Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-09
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

four miles out on the BladenSOuTg road, where |
Mills is pursuing his second great national work,
the statue of Washington. Mills has here pur-
chased some 12O acres of land pcturesquely loca-
ted, with a clear stream Of water running through
IL, invaluable for his artistic purposes, and which
he has made Of further as an artificial lake |
serving as an ice and fish pond.
On commanding eminence stands cluster of
buildings, composing the artists establishment
consisting Of dwelling houses, studio foundry
blacksmith and carpenter shop, stables, &c; but
reach this " Palace Beautiful, IL is necessary
10 pass the kennels Of some ferocious bulI-dogs
Of great size, whom, however, we found securely
chained, else this article might have remained
unwritten
In the stable yard to the right an odd looking
customer was seen rubbing his horns against the
gate) in the shape of an American elk the de-
scendant Of one which escaped from Mills two or
three years ago, and was shot while swimming
the Potomac. Adult the same time bison pro-
cured also by Mills as model, got away one
night, and was found dead the next morning,
having persisted like the unfortunate elk by the
hands Of some thoughtless markSman.
The studio, which was erected in place OF one
blown down by the wind, towers above the coun-
Try like stately castle, being 4 large octagonal
building some eighty feet through by forty feet
in height The explanation given by the artist
1chy ne has had this building constructed of such
He saws that In the execution OF the Jackson
statue, he was cramped for room in the small
shed-like structure, which our readers will
member as having stood south of the Treasury
building, that he did not once during its progress
distance, and that when the statue was unveiled
in Lafayette square, it was as new to him as to
any spectator.
The multitude received IL with acclamations
but MS artistic eye detected defects at once which
he would have avoided with his model sufficiently
elevated 10 Judge Of the effect at the height il
to take on its OPen-air pedestal. These defects
he quietly Temedied in the duplicate statue
dered by the city of New Orleans, and he has
now taken the PrecautiOn to secure himself ample
room and verge. BY throwing open the large
al Of nCfa SiH ~ he nd O fha
model Is displayed in any required light at
any angle OF depression or elevation.
Entering the studio, we pass through a room
occupied with ingenious mechanical appliances
invented by Mills to facilitate his art OpeI atons,
among which is 4 simple but admirably working
contriyance for copying busts on a reduced or en-
larged scale Passing into the great central room,
the eye is arrested by the colossal plaster model
Of the horse for the Washington statue, and
which, though roughly outlined as yet, is marked
by all that intense vitality and spirit which the
severest critic Of this artist must cOncede to his
productions.
Mills has, we think with good Judgment Sc
lected for illustration that striking historical Incl
dent Of the battle Of Princetoa-the point Of time
when, on the preciPtous retreat OF MERGERS troops,
Washington putting spurs to his horse, dashed
past the hesitating militia full upon the advanc-
ing foe, his commanding figure and white horse,
making him a conspicuous object for the enemy's
msrksmen. Washington, in this terrible emergen-
cy maintains the sublime tranquility of the Chris
tian hero, who feels that he is in the hands OF an
overTuling Providence, whose instrument he is
Ia
coils terror struck Al the peril upon which he is
thrust
The figure Of Washington is not yet modelled
and 10 the achievement Of this we look forward
with little interest, for to Mills falls the sim
gular good fortune Of having il in his power TO
furnish what alone will give his work an inesti-
mable value, The only absolutely correct likeness
GAd beast Of Washington the IcOTId has yet seen
Mills has now in his possession the Houdon
head. taken from the face OF Washington, and
the only one ever taken. This was obtained by
HOndOn "A model 81 " oh
statue OF Washington "a copy of which is now
in the rotunda Of the capitOl) But now comes
out the most singular fact Of all. Who has not
felt sense Of dissatisfaction at the narrow re-
treating forehead, and perked up chin Of the
Houdon statue; all criticism and questioning
being debarred by the assertion that the head was
an exact copy from life. Such is not the fact
HOudOn, following the wretched taste Of his time
must needs alter his divine model;
"A combination and form indeed,
Where every god did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance Of a man.
and gave his Washington the features and port
Of the efieminate sensual royalty Of that day viz:
the narrow receding forehead, wide heavy fowls
and thrown up chin and nose
Providentially, the original head from the cast
though overlooked, has been preserved intact
and Il now in the hands OF artist tremblngly
alive to its priceless value as the only true repre-
sentation Of Washington IN existence.
Ii is 4 grand head. showing, in its balanced
proportions that perfect equili brium and har-
InOny of qualities exhibited by the Father of his
Country, but which other representation of
him, pictorial or statuesque. has yet adequately
Swallowed forth. Mills must not alter line OF
his model 50 much hairs breadth No ideal
head, however noble, can equal this taken from
Washington own features
Mills spoke with much qualification of an in
tervisw held by him with President Buchanan
few days STAGE, in regard TO Z site for the Wash
ingtOn statue when completed, il being left the
President OF the United states by the act Of Con-
greSS, TO designate such site. On his attention
being called TO tbe-matter by Mr. Mills, the Pres
ident expressed purpose to obtain the advice of
AZ. to
manner Of saying IL. that he was fully aware how
much injustice may be done TO a work OF art
through being placed in an unfavorable position.
In the studio we noticed the spirited outline of
The model OF a tiger, executed by son Of Mills,
some sixteen years Of age, who exhibits no small
degree OF talent in his fathers walk
Emerging fIOm the studio we noticed in a
stOre-rOom TO the left, some hundreds Of barrels
Of plaster of Paris, enormous quantities of which
are consumed in modelling these colossal statues
Next in interest to the studio is the large foun-
dry, built of brick, and which replaces one that
was burnt inthe course OF Mills "chapter of ac-
CIdeuts," shortly after his studio was blown
down. High overhead impend two ponderous
cranes. designed 10 lift the TASKS containing the
moulds-fIom thirty to forty tons in weight-at
the time Ofcasting- Here are two enormous watts,
one designed for sulphuric acid in which the
casting, after being fitted and He'd is lowered for
couple Of days for bath. The second is the
nitric acid bath. in which the casting is immersed
but moment, and then water is dashed upon H.
else the acid, which changes the metal at once to
brilliant golden hue, would eat deep into its
surface
Here Is Mills wonderful furnace, to the inven-
ton OF which he was driven by imperative ne
cessity, which, without chimney, bellows,
daft and with pine wood for fuel, affords heat
sufficient for fusing the immense mass Of metal
required in his castings.
One Of the most graphic narratives we ever lis
tened TO, is the artists description of the diicul-
ties through which he struggled, in executing the
castings OF his Jackson statue how, after having
permission 10 the Navy Yard furnaces, he
found al the last moment that TO make the requi-
ute excavation near the fire. would in the opinion
of the NAVY Yard authorities endanger the safety
81 the tall chimney fue and he forced TO look
n some other quarter; how the first mOuldefs in
the country refused 10 undertake the work except
IL his risk how. when al las wits end, he recol-
lected having seen in his bOyhoOd piece Of OK
chain taken fiom a coal pit. which with pieces of
brick was completely fused BY the intense heat of
the pit how he cried =. Eureka - and started TO
construct his furnace upon the principle Of the