International studio (27.1905/1906(1906))

The New York Custom House

she moves to the country, having purchased about
ten years since the Chateau of Beaufresne at
Mensil-Theribus, Oise. A woman of exceptional
intellect and a devoted admirer of ancient as well as
Contemporary art, Miss Cassatt’s opinion on ques-
tions of attribution and authenticity is offen sought
by the chief experts of Paris. Outside her own
particular circle, she has known the leading paint-
ers of the day, Puvis de Chavannes and Whistler
having been among her close friends. While she
exhibits occasionally in her native country, Miss
Cassatt is hardly so well known here as in France,
where they have made her a member of the Legion
of Honour, and where her work takes rank beside
that of the foremost modern masters. Though her
themes are peculiarly susceptible of such treatment,
she has always avoided a sentimental Version of
child life. Beauty is there, but not a sugary, waxen
beauty. Piers is an art specifically French in out-
ward expression. And yet in each of its manifesta-
tions lurks a restraint, an austere disregard of rnere
prettiness which, let us agree, is perhaps less
Parisian than Pennsylvanian.


THE NEW YORK CUSTOM house
AND ITS SCULPTURAL DECO-
RATIONS
BY P. T. FARNSWORTH
The new custom house in New York
City, which is rapidly approaching completion, will
be remarkable both for its monumental character
and for the beauty of its sculptura.1 decorations.
Placed in the very gateway of the greatest harbor
in the New World, every vessel that enters this port
must register its papers here and rnake record of
its business. The commerce of every nation on the
globe must pass through this building. In making
his designs, therefore, the architect, Mr. Cass
Gilbert, determined to give recognition to these
world-wide interests.

The building is planned in the style of the modern
French renaissance. The large granite columns,
crowned with composite capitals, that run entirely
around the building, already make it impressive,
even in the midst of the giant office structures
fronting on Bowling Green. Looking out from the
centre of the fern leaves of each Capital, two hun-
dred feet above the ground, is the sculptured head
of Mercury, the ancient god of commerce. He
wears the winged cap of his heraldic office, and his
features are of such heroic size, and so clearly cut,
that they can be easily distinguished from the Street.
Cut in the granite lintel of each window is a
man’s head. There are eight racial types repre-
sented, and they are repeated alternately arourd
the building. The same general idea was carried
out in selecting the subjects for the sculptural
groups that will adorn the main front on the
Bowling Green side. There will be four big groups,


FRANCE CHARLES GRAFLY

VII