Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Grand Reception Hall: Wall murals




Paths of Peace..
By Eugene Francis Savage
The two figures in the right foreground, Man and Woman, are tilling the soil, planting in Adversity, with the Hopeful anticipation of the abundant Fruition of their Plans. The scene above signifies the Fulfillment or Promise of their Rewards, represented by their Vision of the Harvest Time, with its Sheaves, Fruits and New Wine. The Woman longs to become a Mother of a Child, admired for Her Beauty...


The Armistice..
By Eugene Francis Savage
The Field of Battle, Europe, November 11, 1918.
The principal figure near the center is the Madonna, the Mother of Christ, the Prince of Peace. She portrays the bereaved mother with raised hands in a gesture of stopping contending forces from opposite sides. She looks down sorrowfully upon the figure of Hope, now chained to a gun carriage, symbolizing ruthless force. Those who have come to grief and defeat in the trenches are crawling out. An old clock, stopped at the Hour of Eleven, indicates the significant hour of the signing of the Armistice – the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of November, 1918. The idols and gold cloth flung about represent the ruthless destruction of churches and things made by Man. The hands pointing accusing fingers and the expression of horror on the faces of the soldiers on the top right effectively recall the unspeakable Horror of War. Balancing this are the American Soldiers, on the left, with Smiles of Joy, who are beginning the Celebration of the End of the War. They have just heard the news of the Armistice, and are ringing a bell salvaged from the ruins, upon which they carry a French peasant girl. The Dove, Olive Branch and Rainbow fill out the scene, indicating Promise of a New Peace...

For more.. [click on the link]
# The Elks National Memorial..
# Facade freizes- By Adolph A. Weinman...
# Sculptures: "Fraternity" and "Patriotism" - By Adolph A. Weinman..
# Sculptures: Reclining Elks - By Laura Gardin Fraser..
# Sculptures: "Air" & "Earth" - By Laura Gardin Fraser
# Rotunda: Heroic Sculptures - By James Earle Fraser..
# Rotunda: The intricately carved ceiling...
# Rotunda: murals- By Eugene Francis Savage..
# Grand Reception Hall: Entry murals - By Edwin Howland Blashfield..
# Grand Reception Hall..
# Grand Reception Hall: Hand-painted glass windows..
# Grand Reception Hall: Ceiling murals...
# Grand Reception Hall: Wall murals- By Eugene Francis Savage..

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