short skirt immortalized by Don Marquis of the New York Tribune in his poem glorifying the resulting- revelations in their range from the curves of Aphrodite to the angularities of Aunt Tabby’s tibia.
The Pershing Square Building modestly illustrates this franker tendency of anatomical expression while not perhaps reaching the fullest consummation which might be desired. In one aspect particularly it is very gratifying as an index of progress. The use of clay materials throughout for the jacketing, above the water table, has been with a very frank recognition of certain of the qualities of medium which are quite natural to it and capable of results of the greatest charm. One might have wished that this treatment which availed itself of the natural eccentricities of coloring in burnt clay had extended itself to the formal character of modeled ornament and had included more of the same freedom in that aspect and less of the feeling of carved stone. Lombardesque precedent in terra cotta contains much which supports this freedom. One also feels that in present day adaptations of this precedent and other early Italian motives there is room for a franker implication of modern structural fact.
Here is where a technique truer to the organic nature of modern skyscraper design may be developed from study of the early historic uses of terra cotta. These often reveal suggestions in design which, quite unconsciously to the producers of it, foreshadow a treatment appropriate to the facts of modern construction. In the frank recognition of the requirements in jointing, supporting, and the freely plastic qualities of modeling, etc., which are entirely logical to veneer finish these early uses of terra cotta do not attempt to simulate the function of massive load bearing masonry. It is true they fulfilled this function in their own support and that of superimposed masonry but nowhere do we find profiles built out as a mere shell over iron framing in a form designed to deceive the eye into believing these elements to be solid features bedded into the wall and maintaining their place by gravity. They were built honestly according to the limitations of material as then produced for supporting itself, with accessory anchoring for greater security, and as a consequence are there now, intact, for all to see and study, after the passage of many centuries and even ages of time.
In the Pershing Square Building we have something of the same honesty. The use of terra cotta
reverts to the small size pieces reminiscent of the early Italian manufacture but more for consistent relationship with the jointing in the brick work than under any necessary limitation in the product as now produced, much larger units now being freely possible. In the spirit of the modeling in the terra cotta figure panel at the fifth story level, however, illustrated on the preceding page, we still find persisting strongly the treatment in modeling which suggests carving in a massive block of stone rather than ornament modeled by hand in the pliant surface of clay.
In the aspect of the builder’s chromatic interest the ultimate effect of the pronounced color spotting in the terra cotta parts has evidently been deliberately calculated. Both in this and the brick the deposit of atmospheric dust will eventually tone the marked variations down into a softly harmonious play of color which should realize all that was evidently expected of it in a very knowinghandling of the chromatic problem.
It may be added with respect to the suggestions of appropriate treatment which a stiidy of early historic terra cotta work may yield, that employment of this resource should take into account the very marked technical development of terra cotta which has occurred in modern times and especially during the last thirty years. Modern chemistry and experimental research together with vastly improved facilities for production have greatly extended the possible scope of application and of effects in design. Very large size pieces can now be made and in a much greater variety of surface finishes and coloring than was possible in early times. Ashlar, rarely produced in terra cotta in the earlier periods of European use, has now become a large part of the normally possible production and if the modern facilities and control of material necessary for its extensive production had been possible during the early Renaissance and in preceding periods, it would undoubtedly have been used as freely as any other practical feature or improvement would have been adopted in the construction of the period. Thus development of an appropriate modern technique finds an additional resource for its accomplishment not comprehended in the suggestions which earlier precedent literally adhered to would afford. Combined with the greatly expanded scope of chromatic range offered in modern production, the circumstance carries immensely promising possibilities for the future in modern building design.