National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-26
ABOUT THE SCULPTOR
THE LADY WHO MADE THE STATUE.
Her Early Life-How She Discovered Her Talent
for Sculpture-Her First Work the Statue
Of Lincoln Interesting Gossip
About q Famous Woman.

Hon. James S. Rollins, of Missouri, in
writing his regrets at being unable to attend the
ceremonies of unwilling the Farragut statue, on
account of delicate health gives the following in
terestfng sketch of the sculptor who executed the
statue, Mrs. Winnie Ream- Hoxie: /" 1t may not be
amiss on this occasion to say word in regard to
the accomplished lady who, after years of anxious
and persistent labor, has completed this work of
art. 1t was my pleasure to know her as far back
as the year 1857, when she was young school girl
at Christian Female College, in this place, then as
now best female colleges in the Mississippi
Valley, and where she was in part educated. She
was then Miss Winnie Ream, and was recognized
as young lady of uncommon brilliancy aud pos
seSsng great aptitude in the acquisition of knowl
edge Her father at that time resided in Kansas
Subsequently, as member of Congress from this
district met Miss Ream in the winter of 1876
in Washington city, whittier her excellent and
venerable father had removed with his family to
reside on account of the troubles incident to the
civil war, which had just been inaugurated, and
the bitter strife which had prevailed on the west
ern border of Missouri for several years prior
thereto. On account of the causes above referred
to the fortunes of the family had been much i'm
paired, and Miss Ream making
A sCANTY LIVING AS A CLERK
in the Agricultural Department. She was well
educated, and possessed great energy and capabn-
lty to accomplish anything she attempted to do,
and it was not great while before she was pro-
NOTED to higher clerkship in the Post-Office De-
partment, where she performed her duties with
promptness and acceptability, and was q
fayorite with the gentlemen who knew her,
and who were at the head of the differ
ent divisions in that Department. 1t is
a fact within my personal knowledge that
oil d,tia Of
she held she also dtligent in the perfection of
her education, and in taking course of general
historical and miscellaneous reading, which in
the end gave her the reputation-and justly-of
being lady of remarkable intelligence for one of
her age and opportunities. Possessing, also, a
fine talent for music, she pursued the study of it.
both vocal and instrumental, with great enthusi-
aSm, taking at the same time lessons in the French
and German languages from private teachers, and
expending large portion of her small salary as
clerk in enjoying these advantages. Subsequently
Mr. Clark Mills, the eminent sculptor at Washing
ton city, having determined to execute plaster
busts of the members of the Thirty seventh, and
also. perhaps, ofthe Thirty eighth Congresses and
having his studio in the basement of the Capitol,
Miss X. invited to visit it, and for the first time
discovered that she also possessed
TALENT FOR SCULPTURE.
She experimental in modelling in clay, and it was
not great while before she produced Il number
of profles, which were pronounced nearly equal to
the originals from which they were copied. She
seemed fond of such work, and pursued it with her
usual zeal, energy, and confidence. She executed
busts in plaster of few intimate friends which
were pronounced in all respects creditabe, until
she finally attracted the attention in this line of
gentlemen of prominence, who gave her SittingS,
when she found that her reputation a sculptress
was rapidly growing, and orders came to her from
many gentlemen of distinction to execute busts of
plaster of themselves, which she did with prompt
ness and fidelity, and which gave very general
satisfaction. Among these were buSts of President
Lincoln, Rev. DR.. Sampson, of Columbia College;
Governor Richard Yeates, of Illinois; Thaddeus
Stevens, of Pennsylvania; Hon. Reyerdy Johnson,
of Baltimore; the venerable Francis P. Blair ST.,
of Silver Springs: General r. B. Vanvalkenberg,
of New York. Senator Nesmith, of Oregon; Hon.
Daniel w. Voorhees,, of Indiana, and many others.
These afforded her some small pecuniary remun-
Grafton, but she was not content with these. Feel
ing the inspiration of true genius, she aspred to
become the author of more elaborate works of
sculpture. Taking pretty thorough course of
reading in anatomy and studying the human sys-
TEN with great care and accuracy under skillful
teachers, she spent large portion of her spare
time in modelling life-size figures, mainly ideal,
by which she was inspired with still greater con-
fdence in her own powers, and feeling that she
was competent to perform almost any task in the
line of sculpture, when an appropriation was
made by Congress to create commission author
lied to select an artist to execute a life-size
STATUE OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN
She entered the lists as one of the competitors for
this work, which was finally awarded TO her. After
completing the model in clay in this country she
was enabled to go to Europe, accompanied by her
father and mother, where she spent several years
in, yyl,n Tho cfaf oil
cuted and completed in marble. am aware that
this work of art has been sharply criticized, and
by all manner of people, and it may be, from every
conceivable motive But there it stands in the hall
of the House of Representatives in the old Capitol
Every one can inspect it who chooses to do so, and
form their Independent opinions in regard to it;
and, while do not profess to have either skillful
taste practised eye in regard to matters of art
can say this, at least-that L knew President Lin
coin personally WELL and at the time this statue of
him was executed, and L pronounce it a most
capital likeness of the man. In features, form, at
titude, in dress, in awkward gracefulneSS, SO to
speak, it is most excellent image of the fllustri-
GUS smartyred' President, and believe will be SO
pronounced by q large majority of his intimate
and cultivated friends who knew him well.
Michael Angelo defined art to be " the imitation of
nature" and, if this be correct definition, as
believe 1t to be, then the nearer the painter or
sculptor in their productions upon canvas and in
sculpture approach nature the greater will be the
merit of their works. And judging the Lincoln
statue by this rule, it certainly possesses
VERY GREAT MERIT
as a work of art. We know nothing of the pur-
poses and aims of Mrs Hoxie in the future, but
feel justified in saying that if she will devote an
other ten years of her life to the pursuit of her pro-
fession, and with the same zeal and enthusiasm
that has hitherto marked her efforts, she will at
tain distinction among American artists of which
her friends may feel justly proud