The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-26
VALENTINES LEE.
HIS STUDIO CROWDED WITH AD-
Ii MIRING VISITORS.
Origin, Progress, and Completion of
the Great Work.

would be opened for the reception Of visitors
on yesterday excited great interest, and at
tractcd q constant stream Of visitors from 8
4. NJ. to 6 p. NJ. The Governor, n large
| number of members of the Legislature,
judges, clergymep, old soldiers, representa-
| tves of all of the professions, our solid busi-
| uess-men, and visitors from distance
| mingled with the ladies. aud the studio was
| crowded during the whole day. ...
The room had been very tastefully ar
| ranged. and was adorned by the various
works Of our young artist, which were
greatly admired. But, of course. the chief
attraction was the marble, recumbent figure
Of Lee, which has just been completed.
ORIGIN OF TIE MONUMENT.
The idea OF monument over the grave of
Lee originated the very day on which he
died at a meeting of such Of his old soldiers
rs were able 10 gather In Lexington to pay
their tribute to his honored memory. A
committee was appointed, a plan Of organza-
tiep adopted, and a'short time afterwards
charter was obtained under the name of the
Lee Memorial Association" The commit
tee consulted with Mrs. Lee, who cordially
approved of their plans, and without hesim-
ton suggested Mr.. Edward V. Valentine as
the artist to undertake the work.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF Mr.. VALENTINE.
The artist was ttly chosen. A Virginian
by birth, education, and sympathieS, he had
received just the preparation needed to quail.
ify him for the great work Of putting into
the life-speakiDg marble the form of the
great Virginia soldier. ........
Edward Virginius Valentine was born in
Richmond on the 18th Of November, 1888,
and was reared amid the happy Influences of
ante. beIium days in our fair city. At very
early age be exhibited decided taste and tai
| ent for the iue arts, and studied under Os-
| wald Heinrich, and Hubbard, who was widely
known through his beautiful copies in
| bronze of Houdon's Washington, and whose
death from IN explosion OF Illuminating pow
der which he was engaged in manufacturing
for the Confederate Government was so
deeply lamented.
| In 1859 Mr.. Valentine went to Europe
TO complete his studies. He studied for
year under Couture at Paris, went TO
! Florence and took course Of private in-
struction in drawing under Bonaiuli, linger-
ed for time among the principal galleries
| in Italy, and then crossed the Alps into Ger
many for the purpose Of entering the studio
of Rietschcl. Disappointed in The latter pur-
pose by the death Of this great artist, our
| enthusiastic young student finally succeeded
| in gaining place, in the autumn OF lSGl, IN
| the studio Of the great Berlin artist Hiss,
| where he remained for four years takIng
also course Of drawing with Holbein, pri.
| vate lessons in art.biStory under Professor
Eggers, and other studies bearing upon his
| arD, and became a great fayorite with his
distinguished master.
In 1865 be returned home, and resisting
| tempting offers to locate in New York, he
established himself in his native city.
His special talent for the portrait depart
ment Of scupture-in which he had di>tin-
guished himself abroad found appropriate
vent in modelling bllsts of Davis, Belu-
| regard, Mosby, Stuart, jackson, Maury,
Malone, Wise, and other distinguished Con.
| fedcrates, while his Burns, "Nation's
Ward" " knowledge is Power" "Uncle
| Henry" Washington in Masonic regala, DC,
| have given him reputation as wide as the
continent.
In June, 1870, just three months before
General Lees death, Valentine went to Lex.
| ingtou, and succeeded in making bust Of
him which was pronounced by the most
competent critics Qncuding Mrs. Lec) i
| striking likeness aud u well-nigh perfect
| model. (ThiS bust was made from actual
measurements, WHICH the GencTal hluuly
permitted the artist to make, and these were
extended also to his entire person, so that
| when hypercritical visitors object to the size
| OF any particular part of the figure the artist
| has only to produce his original measure
ments, about which there can be no mis-
| take)
The committee did not hesitate, therefore,
to commit to NirgInia'S gifted young Sculp-
\ In h. rf in rIIp his hI.a H.
| tlful conception Of the Sarcophagus, and he
has worked on it from time 10 time until it Is
now completed.
THE MARBLE.
The committee waited for 4 long time on
| an effort to obtain suitable block Of Fir.
Jtnld marble from which TO cut the figure.
i