Tympanum - Santa Barbara, CA
Posted by: DougK
N 34° 25.449 W 119° 42.205
11S E 251559 N 3812501
This elegant and colorful wood carving is above a side doorway of the Santa Barbara Library.
Waymark Code: WMEW6J
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 07/12/2012
Views: 5
This elegant and colorful wood carving is above a side
doorway of the Santa Barbara Library. Central to the design is the
coat of arms for the City of Santa Barbara.
From the Smithsonian AIC Description:
A tympanum in relief is installed over a set of double doors within an arched niche. The central element is the Coat of Arms for the City of Santa Barbara. On the left stands Aristotle, representing Science and History, wearing a green toga, red cloak and long gray beard. Plato, representing Philosophy and Literature, stands on the right wearing a blue and red toga with a green and white drape. Both figures holds books. Shields for four famous European libraries are installed along the top. Decorative elements include scrollwork and bunches of fruit.
A plaque on the wall next to the door reads:
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TYMPANUM
THE WOOD CARVING ABOVE WAS DESIGNED BY CARLETON M.
WINSLOW AND EXECUTED BY MARSHALL LAIRD. AT THE
CENTER IS THE COAT-OF-ARMS OF THE CITY. ON EITHER
SIDE ARE FIGURES OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLE. SURROUNDING
THE CENTER ARE THE SHIELDS OF FOUR FAMOUS
LIBRARIES; FROM THE LEFT, THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA,
THE BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE IN PARIS, THE UNIVERSITY
OF SALAMANCA AND THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY AT
OXFORD UNIVERSITY
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