The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-07-06
Rogers Groups of statuary

statuary, executed by Mr.. John Rogers, o
New York city. His ''Union Refugees,
wounded Scout, 1.-The Picket Guard,
''Taking the Oath,' lone More Shot,
''The Country Post Office, "The Returned
Volunteer" ''The Favored Scholar" 'sRiT
Van Winkle at Home, and many others
have gained him an enviable reputation as
an artist, and have become as familiar as
household words. He has recently added
to the number new group, called, "Check.
ers up at the Farm, which bids fair to be.
come as popular as any which have preced.
ed it. 1t is thus described by cotempo-
rary:
''It represents gentleman from the city
who has gone up to the farm with his wife
and baby, for country>sir and release from
business toll and cares, playing game Of
checkers with the farmer. He evidently
thought he could easily defeat the rustic in
a friendly game, and SO the contest COM
mences. We are left in the dark as to the
exact way in which the game began, but
the homemade board placed on the heavy
cask, with the plain checkers, evidently
met the eye of the city gentleman
casually, conversation about the game
sprung up, and the result is contest at
the old and pleasant pastime. The two
sit down on either side of the cask, the
gentleman on rude bench, the farmer on
an inverted corn basket, the gentleman's
wife and baby being the only spectators.
The game progresses, the farmer capturing
his opponents checkers in succession, un-
til the eliminating point is reached, where
the gentleman's last ''king" is hemmed in
so that he cannot make move without
being taken. This is the point chosen by
the artist for the modelling of the group,
and the result is quartettc that will stand
any amount of study and criticism. To
us, the chief charm of this group, char
acteristic, by the way, of all made by Mr..
Rogers, is in the perfect naturalness of
each figure, and the pertinence of the ac-
cessories. Take, for instance, the gentle
man. With his left elbow on one corner
of the board, the hand toying with his
chin, his right holding palm leaf fan, and
resting on his hip, his legs crossed, his
head bowed little, attentively studying
the state of affairs, with an expression of
mingled astonishment, incredulity, and
defeat, he appears to give vent to his feel
ings in a prolonged but subdued whistle.
''The farmer, however, is jubilant He
has temporarily left his work to engage in
the contest, and goes at it with coat and
vest off, sleeves rolled up, pantaloons stuck !
inside his boots, and his hoe in one hand. |
Looking up at the gentleman's wife, with
mouth open, disclosing faultless set of
teeth, his face radiant with smiles of tri-
umph, with the fore finger of his left hand
he points to the defeated 'king." The
lady is deeply interested and somewhat
amused, although sharing in some degree
the good-natured chagrin of her husband,
not SO fully understanding, evidently, the
game itself. She wears pleasant smile,
is dressed in plain modern style, and is
an essential part of the group-a figure that
will please and interest all who examine it.
''There is fourth figure, the baby. He
wants hand in the game, too, but his
mother holds his right hand, while the left
is too far out of the way to be meddlesome.
But as he cannot have a hand in, he is
bound at least to get foot in, and so is
busily engaged in kicking the checkers
within his reach. He has knocked one to
the ground, which sportive kitten has
caught and is playing with.
"The entire group is a study, and one
that will repay repeated examination and
close scrutiny. 1t will make q charming
ornament for the parlor, sitting room, or
hall. Mr.. Rogers is the only man who
models these groups, and he has done a
great deal toward popularizing true art,
as his productions are of kind that,
while they satisfy the aesthetic taste, they
are at the same time within the reach of
people of moderate means"
These groups are of a clay colored mate
rial, which will bear careful washing with
soap and water, and the material can be
repaired with shellac if by accident brok-
an. The characters represented make the
groups suitable for the parlor, the drawing
room or the conservatory, and wherever
placed, they elicit commendation for ap-
of appearance, and conform
ty to the demands of artistic taste. There
is in the moulding of the groups, and the
,Out ensemble of each, an adherence to ma
,ure, which at once commends them to
good Judgment, and it is not to be
wondered at that they have grown into
public favor to degree never attained by
cheap chromos, or any previously devised
plastic creations Prices from so to $25.
Any of our patrons desiring to obtain
any of these creations of genius should ad-
1ress John Rogers, 1155 Broadway, New :
York, for catalogues and terms.