　a　special　advantage。　Much　of　it；　after　the　Exposition；　could　be　transferred　elsewhere。　It　was　safe　to　predict　that　the　best　pieces　would　ultimately　serve　for　the　permanent　adornment　of　San　Francisco　…　by　no　means　rich　in　monuments。



Mural　Painting



It　was　felt　by　the　builders　of　the　Exposition　that　mural　decorating　must　be　a　notable　feature。

The　Centennial　Exposition　of　'76　had　been　mainly　an　expression　of　engineering。　Sixteen　years　later　architecture　had　dominated　the　Exposition　in　Chicago。　The　Exposition　in　San　Francisco　was　to　be　essentially　pictorial；　combining；　in　its　exterior　building；　architecture；　sculpture　and　painting。

When　Jules　Guerin　was　selected　to　apply　the　color　it　was　decided　that　he　should　choose　the　mural　decorators；　subject　to　the　approval　of　the　architectural　board。　The　choice　fell　on　men　already　distinguished。　all　of　them　belonging　to　New　York；　with　two　exceptions；　Frank　Brangwyn　of　London；　and　Arthur　Mathews；　of　San　Francisco。　They　were　informed　by　Guerin　that　they　could　take　their　own　subjects。　He　contented　himself　with　saying　that　a　subject　with　meaning　and　life　in　it　was　an　asset。

In　New　York　the　painters　had　a　conference　with　Guerin。　He　explained　the　conditions　their　work　was　to　meet。　Emphasis　was　laid　on　the　importance　of　their　painting　with　reference　to　the　tone　of　the　Travertine。　They　were　instructed；　moreover；　to　paint　within　certain　colors；　in　harmony　with　the　general　color…scheme；　a　restriction　that；　in　some　cases；　must　have　presented　difficult　problems。

The　preliminary　sketches　were　submitted　to　Guerin；　and　from　the　sketches　he　fixed　the　scale　of　the　figures。　In　one　instance　the　change　of　scale　led　to　a　change　of　subject。　The　second　sketches　were　made　on　a　larger　scale。　When　they　were　accepted　the　decorators　were　told　that　the　final　canvases　were　to　be　painted　in　San　Francisco　in　order　to　make　sure　that　they　did　not　conflict　with　one　another　and　that　they　harmonized　with　the　general　plan　of　the　Exposition。　Nearly　all　the　murals　were　finished　in　Machinery　Hall；　but　most　of　them　had　been　started　before　they　arrived　there。



Painting　For　Out…Doors



Some　concern　was　felt　by　the　painters　on　account　of　their　lack　of　experience　in　painting　for　out…of…doors。　There　was　no　telling；　even　by　the　most　careful　estimate；　how　their　canvases　would　look　when　in　place。　Color　and　design　impressive　in　a　studio　might；　when　placed　beside　vigorous　architecture；　become　weak　and　pale。　Besides；　in　this　instance；　the　murals　would　meet　new　conditions　in　having　to　harmonize　with　architecture　that　was　already　highly　colored。　Furthermore；　no　two　of　the　canvases　would　meet　exactly　the　same　conditions　and；　as　a　result　of　the　changes　in　light　and　atmospheric　effects；　the　conditions　would　be　subject　to　continual　change。　Finally；　they　were　obliged　to　work　without　precedent。　It　was　true　that　the　early　Italians　had　done　murals　for　the　open　air；　but　no　examples　had　been　preserved。

That　the　painters　were　able　to　do　as　well　as　they　did　under　the　limitations　reflected　credit　on　their　adaptability　and　good　humor。　The　truth　was　they　felt　the　tremendous　opportunity　afforded　their　art　by　this　Exposition。　They　believed　that　in　a　peculiar　sense　it　testified　to　the　value　of　color　in　design。　It　represented　a　new　movement　in　art；　with　far…reaching　possibilities　for　the　future。　That　some　of　them　suffered　as　a　result　of　the　limiting　of　initiative　and　individuality；　of　subordination　to　the　general　scheme；　was　unquestionable。　Some　of　the　canvases　that　looked　strong　and　fine　when　they　were　assembled　for　the　last　touches　in　Machinery　Hall　became　anaemic　and　insignificant　on　the　walls。　Those　most　successfully　met　the　test　where　the　colors　were　in　harmony　with　Guerin's　coloring　and　where　they　were　in　themselves　strong　and　where　the　subjects　were　dramatic　and　vigorously　handled。　The　allegorical　and　the　primitive　subjects　failed　to　carry；　first　because　they　had　little　or　no　real　significance；　and　secondly　because　the　spirit　behind　them　was　lacking　in　appeal　and；　occasionally；　in　sincerity。

In　one　regard　Frank　Brangwyn　was　more　fortunate　than　the　other　painters。　His　murals；　though　intended　to　be　displayed　in　the　open　air；　were　to　hang　in　sequestered　corners　of　the　corridors　running　around　the　Court　of　the　Ages；　the　court；　moreover；　that　was　to　have　no　color。　Besides；　there　were　no　colors　in　the　world　that　could　successfully　compete　against　his　powerful　blues　and　reds。



The　Lighting



The　lighting　of　the　Exposition；　it　was　determined；　should　be　given　to　the　charge　of　the　greatest　expert　in　the　country。　Several　of　the　leading　electric　light　companies　were　consulted。　They　agreed　that　the　best　man　was　Walter　D'Arcy　Ryan；　who　had　managed　the　lighting　at　the　Hudson…Fulton　Celebration　and　at　the　Niagara　Falls　Exposition。　Mr。　Ryan　explained　his　system　of　veiled　lighting；　with　the　source　of　the　light　hidden；　and　made　plain　its　suitability　to　an　Exposition　where　the　artistic　features　were　to　be　notable；　and　where　they　were　to　be　emphasized　at　night；　with　the　lighting　so　diffused　as　to　avoid　shadows。　After　his　appointment　as　director　of　illuminating　he　made　several　visits　to　San　Francisco；　and　a　year　before　the　opening　of　the　Exposition；　he　returned　to　stay　till　the　close。　His　plan　of　ornamenting　the　main　tower　with　large　pieces　of　cut　glass；　of　many　colors；　to　shine　like　jewels；　created　wide…spread　interest　on　account　of　its　novelty。　It　was　generally　regarded　as　a　highly　original　and　sensational　Exposition　feature。



Watching　the　Growth



As　the　building　went　on　the　San　Franciscans　gradually　became　alive　to　the　splendor。　Each　Sunday　many　thousands　would　assemble　on　the　grounds。　About　a　year　before　the　date　set　for　the　opening　an　admission　fee　of　twenty…five　cents　brought　several　thousands　of　dollars　each　week。　On　the　Sundays　when　Lincoln　Beachey　made　his　sensational　flights　there　would　often　be　not　less　than　fifty　thousand　people　looking　on。



The　Walled　City



If　there　were　any　critics　who　feared　that　the　walled　city　might　present　a　certain　monotony　of　aspect　they　did　not　take　into　account　the　Oriental　luxuriance　of　the　entrances；　breaking　the　long　lines　and　making　splendid　contrast　of　design　and　of　color。　Those　entrances　alone　were　worth　minute　study。　Besides　being　beautiful；　they　had　historic　significance。　Furthermore；　the　long　walls　were　broken　by　artistically　designed　windows　and　by　groups　of　trees　running　along　the　edge。　Within　the　walls；　in　the　splendidly　wrought　courts；　utility　was　made　an　expression；　of　beauty　by　means　of　the　impressive　colonnades；　solid　rows　of　columns；　delicately　colored；　suitable　for　promenading　and　for　protection　against　rain。

　From　the　hills　looking　down　on　the　bay　the　Exposition　began　to　seem　somewhat　huddled。　But　the　nearer　one　approached；　the　plainer　it　became　that　this　effect　was　misleading。　On　the　grounds　one　felt　that　there　was　plenty　of　room　to　move　about　in。　And　there　was　no　sense　of　incongruity。　Very　adroitly　styles　of　architecture　that　might　have　seemed　to　be　alien　to　one　another　and　hostile　had　been　harmoniously　blended。　Here　the　color　was　a　great　help。　It　made　the　Exposition　seem　all　of　a　piece。



The　War



In　the　summer　of　1914　the　Exposition　received　what　for　a　brief　time；　looked　like　a　crushing　blow　in　the　declaration　of　war。　How　could　the　world　be　interested　in　such　an　enterprise　when　the　great　nations　of　Europe　were　engaged　in　what　might　prove　to　be　the　most　deadly　conflict　history？

The　directors；　in　reviewing　the　situation；　saw　that；　far　from　being　a　disadvantage　in　its　effect　on　their　plans；　the　war　might　be　an　advantage。　In　the　first　place；　it　would　keep　at　home　the　great　army　of　American　travelers　that　went　to　Europe　each　year。　With　their　fondness　for　roaming；　they　would　be　almost　certain　to　be　drawn　to　this　part　of　the　world。　And　besides；　there　were　other　travelers　to　be　considered；　including　those　Europeans　who　would　be　glad　to　get　away　from　the　alarms　of　war　and　those　South　Americans　who　were　in　the　habit　of　going　to　Europe。　Furthermore；　though　the　Exposition　had　been　designed　to　commemorate　the　services　of　the　United　States　Army　in　building　the　Panama　Canal；　it　was　essentially　dedicated　to　the　arts　of　peace。　It　would　show　what　the　world　could　do　when　men　and　nations　co…operated。



The　Department　of　Fine　Arts



Meanwhile；　the　war　was　upsetting　the　plans　for　the　exhibits；　notably　the　exhibit　of　painting　and　sculpture。

When　John　E。　D。　Trask；　for　many　years　director　of　the　Pennsylvania　Academy　of　Fine　Arts；　was　appointed　Director　of　the　Fine　Arts　Department　at　the　Panama…Pacific　International　Exposition；　he　had　made　a　careful　survey　of　the　field　he　had　to　cover。　It　virtually　consisted　of　the　whole　civilized　world。　After　arranging　for　the　formulation　　of　committees　in　the　leading　cities　of　the　East　and　the　Middle　West　to　secure　American　work；　he　made　a　trip　to　Europe；　visiting　England；　France；　Holland；　Sweden；　Germany；　Hungary；　Austria　and　Italy。　With　the　exception　of　England　and　Germany；　the　governments　were　sympathetic。　The　indifference　of　those　two　countries　was　at　the　time　was　not　quite　comprehensible。　There　might　have　been　several　explanations；　including　the　threat　of　war。　There　were　also　those　who　said　that　England　and　Germany　had　entered　into　a　secret　alliance　against　this　country　for　the　purpose　of　minimizing　the　American　influence　in　commerce；　soon　to　be　strengthened　by　the　opening　of　the　Panama　Canal。　Wherever　the　truth　lay；　the　fact　remained　that　both　countries　maintained　their　attitude　of　indifference。　Individual　English　and　German　artists　and　organizations　of　artists；　however；　showed　a　willingness　to　co…operate。

Through　emissaries；　mainly　unofficial；　Americans　of　influence；　Trask　drew　on　the　resources　of　all　Europe。　He　also　entered　into　negotiations　with　China　and　Japan；　both　of　which　countries；