H ouse and Garden 
By E. C. Potter 
DE SOTO 
and towers of the immense exhi¬ 
bition buildings. But, in passing, 
a word may be said about a few of 
the historical groups and figures 
in the courts and avenues of the 
exposition grounds proper. Of 
first importance is the noble 
equestrian statue, by Charles H. 
Niehaus, “The Apotheosis of St. 
Louis,” whose name, rather than 
that of le Grand Monarque , Laclede 
gave to the city he founded in 
1764. T his has been pronounced, 
by most competent critics, one of 
the very greatest pieces of sculp¬ 
ture yet produced in this country. 
Louis IX, clad in medieval armor, 
is portrayed seated on his charger 
in heroic attitude. In his right 
hand he holds aloft his sword, re¬ 
versed as if to emphasize the sym¬ 
bol of the cross represented in the 
hilt. The horse, too, is covered 
with armor and trappings which 
float in the breeze, as it strides 
Livingston, Monroe and 
Marbois in the act of sign¬ 
ing the Louisiana treaty. 
The group representing 
the Mississippi River, also 
by Mr. Bitter, is a spirited 
and richly modeled com¬ 
position. For some reason 
of his own Mr. Bitter has 
selected a youthful female 
figure as his centerpiece, 
ignoring the accepted idea 
and tradition of the 
“Father of Rivers.’’ 
Here it may well be asked 
how it occurred to no one 
that the confluence of the 
Missouri and Mississippi 
was the logical site for a 
splendid monumental 
fountain symbolizing the 
junction of the two greatest 
rivers of the continent. 
Lack of space forbids 
even the briefest review of 
the unnumbered sculptures 
decorating the entrances 
By Charles H. Niehaus ST. LOUIS 
Louis IX. of France surmounting u The Apotheosis of St. Louis ” 
21 5 
