Palaces and Courts of the Exposition Part 6

Walk over to the corresponding die on the fountain of Descending Night.

On it are shown the Gentle Powers of the Night. Dusk envelops in her cloak Labor, Love and Peace.

Following are Illusions carried upon the wings of Sleep. Then come the Evening Mists, followed by the Star Dance and Luna, G.o.ddess of the Silver crescent. (Let me acknowledge the kind help of Mr. A. A. Weinmann in the interpretation of these reliefs.)

You have swept your mind over the cosmical side of the Court of the Universe on objects at a great distance. Come closer now to view the elements. These colossal figures of Earth, Air, Water, Fire a.s.sume a certain majesty in this Court of the Universe.

They are in horizontal composition and add greatly to the decorative, side of this inspiring court.

Earth - The sleeping Earth which yields to man wood (from the great trees whose roots ramify below the surface of the ground), stone and minerals - (man wrests thru great muscular strength these substances from the earth).

Air - That holds to her ear the star. She is listening to the music of the spheres. On her back are wings which man has fastened so that he can overcome her - a fine suggestion to aerial navigation.

The bird, the symbol of the air, is twice repeated.

Fire - His very expression of face shows you the terrorizing effect of fire. He holds his hand in the flame. The lightning plays on his right arm. Across his figure pa.s.ses the salamander, the fabled reptile of the fire. (See the real salamander in the j.a.panese concession on the Zone.)

Water - The bellowing ocean with mouth agape lies on the tossing waves, thru which sport the dolphins.

Ocean, the king of the waters, carries the trident.

On his head and in his hands the kelp is seen.

The elements are by Robert Aitken of New York, formerly of San Francisco.

The Human Side of the Court of the Universe

All is now ready for man.

In the center of the Court of the Universe was to have been Daniel French's Genius of Creation, but if it is not there, we must not lose the great dominant note of this Court, so pa.s.s thru the Triumphal Arch of the Orient, thru the beautiful Aisle of the Rising Sun, across the Court of the Ages, out thru the next aisle, to the plaza in front of Machinery Palace in order to follow the story.

Here on the boulder sits the great Spirit (not a man you will notice).

The hood is drawn far over the face so that a certain idealism is produced - a great spirit with wings and arms raised.

Wisdom (the serpent) encircles the throne.

The arms of the creating spirit have just been raised, the word has just been spoken and splendid manhood ready to meet the world, with modest, helpful woman, just come forth. The hands touch at the back of the group, causing you to feel that man and woman are mutually dependent.

Return to the Court of the Universe.

Now, look up at the Triumphal arches and notice Leo Lentelli's Angel of Peace with its downturned sword.

"Let there be peace throughout the world. Turn down the sword," it says.

A night of illumination should follow your work and you can then read under the searchlights the words on the right upper corner of the Oriental Gateway -

"Our eyes and hearts uplifted Seem to rest on heaven's radiance."

(From Hitomaro, the j.a.panese poet of the 8th century, A. D.)

Your scene is s.h.i.+fted for a short time.

You have pa.s.sed into the Court of the Ages for a retrospect (upon the human side).

The primitive people are to be seen here on the Fountain of the Psychology of Life. Don't try to see everything in detail now, for you can come back later.

Just realize this, that the small group facing west in the fountain is The Dawn of Life, then comes Natural Selection which develops into The Survival of the Fittest, or The Development of the Militant Spirit.

This early period shows man working strongly under the power of impulse.

Vanity, l.u.s.t and greed seem to dominate his actions. On these primitive people pa.s.s thru life. You can see them if you look up on the Tower. On they march, in that upward climb of civilization.

Marching along with primitive man, thru long periods of time, you next meet him developed as the Crusader of the Mediaeval period. He has mounted thru war and his religion and stands at the feet of the Priestess of Religion, the last group at the upper part of the Tower.

On either side you will notice a man and a woman standing on the bodies of primitive beings. These figures represent the man and the woman of today - the man and the woman who have sprung from this primitive stock.

Don't stop in this beautiful Court of the Ages, for we shall return later to finish our story.

You have gotten connection enough now to allow you to return to the Court of the Universe.

Take a seat in the sunken garden and look up at the figures on the Triumphal Arch of the Rising Sun. The Orientals are represented by many types.

From left to right are seen:

1. The Arab sheik on his Arabian steed.

2. The Negro servitor with fruits on head.

3. The Egyptian on his camel, carrying a Mohammedan standard.

4. The Arab falconer with bird on wrist.

5. The splendid Indian prince on the back of the elephant.

6. Inside the howdah the Spirit of the East.

7. The lama from Thibet with his rod of authority.

8. The Mohammedan with his crescent standard.

9. Again a negro servitor.

10. The Mongolian on his horse.

On they come, these Orientals, to take part in the great celebration.

(They are the collaborated work of A. Stirling Calder, Leo Lentelli, Frederick Roth.)

Next look up at your Occidentals on the Arch of the Setting Sun.

From left to right you see: