The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-11-03
The StOnewnII Statue.
From the New York Herald. |


The statue unveiled showed all of
Foley's pure and high atmosphere of
art. His Jackson, overlapping contem.
porary art, takes its place worthily bev
side the noble Washington of Houdon,
which stands in the rotunda ofthe Cap
itol building. There is the same self.
control in subordins,ting all details, IN
holding fast, not to the unmeanlng
lines of Photographic portraiture, but
| to the higher expression of character
and individuality as localized ia form.
Even at first sight the statue shows
that the culptor has scorned all trick
and mannerism. His work is simple
and true. Like all the great sculp,ors,
Foley has wisely abstaned from repre-
sentlng violent action or bodily excite
ment. There is poise and strength and
self-control--most heroic of all vir-
tues-in every line of the calm, easy
figure. The soldier is standing with
his right arm akimbo. The body is
not stiff and upright, rs in self-con-
sclous attitudinizing, but it sways
easily Oh the hips. The barred head
neither dropping nor thrown back, but
turned little to the right, is looking
kcenly, but without excitement, into
the distance. 1t is rs if he were
watching with confidence in his sub
ordnates for the fultillment of an or
der already given. The left hand,
raised to the level of the left shoulder,
is holding the hilt Of u sword, whose
point, without bearing any weight, is
resting lightly upon the top of the low
stone wall that symbolizes the heroic
name. The legs, incased in military
boots, are wonderful in the perfect
naturalness of their attitude and move.
ment. The left leg is thrown slightly
forward, is bent at the knee and re-
Taxed by the absence of any weight
upon it. The right leg comes down
straight and strong, bearing the bur-
den of the body, but free from every
sign of muscular strain or fatigue.
| The attitude com Dimes ease and dig
nifty; it has, moreover, the high
merit of endurance. In the treat
ment OF the costume there is
the same freedom from conventions
ality on the one hand, and from vul.
garity on the other. The uniform of a
| Confederate General is Enthusiastically
expressed but there is no milliner eX-
aggeration of the details. The coat is
buttoned, but IL is not stiff with pad
ding or pulled out. 1t bulges and
wrinkles, so as to reveal the figure of
a man healthy indeed, but far from
athletic. The belt, too, is buckled so
loosely as not to dent the waist; it
droops comfortably on the left to show
the weight of the scabbard. The
boots, the gloves, the chevrons, the
army cape that hangs in the crook of
the left elbow, all speak of real work
and hard service. Every detail is
homely, yet the general effect is grace
ful and dignitied. 1t is the face, how
ever, that is worthiest of study, so per-
feet piece of realistic p0rtraiture is it.
The bearing and expression are per-
feet the face rises above mere portrait
ture into physical type of those Pc
culiarities, both moral and intellect
ual, that made the soul of Jack
son. 1t is not beautiful, yet the higher
beauty of moral force and of intelIec-
tual vignr has been seized with tran
scendent skill. There is earnestness,
and deep calm of soul, n steadiness of
resolution that was high above excite
ment. There is tenderness and
goodness, too. 1t is the face of man
wise and dutiful, sublimely uncon-
scious ana heroically modest, with
enormous power OF will, aud that self
control which passes SO easily into the
power of controlling others-such q
face as will harmonic with all the
traditions of the man and with all his
achievements. The pedestal or orna-
mental structure, is composed of four
pieces of the finest quality of James
river granite, consisting of base with
three members sub-plinth, orna-
mented by a cornice; plinth proper,
on which is the inscription, and cor
nice capital, on which rests the statue.
The elevation Is about twelve feet to
the summit of tue pedestal, on the
regular graduated scale for heroic
efligy.