Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-11-03

.
To the Editor Of me Journal G. reenouga's
Washington. at the Capitol, has certainly
been the subject OF more varied CRITICS "A
ana comm mt Than any other work of art by
ali American. We have been served with
every variety. from he mild suggestion that
II is "a misconcsptiOn OF the character of
lngton, To the most ignorant aud vul-
gar Ildlcule. But we may have the small
consolation of knowing that the very persist
ence and mhlignity Of its cefamers prove
that u Is not a common place work; and due
allowaI &c must be maize for the claim TO
private judgment, in the face of all the au.
thorlty OF professional knowledge. which is
so bravery contended for ia this very free
country.
No wonder the spectator irnagines the
statue 10 be ''shivering' in its present iu on
eIuous position, but the wish for a bile ,sei
fiddance Is not so easy 10 com prehend. But
We are glad that Greenough's work is SIN
remembered and noticed; We know that II is
appreciated by many, and We believe The
time is not far distant when il will b. nj acpB
IN position that BELTS IL, and winch will BE-
in harmony with the artists noble concep-
ZION. when II was first proposed tn transfer
The statue 10 its present location, Greenoa sh
recorded this modest protest: Hal | bsea
ordered 10 ma Ike a statue for any sultra or
similar situation at the metropolis, 4 should
have represented WaShiU gJun on horseback
and in hls actual DIR IS. / would have made
my Work purely an historical one I have
trea'. he sUhj-c poet icaIly. aud confess |
should feel pain al seeing II placed in direct
aud Migrant contrast with every day life"
Every sensitive spectator must feel a sym
pathetic pam at seeing ii thus placed, anI
must realize That II Il an Injustice 10 the ar
tist and 10 his subject.
IN his WORK are combined the highest in
teiIectndl ana moral qualities; the reversed
sword, the ger POINTING upward. Indicate
the performance of the civic over the mill
tary. II is not as a soldier alone. We trust
that Wash ingJOD is first in the hearts Of his
country men, ard The representation which
indicates the highest attributes of his char
acier, and the enduring virtues Ot humanity,
is surely tO be esteemed above that which
only speaks 20 US of material struggle aud
partial victory
But as The statue is now placed, il is entire
ly out OF harmony win Its surroundings,
and rs more painful spectacle. even, 10 ITS
adm rers, than To those 10 wnOm IL means
noIhing. 1t was, besides, Modelled without
reference to outdoor exposure, and is beg u
ming To show the destructive effvc;s of rain
and frost-the more pitiless storms of criti-
ciSm Il will outlive.
UnquesLiouably its only appro pirate place
is beneath the dome, for which position it
was designed. But not In the centre OF the
rOtuDda, As II was at first placed, or upon a
high pedestal. III II were placed near the
rear or western entrance TO the rotunda, upon
a rather low pedestal, there would he a
sufficient distance 10 give IL the best effect,
and Its harmony with the surroundings
would be complete.
legation that We recall the words which the
artist address ed 10 the Secretary of State
when his work was embarked for This coun-
Try: "ln giving Ii up 10 the nation that has
done me the honor to order il at my hand, I
respectfully claim for IL that protection
which is the boast of civilization to afford to
art, and which a generous enemy has more
than once been seen to extend evan to the
monuments OF its own deieat."-l Pr0ctIeace
Journal.