Palaces and Courts of the Exposition Part 15

Look thru the entrance into the Court of Palms at the Horticultural Palace across the way - a fine green and white picture.

Turn back into the Court of the Four Seasons and below the half dome will be seen Albert Jaeger's

Nature (there is a great probability that this will not be placed).

Mother Earth, the great mother, sits in the center.

On the left, carrying the sh.e.l.l, is the Sea.

On the right, upholding the globe, is the Heavens.

Read the quotation from George Sterling's "The Triumph of Bohemia" to make the connection with your Nature group:

"For lasting happiness we turn our eyes to one alone And she surrounds you now Great Nature, refuge of the weary heart, and only balm to b.r.e.a.s.t.s that have been bruised She hath cool hands for every fevered brow And gentlest silence for the troubled soul."

Near by are August Jaeger's figures of Abundance, four times repeated on each gateway; also his spandrel figures, still adding harvest thoughts.

Walk along the colonnade to the right -

As you pa.s.s the fountains, you will notice how the water slips its silvery pink reflection from the wall down the terraces into the pool below, producing almost a sunrise or a sunset effect.

The long hanging vine on the wall above is muhlenbeckia, the so-called maidenhair vine.

The shorter vine is lotus bertolletti, showing later its red claw-like flowers.

Court of Palms

As a balance to the Court of Flowers at the east end of the block of palaces is the Court of Palms at the west end.

The general effect in color of decoration is pink and blue.

The columns are coupled Ionic of smoked ivory, producing a most lovely effect against the pastel pink walls back of them.

The caryatids lining off the pink and blue marble panels show a soft flush of pink. (These are by A. Stirling Calder and John Bateman.)

The festoons of fruits at the side of the panels are accented in deeper blues and soft reds.

Notice the delicate figures on either side the cartouche over the portals. The pinks and blues are so delightfully combined.

Between the columns, against the wall, are balled acacias.

The Pool in the center of the Court might be called The Pool of Reflections.

In front of this Court is "The End of the Trail," by James Earle Fraser.

Before you is the end of the Indian race. The poor Indian, following his long trail, has at last come to the end. The worn horse and its rider tell a long, pathetic story.

By the entrances are great vases on which in low relief are Baccha.n.a.lian scenes. Satyrs form part of the handles.

Over the doorways are beautifully colored murals.

On the west -

Fruits and Flowers, by Childe Ha.s.sam, a fine area of superb color.

On the east -

The Pursuit of Pleasure, by Chas. Holloway, gracefully carrying out the idea of this court.

On the north -

"Victorious Spirit," by Arthur F. Matthews.

This wonderful golden note represents the Victorious Spirit, the Angel of Light, with widespread wings of protection. She is the means by her gentle influence of keeping materialism (represented by the horse driven by brute force) from riding over the higher expressions of life.

Muhlenbeckia borders the pool, producing a most fernlike effect.

At the side, in front of the flanking Italian Towers, are erica and epacris, in lavenders and pinks, accented by deep lavender pansies.

The tiny border to the beds is myrtus ugni. The wallflowers, interspersed with Spanish and English iris, are ma.s.sed thruout this court, with rhododendrons in the corners. Against the foundations is pink-and-cream lantana.

The Palm is the strong feature of the court. On either side the portal Italian cypresses have been used.

The lanterns in the corridors have been modeled from Roman lamps, and are particularly beautiful in perspective.

The Court of Flowers Dedicated to the Oriental Fairy Tales.

This exquisite court is by Geo. Kelham of San Francisco, who came from New York just after the San Francisco fire to help in the reconstruction of the city.

He is a man of p.r.o.nounced ability and has just won in the compet.i.tion for plans for the new San Francisco Public Library.

The court is made one of great beauty by the collaborated work of Mr.

Geo. Kelham, the architect; Mr. Jules Guerin, the colorist, and Mr. John McLaren of San Francisco, the chief of landscape gardening.

A loggia runs around the second story of the court, interrupted along the face by niches which hold "The Oriental Flower Girl," designed by Mr. A. Stirling Calder of New York, but worked out in the studio of the Exposition.