Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-08-21
How che Great Statue was Made.

Charles Barnaru has contributed to
the July 81. NIciO as 8 very graphic
and popular account of Bartholdi's
great Statue of Liberty. from which
we make the following extract: '1n
the first place. there had to be sketch
or model. This was figure of the
statue in clay, to give an idea OF
how it would look. The public ap-
proved of this model, and then the first
real study of the work was made.-a
plaster statue, just one-sixteenth the
size of the intended statue.
The next step was to make another
model Just four times as large, or one
fourth the size of the real statue This
auarter-size model being finished, then
came the task of making the full-size
model in plaster. But this had 10 be
made in sections. For instance. the
first section would include the base on
which the figure stood, the feet, and
the hem of the garment The next
section would include circle quite
round the long flowing dress, just above
the hem. The third section would
stand above this and show more of the
folds of the dress, and reach part way
up Jle h0eS- III 1hc udDnoI, tnO
whole figure would be divided into
sections.
The quarter-size model was first
divided in this way, and then to lay out
the full-size plan it was only necessary
to make a plan of each section four
times as large as the section actually
was in the model. Every part of the
model was covered with marks or dots
for guides, and by measuring from dot
to dot, increasing the measurement
four times, and then transferring it to
the larger model, an exact copy just
four times as large was made. For
each of these large sections, however,
there had to be support of some kind,
before the plaster could be laid on.
Having marked on The floor an outline
plan Of the enlared section. wooden
framework was built up inside the
plan. Then upon this framework
plaster was roughly spread. 1t soon
resembled, in rude way, the corres-
ponding section of the quarter-size
model, but was four times as large.
Then the workmen copied in this pile
of plaster every feature of the model
section, measuring and measuring,
again and again, from dot to dot,
correcting bv means of plumb-lines,
and patiently trying and retrying till
an exact copy-only in proportions four
times as large-was attained.
The great irregularity of the dra-
perry made it necessary to put three
hundred marks on each section, besides
twelve hundred smaller guide-marks,
in order to insure an exact correspond
ence in proportion between the enlarged
sections of the full-size model and the
sections of the quarter-size model.
Each of these marks, moreover, had to
be measured three times on both
models, and after that came all the
remeasurements, to prove that not
single mistake had been made.
'tWhen these sections in plaster had
been completed, then came the work
of making molds that should be exact
copies both in size and modelling of the
plaster. These were all carefully made
by hand. 1t was long. tedious, and
difficult. Each piece was mold of q
part of the statue, exactly fitting every
projection, depression, and curve of
that portion or the figure or drapery.
Into these wooden molds sheet of metal
were laid, and pressed or beaten down
till they fitted the irregular surface of
the molds. All the repOuSSe. or ham,
mered work, was done from the back,
or inside, of the sheet. If the mold is
an exact copy of part of the statue, it
is easy to see that the sheet of metal,
when made to fit it, will, when taken
out and turned over, be copy of that
part of the statue.
'sThese sheets were of copper. and
each was from one to three yards
square. Each formed a part of the
bronze statue. and of course no two
were alike.
'1n this complicated manner, by
making first sketch. then quarter
size model, then a full-size model in
sections, then hundreds of wooden
copies, and lastly by beating into shape
three hundred sheets of copper, the
enormous statue was finished. These
three hundred bent and hammerered
plates, weighing in all eighty-eight tons
form the outside of the statue. They are
very thin, and while they fit each other
perfectly, it is quite plain that if they
were put together in their proper order
they would never stand alone. These
hammered sheets make the outside of
the statue; but there must be also
skelton, bony structure inside, to
hold it together This is of iron
beams, firmly riveted together, and
making a support to which the copper
can be fastened"