Home -> Paul Elder - > The Sculpture and Mural Decorations of the Exposition - Pirate Deck-Hand

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Pirate Deck-Hand
Niches, North Facade of Palaces

Pirate Deck-Hand

The northern facades of all the palaces along the Marina are beautifully embellished above the vestibules with an intricate plateresque decoration, modeled after portals in Old Spain. In the three ornate statue-niches - in the original probably devoted to saintly images - are romantic figures by Allen Newman. It is appropriate that these figures facing the water-front should represent, as they do, the Conquistador and the Pirate Deck-hand, who once were masters and terrors of the main. The Conquistador stands in the central canopied niche, the strong line from his helmet-point down his sword-hilt making a grimly decorative axis for the whole. The Deck-hand is repeated in the niches on each side. This ruthless minion of sea adventurers is here pictured beyond the urchin's dreams. The line of the rope he carries is a touch of excellently handled decoration. Both these figures are so well harmonized architecturally and sculpturally to their pedestals and location that the entire facade should be seen for their proper appreciation.

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