Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28
Lee-Monument Models.

LEE monument which were entered at
the competitive exhibition which took
place in Washington recently are now
TO be seen in our Senate chamber
among them the two that received
prizes and the one that was awarded
honorable mention. TIE Monument
Association has therefore an opportu-
nifty Of obtaining full and free ex-
preston of public opinion as to the
merits of the several models, and as it is
understood that the acceptance Of the
NIEHAUs design is not an accomplished
fact, it is sincerely hoped that such ex-
preston be forthcoming. Thepublic owe
that much to themselves and to the As
sociation-owe that much TO the memo
nv of LEE and to the future--as intelli-
gent criticism, both as to the site Of the
monument and the design, may be the
means of preventing serious mistake.
Loath as we are to discourage the effort
for an early building Of the LEE monu-
ment, we do not hesitate to declare that
it would be better not to have q monu-
ment within the next hundred years than
to build one after any of the designs
now at the Capitol. To us the exhibit
ton is grievous disappointment. Of
the three leading designs-the ME-
HAUs, the EZEKIEL, and the LAM
which received first and second prizes
and honorable mention respectively,
the last.named, taken as whole, is
decidedly the best. Alphabetically
considered, it is the best in respect of
that simplicity which We associate with
the character Of the man who was
"our highest hope and trust" while
the pose Of the figure has the un.
doubted merit of being in harmony
with the self-poise and confidence
of LEE. Again: The horse, though out
of balance, is in many points we'll
drawn. In the matters of detail, or
namentation, originality, and general
sculptural accessories, EZEKIEL dis
plays strength and genius ; but he fails
in two great essentials-his horse and
the pose Of the rider. AS for the
NIEHAUs design, which received the
first prize, while disliking to take issue
with the accomplished gentlemen who
made the award, we are compelled to
say that it is impossible to understand
upon what they based their judgment.
If they are correct in their estimate Of
the appropriateness of Mr.. NIEHAUs's
conception, there is an artistic sublety
in it too deep for ordinary mortals
TO fathom. We would as soon think of
having a chryselephantine statue Of
LEE. There is nothing in the model
that suggests either the appearance or
career Of LEE. To those acquainted
with the simple grandeur of the charac-
ter of ROBERT EDWARD LEE the
NIEHAUs model is meaningless-not
to say trayesty. In every detail, as
we'll as in artistic conception, it falls far
short of the work Of either EZEKIEL
or LAM. OF the other models Mr..
GILBERT r. FIRTH exhibits the
strongest. While the pose of his LEE will
be criticised, his horse conforms largely
to the thoroughbred type, both in the
essentials Of anatomy and action, and
his pedestal, if such it can be called, is
unique. Indeed, he seems to have
erasped more comprehensively than
any of his brother-artists the proper
ides--that General LEE on good
horse should be the great feature Of the
monument, and that the equestrian
figure should be the node of all artistic
lines and the point to which all sym.
boiism should tend. We say pro,
per idea, for no monument could
be so noble and so worthy o.
LEE as one that represented LEE as
he was. This, we think, is public
judgment as well as an artistic truism
and such being the case, we hope ths
Association will not adopt any one o
the designs in the Senate chamber
Certain it is that before any one o
them will prove acceptable to thu
Virginia people it will have to undergo
radical notifications.