| 词条 | Draft:Pillar of Balzac |
| 释义 |
| name = Pillar of Balzac | native_name = | native_name_lang = English | former_names = | alternate_names = | status = | image = Pillar of Balzac.jpg | image_alt = | image_size = | caption = The Pillar of Balzac as viewed from Valley Boulevard | map_type = | map_alt = | map_caption = | altitude = | building_type = | architectural_style = | structural_system = | cost = | ren_cost = | client = | owner = | current_tenants = | landlord = | location = | address = | location_town = | location_country = | iso_region = | coordinates_display = | coordinates_format = | latitude = | longitude = | latd = | latm = | lats = | latNS = | longd = | longm = | longs = | longEW = | coordinates = | groundbreaking_date = | start_date = | completion_date = | opened_date = | inauguration_date = | renovation_date = | demolition_date = | destruction_date = | height = | diameter = | antenna_spire = | roof = | top_floor = | other_dimensions = | floor_count = | floor_area = | seating_type = | seating_capacity = | elevator_count = | main_contractor = | architect = | architecture_firm = | structural_engineer = | services_engineer = | civil_engineer = | other_designers = | quantity_surveyor = | awards = | designations = | ren_architect = | ren_firm = | ren_str_engineer = | ren_serv_engineer = | ren_civ_engineer = | ren_oth_designers = | ren_qty_surveyor = | ren_awards = | parking = | url = | embedded = | references = }} The Pillar of Balzac, also commonly referred to by the French as Le Pilier de Balzac is a monument located near the intersection of Valley Boulevard and Morganfield Avenue in the city of West Covina, California. It was commissioned by the descendants of French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac to memorialize a lengthy relationship between the writer and one of the founding pioneers of the San Gabriel Valley, William Workman. The monument was designed and created by French Dadaist artist Jean Arp in 1918. HistoryWilliam (Don Julian) Workman was a fan of contemporary writer Honoré de Balzac. After reading Balzac's novel Eugénie Grandet in 1834, Workman penned a letter to the author proclaiming his enthusiasm for the work and inquiring about some aspects of character development in the story. This began a lengthy series of correspondence, resulting in a long distance friendship which lasted until Balzac's death in 1850. Workman and Balzac never personally met during their lifetimes. Workman and his wife, Maria Nicolasa Urioste de Valencia, eventually made a pilgrimage to Paris for the purpose of visiting Balzac's grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery and to meet his surviving family members in 1852. Balzac's family were deeply moved that Honoré's friend would undertake such an arduous journey in order to pay his respects to the writer. The families continued corresponding after both William Workman and Honoré De Balzac passed on. In 1919, the Balzac Family sent the pillar, which was designed by famed Dadaist Jean Arp, over from France as a gift to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the relationship between the two families. It was stored until 1927 while the Workman family searched for a suitable location for it's installation. Eventually, the site of the current location was agreed upon by the Workmans and other local community leaders. Symbolic meaningThere are three key components to the monument. The pillar itself is comprised of several stacked marble slabs that form a column. A bronze sphere with three spikes protruding from its top sits atop the column. A steel snakelike spiral winds it's way around the pillar from the column's base to the spiked spehere at the top. The individual marble slabs that form the pillar itself are meant to represent the individual members of the Balzac and Workman families [Honore de Balzac; William Workman; Ewelina Hanska Balzac (wife of Honore); Maria Nicolasa Urioste de Valencia (common law wife of William Workman); Anna Hanska (stepdaughter of Honore); Joseph (Jose) M. Workman (son of William); Josephine Belt Workman (wife of Jose); Mona Darkfeather (granddaughter of William and silent film actress) and Antonia Margarita Workman (daughter of William)]. The sphere represents the globe and the transcontinental relationship the two families were able to forge. The three spikes at the top of the sphere represent the indestructibility of the friendship’s past, present and future. There is, however, some point of contention as to what the spiral represents. One school of thought is that it is meant to bind the two families as one. The other being that the spiral represents the love between the families transcending from the past to the present and into the future. ReferencesExternal links
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