The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-07-25
How BarthoIdi's Statue was Made.

Charles Barnard thus describes In the st.
Nicholas for July how Bartholdi's great
Statue of Liberty was made: ain the first
place, there had to be q sketch or model
This was figure Of the statue In clay, to
give an idea of how II would look. The
public approved 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. The quarter. size
medel being finished, then came the task of
making the full-size model In plaster. But
this had 10 be made In sections. For in
stance, 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 TO the knee. In like manner the
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 1t was only necessary to make plan Of
each section four times as large as the Sec
ton 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 1t 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 q support of some
kind, before the plaster could be laid on.
Having marked on the floor an outline plan
of the enlarged section, wooden framework
was built up inside the plan. Then upon
ills framework plaster was roughly spread.
1t soon rssembled, In a rude way, the cor
responding sections Of the quarter-size model,
but was four times as large. Then the work
men copied in this pile Of plaster every fea.
ture of the model section, measuring and
measuring, again and again, from dot to dot,
correcting by means Of plumb. lines, and pa
tiently trying and retrying till an exact copy
only in proportions four times as large
was attained. .....-.... r..
"The great irregularity Of the drapery
made II necessary to put three hundred
marks on each section, besides twelve hun.
dred smaller guide marks, in order TO insure
an exact correspondence in proportion be-
tween 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. -.
"When these sections In plaster had been
then came the work of making
wooden nolds 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 q mold Of part Of the statue, exactly
fitting every projection, depression and curve
of that portion Of the figure or drapery. Into
these wooden molds sheets of metal were
laid, and pressed or beaten down till they
fitted the irregular surfaces Of the molds.
All the repsusse, or hammered work, was
done from the back, or inside of the sheet.
II the mold lie an exact copy Of part Of the
statue, It Is easy to see that the sheet of
metal, when made to ct it, will, when taken
out and turned over, be a copy Of that part
of the statue. a:.si.
"These sheets were Of copper, and each
was from one TO three yards square. Each
formed part Of the bronze statue, and OF
course no two were alike.
sin this complicated manner, BY making
frst q sketch, then quarter. size model,
then full-size model in sections, then hun
dreds Of wooden copies, and lastly by beat
ing into shape 300 sheets of copper, the
enormous statue was flushed. These 800
bent and hammered 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
IL 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 skeleton,
bony structure inside, to hold 1t together.
This is Of iron beams, firmly riveted together,
and making support to which the copper
she'll can be fastened"