Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-23
For the Washington Sentinel.
Houdon's Statue of Washington.


Houdon,s Statue of Washington.
1t is with no small degree of pleasure
have witnessed the fac-simile of this estimable
work of Houdon's, representing Pdter PatriG.
| say estin,able because it represents the true
semblance of the man-the only one thatart has
accomplished.
How many efforts have the most celebrated
artists of our country made to catch the inspi
ration OF, and fix upon the canvass or engrave
upon the marble, the great man, aoithout sac.
cess Why? Because each artist had in his
minds eve some prcc0nceired idea of greatness
personally, and was tempted to mould the fea
lures of our Washington with his beau-ideal
Not so with Houdon. He was rigid in his acts.
He saw the real man he was required to i'm
personate in marble. He not only took cast
Of his face, but every part of his frame, so as
to insure the correct representation of the
,chole man. Compare this representation of
Houdon's Of the Father Of his Country with
those ideal representations of him, whether on
the canvass or the marble, Of other artists, and
the difference is striking. Virginia should be
proud of possessing such treasure as the
original Of Houdon's Washington, and our rep.
resentatives, in Congress assembled should
secure q correct copy of this statue, to grace
the Capitol of tho Union on the spot originally
selected by that honorable bedy years back for
such statue-the spot rendered sacred, 1--WE may
say, to the object, by its surrounding the
vaulted tomb proposed in the original arrange
ment Of the building to receive his mortal re.
mains.
Such was the interest in the Congress of
1892 to realize this possession, that large
committee, representing the original thirteen
States, Unsupported; and, to secure the object,
a correspondence was opened with Mr. John
Washington and Mr.. G.. w. Gusts on the sub
ject of the removal of the remains to the
Capitol, which was approved by the latter on
one condition-that Mrs. Washingtons re.
mains should be placed alongside of her hus.
bands.
The correspondence was reported, and suit.
able preparations recommended 10 be made to
consummate the honored event. Under this
order of the committee, prepared plans to
give effect to this arrangement of the tomb.
A statue Of Pater Pdtrie had been ordered by
Congress for this site in the rotunda- of the
Capitol 1t was to be standing figure and
to be clothed as in the Houdon statue. By
some unacconntable circumstance, the design
was changed from standing to seated figure,
and not only so, but the sheet or undress
was substituted for the military or citizens
dress; and when the pedestal for its reception
was prepared, and the statue placed on the
same, at the height sent me by the artist it
was found unsuited to the spot, and had to be
removed to the site it now occupies in the
park on the eastern front of the Capitol.
The plan ! had arranged for this statue in
the rotanda, to suit the arrangement of tho
tomb below, was as follows to open circu-
lar space through the rotunda and crypt floors,
down into the vault, Of sufficient diameter to
admit of suitable column pedestal to be built
Al &c L.
which column pedestal spacious fight of
steps to ascend from the crypt to the rotunda
floor, which while it would afford grand en-
trance to this floor would furnish fine light
to the crypt below, the architectural beauties
Of which IRE now lost from the gloom that per.
vades it.
This plan would open new interest to vis-
tors OF the Capitol; for, while the statue would
insure attention, the eye and heart would be
drawn do,cnacard to the depths where his ven
Grated remains repose in quiet hope Of the re-
surrection of the just. Around the pillar PEI
destal inscriptions of deep moment will DO
read and thought upon.
One Of the faults of the Greenough statue for
the rotunda site was its colossal character, as
the vision was too close to bring it into due
proportions. Should Congress order statue
of Washington for this site it should be of the
natural proportions, such as those of the Hou-
don statue some notifications might or ought
to be made in the details, or accompaniment.
When Congress shall determine to decree
statue to Pater Pat,iG, let it be for this posi-.
ton, and in pure white American marble, and
executed under the American eye, in our own
land.
1t has been unfortunate that oar artists have
compelled to erpatriate their genius, for it has
been corrupted by the errors of the old schools.
Nothing that has been done in this art there has
succeeded here; they are all abortions. How
we must lament that our artists have been
compelled to desecrate their talents abroad!
We must hope that such compulsion will cease,
or that our artists abroad will have the courage
to be american in their taste and practice. The
government, when it orders a statue, should
make it sine qua non that it should be exc.
cpted within the United States,
Before closing, would respectfully call the
attention of Congress to the great work of
Greenough, in the eastern park Of the Capitol
his Washington. 1t is splendid cork, but
that, alas, is all that we can say of it. Tha
artist must have had in his minds eye the
1t is o grand conception, but oatre for our
Washington. He has, however, caught some
of the features Of his placid countenance.
The design partakes of the apothcotic char
acter, and claims for its effect position similar
to that statue We have named, which graces
the Capitol at Rome. would, therefore, re-
spectfully recommend thai this our statue should
be placed relatively to our Capitol with that Ct
Rome, which will be on the Dest front, on the
site which the naval monument now occupies.
This latter structure properly belongs to the
nary gard, where it was at first locatedA
and it should again grace this latter place,
instead of the Capitol grounds. Greenough's
Washington would not only be admirably suited
to this site, but an ornament TO this front Of
the Capitol, and forming an architectural order
with it.
ROBERT MILLS, Architect.
C,rv or w AsuINcToS Mo,cb ~ 1osA