The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-30
STATUARY FOR THE PARK.

IHE RarK Art Association mas not as yet maze
any public statement of its plans, or any
appeal to the public for the means to carry
them out. 1t is understood however, that
its principal object is to procure ststuary aud
other works of art for the ornamentation of
the park, and when the citizens of Philadel-
phia are fully informed as to what it is
proposed to accomplish, they will doubtless
respond with liberality, for no better method
of adding to the already great attractions of
the park could be found than the erection of
portrait statues of eminent men, historical
and ideal groups, and other works of art, in
prominent locations. Before entering upon
such a work as this, however, certain rules
and regulations should be adopted, with the
understanding that they will be infexibly ad-
hered to. Such works as are erected in the
park should, in every instance, be of bronze
for the good and sufficient reason that it is
the only endurable material for open-air
statuary, and that in the open air it is much
handsomer than any other. In our climate,
marble statues exposed to the weather will,
in a comparatively few years, lose their
sharpness, and would begin to exhibit signs
of decay at time when bronzes would be at
their best. If statue is worthy of being
placed in such pleasure-ground as Fair
mount Park, it is worth being made so that
it will last, and the cost of bronze is not so
much greater than marble that the expense
need be any consideration in works that are
expected to endure for ages. Bronze cast
ings can now be made in this country, and in
this city, as we'll as anywhere in the world;
SO by all me ans let our park statuary be of
metal, and not of stone.
AS a matter of course, many of the statues
to be placed in the park will be memorials of
distin guished Philadelphians and Pennsylva-
mans, as we'll as of citizens of other States of
national reputation Care, however, must be
taken that the grounds shall not be covered
with the smirking efigies of ''no account
men, who are only great in their own esti-
nation and that of limited circle of ad-
mirers. If the Park Art Association merely
desires to obtain goodly number of statues,
it will only be necessary to announce that all
who desire a cheap Immortality can obtain
it in this manner, and there will i'm
mediately be multitude of very respectable
citizens whose organs of self-esteem are
largely developed, pounding at the doors of
our sculptors in their eagerness to get them
selves put in bronze and marble. This would
be excellent we'll for the artists, but not so
much SO for posterity, not to speak of the
pnblic of to-day. We know of one individual
who has his ''statoo" cut in the best Carrara
marble, all ready to plump it down in one of
the most picturesque locations in the park
so soon as he can get a good op-
portunity to do 80. Men such as this
mu st be held in check; their ardor must be
restrain ed by law that, like those of the
| Medes and Persians, altereth not, to the
effect that no efigy of any worthy citizen
whose soul has not yet ascended to the stars
shall be permitted within the park limits. II
would not be amiss, indeed, for the rule to
be that no statue shall be erected to the
memory of any one who has not for at least
twenty-f years been under his native sod.
| A man whose memory will not retain its
fragrance for at least quarter of century
has no claim to be handed down to future
ages in imperisbable bronze. Not only
should the Park Art Association and the Parl
Commissioners establish this rule, but, tc
make assurance doubly sure-for really this
is a serious matter-it would be we'll to have
it enforced by an act Of Legislature.
Distinguished men of former days who
have contributed to the glory of our Com
monwealth should have statues in the parl
which will serve to keep their names ant
their deeds ever fresh in the minds of tn,
people, and with a little liberality and
proper amount of discrimination in the choice
of subjects, the historical statues of the parl
would soon be among its greatest attractions
Attention, however, should not alone be giveI
to the erection of monumental works, bu
ideal figures and groups, as far as possible
American in subject, should have some Of
the finest locations assigned to them. Ward
group of ''The Indian Hunter, in Centra
Park, is a far greater ornament to that magni
ficent pleasure-g ground than his statue
of Shakespeare ever will be, and the costum
in which the sculptor has clothed the figur
of the great poet has decided advantages il
the way of picturesqueness over the coat AM
pantalOons of the present year of grace, an
over the cooked hat, shad-belly coat, AM
knee breeches of the Revolutionary era.
will be depressing if nothing but statues o
gentlemen clothed in the most unpicturesqu
costumes ever invented are placed in tn
park; SO we enter a plea for an occasions
piece of sentiment, even if some hero who
ought to be commemorated is neglected fo
a season.
We hope that the recently elected officer
of the Park Art Association will shortly max
some definite announcement of their inter