History of the McKim Building: The Upper Staircase

The panels in the staircase walls and those of the corridor on the second floor contain the mural decoration, The Spirit of Knowledge by Puvis de Chavannes.

The Gallery is separated from the main staircase by an arcade of five arches and columns of yellow Siena marble.

Covering the entire gallery wall to the left and right of the arched vestibule leading into Bates Hall is Puvis de Chavannes’ major composition The Muses of Inspiration.

On the right hand wall of the staircase as you enter appear in three panels :

1. Pastoral Poetry. Virgil.
2. Dramatic Poetry. Eschylus and the Oceanides.
3. Epic Poetry. Homer crowned by the Iliad and Odyssey.

On the left hand wall :

1. History attended by a Spirit bearing a torch calls up the Past.
2. Astronomy. The Chaldean Shepherds observe the stars and discover the law of numbers.
3. Philosophy. Plato sums up in an immortal phrase the eternal conflict between Spirit and Matter. "Man is a plant of heavenly not earthly growth."

On the end wall to the right and left of the windows :

To the left: Chemistry (mineral, organic, vegetable): A process of mysterious change evolves itself under the magic wand of a fairy surrounded by watching spirits.

To the right: Physics: By the wondrous agency of Electricity, Speech flashes through Space and swift as lightning bears tidings of good and evil.

The marble doorways leading into Bates Hall are of Rouge Antique and Levanto marble.