The Golden Wheat
Rotunda, Palace of Fine Arts
The richly ornate ceiling of the Rotunda of Fine Arts is embellished by a double series of eight panels from the brush of Robert Reid, in the luminous, fervid, joyous vein that characterizes the method of this highly honored American artist. The task assigned him here was a test of skill. The arched effect, so beautifully achieved, and the great accomplishment of merging the huge, brilliant panels into the decorative plan, were not the only difficulties. He had also to calculate the scale of proportion to a mathematical nicety, to make the figures large enough to appear the proper size when viewed so high overhead. The panels are in two sequences, four of them devoted to each subject. The sequence of which an example is illustrated is the Four Golds of California: "The Golden Poppy," the "cup of gold" that makes the spring a glory on California hills; "The Golden Fruit," the citrus fruits that are her pride; "The Golden Metal" that called the world to her hill-sides, and "The Golden Wheat," here shown, the treasure of her fields, borne high in honor. These alternate with the sequence of the Golden Arts, described on the succeeding page.
Oriental Art
Rotunda, Palace of Fine Arts
The great panels of the Golden Arts alternate, in the ceiling of the Rotunda of Fine Arts, with the Four Golds of California. All of these panels so tone their brilliancy into the great sweep of the ceiling that the beholder gets a sense of the beauty of the whole rather than that of any part. This arching, floating unity of the ceiling is an admirable example of the self-control of the muralist. The Golden Arts are interpreted by symbolic groups including a larger number of figures than The Four Golds. They are entitled "Inspirations of All Art," "Ideals in Art," "The Birth of European Art," and "Oriental Art," here illustrated as typical. In this, against the soft but sparkling background of bright sky and clouds that supports all of the panels, are set with much verve the historical, legendary and romantic inspirations of Oriental art. The group is dominated by a contest between an eagle and a knight mounted upon a dragon - based upon a legend of the Ming dynasty. Fugi, the sacred mountain, is in the distance; the sacred dog attends the Chinese hero in the foreground. A beautiful Japanese woman - indicating the inspiration of romance, East and West - sits among flowers. The space is filled in a manner appropriately and charmingly suggestive of Oriental composition.
The Arts of Peace
Netherlands Pavilion
The Pavilion of The Netherlands is inevitably reminiscent of the Peace Palace of The Hague, by natural association of ideas and because of the spirit of its central mural painting, "The Arts of Peace." It is therefore an interesting fact that Hermann Rosse, the artist who painted this imposing work, and, indeed, designed the entire interior decoration of the pavilion, was also muralist and decorator of the Palace of Peace. The pavilion walls and hangings - steel blue, olive green and silver grey, relieved by quaint conventional stencils of orange trees and tulips and severe shields of the four divisions of the kingdom - has a broad, cool puritanism that lends itself well to the rich depth of the painting. Holland holds high the image of Peace, surrounded by the peace-nurtured arts and industries on whose support all human welfare rests. Among them stand not only representatives of trades and crafts, with their symbols and implements, but also the Art of Motherhood and the Art of Play shown by a happy child. Ships of all ages in side-panels and background tell of the maritime history of Holland which so largely and peacefully colonized the world. Beneath the painting is a comforting and inspiring legend.
Penn's Treaty with the Indians
Pennsylvania Building
The Pennsylvania Building was designed with the patriotic purpose of enshrining the Liberty Bell. The Bell stands in a loggia between two wings, the architectural motif following that of Independence Hall. On the walls of the loggia are two mural lunettes of distinction by Edward Trumbull of Pittsburg. Their deep glowing color and massive grouping mark Mr. Trumbull a worthy pupil of his master, Frank Brangwyn. "Penn's Treaty with the Indians," here given, shows William Penn and the foremost of his shipmates on "The Welcome" making with Chief Tamanend and his braves the Treaty of Shackamaxon in 1683, the treaty that never was broken. The plainness of the kindly Friends, the barbaric splendor of the Indians, the deep green of the overarching Treaty Elm and the lovely typical Pennsylvania landscape have enduring attraction. The panel is in contrast with Mr. Trumbull's vigorous and burning modern picture, "The Steel Workers," on the opposite wall. In the reception room of this building are seven delightful small panels by Charles J. Taylor, showing the early life of Pennsylvania villages. They are painted in the quaint style of old colonial decorations and have charm, humor, naivete and beauty too pleasing to be overlooked.
Return from the Crusade
Court, Italian Pavilion
The courts and palaces of Italy, with their appearance of age and their remote, sheltered calm, present an education in artistic reserve and decorative uses of space that all who linger may learn. They represent four centuries of architecture, of three historic types. The lovely piazzetta with its antique well is the center of beauty. On one of its walls is what appears to be an ancient mural, soft, flat, with that faded, velvety coloring associated with age. It was recently painted by Mathilde Festa-Piacentini, in the ancient manner to harmonize with the court. It represents "The Return from the Crusade" of one noble Pandolfo, and bears date and description in Latin. Quaint old-time stiffness and weather-worn coloring combine with modern correctness and fluency. The young artist is the wife of the architect of the pavilion and has won a silver medal in the Italian section of Fine Arts. Below this lunette stands a bronze copy of an antique David with the marble head of Goliath. Other interesting murals appear in Italy's pavilion, by Pierretto Banco and Bruno Ferrari, son of the sculptor, Ettore Ferrari.