CHAPTER VI.

THE EXPOSITION STATUARY.

All Is Not Gold that Glitters — Venice in the Zenith of Her Achievements was Never so Statuesque—
Neither Rome nor Athens Could Point to So Many Inspiring Effigies— A Wojiderful Thing is
"Staff"— "Distance Lends Enchantment to the View "—Massive Statues that Resemble Marble
Made from Scantling and Plaster.

N the zenith of its achievements Venice was never so statuesque
as Jackson Park. Nor Rome, nor Athens in their haughtiest
epochs, could point to so many inspiring effigies. The author
has taken some pains to group them rather than to intersperse
them in his general descriptions of the buildings thus: Ad-
ministration Building — Gro ip around the Dome: Commerce,
Industry, Justice, Religion, War, Peace, Science, Art. Groups
on the corner pavilions : Charity, Truth, Strength, Abundance,
Tradition, Liberty, Joy, Diligence, Education, Unity, Patriot-
ism, Theology. Single figures: Fisher Maid, Bather, Air,
Diana, Harvesting, Electricity, Blacksmith, Chemistry. Groups
at sides of the four entrances: Water Uncontrolled; Water,
Controlled; Fire, Uncontrolled; Fire, Controlled; Air, Uncontrolled; Air, Con-
trolled; Earth, No. I ; Earth No. 2. Interior figures: "Victory." Karl Bitter, sculptor.
Agricultural Building — Bronze statue of Diana. August St. Gaudens, sculp-
tor. Two "Ceres" groups. Eight "Four Seasons" groups. Four Horoscope groups.
Four Cattle groups. Four Horse groups. Four "Pilia," for the corner pediments.
Twenty figures of "Zodiac." Sixty-eight figures "Abundance." Philip Martiny,
sculptor. The "Glorification of Ceres" in the main pediment. Larkin G. Mead,
Florence, Italy, sculptor.

Machinery Hall — Ten figures of "Sciences." The east pediment. Figure of
"Victory," of which thirteen casts were made in copper, by W. H. Mullins, of Sa-
lem, Ohio. M. A. Waagen, sculptor. Six figures of Inventors. Figure of "Victory,"
of which four casts were made in copper, by W. H. Mullins, Salem, Ohio. Robert
Kraus, sculptor.

Colonnade — One Cattle group. One Horse group. Four large Lions, at the
base of the obelisk. M. A. Waagen, sculptor.

Music Hall, Casino and Colonnade — "Quadriga," Bull and Horse. French

& Potter, sculptors. Figures: "Orator," "Indian," "Navigation," "Fisherboy,"

"Music." Theo. Baur, sculptor. Four groups on water gates. Bela Pratt, sculptor.

Transportation Building — Sixteen figures of Inventiors. Eight groups five

bas reliefs, representing progress in transportation methods. John J. Boyle, sculptor.

452 HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

Horticultural Building — Two groups Battle of Flowers, Sleep of Flowers,
" Flora." Six single figures. Lorado Taft sculptor. Cupid frieze, extending all
around the building.

Galleries of Fine Arts — Eight caryatides, and twelve figures of Angels. Philip
Martiny, sculptor. One "Renommee" (Victory.) Eight figures of Arts and
Sciences. Olin L. Warner, sculptor. Five busts of celebrated artists, by Warner,
Angelo, Titian, Raphael, Rembrandt, Velasquez.

Animals for the Bridges. — Six native animals of America, modeled by Ed-
ward Kemeys. A. P. Proctor, sculptor.

Woman's Building — Pediment. " Glorification o* Woman's Work." Twelve
groups, six casts each, of " Hope ' and "Charity." Miss Alice Rideout, sculptor.

Statute of " Neptune " duplicated six times, on rostral columns. Johannes
Gelert, sculptor.

Statute of the Republic. By Daniel C. French.

Statute of Benjamin Franklin in the south hemicycle (entrance) of Elec-
tricity building. Carl Rohl-Smith, sculptor.

The grand electric fountain in front of Administration Building. Frederick
MacMonnies, sculptor.

Wisconsin Building — " Genius of Wisconsin," in marble. Miss Mears, sculp-
tor. " Forward," a ship. Miss Miner, sculptor.

Kentucky Building — Statute of " Daniel Boone." Miss Yandell, sculptor.

Volcano Building — Statute of " Goddess of Fire." Mrs. Copp, sculptor.

Never before did distance lend so much enchantment to the view. The
above seem like marble, but are only plaster and scantling. Indeed, so exquisite
and matchless has been the handiwork, that were the groups marble instead of
imitation they would far surpass in originality, conception of symmetry and grace,
Ddsartean principles, strength, beauty and character, many of the recognized mas-
terpieces of the chiseler's skill found in European collections. Now that the Venus
de Medici has been pulled from the pinnacle of perfection by the modern artists,
literally been told to " come off her pedestal," all the others are open to criticism
and many also suffer a downfall.

The four symbolic groups of Asia, Africa, Europe and America at the
extreme corners of the Albert Memorial, in Kensington Garden, London, are looked
upon as splendid typifications of each subject, but upon almost every building here
can be found groups just as emblematic of the arts, electricity, sciences, agriculture,
transportation, etc., as those of the London monument. But these do not come
within the line of exhibits at the Fair, and their beauty is merely used as an embel-
lishment to the buildings upon and with which they are classified.

But here it might be well to say something of the material of which they are
constructed, the new and wonderful " staff." This, I believe, was first used in facing
the buildings of the last Paris Exposition, and was considered at that time particu-
larly beautiful. It has the properties of both common plaster and cement, and can
be worked into any required design; in hardening it shows an ivory-like surface,
which, however, can be colored in any desired tint. Thus the most ornate archi-

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 453

tectural effects are produced, and all the buildings, being covered with this deco-
rative substance, present the appearance of veritable marble palaces. For the de-
signs, etc., it is modeled into plates the required size and joined invisibly, and it is
estimated that about 500,000 of these pieces have been used on the large buildings
alone. .„_".'-

The Administration building, with its proud golden dome, being the "show
house" of the Fair, is the most enriched with statuary, bas-reliefs, embossments,
panels, pediments, etc. There are nearly 30 groups alone, each group consisting of
a seated male or female form and a child. The smallest child of all stands nearly
12 feet, so that the relative size may be imagined. They are none too large though,
as half are placed on the second stage and must be seen from a great distance. Of
the thirty odd, Patriotism, Tradition, Liberty, Joy, Commerce, Art, Industry, Re-
flection and Abundance are particularly striking in pose and commanding in atti-
tude. The facial expression is simply wonderful in many of the groups, and nearly
all are so modeled as to readily express their titles. There are also numerous
single figures here and there about this building.

The statuary at Machinery hall is all in single figures. Over the north portal
six sixteen-foot female figures are seen holding shields cameoed with heads of men
famous as inventors or machinists, while just above are five similar forms repre-
senting the various arts and sciences required in machinery. On the center pinna-
cle, the spires, and along the uppermost truss are statutes of Winged Victory hold-
ing a wreath in each outstretched hand. In fact, wreaths seem to be the chief theme
in the decoration of the whole building. The arcade is richly embellished with
stucco and bas relief.

Near by on the dome of Agricultural hall, St.Gauden's gilded Diana perches,
twirls and pirouettes as much at home as of yore on the clock tower of Madison
Square Gardens, New York. The sixty female statutes known as the zodiac figures,
are placed about the exterior. Of heroic size, each holds aloft a square on which
is displayed one of the 12 constellations of the almanac. Above the cornice are
stationed groups of bronze oxen and noble steeds, while bold husbandmen, in com-
manding and masterful attitudes, follow the plow, sow and plant. The bucranium,
pediments, capitals and caryatides are most appropriate to this building, as is also
the mural painting.

Many of the State buildings are of "staff" and ornamented with sculpture of
the highest order. Horticultural building, Mines and Mining, Transportation,
Woman's building and Fisheries are all much enlivened with splendid "staff" stat-
uary, and also the MacMonnies fountain, the statue of the republic, the Neptune
columns, the Peristyle, the statue of Franklin, and the bears, lions, etc., that guard
the 16 bridges spanning the lagoons.

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