The Washington critic., 1885-06-17
THE BARrHoLpI STATUE.

The Bartholdi colossal statue of LIB
erty Enlightening the World, which al
rived of. Sandy Hook this morning in til
French man-of-war lsere from Rouen
owes its conception, as we are told by NJ
Bartholdi himself, to an after-dinner tall
at the house OF the historian and states
man Iaboulaye in 1865 After the Franco
German war:of 1870 NJ. Barthodi, VIII
was an officer in the French army an
an Alsatien, made visit to this countr!
and says that on viewing the grand pam
rama Of New York Bay, he settled at ono
upon the idea which he has carried on
and fixed then upon the spot whic
should be the resting place of his con
pleted work.
The very selection for such q statu
proves him the artist that he is, even ha
henot created the greatest sculpture eve
known in the worlds history.
Bedloe's Island, on which is a ston
fertilization known as Fort Wood, is 5
situated, just on the west side of the mai
channel in the upper bay of New Yorl
that it is the first point which meets IL
eye on an incoming vessel after passin
Sandy Hook and looking up through IL
narrows between Fort Hamilton an
Staten Island.
During the visit of NJ Bartholdi in Is
he traverscd great portion of the Unite
States, and met many men of prominent
in letters and craftsmanship, and at
meeting at the Union League Club in Ne
York, he exhibited sketch in watt
colors of his proposed statue, which M
Il .,lnt
distinguished people present.
Returning to France in 1873 he secure
the cooperation of MMs. Laboulay'
Henri Martin, Oscar dc La Fayette, de To
Uueville, de Remusat and others of liR
prominence in the French world
science, art and letters, and together the
formed the Franco-Amercan Unio
which was to carry on to completion til
sculptor's grand design.
Subscriptions were opened in every pa
of France, and so literally responded
that in 1874 ample mnans had been secure
- vo.nprvre the work. 1t was ntendedt
have it ready to dedicate in 1888, the ann
versary of American Independence und,
ihe treaty of Versailles, but the una
countable apathy of the American publ
had not yet provided for the foundato
and pedestal on which TO mount it, an
the statue waited in Paris the invitatio
TO come to its destined home.
In 1876 NJ. Bartholdi came to this coul
try again as one of the French commi
sioners TO the Centennial, and then
hibted at Philadelphia the gigant
model of the right arm of the statue u
holding the torch, and owing to the il
terest thus excited, Congress, the neA,
winter, passed an act which accepted the
statue, in the name of the Nation, and
set apart the site of Fort Wood as the
place where ii should be located.
The statue is of heavy copper plates, &
little less than an inch in thickness
backed throughout with iron truss-work
and all together weighing 440,920 pounds
The height of the figure when erect will
be about 15l feet to the tip of the torch
Leld in the right arm and the limbs and
features are of corresponding proportions
" it'll the pedestal, which is to be, the
structure will tower to a height of 240 feet
from the ground and $50 feet above the
water, and the electric radiance of its
ilambeau will penetrate the night in all
directions and be visible to the mariner
farout at sea,
AS a work of art, to be tested by a Sc
verify classical standard, it will be ad
Judged well-nigh a perfect work; and ye
there is an extravaganza in the conception
That borders on the grotesque 1t wer,
better TO except it from all rules of modern
criticism and judge it only as symbol Of
the fraternity Of ideas which the illustri
ous success Of the American Republic ha:
done so much 70 create throughout The
world and as a special assurance of tn,
friendly sympathies of France.