Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-01-17
RAPID MODELLING.
What Skillful Hand nnd Artistic
Culture Can DO---.Secrets Of
studio.
rAlta California;

[Alta California;
The German Turn-verein having ar-
ranged for celebration in honor of
Luther to take place last night, they
had commissioned Marion Wells, the
sculptor, to prepare for them a largo
model of Luther, in plaster, as a sort OF
centre-piece for their rooms. The model
was to be eight feet high without a
pedestal. Most people would imagine
that to get up such huge work would
take months of labor, but Marion Wells
had system of his own for doing the
job in very few hours, and it was the
good fortune of The Alta reporter to
catch him at his rapid work yesterday
afternoon. AS foundation for the
work wooden frame stood in tho
centre of the studio. 1t was a rough,
very rough, outline of a gigantic human
figure, sans arms, sans feet, sans head,
sans almost every attribute of human
form. On q bench near by was q lump
of modelling clay and porti ait of the
celebrated statue of Luther in the town
of Worms.
Guess I'll tackle tho head and feet
first" remarked Mr.. Wells, and after
studying the portrait for few minutes
he seized spoon-like instrument with
which he gouged out the reformer's
eyes, rounded OIL his check bones, pared
away his nose, and scooped from the
soft clay all his features. The work
was done rapidly, and in less than ten
minute; there was a telling likeness to
the head in the photograph. Make
plaster cast of that head while l
model the hands and feet" said Mr..
Wells to his assistant. This was soon
done. The head of plaster was fixed on
the top of tho wooden frame, the hands
were fastened on couple of pieces of
wood, which were to do duty as the
foundations, and then Mr.. Wells an
nounced his readiness to fix up the
figure. Taking an armful of common
excelsior chair stuffing from bale which
lay on the floor, Mr.. Wells placed it
around the sticks which did duty for
legs, and by means of strips of muslin,
wound around much in the same style
that the Greek hrigands are supposed
to wind ribbons around their legs, he
built up pretty fair understandings.
Then he filled out the body in tho same
way, anl all was ready for the plaster
drapery.
First came the shirt, for Luther was
to be u fully-dressed figure. This shirt
might have done duty as Il priestly
penance, but it was any thing in tho
world except tho kind of skirt that
tirst-rate German retormer is supposed
to wear. 1t was simply piece of
coarse burlap wnich for some time had
been soaking in the tub. Taking a
bowl half full of water, Mr. Wells
rapidly mixed in lot of fine plaster OF
Paris until it assumed the consistency
of thick paste. Into this he plunged
the shirt, and, when the plaster was
thickly coated all over the wet, clinging
apology for garment, was wrapped
around Luthers burly torso. The
curves were all natural and graceful,
but in less than five minutes the
plaster had set hard, and the old piece
OF burlap was transformed into the ap-
pearancc of a solid plaster garment.
Wien the shirt was quite dry and hard,
Mr.. Wells placed some drapery around
the legs - soaked in plaster tho same rs
the shirt.
"By Jingo!" said Mr.. Wells, as he
stepped back to contemplate his work,
II came near sending Luther ont into
the world like John p. Irish, without
collar aud necktio. Here, John, give
me that knife and piece of blrlap."
From this he cHt out a broad band,
which was soaked in plaster, and, when
placed around I.uthers neck, made
splendid collar. A neckbow of burlap,
also plastered, was added and then
Luther appeared like well-to-do mcr-
chant half through with his morning
toilet. Luther always wore gown,
and SO Mr.. Wells had to procure a
gown for his statue. A piece of burlap
two yards square, with two large holes
for tue arms, was first soaked and then
plunged into huge tub full of freshly
mixed plaster of Paris, Mr.. Wells and
his assistant worked like beavers, rub
bing the burlap with the stuff, for it
hardens very quickly, and if it became
dry before their job was done, either
Luther would have no gown or they
would have to prepare fresh one.
AS soon as the burlap was we'll coated,
the two sculptors mounted tho stage,
and with a dexterous cast threw it
around the figure in graceful folds. The
first effect was fairly good, but did not
please Mr.. Wells, who, with lightning
rapidity, flew around the figure, pinch
ing little hole and filling out bit
there. When the drapery was arranged
to his satisfaction he scraped up the
plaster remaining in the tub and pro-
ceeded to round out the figure BY slap
ping on handiuls where needed. In five
minutes the large drapery was quite
dry and stood out in bold relief just
like a cast of solid plaster. The next
work was to fix on the arms. This was
simply done by mailing them to Luthers
side. More drapery was prepared for
sleeves and plastorcd over the arms. A
large, plaster pasteboard model
of bible was placed in the hands of
Romes great enemy, daubs of plaster
were stuck on here and there, and in
less than four hours from the time that
the shirt was first put in soak thera
stood in the middle of Marion Wells
studio an almost perfect plaster copy
OF the great Worms statue Of Martin
Luther.
Homage to Peter Cooper.
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