The Art of the Exposition | Page 8

in most cases, in better taste than the many foreign buildings.
Among these, the buildings representing Sweden, Denmark, Norway,
Italy, and Bolivia, must claim particular attention. It must seem strange
that the three northern countries named first should excel in originality
of architecture, as well as in the allied arts.
The Swedish building, designed by Ferdinand Boberg, presents
admirably his great talent. The name "Boberg" means nothing to most
people out here, but anybody at all familiar with the development of
modern architecture abroad will always think of Boberg as the greatest
living master of Swedish architecture. His very talented wife, Anna
Boberg, is equally well represented in another department, that of the
Fine Arts.
The plan of the Swedish building is unsymmetrical, but well balanced,
nevertheless. The typical northern wood tower, at one side, has a very

fine outline, and like the roof, has a very fine decorative shingle
covering, interesting in pattern as well as in color. I am very much
tempted to speak of the treasures found inside of this building, but we
must go on to Denmark's building.
This building, situated near the southern end of the Fine Arts
Colonnade, has a far more advantageous location than the Swedish
building. Situated on a narrow tongue of triangular shape, the architect
has taken the fullest advantage of this original piece of ground. The
building gives a very good idea of some of the very best tendencies in
the modern art of Europe, without being bizarre, like some recent
American attempts, in the most wrongly labeled of all art expressions -
the "Art Nouveau."
The Norwegian building, somewhat remotely situated, back of the
French building and near the Presidio entrance, has very much in
common with the Swedish building, and offers the same attractive
features of wood and stone construction as the building representing its
sister state. Historical traditions and everything else are so much alike
in these two countries that it must not surprise one to find the two
buildings have so many points of interest in common.
The north of Europe has given to the world many very excellent and
genuine expressions of architecture, which, owing to their fine
constructive qualities, have been absorbed wherever wood is the
principal building material. The art contributions of Sweden, Norway,
and Denmark will long remain in the memory of all Exposition visitors.
Holland makes considerable pretensions as to originality of style in a
curiously incongruous creation at the north of the Fine Arts Palace.
During the last twenty years a peculiarly inadaptable type of building
has been developed in Holland by a group of younger architects. Many
of these buildings are suggestive of stone rather than of brick
construction, and they do not fit in very well into the architectural
traditions of the Dutch - builders traditionally of the finest brick
structures in the world.
The Holland building at the Exposition is not typical of that great and
independent people. It looks cheap and has all the faults of the Art
Nouveau, which has, unfortunately, been much discredited, by just
such things in our own country, where classical traditions are so firmly
and so persistently entrenched.

While structurally this building is of a peculiar, affected, ultra-modern
note, the general scheme of decoration inside as well as outside
compels much praise. The general feeling of refinement, of serenity,
that so strongly characterizes the interior is due to the able work of
Hermann Rosse, a capable decorator-painter, who designed and
supervised the entire color scheme.
The color scheme inside the Holland building, while daring, is most
original in using an unusual combination of steel-blue and warm grey
silver tones. These two relatively cold notes are enhanced in a
complementary color sense by touches of orange and yellow. A
constructive stencil pattern based on the two national plants of Holland,
the orange tree and the tulip, add richness to the general effect. Mr.
Rosse's very decorative wall painting opposite the main entrance
represents the Industries of Peace. While somewhat severe, it adds
dignity in motive as well as in treatment.
On the outside some fine decorative tile panels reflect one of the chief
industries of the Dutch and also tell of the influence that Dutch art has
long received from Holland's East Indian possessions. These tile panels
are very decorative. To us, out here, they suggest artistic ceramic
possibilities for architectural purposes of which we have taken little
advantage. Considering the fact that we have quantities of good clay
and that so much original good decorative design is lying idle, this
inactivity in architectural ceramics in California is distressing. So far as
I know, Batchelder, in Pasadena, still has the monopoly on architectural
tiles for the entire Pacific coast.
Other European countries besides Holland are interestingly represented.
The Italian building is a dignified building