Page:Woman in Art.djvu/146

WOMAN IN ART The blank walls of that enterprise proved to be the open door—the emprise of the American Woman in Art. It was her opportunity, and she entered in. Those walls must be decorated, and decorated by woman only. It meant mural painting.

Mrs. Candace Wheeler of New York was assigned the superintendence of interior decorations. Her daughter, Mrs. Dora Wheeler Keith, painted the ceiling of the library of the building, using a design resembling somewhat the decorations in a Venetian palace, but with a symbolism appropriate to our country and time.

On entering the vestibule, interest and pleasure stayed one's steps to enjoy the wall paintings. Not all were of equal interest or merit, but under the stress of time and inexperience they were remarkable, and thousands who were not art critics received real pleasure and a new view and impetus concerning art as something worth while in life.

In the main hall or Court of Honor, the two large tympanums, one at each end, were worthy—eminently worthy—to represent woman's first attempt in the field of mural painting. The subject dominating the North was "Primitive Woman," combining three views of her activities.

At the right a primitive man is clad in the skin of some wild beast that he has laid low. A plurality of wives and maids attend him, one taking from him the deer he has just brought in. The center of the panel represents motherhood caring in various ways for their little children. Continuing to the left, robust women are carrying water-jars, mostly on their heads, and beyond them other women are plowing with oxen, and despite the unpromising condition of soil other women are broadcasting seed for the next harvest.

This was the design and work of Mrs. Mary McMonnies, wife of the sculptor who worked out the beautiful Columbian Fountain that faced the Administration Building. These wedded artists brought their contributions from St. Louis.

Underneath the tympanum of the Primitive Woman, worked into the border, was the honorary legend: "Bertha H. Palmer, President of the Woman's Organization.

Miss Mary Cassatt portrayed her prophetic view of the "Modern Woman" on the corresponding space at the South end of the hall. Her center panel showed a bevy of girls enjoying the apple harvest in October. Another third of her space gave room for a dancing girl; and the last was full of action, a number of young girls seem running for the pure pleasure of it, or perhaps in 112