the city of domes-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


f　their　colossal　task。　A　few　of　the　sculptors　and　artisans　Calder　had　brought　from　New　York。　But　most　of　the　workers　he　secured　in　San　Francisco；　chiefly　from　the　foreign　population；　some　of　them　able　to　speak　little　or　no　English。

The　modeling　of　the　replicas　of　well…known　art　works　were；　almost　without　exception；　made　in　clay。　Most　of　the　original　work　was　directly　modelled　in　plaster…staff　used　so　successfully　throughout　the　Exposition。　For　the　enlarging　of　single　pieces　and　groups　the　pointing　machine　of　Robert　Paine　was　chosen　by　Calder。　It　was　interesting　to　see　it　at　work；　under　the　guidance　of　careful　and　patient　operators；　tracing　mechanically　the　outlines　and　reproducing　them　on　a　magnified　scale。　For　the　finishing　of　the　friezes　the　skill　of　the　artist　was　needed；　and　there　Calder　found　able　assistants　in　the　two　young　sculptors；　Roth　and　Lentelli；　who　worked　devotedly　themselves　and　directed　groups　of　students。

In　all　the　sculpture　Calder　strove　to　keep　in　mind　the　significance　of　the　Exposition　and　the　spirit　of　the　people　who　were　celebrating。　With　him　styles　of　architecture　and　schools　were　a　minor　consideration；　to　be　left　to　the　academicians　and　the　critics。　He　believed　that　sculpture；　like　all　other　art…forms；　was　chiefly　valuable　and　interesting　as　human　expression。



The　Decorative　Figures



Less　successful　on　the　whole　than　the　blending　of　sculpture　and　architecture　were　the　individual　figures　designed　to　be　placed　against　the　walls。　Some　of　them　were　extremely　well　done。　Others　were　obvious　disappointments。　The　unsophisticated　judgment；　free　from　Continental　bias；　might　have　objected　to　the　almost　gratuitous　use　of　nudity。　For　a　popular　exhibition；　even　the　widely…traveled　and　broad…minded　art　lover　might　have　been　persuaded　that　a　concession　to　prejudice　could　have　been　made　without　any　great　damage　to　art。

In　the　magnificent　entrance　to　the　grounds　it　was　deemed　fitting　that　the　meaning　of　the　Exposition　should　be　symbolized　by　an　elaborate　fountain。　So　in　the　heart　of　the　South　Gardens　there　was　placed　the　Fountain　of　Energy；　the　design　of　A。　Stirling　Calder；　the　athletic　figure　of　a　youth；　mounted　on　a　fiery　horse；　tearing　across　the　globe；　which　served　for　pedestal；　the　symbolic　figures　of　Valor　and　Fame　accompanying　on　either　side。　The　work；　as　a　whole　suggested　the　triumph　of　man　in　overcoming　the　difficulties　in　the　way；　of　uniting　the　two　oceans。　It　made　one　of　the　most　striking　of　all　the　many　fountains　on　the　grounds；　the　dolphins　in　the　great　basin；　some　of　them　carrying　female　figures　on　their　backs；　contributing　to　an　effect　peculiarly　French。



The　Column　of　Progress



The　Column　of　Progress；　suggested　by　Calder　and　planned　in　outline　by　Symmes　Richardson；　besides　being　beautiful　symbol　and　remarkably　successful　in　outline；　was　perhaps　the　most　poetic　and　original　of　all　the　achievements　of　the　sculptors　here。　It　represented　something　new　in　being　the　first　great　column　erected　to　express　a　purely　imaginative　and　idealistic　conception。　Most　columns　of　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　thous