New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-12
PLASTER or PARIS STATUART.
THE USES or PLASTER CASTS.
HOW ANCIENT Forms OF BEAUTY ARE DUPLICATED
WHAT MAY BE SEN N 4 FACTORY N GRAND

WHAT MAI III slim ~ - 70 ''-'-
sT-HOw CASTS ARE MADE.
The manufacture Of plaster casts is an industry
that i carried very quietly 90 TINS CIV hII'i'
ever attracting public attention hN amy form OBJ 4-
Vcrtis.Ineut and yet 20 is one oi tr most hr'' It
adunctS of art education. The uupItai"n "l hil-
ccut and modern stdtuTTN 900 hlohL' mas AIa"i'l'
caused "A decline IN the demand t'I pld-i'I '">'7
for home decoration fl u what D. was "a i. " cars
ago. still There are many via" continue 7" 'N
them for oluIni,rirc tie library and did"iHt-
room. AID %. so for ad"rn'n- li'H'- li Hill> ".''
stairways. Where copies OF CLASSIC stiilhF aI'
desired the choice h,tWc, bronze and pIi~i'I often
falls 10 the latter as having i'- s''nhlr 'i''l M
room. and also 10y Their c',oi u"ir h'ii' i'i',o,,.
~ the original marble PLASTER statues nave H>,'
been used for decorations lu o. Aires. iof Wi'h
copies of classic subjects ur famous actors are 'Il-
pinycd This u~r o' plaster >.aiutIA u.s. lW'N'I'
,,r,ilhlv on thr dee liur fl" taste 1 rlt>rut luh-
ming more 10 effects OF co.oi ann various '"''
of decorative ant a.,
The manufacturer OF plaster Da-i- n'" finds li~
best market DO th: ant museums ah, i', Nh''.
and these are ms steady CUSTOMERS lu thr ui".'l-
linz classes at the Cooper Institute NHrN ~
casts /, used. Tn learner r EiFtr cj-i ol some
simple object a. portion of human band or foot.
which, when correctly luo ."l'rI lh clN. gives iuIh
To- more difficult forms. lA. Glasses Do drawing n~.
large number of casts OF dl kinds nut t>I'' itlly
copies from the antique. lhr .".. 81 ~, ''tt.
IulOn. the National Academy of Design ana ll' All
Students League have largo 'olle' lions. lhr '"i-
lection of antique cast, ~ the Boston Museum i~
also a noted one.
reporter of TIE Trmu 81 recently visited
factory in Graud-~t. m 'h~ pty. "n'rr is
probably the largest collection of casts lu THIS
country. The room ON the first floor is ccn-''N
filled IRON floor 10 ceiling with casts, leaving
barely room for person t0 pass. =" many
arms and heads reach ont from every side thai ih.
visitor must take unusual care 20 aN"lI kn"chIhG
some god or goddess 10 pieces lh. subjects ransr
from "A fac-simile of the Venus oi MILO, seven i"ct
high and costing 500 10 a model of q child hand
costing 30 cents Among the larger casts are the
Minerva from Naples. seven and h1li ir,t hifh
the Diving Gladiator. from the capitol at l'ollr
height seven feet Diana, from The Louvre hriHHl
seven feet: Mercury. by ThorVald,cu the Venus de
Mcdici. and the LAGOON group. repre-
busts Michael Angeles David Nlohc, 'hr i-Echc
from Naples JuTO. and the Jupiter with 1Whfusial
locks. Life size huss of many of the most famous
men of ancient and modern times are also made.
Care is taken to duplicate all important statues -
"a discovered Among the latest made are
those of the Jupiter and Ncuu, with the pigeon
which were recently cNhuucd al PUWprll. Cast ol
different parts of the human body. of anlL!hl-, aud
Of panels with fruit and leaves. are extensively
manufactured. The moulds of the latter have been
recently imported from Paris
The second floor Of th" factory j. used entirely for
the display Of casts of sacred subjects. mostly col
ored n nd deS med for decorating altas> 10 churches
The cellar and also the cellar OF an l'.ulnr house
are filled 10 Overlooking with mould IF 'h, various
subjects The proprietor j. "a pleasant Italian who
Though his command of English - still imperfect,
he having recently come To tins country h~ evident
familiarity with creations Of inNih"i'gy such -
would make even a classical scholar hc~iiai" {"
dispute with hIW. Noticing that the uould' I'D thc
cellars were ulabcll,d. the reporter a,hr,. Loo he
knew where tn find one when wanted. "Oh have
and knows where he puts them
l;ut suppo,, your foreman should die >udD'nly ~
CON- with AN omInou~ shake of the head,
don't know V hat | shoud do
In n rear room scN cTal Italian Wotkmcn were
busy. putting mould, together. mixing the plaster
Of Paris. and filling the moulds About ten mil
utcS' time suiiccs for the plaster % bc,oiur hard.
When the mould is carefully taken Oh, and the cast
j. finished The inside of the mould. which o. also
of plaster j. oiled to prevent It- sticking t0 the
cast. The mullld- are composed OF two divisions.
the outcr one called the she'll and am inner. which
fits the cast. These tWO parts are go turn coulpo-rd
of many sections. to allow of Their hcf- tieru oii
the cast without breaking IT, Care b. needed too.
in handling the casts. 20, they come from Do" uoud-
snowy white. and the touch of "a ~Wcatv OF ~oIcd
hand would bc disastrous. Plaster statues may be-
kept exposed 10 the weather for -ouc time u
painted hut they not proof against the action Of
frost For this reason iron statues or zinc more
used for lawn ornaments
The muuld~ are made los covering the marble "
clay model with plaster. which j. taken oii m con-
Veiicnt pieces each cut tn On closely 90 d. urIcl-
bors Small raised buttons with coTrc-p Dudlug u-
denturcs IN the edges help T. keep them 900 petition.
To obtain mouid- from the antique Statues ln the
Louvre the Vatican ard mu~run- 900 Genoa. !ur-
ercc ctc the cI.t-Iuikri must pur base dupIlt ate
statue in plaster 10 "a good round price and make
his mould from that. IAe authorities lu those
countries allow only ONE man e. take cast. from the
originals. prcCautou for their safety whch is not
without reason Casts of reduced size arc i.IIc hy
taking impressions from miniature mOicl~ DO clay.
which, if made by careful artist. arc quite as
faithful copies Is the larger casts. Casts of animals.
limbs and flowers are also made from clay models.