There was a big expanse to be made interesting and impressive, without the aid of towers or courts.It was a brilliant idea to break the monotony with those two splendid Roman half-domes."The figure of "Thought" on the columns in front of the Dome of Plenty and repeated on the Dome of Philosophy started the architect talking on the subject of character and art."Only a sculptor with a very fine nature could have done that fellow up there.In that design Stackpole shows the qualities that he shows in the kneeling girl at the altar in the rotunda across the lagoon and in his figure of the common laborer and the little group of artisans and artists that we shall see on the doorway of the Varied Industries.They include fineness and cleanness of feeling, reverence and tenderness.This particular figure is one of three figures on the grounds that stand for virtually the same subject, Rodin's "Thinker," in the courtyard of the French Building, and Chester Beach's "Thinker," in the niches to the west and east of the tower in the Court of the Ages.They are all different in character.Stackpole's gives the feeling of gentle contemplation.That man might be a poet or a philosopher or an inventor; but a man of the kind of thought that leads to action or great achievement in the world - never.You can't think of him as competing with his whole heart and soul in order to get ahead of other men.However, it would be an achievement just to be that type and it's a good type to be held up to us for our admiration, better than the conventional ideal of success embodied in the Adventurous Bowman, for example."The proportions of the domes we could see at a glance had been well worked out.Earl Cummings' figure of the Youth had a really youthful quality; but there was some question in our minds as to the wisdom of repeating the figure in a semi-circle."After all," the architect remarked, "in this country art owes some concession to habit of mind.We are not trained to frankness in regard to nudity.On the contrary, all our conventions are against it.But our artists, through their special professional training, learn to despise many of our conventions and they like to ignore them or frankly show their contempt for them."That elaborate Sienna fountain was well adapted to the Dome of Plenty, though it was by no means a fine example of Italian work, with its design built up tier on tier."It's the natural expression of a single idea that leads to beauty, isn't it? The instant there's a betrayal of effort, the charm begins to fade."There was no criticism to be made, however, of the Italian fountain in the Dome of Philosophy, the simplest of all the fountains, and one of the most beautiful, the water flowing over the circular bowl from all sides."It makes water the chief feature," said the architect approvingly, "which is the best any fountain can do.Is there anything in art that can compare for beauty with running water? This fountain comes from Italy and these female figures, above the doorway, with books in their arms, are by one of the most interesting of the sculptors represented here, Albert Weinert.We'll see more work of his when we get to the Court of Abundance."At sight of the curious groups in the niches I expressed a certain disappointment.It seemed to me that, in the midst of so much real beauty, they were out of key.But the architect had another point of view."They are worth while because they're different," he said."They ought not to be considered merely as ornaments.They have an archaeological interest.They are related to those interesting studies that Albert Durer used to make, and they are full of symbolism.When Charles Harley made them he knew just what he was doing.The male figure in 'The Triumph of the Fields' takes us back to the time when harvesting was associated with pagan rites.The Celtic cross and the standard with the bull on top used to be carried through the field in harvest time.
The bull celebrates the animal that has aided man in gathering the crops.The wain represents the old harvest wagon.That head down there typifies the seed of the earth, symbol of the life that comes up in the barley that is indicated there, bringing food to mankind.The woman's figure, unfortunately, is too small for the niche, 'Abundance.' The horn of plenty on either side indicates her character.She's reaching out her hands to suggest her prodigality.The head of the eagle on the prow of the ship where she is sitting, gives the idea an American application, suggesting our natural prosperity and our reason for keeping ahead in the march of progress.In one sense, those figures represent a reactionary kind of sculpture.Nowadays the sculptors, like the painters, are trying to get away from literal interpretations.They don't want to appeal to the mind so much as to the emotions."
