The palaces on the Marina, indeed, present a wall
unbroken except by the central doorways and the slight corner
projections. The small domes at the corners give a Moorish touch,
reminiscent of Southern Spain, and the portals are direct adaptations
from Spanish masterpieces.
Palace of Mines
The north facade of the Palace of Mines is free from all ornament except
the richly decorative central portal. This is worthy of prolonged study,
being one of the finest bits of architectural ornament at the
Exposition. It is designed very closely after Spanish models, and is of
that transitional period of Spanish architecture that came between the
Gothic and the Renaissance, when Gothic had been enriched through the
influence of Moorish art, and was just beginning to feel the impulse of
the Italian Renaissance. Note how rich is every part of the detail; then
note how all detail is subordinated to the mass effect of the whole.
The statues in the niches of the portal are by Allen Newman. The central
mantled figure is called the "Conquistador," or conqueror. The artist
has here portrayed in spirited fashion a fine type of Spanish nobility.
The figure in the side niches, with an old-style pistol in his belt and
a rope in his hand, is "The Pirate."
The east facade of the Palace of Mines duplicates that of the Varied
Industries Palace, and the west facade forms one side of the north Court
of Abundance.
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