Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-07-26

our country honor, and confirmed the
artists reputation and his right to rank
among the first of living sculptOrs.
And now it was no longer the strug-
gle for bread or reputation; both in the
future were well assured. Orders came
in beyond the artists ability to execute.
The Academy had already conferred
the fullness of its hOnOrs.
Whilst the Indian in plaster, was still
Oh exhibition in the Broadway gallery,
Mr.. Belmont, the banker, gave Ward II
commission for the heroic statue of Com
mOdOre Perry, since executed i'll bronze,
and erected at Newport on a temporary
pedestal: the elaborate work ON that i'll
tended to support it being yet unfinish-
ed. OF this pedestal, however, we shall
speak hereafter.
About the same time that he received
this important commission he received
one also for his Good Samaritan de-
signed to commemorate the discovery
of ether as an anRSthetic, since erected
on pedestal illustration with bas-re-
liefs in the Public Garden at Boston.
On the return from Paris of the Amer
lean works of art exhibited there, they
were placed in the National Academy,
conspicuous among them the Indian
Hunter. At the close of this exhibition
the statue passed into the hands of the
Central Park Commissioners, by whom
it was placed i'll the position it now Oc-
cupies, west of the south eud of the
Mall, near the Marble Arch, where it is
pointed to with pride as the first unmis-
taxable expression of American art in
sculpture in subject, by the
son of a western farmer, the pupil OF
native SCULPTOR work thoroughly un-
conventional i'll treatment, bearing no
impress whatever of the influence of
foreign school, an indigenous expression
of the New Worlds genius.
Soon followed the commission for the
statue to commemorate the bravery of
the Seventh Regiment of the n. Y. S.
n. G., heroic figure in bronze, some
time since completed by the artist, but
yet to be erected in the Park. Before
the completion of this commission, the
statue of Shakespeare for the Park was
talked of, and for this Ward made sew
eral designs, one of which was approved
of by the Commissioners. To execute this
work a larger studio was necessary, and
as our artist was now comparatively
wealthy, and the future looked fair in
deed, he purchased the site on Forty
ninth street near Fifth avenue, where
he erected home for himself and for
one who, during the long years of his
trials, had sustained him as woman's
loving, hopeful nature only can sustain.
Here also he built his studio, in the rear
of his dwelling-hOuse, and prepared to
put his nOblest thought in the colossal
shape in which it is to be given to the
people. There was but little to wish for
now, save that the future should fulfill
the promise of the present; and there
was no cloud above all the broad hori-
zon. But, alas! the storm was near
which was to make this fair home des-
Olate. His wife died after brief ill
ness. That this was q bitter loss all felt
who knew this noble lady. Her infiu-
ence on the artists thought and work
was known to all who knew him. A
woman of rare mental gifts and exalted
nature, she inspired his thoughts and
him in his labors. No sacri-
flee was too great that aided his ad-
Devoted to her husband and to his
glorious art, her faith was inexhausti-
BILE; her courage never failed. To her
clear and wholesome criticism he owes
much of his success; to her woman's
he owes it that his dark
hours were but few in the least hopeful
of his days of struggle.
It was in 1869 that Ward began his
work OIL the Shakespeare statue, of
which the praises Of the critics to whom
it was exhibited i'll plaster but few
months ago, still echo in our ears. This
statue was to have been unveiled Oh the
23d of April Iast-the anniversary of the /
Poets birthday-bUt the bronze was not
finished in time. So we shall probably
have to wait until the same date of
next year.
The sculptor is now at work upon a
colossal figure of General Reynolds,
who was killed on the field of Gettys-
burg, whereOn this monument will be |
erected. He also works, at intervals, |
on the bas-relief of the pedestal for the
Perry statue, illustrating the important
events in the life of the great Commo-
dore.
As this is the age of figures, we would
never be forgiven if we omitted a sea-
soning of them to give our story spice,-
and so we throw in handful. For his
first great success, "The Indian Hunter,
Ward received $4,000; for his plaster
model of The Good Samaritan $1,000 |
about ST., 200 will pay him for his figure
of Commodore Perry and the pedestal;
So, 200 was his commission for the Sew
eth Regiment Statue, and $50, ,OOOfOr the
So adding to these sums
those paid him for his minor works.
his group for the Equitable Insurance
now on its way here from
Rome, where it was cut; his numerous !
portrait busts and designs,-it will be
seen that Ward has worked Industrious
ly for his reputation, and as the figures
show, to profitable end.
A brief description of the man, for
the sake of those too far removed to
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