Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-03
THE GREAT BARTHOLDI STATUE.
How 1t Was Made.

Charles Barnard has contributed TO
the July St Nicholas a very graphic and
popular account of Bartholdi's great
Statue of Liberty, from which we make
the following extract: In the first
place there had to be sketch or mod
ell. This was figure of the Statue in
clay, to give an idea of how it would
look. The public approved of this mod
ell, and then the first real study of the
work was made--a plaster statue, just
one-sixteenth the size of the intended
statue.
1.-The next step was to make another
model just four times as large. or one
fourth the size of the real statue. This
quarter size model being finished, then
came the task of making the full size
model in plaster But this had to be
made ia 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, and reach part way
up to the knee, In like manner the
whole figure would be divided into sec
tons.
"The quarter size model was first di-
vided in this way, and then 10 lay out
the full size plan it was only necessary
to make plan of each section four
times as large as the section was in the
model. Every part of the model was
covered with marks or dots for guides
and by measuring them 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 Sec
tons, however, there had to be sup
port of some kind, before the plaster
could be laid on. Having marked on
the floor an outline plan of the enlarged
section, wooden framework. built
up inside the plan. Then upon this
framework plaster was roughly spread
1t soon resembled, in rude way, the
corresponding 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 sec
ton, measuring and measuring, again
and again. from dot to dot. correcting
by means of plumb lines, and patiently
trying and retrying till an exact copy
only in proportions four times as large
was attained.
The great irregularitv of the drap-
cry made it necessary to put three hun
dred 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. Each
of these marks, moreover, had to be
measured three times on both models,
and after that came all the re-measure-
ments, to prove that not a single mis-.
take had been made,
when these sections in plaster had
been completed, then came the work
of making wooden molds that should
be exact copies both in size and model
ing of the plaster. These were all care
fully made by hand. 1t was long, ted
ious, and difficult. Each piece was a
mold of a part of the statue, exactly fit
ting every projection, depression. and
curve of that portion of the figure OF
drapery. Into these wooden moldS
sheets of metal were laid, and pressed
or beaten down till they fitted the irreg-
ular surface of the molds. All the re-
pouse, or hammered 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 a
copy of that part of the statue.
These sheets were of copper, and
each.was from one to three yards square.
Each formed a part of the bronze stat
he, and of course no two were alike.
I'm this complicated manner, by
making first sketch then a quarter
size model. then full-size model in
sections, then hundreds of wooden cop
les, and lastly by beating into shape
three hundred sheets of copper. the
enormous statue was finished. These
three hundred bent and hammered
plates, weighing in all eighty-two 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 or
der they would never stand alone. These
hammered sheets make the outside of
the statue: but there must be also skel-
eton or bony structure inside to hold it
together. This is of iron beams, firm
ly riveted together, and making a sup
port to which the copper shell can be
fastened