Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-09-06
Prom The Northampton Free PTess
LARKIN @. MEAD. JR.. THE VERMONT
SCULPTOR.

L
/ peaks resides Larkin g. Mead. Jr the Yer
mont sculptor, whose youthful genius is a.
bout to blossom into worldwide Celebrity
A desire to see the works Of art created by
Vermont's first sculptor. and learn his history,
took US to the rude studio Of this new COM
| pettor for fame.
| Mr. Mead is the second son of a family Of
seven children--four sons aud three daughters
of Larkin @. Mead. Esq. prominent and
respected lawyer of Brattleboro. He is 26
years old, having been born January 3, 1885.
in the town Of Chesterfield N. H., a few
miles from Brattleboro, to which place his
parents removed when young Mead was two
years old, and where he has since resided --
at the age Of sixteen he made his first effort
in sculpture by cutting an exact imitation Of
neighbor's pig in marble. with such rude
tools as were at his command This was
noticed by a New York gentleman, who be-
came much interested in young Mead and
gave him a letter Of introduction to H. X.
Brown Of New York, a noted American sculp-
tor who designed the equestrian statue Of
Washington now in Union Square at New
York He carried the letter 10 Mr.. Brown
who received and instructed him in the pro
iession that he had resolved tofollow After
remaining in New fork two and half years
he returned TO Brattleboro, the home of his
youth, and engaged himself for sometime in
sketching heads IN crayon and painting in oil.
In the winter OF 1855 he made statue in
snow, at the head of Main street in Bratte-
boro, eight feet high called the Recording
angel" IL was much admired and he after
ward duplicated it in marble and sold it in
Washington. 1t now occupies a prominent
place az Wilard's Hotel in that city. In
1857 he made statue in wood, of the God
dess Of Liberty, IA feet high, which sur
mounts the dome of the new State capitol at
Montpelier.
Through the advice Of Hon. George p
Marsh, minister TO Sardinia, he commenced a
model Of Ethan Allen which was completed in
about five months. On application to the
State a commission was given him to cut it in
marble. TO be placed in the portico of the
State House for the sum Of $4,000. He
commenced work on The statue one year and
a half ago, and it is now ready to be shipped
to Montpelier, where it will be inaugurated
on the sth Of October, at the opening Of the
next session Of the legislature Hon. Fred
f.. Woodbridge Of Nergennes. delivering the
oration. The marble for the statue was quar-
ried by Adjutant General Baxter. at Rutland.
and weighed in the rough state, fourteen
tons. The statue. now at completion, is eight
and half feet high and weighs four tons
The hero of Ticcnderoga is represented in
a standing posture. with his hat firmly grasp
ed in the left hand, resting on the hip His
right hand is raised in an attitude of defense
and command, and he appears in the act of
stepping forward as though he was urging
his brave and heroic followers on to victory
lie is dressed in continental uniform, with
: epaulets, sash aud sword common 20 officers
of his rank. The expressive countenance,
denoting a mighty will, that qnailed at no OBJ
stacle, however formidable, carried the memo
~ back to those perilous times of him whom
it represented, aud it requires no wide stretch
Of fancy to imagine the old General command
ing the Britains 10 surrender 'in the name
Of the Great Jehovah and Continental Con-
gress." The subject, so full Of historic in
teTest to NermOnters, is one that is well chos-
en- for place. in their States capital It was
we'll too, that Vermont should give her first
sculptor his first commission, TO transfer to
her own marble a faithful transcript Of the
perishsblo form OF her greatest and best gem
eral. The task, long and arduous one, has
been faithfully executed, and it will place the
hoy sculptor side-by-side with the oldest and
best of our coun,ry's artists.
Mr. Mead is in stature, about five feet six
inches slimly formed, weighing not over l25
pounds has light hair, inclined to sandy
ewes light blue and sparkling head broad
with high and projecting forehead. In man
ners he is reserved.-to strangers. almost "a
diifidence. and while they praise his works he
does not appear to feel that he is the author
of the encomums
He has executed several statuettes, includ-
81
both of which are in possession of Adiulant
General Baxter. He is now executing at his
leisure. for his sister, a statuette, called "ln-
spiration.' It represents a man of middle
age, reclining on a rock, with closed brook
in his left hand, his forefnger between The
leaves, the book also resting on the rock; his
right hand is raised, as though some import
ant thought had flashed suddenly upon his
mind; at his feet lies his hat aud staff. II i:
very pretty design, and executed in moderr
costume, something that is seldom attempted
on account of the difficulty experienced il
giving the character an easy and graceful ap
pearance. In this instance Mr.. Mead seems
to have succeeded remarkably we'll, there be-
ing an almost entire absence Of stiffness.
Mr.. Mead is unmarried and Stems to enter.
tain the idea common with artists, that young
men. Just entering upon their profession
should remain single, as il gives them more
time for developing the mind, while it il
deemed fatal to success TO have other duties
divert them from the object Of their pursuit
Mr.. Mead had intended to visit Rome this
fall, and spend two years in the studios o
the great masters, bat owing to our nationa
troubles he has concluded to defer his depart
ure till more peaceful times.
His studio is situated near the railroad,
short distance south Of the passenger depot
and was visited by a greater portion of th'
500 teachers attending the sessions of thu
American Institute of Instruction, held II
Brattleboro' last week A schoolmistress
who had studied with equal interest, th'
statue and its sculptor, remarked on leaving
} ''Well. have seen iiv+ genius" and he
eyes seemed to linger as she departed on tn
} artist with pleasure, evidently thinking that
dead genius was not rare a thing, but
, iiUe one was an object met with only IN a life
/ time.
On asking Mr. Mead if other members o
) his family exhibited talent or peculiar fines
; for his profession, he replied, "No, sir, no
at all---they consider that one artist in tn
family is enough to ruin il" In speaking o
: the obstacles he had encountered while pur
..,s.... the ha,f - k.a frantua ho rkod fha