Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-12-10
THE STUDIOS OF WASHING rON.
Winnie Reau, .


Ream." The name called 10 mind long for
gotten promise to a friend 70 examine some
specimens Of the work OF the artist In question
ana thinking the task might as we'll be got rad
OF, we paused TO enter, certainly with no pleas
uraoie expectations, and prepared, on the con-
trsry, TO be called upon 70 admire a sc; of
crnolnes, the work OF some pert bread and
butter miss, whose head had been turned art
ward, by the injudicious praise of partial
friends. We met 4 surprise The open door
disclosed the contest of rooms, cheerful with a
bright fire, the windows festooned with the
bright green of basket plant and musical with
singing birds; the walls, inches, and stands oc-
cnpied by works of art, arranged ana posed
with combined artistic taste and vomanly
taste, and in the midst OF all the artist herself
child-Iike figure, bright of eye. animated Of
manner, lady-like, graceful, a figure quite
suited to the surroundings. An examination
of the work she has accomplished afforded new
matter for surprise.
Miss Ream, It will be remembered, is the
youthful sculptor whose success in getting the
order from Congress for the execution of the
Lincoln statue, over the heads of older and
more experienced artists, excited considerable
comment and brought her name some wha;
conspicuously before the public. The act of
Congress In giving SO important work to an
untried artist, and especially a woman was the
occasion tor considerable adverse criticism
The partizans OF all the Older artists pitched in
sharply. Mrs. Swlsshelm, who dearly loves
% cruelty a sister, brought her bitter pen 10
bear, and the following paragraph written by
her, and which has been copied widely by the
press, Qncluding the Stdr,) has doubtless
served 10 prejudice thousands against the
young artist:
4 fyrQ on ha Anl,y
been studying her art few months, never
made a statue, has some plaster busts on exhi-
bition in the Capitol, including her wn, minus
clothing 10 the waist, has pretty face, with
iurn-up nose, bright black eyes long dark
curls and plenty OF them, wears Jockey hat
and a good deai OF jewelry, sees all the mem
bers AT their lodgings or the reception room at
the Capitol, urges her claims fiuently and con-
hdently, sits III the galleries IN q conspicuous
position and in her most bewItching dress
while those claims are discussed on the floor
and mods and smiles as mem Der rises and de-
liyers his opinion on the merits Of the case
with the AR OF man sitting for his picture;
and so she carries the day over Powers and
Crawford, and Hosmer and who not!'
We confess to having been to some extent
unfavorably impressed by these ad verse crit,-
cisms, and can therefore With the more candor
say that an inspection of what she has accom-
plished and a knowledge OF the unpropitIous
circumstances under which she has worked
has caused us to reverse our judgment and has
inspired very hearty admir- alton of the hero
isn with which this young girl has Iabored on
uncomplainingly in the way her gentus
prompted, under perhaps the mos. chilling and
discouraging influences thar ever a youthful
artist encountered. The modicum of truth IN
The harsh criticism above quoted is that NJ IS
Ream has pleasing face. which may be a Sc
rIous drawback for artist, but which is no
fault OF hers and which is certainly the least of
ha pift ts hp hae in n
ity, frivolty, or giddiness she shows nothing
whatever. She seems in fact TO think of moth.
ing bat her art having that un unbounded enthu-
sissm in IL and love for it that leaves no roam
tor riyiaLties. The facts we hear, from those
who have watched her career, Of the de votion
she gives to her art, and the indefatlgable ASST
duty with which she seizes every opportunity
TO perfect herself In it, remind one OF the cir
cumstances OF the early career OF another self
cultivated artist of the same sex, Rosa Ron.
hepr.
The allegations concerning her LOBBYING
operations are piquant fictions, calculated to
make Washingtoq letter spicy" and writ
ten apparently with little heed as to wha
mischief might be wrought by the calumny
She has had no time 10 frItter away in the
galleries. Such brief interviews as il has been
necessary for her to have with members, TO
answer questions and furnish da ta hay taken
place at the Capitol. So absorbed is she in her
work that IL has been with difficulty be-
friends could detach her from 1t long enough
TO make the requisite visits to Congressional
committees to testify as to what she had done
and the faith that was in her; and In such
visits she has been rather apt than not 70 make
her appearance in her working blouse. The
bust, "mnus clothing to the waist" happens TO
be not that Of Miss Ream, but is d copy Of an
ancient bust of Sabrind by Martial, the prop
erty Of Mr. Fisk Mills.
The amount of work executed by her during
the few months that she has been modelling
will serve to show the Industry and enthusi.
asm of the young girl, and that she has not
wasted much time in frivolity. We enume.
rate sucn pieces as we remember, simply to
show what her busy hand has turned out in
the short time she has devoted TO her rt:-The
Dying Standard Bearer, relief; bust of DR. Sam
son; do. OF Gen. Won Folkenburg group.
Father and Family; lnoian Girl, statuette; vi.
olet, an ideal bust; bust of Lincoln; figure
Spariacus; medallion Aurora; Miriam, relief;
medallion OF Gov. Yates, of Illinois; bust of
Francis p. Blair TWIN Sisters, life size group.
Water NymPhs group; medallions Of Senator
Nesmiih, Gen. Morehead, Green Clay Smith,
and Gen. Rollins. OF Mo-: busts of Thaddeus
Stevens, Reverdy johnson, Senator Sherman:
meualnon OF MISS Williams, OF Pa: sketch of
Gen. Grant, modelled from photographs; busts
OF Hon. Mr.. Ross, OF Ill, Mr.. Voorhees, of
Ind; Gen. Mcclellan, Horace Greeley, Col
Boudinot: me edallion of Minerva, &c.
Her bnsts, we should add, are surprising
achievements for one so young and unframed
as they are modelled from the eye wirhoutany
of the usual mechani cal aids.
She is now al work upon a statuette of Mr
Lincoln. intended as a design for the monu-
ment TO be placed in front of the City Hall by
the Lincoln Monum ent Society of this city
She has also under way a group of four female
figures, representing the North, Soath, East
and West, united under the glorious old han.
ner. snrmonnted by the American eagle. They
face the different points of the compass, and
are surrounded by emblems indicative of the
different sections of the country they repre-.
sent. This is one OF her most ambitious ef-
forts. and is full of promise.
Her design for the city Lincoln statue will
serve as a test of her ability to model a salts
factory statue OF Mr.. Lincoln. 1t has been said
in Congress and elsewhere that il was beyond
the ability of her girlish hand to deal with
such a subiect-that IL "naeded the masculine
grasp" &c., &c. Well, good many artists O:
A. Il