Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-24

esudylrg me points OF his L0reee. he hau .
large stable Of lace horses, and imported the
famous Argyle, that beat everything in those
dsys. Afterwards / studied horse anatomy and
acton with John Robinson, the old circus man.
He had an excellent idea Of q horse and
its muse alar action. Robinson, who was very
sharp critic on equestrian statues and pictures,
wrote me, after seeing my statue Of jackson,
saying that in his judgment sit could not be i'm
proved on" and in concluding he said: 1.-THE
Old General lJackson) was very fond OF fine
horses, anu has more than once visited those
under nv care and management
can claim 70 know as much al ont the anat-
omy and muscular action or q c horse as any
man living. Every artist has his speciality.
should not attempt 30 compete with Powers, fo-
instance, in the defines ton of the nude figure,
TO which he bss given the study of lifetime
hut in my speciality | am quite as much at
Star msn.-You have been criticised FOR put
ting your horses
ON TWO LEGs,
in all attitude that horse could not maintain
for any length Of time.
Mills.-Well, it is an attitude natural to a
horse-the rampant pOsition-and why should
the critici.m apply to horses more than TO men.
In all the celebrated groups of statuary where
men are represented In action, the attitudes are
such as CO uld be sustained only for a moment.
| tell you what the people want in s;atuary a.
wei as in orstoryis
FACTION, ACTION ACTION.
ard the conventional horse on three legs or
-four, OF with prop under the belly, or with its
tail fastened 10 a rock, won't suit. / have
aimed TO represent the horse in . spirited, nat
ural attitude, unsustsined by any external sup
port as in nature. ] gave months of study 10
the muscular action of the rampant horse, With
a model trained to rear at a look. Visitors who
.aw him rise on his hind legs whenever | turned
towards him, thought him q most sagacious
animal, but he had been trained to do it.
rnan Il hQa hoo oh ral al hat
yonr horses are not self balanced, but that they
are cast OF he; vier metal in the hind quarters
and are
TAsTRNBD BIZ THE yREr
TO the ped stall.
Mills.-Ihis is not true. The caste are hollow
except the tail, and are entirely elf-balanced,
q. in this model, Showing a small model OF the
Jackson statue I'll at balanced itself re ady on the
Iii d feet Of the horse wherever placed aud the
only fastening Of the foot to the pedestal IL thai
Us, to prevent nischie, persons from tn row.
ING oil tue statue with crowbar.
MILLS START AS SCULPTOR.
Did You commence your artistic career in
south Carolina?
Yes, in Charleston. first made some plaster
husts that attracted attention. especially one OF
Calhoun, which 1 afterward. put in marble
Some of the citizen. raised the money to send
me to Europe, but on my way ! stopped in
Washington, and was introduced by Isaac E.
Holmes to Cave JOB nson, then Postmaster Gen
srsi, and who was president OF the jackson
Mcnume Mt Association. MIR. johnson asked me
% make model Of an equestrian statue OF
Jackson, but declined. a. / had ne yer under
'Gken anything of the kind, and 4 thought
must go to Italy. But that night, turning the
hing over in my mind, ii seemed to n that
need not 20 ali the way TO Italy to learn how to
'naEe an equestrian statue. They could not
each me anything Ibid not know about the
HoTsc, and was sure that ] could make a cor
rect representation OF Jackson. SO ] under
took tie wCrh On these terms - would make
miniature model, and if il pleased them the
tOTUiS OF was 20 be- given to me. worked
nine moths TO get skttcA that suited me.
MILLS OK THE Classes.
You didn't follow the classics?
No, followed nature. The ancient SCULPTOR
knew very little abou; the horse. and their rerre-
sensations Of that noble animal are for the mos.
Part wretched burlesqIcs. With nj their Won
ierful masteTy oT the human figure, their horses
we're conventional heats. that sht pass for
almost auv other animal as well.
Your Jackson vas not in the classic STYLE
either?
No, when fret care TO Washington / went
10 see Greene CHS statue OF Washington. east
of the Capitol. II seemed 10 me a wonderful
work OF art; Int while was looking at it others
came M. Sal one 81 never heard that Wash.
'nstOn wore
BLANKET LIEB AN INDIAN"
Another inquired: What are those thing. or
his ieet ." OH said . third party, "they
must be moccasius-Ind wear moccasins.'
Then others came up OF more cultivation;
There. said one, sis work of art pronounced
the most perfect that has been turned out of
Italy for many year,; but il proves an utter fail
ure here. because it idealiZes the Washington of
The people ont Of all sympathy or recognition.
The fact is. the American people will never
star having their WashiDgtons. lie 4. r.ons and
Jacksons put out bare-iegged in tOgss and sAn-
,lals.'
Sal 4
ment, that would have nothing TO DO with
The ToCA BUSINESS;
and that whatever else mi ght be sad OF NV
wOIks. they should at least be true 10 nature
and to American ideas.
WHAT SUMNER SAYS OF MILLS.
Mr.. Sumner don't agree with you It Seems.
on this point.
no" 'aid Mills, laughing, he pitches into
ma sayasely. | was curious 10 know What was
the ground Of his hostility. and got friend 20
talk with him about the Jackson statue SAID
NJ. sumner, Il think - an AunErIoy.-"
Friend Not an abortion
SumncT.-"ht>, az ABORTION The idea Of
representing IaCt scn in lack boots and spur.
Cuiitd States uniform, and seated in a Uters,
saddle ="
Fricrd-"IIow woujd you have him repre-
resented -
sunni er.-"He should have been reureseuted
wearing The graceful Roman toga, with a civic
wreath about his head, truncheOn in his hand,
and instead OF
MODERN rIG-sKIN SADDLE
he should have been seated on the classic lion
skn-h>R the statue would have been credit
able TO the country. AS for that man Mills, he
has done more to corrupt the taste in pure art
than any other man in the country and [ give
him a kick whenever | can"
lt is good sign wren An artist is not too thin
skinned TO stand criticism, and Mills told the
story OF Summers wrath against his unclaSsical
work ~ if he rather enjoyed it. Mills, how
ever, thinks that the people are With him i'm HE
raid upon "the toga.bu.iness," and that Nr.
Sumner will eventually have to succumb TO
mstern practical, common-serse ideas.
GIN. GRANTS VERSION OF THE sUsRISpKH or
Mills told us about visiting Gen Grant to get
from him the particulars OF the surrender OF
Lee, TO aid him in making an authentic repre-
resentation of that event in bass relief for the
monument This was quite interesting a. civ
ing Gen. Grants own version OF that historic
affair.
Said Gen. Grant to Mills, "Lee came in with
the nag Of truce to see on what terms We would
receive his surrender. 1 stated the terms and
Lee said, please reduce that to writing