Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-05
Crlticising a Wax Model.

Upon reading ''The Owl Critic" printed
In Harper's Magazine, am reminded Of
an occurrence good many years ago in
IN Cincinnati, when the great sculptor,
hiram Powers, was yet young and had
time OF it to make both ends meet. He
was then engaged at Dorfeulle's Museum
IN modelling plaster and wax figures re-
presenting noted characters of that day,
and had about completed a model of
the then popular comic actor, Aleck
Drake which it was understood was to
be an exact representation of the actor
in complexion, stature, and even to the
nice details OF costume, as he appeared
upon the stage while singing the comic
song entitle 'Love and Sausages."
There were some empirical critics, es-
pecially one dilettanti, whose approval of
a work of art had come to be regarded as
necessity to a painter or sculptor, if the
| latter hoped for success in that commune
ty. Powers resolved to break away from
these critics, or to weaken their influence
with the public, Aleck Drake being
! his confident and confederate in the
plan.
The embryo sculptor notified few of
the patrons of art OF Cincinnati Nicho-
las Longworth, Jacob Burnet, Peyton
Symmes, the dilettanti included, ct az,
to meet IN the museum studio ON given
day, when he would have prepared for
their inspection the proposed exact wax
counterfeit of the noted actor. The in
vlted persons appeared. The room was
dark; the wax model was screened by a
calico curtain All being in readiness,
to each person was given lighted tallow
dip or candle (there was no gaslight
there in those days., and requested to
examine the statute, and pass their
opinions.
The curtain was removed. With the
lighted candle in hand the art critics
passed around and about the figure, Civ
ing interjectional observations from time
to time. One thought the figure did not
naturally stand upon its left leg, the right
pedel appendage being too far In advance );
another thought it was not very strik-
ing resemblance to a brakes nose, it was
too short; another discovered that the
ears sat too low down on the head; and
still another took exception to the cos
tune, it hung too loose upon the body,
and SO on, tor quantity Nicholas Long
, worth, who had been quietly taking OBJ
observations, and listening all the while
here broke in with: "Well, Powers,
whether the objections of these men be
we'll taken or not, I must say I never
saw such eyes as those in an inanimate
form in my life," and reaching his can
die close to the models face, be exclaim-
ed: "Look at those eyes, they fairly
twinkle, and seem filled with tears"
Whereat there was a s!ir-the wax
model stepped down from his pedestsl,
greeting the astonished critics as he
moved forward with: "Well, these are
real tears and guess you'd have shed
them, too, had 700 been compelled, as I
hsve, to look So long intently at that
knot-hole in the door. Gentlemen, ccme
to the theater tonight, and hear me sing
"Love and Sausages.'
i It was this same Nicholas Lougworth.
now deceased-rest his good SOUL
who, at his own expense, sent Powers to
Italy, and there maintained him until
that aculptor's genius was recognized by
all the world Of art.