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On pylons before both arches, Leo Lentelli's Guardian Genii calm, impressive, winged spirits guard the universe. The unity of men and nature are denoted by the Rising and Setting Sun fountains, the row of Stars, the Zodiac friezes and the Elements. Of these, "Air and Earth" appear in the foreground of the picture.
Above the main entrance of the palace we saw Lentelli's "Aspiration," that had been the cause of so much criticism and humorous comment during the first few weeks of the Exposition. "Lentelli had a hard time with that figure. It drove him almost to distraction. Perhaps a genius might have solved the problem of making the figure seem to float; but I doubt if it could have been solved by anyone.
Leo Lentelli's style is particularly well adapted to Mullgardt's Court of Abundance. Its care-free, subtle quality, full of animation, presenting new motives at every turn, is most helpful in the general spirit of festivity which characterizes this most interesting of all the courts. Aitken's Fountain of Life in the center of the court is totally different.
It is one of the most appealing bits of all the Exposition sculpture, well expressing devotion and reverence. It cannot be reached from the rotunda side, this portion of the shore being closed to the public. The figure over the doorway of the gallery is Leo Lentelli's "Aspiration."
The great charm of this finest of all the towers in the Exposition is its wonderful rhythmic feeling. The graceful flow of line from the base toward the top is never interrupted, in spite of the many sculptural adornments used on all sides. In front of the tower are two very ornate illuminating shafts, showing Leo Lentelli's diabolical cleverness in making ornament out of human figures.
Outside the rotunda, facing the main entrance to the gallery, is "The Pioneer Mother," Charles Grafly, sculptor. Over the entrance is Leo Lentelli's "Aspiration." Beautiful as is the Palace of Fine Arts by day, it is even more lovely at night. There is so much of perfection in the building, and it is so well placed, that it needs no special conditions to be at its best.
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