A central composition shows the Mother of
Tomorrow and a surmounting group typifying the Spirit of Enterprise
which has led the Aryan race to conquer the West. The figures, from left
to right, are: 1. the French-Canadian (sometimes called "The Trapper"),
on horseback; 2. the Alaskan, carrying totem poles, on foot; 3. the
Spanish-American conqueror, mounted; 4. the German-American, on foot; 5.
the Mother of Tomorrow, on the tongue of the ox-drawn prairie schooner;
6. the Italian-American, on foot; 7. the English-American, mounted; 8.
an Indian squaw; 9. the American Indian, mounted. On top of the prairie
schooner the Spirit of Enterprise is represented by a spirited winged
figure, with a boy at either hand.
The way in which the two groups balance each other at the two ends of
the court is worthy of study-the elephant of the one offset by the
prairie schooner of the other. Indeed each feature of one is balanced in
the other so that the two will mass against the sky with the same
general decorative effect. "The Nations of the East," considered as a
whole, seems the more satisfying group-richer in feeling, more unified
in design, and more massive; in short, more monumental and therefore
better fitted to crown the noble arch. But if this fits its setting
better, and masses against the sky more satisfyingly, "The Nations of
the West" will be found on close examination to contain the better
individual figures.
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