DOI Heft:
No. 53 (July, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Caffin, Charles H.: American Studio talk: sculpture at the pan-american exposition
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22775#0100
American Studio Talk
“ THE GLADIATOR ” — PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION
BY KARL BITTER
than the inadequacy of the features strictly land-
scape. There are no ample stretches of green
sward or restful masses of foliage, except in some
of the less important parts of the scheme, such as
The Mall. But in the main vista greenery and the
brilliance of flowers are scarcely noticeable, their
due share being monopolized by all kinds of archi-
tectural resources and by sculpture, staring, starkly
aggressive, and losing much of its effectiveness
through the lack of a truly landscape setting. And
this is not merely an aesthetic criticism. There
is behind it the practical one of the comfort
of visitors. Even now, in mid-June, the glare
and heat that oppresses one in this the noblest
part of the Exposition mar considerably one's
enjoyment, making the mere sight-seeing bur-
densome, and discouraging the desire to linger
and study deliberately the beauty of the pic-
ture. But our present concern is with aes-
thetic considerations (though one might argue
reasonably that they have a good deal to do
with those of purely physical comfort and dis-
comfort) ; and it cannot be too strongly urged
that landscape architecture which reduces the
landscape features to a minimum is only par-
tially acceptable.
This preponderance of the strictly archi-
tectural motive is felt in another direction,
showing itself in a multiplicity rather than a
simplicity of effect, and in a tendency to in-
terrupt unduly the dignity of the lines ; points
that one would not mention here, but that the
sculpture in some cases has been made an
accessory after the event. Thus on the bal-
ustrade surrounding the great basin in the
Court of Fountains, the very frequent repetition of
little groups of figures seriously impairs the elegance
of effect, introducing that element of fidgetiness be-
fore alluded to. Again, the two malls, which might
have been so restful, and also sundry little courts,
are sown thick with Hernia, too numerous or else
too large in scale for their accompaniment of trees
and banks. Moreover they are exceedingly gross
in conception and treatment; quite uninteresting in
character and very poor specimens of the sculptor’s
craft. The tendency to emphasize the sculptural
“ THE GLADIATOR ” — PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION
BY KARL BITTER
than the inadequacy of the features strictly land-
scape. There are no ample stretches of green
sward or restful masses of foliage, except in some
of the less important parts of the scheme, such as
The Mall. But in the main vista greenery and the
brilliance of flowers are scarcely noticeable, their
due share being monopolized by all kinds of archi-
tectural resources and by sculpture, staring, starkly
aggressive, and losing much of its effectiveness
through the lack of a truly landscape setting. And
this is not merely an aesthetic criticism. There
is behind it the practical one of the comfort
of visitors. Even now, in mid-June, the glare
and heat that oppresses one in this the noblest
part of the Exposition mar considerably one's
enjoyment, making the mere sight-seeing bur-
densome, and discouraging the desire to linger
and study deliberately the beauty of the pic-
ture. But our present concern is with aes-
thetic considerations (though one might argue
reasonably that they have a good deal to do
with those of purely physical comfort and dis-
comfort) ; and it cannot be too strongly urged
that landscape architecture which reduces the
landscape features to a minimum is only par-
tially acceptable.
This preponderance of the strictly archi-
tectural motive is felt in another direction,
showing itself in a multiplicity rather than a
simplicity of effect, and in a tendency to in-
terrupt unduly the dignity of the lines ; points
that one would not mention here, but that the
sculpture in some cases has been made an
accessory after the event. Thus on the bal-
ustrade surrounding the great basin in the
Court of Fountains, the very frequent repetition of
little groups of figures seriously impairs the elegance
of effect, introducing that element of fidgetiness be-
fore alluded to. Again, the two malls, which might
have been so restful, and also sundry little courts,
are sown thick with Hernia, too numerous or else
too large in scale for their accompaniment of trees
and banks. Moreover they are exceedingly gross
in conception and treatment; quite uninteresting in
character and very poor specimens of the sculptor’s
craft. The tendency to emphasize the sculptural