New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-12
AN ARTISTS QUARREL.
THE LINCOLN MONUMENT MODEL.

THE LINCOLN MONUMENT MODEL.
LETTER FROM AN ITALIAN "PoINrEE"-THE DE
SIGN OF THE MONUMENT AT SPRINGFIELD HIS
AND not LARKiN q. MEAD's.
To the EditOr OF the Tribune.
SIR: have read an article III your dlstin-
guished journal regarding the Lincoln Monument. am
bound give You the real statement of it, In Washington
madcmy acquaintance Of The bravc-for what canjudgc
myscf-one Of the best American sculptor. A. Dummy
Ward he give To to point the bust OF stephens Con-
gresham of Georgia. then he come to finish 1t himself
In this time was not in good state OF health.
Ward received letter from Mr. Larkin G. Mead to
send him n workman to execute the statue of
Ethan Allen he ask me II was willing ia 90 myself he
represent thar Mead good fellow; so went to
Braitleboro and really when meet to the depot Mead
felt that Ward say the truth. commenced the statue
after three months. went to Washington-and sold
my shop which left in charge of Sgnor Gianyuoli and
went back to BrattcbOr0 new residence The statue
was very mitch advanced. In the same time have cut
two statucttc called the "Mountan Boy and SCHOOL,
Girl" pointed and finished by myself In the same time
Mead he give them fine touches of chsel On the
eth Of Angus 1860 II "A very warm day never was
in habit lose single hour of days work Lark did
always call him so-say TO me after dinner hoiits
to-day is very warm; We have better to go at "as'oio
watcrcurc and play tcnpin SO we went There 10 pay
with some other gcntlemcn fatally tnfrw one OF thc
most large balls icii that nave hurh my sn'urr
stop 10 play In night have hard pam nnt n'Ai oy
went - work by using big hammer. la the evening
sweat much. went down the river ana was! thc
upper part of my body without shirt on leaving the
shop say, Lark, have cured mvsclf, bur on the
from that day was not able to work any more. irk lie
finished the statue himself try 10 cure myself every"
thing. but without any result. on the month OF October
| start for Europe to cure myself. went 10 rome
Geneva, Paris, hut my arm was los, entirely. was III
After Few months that Lark in Florence he wrote
me sgnor Hart desire that should start for 20 70
a. a foreman ! shall do little work" | was the
foreman of Lark. We lived together We were Two
brothers IN SCI lark went To Venice rs NcConSul IN
the place of Mr. HOwells. Before he left he made sktch
in clay of n monument of Abraham Lincoln. say 10
pIoycd me to make The design and all the pro,
have execute it 10y the wool-carvcr, sgnor
Barbct. in Florence The moHnmG p.or was coe snn
Institute Larkn went To America but he failed on re-
eeive the coms;on s Ta h" a." In sS7 Went
60 America for my enterprise To execute iifDic
of the banErig room OF the Treasury Department; and
two statues modelled by the good artist brown 81 >cN
nrn my Of IT, Mead One morning in February
1865 Mr.. Mead he read me circular sent 10 MN ny 10"
Was to advise all Americans scuptors OF Florence tn
make design for nationa. monument Tor Abraham In
coin to be- erected at Springfield Illinois, which design
was be decided by the Committee on the l1th oi Ap
the year.
What say. call for witness NJ. Mead who in the
City OF New-York. Mead say 10 me, "Thomas, how we
can make new dcsgni We shall have no time, and be-
side this I know am sure, Miss Hosmer will receive
the commission any how" answered: Why do you
let be presented the one you exhibit III Newfork
He say "That are played out" Immediately came
in nv idea a colossal monument said Larkn. |
have a colossal idea, which will astonish all America
and sure shall have made the design in time and start
"r m,nn nroln monument" Wen" say, viii
enterprise everything AT my own expenses you VIII
for it." NJ Mead say: All right. shall put III, name
under it," Immediately after his last word went I"
nine blue and with II went III
ihe studio OF Signor AUGUSTA assagi then nave sut-
gestcd him my colossal ah Tor the L Tc m l
wall aud Pass.lgia with charcoal made nc monument
of my conceived colossal idea called ~ Mead TO see
it, and with great proulncss say 10 mn iur .'is ar
the will get the price lie laighci, az" say le'5
pre,ty large one say Amcrc III eopic ns,r s,p
himself was impossible to make such design IN 'front.'
and profile 40 days; but he say that be hid ireh
architect To whom We went together ana ask nl II
would help PassagiIa We can MAKE nc ucS'a ons -"
pen Tor the 18th OF March next. told them push H.
vn huurs before my departure at the depot OF Florence"
they consigned inc the design; and NJ Mead "ri'c MS
name III both
At the depot about thirty people in
Gliding NJ Mead and his Damatian wife. Immeli-
atelv after I left NJ. Mead, he had the courage To
saw that was fool to lose my time and money can
one for Witness Lodovco Acars painter, friend OF Mr.
Mead and mine. / landed at Ncw-Iork the lJth oi
April I went in Mr.. shepards office, No 81 Broad,st
When he me- h. say what y9n come IN, nei9 i"r -
saw TO him that come 10 New-fork with thr dslgn o.
the monument show it,. lie exclaimed, mautiini,
Int said the decision has been postponed on september
NEXT 1 show the dcs IN 10 several New YORK gcte
IL
nom uoy"e whnrn was Legrand lockwood AT a dinner
party show the two design and every one say 70 me
This will get the prize remained i'll Ne" lot; Inv
,scLs. then went back to Florence received thc
drawing from Passaglia and BardO. ask them: HOW
much owe youl" They say: Three hundred francs :;
which amount | pay to them aud by my voluntary
pronise say them: II We shall receive me ornms
sion will give YOU "a present of one th0lstnd dollars
INF my obligation toward Passaglla ana Old1 was over
They have nothing 10 10 vi 'no i"'"i' " N'"' wv"
Lincoln uOnunl nt
When see Mr.. Mead I told him. "fou have
better start Immediately with your wife Tor Amer
len because by good many gentleman have SHOW
the drawing assured that the drawing brought by Inc
In America was the get the prize. Mr. Mead say
IN m ~ made fool myself by have been In America Tor
Lincoln Monument he was nor ,is one 10 , a. Wr Mad
received letter from his father dated BrdttlcDoIo
Ia g., which letter his father advise him tn take my au
Vie IN start Tor America and attend Ia the blislncss OF
lincoln Monument. This letter are ~ ny possession S'
MIR Mead hc take tho adj, zee Of li' tithtr ana hl fo
cnc. bouni 10 America He arrive, ~ bs3o oi y,to
Of August; then he went 10 New-i"Fh whis ne VII
me on he 2Gth that nc was about start IoI 0uusn'."
IN The drawing was accepted on sept H. ail. Mtau
write me on the 2is that h. has r'crNti thc
go aer he have found responsible contractor, ne uifnu
tn come back 10 Florence. Then h" rte me ash on .c
22l OF October thar he was "bSe tn'cY tnv " ~
"a Inc saws II is not much IL was originally IN tte
same time Mr. Mead received the colossal COMMISSION
LIS brothern-law, Mr.. Augustus u shepard, stop ny
,',iv ruined when Mr.. Mead returned 10 FLORENCE NC
saw Ia me that he had not made the maj cnhr1cL 20
went - the month OF ,, On he answer me
i,nmcdlatcly 10 Florence, where he give ine 80"
Al 900 every year I have declare mat NJ Ae"u ne
made the drawing himself ana ma, we al snc Wnnur
because he write me III his iet'cr o. w. - s 10
accented his gu and not TIA. one brought my se, ~
hmeie Ca; th. Cont Of Florence. My history are very
inn,, and very important regard Lincoln hoh""cn'
rrnain dear sur your very respectfully go .o,,,p,,
u.... Covr1,a March 20, 1870.