New Orleans Republican., 1873-07-20
An Interview with Miss EdmOniH Lewis


God says he loves; why should doubt
Bat Els arms will compass us round ABOUT
4, Interview with Miss EdmOnia Lewis.
IFron the New York Graphic, July 10
Miss EdmOnia Lewis, the celebrated col.
ored sculptor, whose portrait is given eise-
where. called at the Office Of the Dciiy
Gra0hie to-day, and, in conversation with
the writer, gave some interesting p":;IC0'
lars OF her own life and career.
She said: My mother was an Indian and
nv father was colOred man. was born
a, Greenbush, which you know is on tho
other side OF the river. opposite Albany,
New York. NV father and mother died
when l was about four years OF age. NY
Indian aunts took care OF me; the :ribe
moved away 10 Canada: but they some
times came down as far as New York city
to buy beads and such things
Did they talk Indian y
oh no, English, except when white Veo'
pie visited them; then they would talk In
dian among themselves. They were Chip
pewas. When l was about thirteen years
of age. my brother, who was much older
than myself, and who had made great
deal of money in California, sent word to
say he wished that should be educated.
went to school first in Albany: l was DO
lighted 20 learn-very eager. had never
learned anything. The black robes taught
stranges: sensations in putting On dresses.
had never worn anything but blankets.
(Laughing) You see l ha6 good Opporturi-
ties Tor studying the nude. l was then sent
to Oberlin College, in Ohio. ! studie0
there fer four years. was exiremei!
fond OF the mathematics, and made good
progress in algebra and geometry.
At the end OF four years, pro-
posed 70 GO TO Boston and study
music. One day I was walking down
School street; I saw q statue OF BENJAMIN
Franklin. 1t was the first statue l had
ever seen. ] don't know how 1 felt; It
struck ne in a most remarkable way. l
went and asked Mr.. William Lloyd Gari-
son what it was He told me it was .
statue. and also explained the nature Of
sculpture. I said, \ will be sculptor:
He told mo to go round to Mr.. Bracket. I
went round 10 see him, and told him what
felt. He was very rough. He threw down
o cast Of a baby's foot, lump OF clay, and
one or two tools. There, said he. model
that II there's anything in you it will
come out Oh, tried to model 1t ever 80
often. At first l failed miserably, but at
the end of a month l made a very good
copy of the little foot. A lady gave me $3
for that foot when l was about TO leave
Boston for Rome. ] made NY modelling
toole myself. / got some pieces OF ebony
and filed them out with rasper.'
IA bust OF Voltaire succeeded very we'll
indeed. Well, then, you recCllect Colonel
Shaw, who fell at Fort Wagner. ] made
bust of him from a photograph. That was
my irst great success The last was much
admired. My Boston friends took 100
copies at el5. Then l was rich. l imme-
diately determined to 90 to Rome. went
in August. 1865"
How did you succeed therev'
"Oh, very we'll, indeed. Mr.. Powers was
very kind to me-that dear, good man. Ho
showed me how to fix the wires, as to
keep the clay from settling when l mod
eled. l Immediately set 20 work and mod
eled the Marriage of Hiawatha-the tive
figures, YOU know, of Hiawatha and Mime.
haha. While it was yet in clay had an
order for a copy in marble by Mrs. Mary
Pell, of Flushing, Long Island. i received
$500 for the group. Then | modelled the
old Arrow-maker and his Daughter Miss
Cushman ordered copy of that in marble,
and presented it to the Young Mems Chris
tian Association in Boston. l made Ma
donna and Child for the Marquis of Butte,
for which received $1,000"
you soon attained success. then. and
made a fair income by your profession!'
'Yes. l think have been successful.
have been greatly indebted to Miss Hosmer
for advice. l was making model of a sole
dier. Miss Hosmer came in to see it. Sho
said, The legs of that are not long enough
saw it the moment she pointed it out.
Now, Professor Tadolini, of the University
of San Luca, had seen it, and he failed to
note the error, although he is great art
cOnnOisseur."
$50 you live in Rome all the time2"
''Yes; l shall never live in America,
although come over here occasionally for
a visit, or on business. have visited Lon.
don. One of my dearest friends in London
is Amelia b. Edwards, the well known
novelist, an amable. kind creature. She
once said to me, You dear Edmonia,
think it is such a beautiful thing for you to
come right away from those Indians and
make such stand as you have DONE"
What is thought among the artists Of
Winnie Ream!"
"Oh, they all think that statue of Lincoln
= terrible business. They are CT opinion
that she bought a cheap plaster head, and
fitted it on trunk made by herself Tho
work does not match. See how awkward
and distorted the attitude il. Have you
seen it ~
No.
why. you know. .he shoulder of tho
arm that seems to be giving the paper. in.
stead of being lowered, as is natural when
the arm is extended, is actually raised. All
the English and French sculptors and
critics who saw it IN Rome used to laugh at
It. Miss Hosmer felt very much mortified
about 1t, because II might seem to Indicate
that American artists, and especially tho
women. were not able to produce ANYTHING
better than that"
Still Miss HOsmer sort Of defended Misa
Ream.'
wen, know she wrote that letter about
1t. But the Tribune had been very unjust
to Miss Hosmer previous to that, and so sho
delended WINNIE on general principles Az
10 the statue Itself, what she says amounts
10 thls: Ihat IT was as good az could have
been expected"
What did Powers say about it,
You know Winnie tries to make herself
fascinating. She tries to keep on touchinr
you when she is talking, and she has got
beautiful eyes So there can be no doubt
Inat she obtained the commission through
ner NIUE fascinating ways; and Mr.. Powers
said II that Is the way commissions are tn
be given by the government. they ought tn
take down the statue of the Goddess OF
Liberty from the dome of the CapitOl. and
put statue of Cupid there"
Mhat are your future plans! Are you
any great workr'
Il am; but it is to be secret. I intend
10 make beautiful statue, as beautiful asI
can, and send it to the Philadelphia exposi.
.ion anonymously. do this in order that
IL may De judged fairly and without favor
ool y pfeJudlce. Ii ~ Is a success. SO much the
Detter 1or me, VIXEN claim my work before
before the public verdict
Is your brother st!ll iivinyr'
=, les; he has vineyard in Bozenap.
Montana Territory"
works" 'oN'
oh. yes. At the International Exhibition
ol sculpture and Paintings az Naples.