按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ediaeval； depicting mankind struggling for the light； expressed in the torches； through those conflicts that so pitifully came out of the aspirations of the soul； expressed in religion。 The lowest group showed humanity in its elemental condition； related to the animal； close to the beasts。 So； to be followed in sequence； the groups ought to be studied from the lowest to the highest； and then the eyes should be able to catch the meaning of the lovely ornamentation； crowning the tower； the petals of the lily； emblem of spirituality； the arrow…like spires above expressing the aspirations of the soul。
On the sides of the tower the symbolism was consistently maintained； war and religion marking the progress of man toward the state indicated by the single figure of The Thinker。
〃And； speaking of the soul；〃 the architect went on； 〃Observe these great clusters of lights that illuminate this court and the approach on the other side of the tower。 They look like stars； don't they？ And the intention evidently is to use them for their star…like character。 But there is history behind them。 They are like the monstrance used in the Catholic Church； to hold the sacred host； the wafer that is accepted by the faithful as the body and blood of Jesus Christ。 Since the sixteenth century it has been used by the church； a beautiful emblem； made of gold and designed to suggest the prayer of the sun； the Spirit of God in radiance。 Its use here helps to give the court its ecclesiastical character。〃
As we made our way toward the Marina we noted how much the court gained by its general freedom from color。 In the colonnade； to be sure； Guerin had been particularly successful with the shade of blue。 But he would have done better if he had omitted the color； in fact all color； from the niches in the tower。
Viewed from the Marina； the entrance to the court proved to be a vision of loveliness。 There was only one intrusive note to jar the harmony； the coarse sea figure by Sherry Fry； presumably Neptune's； Daughter； standing in the center； with a great fish at her feet； plainly out of place here； in spite of the court's celebration of the sea as the source of human life。
XVI
The Brangwyns
We lingered in the colonnade to view the eight mural decorations by Frank Brangwyn； of London。 In front of The Bowmen we found a friend； a gifted woman painter； fairly bursting with enthusiasm。 〃What delights me in Brangwyn；〃 she said； 〃is his artistic courage。 He dares to put down just what he feels。 This sturdy figure in the foreground； for example； peering through the trees； how many other painters would have allowed him to turn his back on the spectator？ And yet how interesting he is and how alive。〃
〃Some of those heads strike me as curious；〃 I remarked。 〃That fellow closest to the center； just about to let his arrow fly； seems to have no head to speak of。〃
〃Sometimes he's careless with his drawing。 And yet he can draw magnificently； too。 He evidently had a purpose in making so many of the heads in these murals almost deformed。 He wanted to suggest that these types were in no way mental。 They were wholly physical。 Notice the care he has lavished on their muscular bodies； their great shoulders and legs。〃
〃It doesn't seem like English work； does it？〃 said the architect。
〃No； there's something almost Oriental about it both in the feeling and the coloring。 And there's the Pagan love of the elemental life。〃
〃But what a chance Brangwyn had to do something new with this magnificent subject；〃 the architect went on。 〃At last； after centuries of effort； men are actually conquering the air。 They've learned to fly。 They've become birds。 Now why didn't Brangwyn give us a pictorial expression of that miracle？ Why didn't the artist have as much sense as the man of affairs who pays Art Smith to come out here and fly before the multitude？〃
I argued that Brangwyn preferred to deal with antique themes … they were so much more pictorial。
The architect interrupted with some impatience。 〃But that's exactly what they're not。 In my opinion Whistler was perfectly right when he said that if a mural decorator couldn't make modern life pictorial he didn't know his business。 Flying through the air is only one of many wonders in the life of today that cry out for expression in art； but you scarcely catch a note of them here。〃
〃For example？〃 said the painter。
〃Industry … our great machines； the new power they bring into the world； the change in industrial relations and social and moral ideals。 Now in these murals； Brangwyn has simply repeated himself and he hasn't by any means done his best work。 And I question whether his observation is so accurate as you admirers of his try to make it appear。 Look at the way those fellows are holding their bows … with the left hand； presumably for the pictorial effect of the composition。 Well； let that point pass。 One fellow has shot his arrow。 The other is holding his arrow between the fore finger and the middle finger。 Well； it won't go very far。 The Indians know better。 They let the arrow rest on the thumb to give it plenty of freedom to fly。 One of those bows； by the way； has no string。 Brangwyn probably thought it wouldn't be missed。〃
As we looked at the other panels the architect conceded that the points the painter raised for Brangwyn； the brilliant use of color； the dramatic grouping and the fineness of characterization； were true enough。 〃But he's too monotonous。 Though his groups are of different periods； some of them ages apart； they're all essentially alike and the figures are even dressed alike。 I'm perfectly willing to make allowance for artistic convention。 But why should an artist limit himself unnecessarily when he has all the ages to draw on？ Why should he neglect the present； the greatest of all the ages？〃
〃Ah； I'm afraid you're too literal said the painter。 〃You want to limit a genius to rules。〃
We turned from The Bowmen to study in detail the second illustration of Air； much more modern and yet charmingly old…fashioned； the windmill and the little mill high in the background； the group of naked boys flying kites； the toilers and their children； going home as fast as they could； fighting the wind； their picturesque draperies flying around them。
The architect was impressed。 〃He's caught the feeling of the thunderstorm； hasn't he？〃 he said。
〃And he's brought out all the picturesqueness and the color and the majesty and even the humor；〃 said the painter。 〃See how wonderfully be has composed the picture； what pictorial use he has made of every detail。 The background of the clouds and the rain； the dark blues and the green and the pink； and the kites catching some of the color； and the lovely color of the mill and of the grass dried by the sun。 And see that figure up there on the steps； all windblown and rushing under cover。 It's all beautiful and yet there's not one face or figure there that would be considered beautiful by the painter who works for prettiness。 He has no interest whatever in what the average mural decorator considers beautiful。 And yet he sees beauty everywhere and he makes it felt。 How pictorially he has used those purple flowers in the foreground at the base of the composition。 And observe their relation to the purple clouds on top。 And then what character he has put into those active figures； particularly in this queer little boy； naked except for the purple drapery flying from his waist。 He has caught something of the fantastic spirit that you often see in children。〃
In nearing the two panels illustrating Water we had a chance to see how dexterously Brangwyn could manage his design without perspective； which would have made a hole in the wall。 Those women with jars on their heads stood against a sky none the less lovely because it was flat。 It was exquisite in its varieties of blue and white and green。 That sturdy fellow lifting a heavy jar was actually working and working hard。 〃And how splendidly Brangwyn has modeled the figure with his back turned to us；〃 the painter exclaimed。 〃What a stroke of genius it was that a yellow handkerchief of just that shade should hang from his neck。 And the figures in the companion panel drawing their nets； they are putting their heart and soul into their work and they are having a good time； too。 And this man here in the corner； with the purple shadows on his bare back； lifting his net； he's evidently had a big catch。 He's holding the net in a way that shows it's heavy。 And how decorative those men in the background are； with the baskets on their heads。 Brangwyn loves to use figures in this attitude。 They are interesting and picturesque and dramatic at the same time。〃
〃But they're too conscious；〃 the architect insisted； 〃too posed。
〃Remember； they're not paintings；〃 the painter insisted。 〃They're formal decorations。〃
In the panel representing the elementary use of Fire we were all struck by Brangwyn's daring and fine treatment of the ugly。 Nearly every face was almost grotesque。 And yet every face was appealing for the simple reason that it expressed attractive human qualities。 Two； a man and a woman； had noses ridiculously large。 The group of men in the center of the background； at the base； around the fire； had apparently sta