The Sculpture



The sculptural decorations of the Exposition are so much a part of the
architectural scheme that their consideration must no longer be delayed.
The employment of sculpture has been most judicious and has never lost
sight of certain architectural requirements, so frequently overlooked.
While there are a great many examples of sculptural decorations at the
Exposition, there does not seem to be that over-abundance of
ornamentation so often confused by the public with artistic effect.

The best compliment that can be paid to the Exposition sculpture is that
it is not evident at first and that one becomes aware of it only in the
course of studying the architecture. I do not think that, with the
exception of the Column of Progress and the groups of the Nations of the
East and of the West, the Exposition has produced, through its very
unusual and novel opportunities, any great work, or presented any new
talent heretofore not recognized; but it will most certainly stand a
critical examination and comparison with other Exposition sculpture and
not suffer thereby. As a matter of fact, a number of the sculptors of
our Exposition were commissioned to do similar work at St. Louis.

In one respect our Exposition must immediately claim originality - that
is, in the elimination of the glaring white, with its many ugly and
distracting reflected lights, insisted upon for years, in practically
all the great expositions of the past. This absence of white is surely a
very novel and very helpful feature, from an artistic point of view. The