Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-30

AVEW or THE EQUESTRIAN STATUE
IN MeRClE'S STUDIO.
/ Prospect that the Horse and Rider VIII
Be on the 8Ionument by
December 1st.
The Lee-Monument pedestal IS now rap
idly approaching completion.
Already It's graceful outlines are pic
turcd against the sky in the view Of the
thousands Of people who walk and drive
out in that direction.
1t already looks very pretty. With the
bronze horse and rider on il, IT will be
beautiful. The hope and expectation il
that The equestrian groupe viii be deliver
ed in Richmond by the middle Of Noyem-
Der and that the completed monument
will be unveiled amidst such ceremonies as
win be worthy the city, the State and
I Lee.
orE OPPORTUNITY.
Thore will be no fair or exposition here
/ thi- fall aud the Lce-Monument celebration
will Gll a want. When She cornerstone
was laid the weather was OF unparalleled
mcanncss. It's obduracy was something
/ wonderful Had we had fair skies and dry
h streets there would have been the largest
crowd here ever seen in Richmond. As 10
! was. in the midst Of rain and siush, the city
was crowded.
: This year. too. We will he better able 10
! accommodate our military visitors, as the
/ Exposition Hall rs very near the monument
/ grounds and with the consent Of the pub
/ spirited citizens who control ~ largo
bodies of troops can be comfortably quar-
/ tered there.
/ The ceremonies Of the unveiling viii in
/ clude q military parade. reunlon OF u"
veterans Of the Confederate army. prayer
! bv Bishop Mhittle, and an address by
/ Colonel Archer Anderson.
Governor Lee, VINO IS president OF the
+. Lee Monument Association, SAID Yesterday
that he would like all the organizations
/ that propose % teke part 20 make arrang'-
monts 10 attend the unyellinP between the
/ 18th II November and lst of December.
\ VISIT TO MiBcn's STUDIO.
In June Governor Lee, finding distn-
| guished Virginia lady was about 20 SAIL for
| Paris and knowing that she was compe-
tent art critic and took great interest I'm
/ Mcrcie'e work. asked her 10 visit the
srulptor's studio and sec what prOgrcss was
/ heinz made. She went 10 Mcrclc' IN juno.
/ though sho did not write until July, and
/ the following is what she says:
PARIS. July -, 1889.
| Gocnaor Lec, Eicimond I0.:
Two days after my arrival in Paris went
around to sec 81 Nercie with my sister.
/ who knew General Lee very well and could
/ therefore Judge of the likeness Of the
/ statue. We found Monsieur MerCie IN and
! hal q pleasant interview him. The statue,
/ as you know. had gone from ms studio To-
/ the workshop, where 10 Is In the hands OF
/ the men charging it by exact meaurcments
/ under Mcrcie'7 close supervision. When
asked him when the work would hc done he
/ said. About the time appointed. W but gave
( many shrugs of his shoulders IN telling me
/ Of the slow way ia which the work went
/ on
From his house we drove TO the foundry
ward. think it is. whcro. under shed
/ with skyliehts forming the upper part 81
I the roof 20 give the wOrkmen light. We
found the great horse and his noble rider.
T The lfo-sized statue had been dlsmember-
I cd. as 1t were, and this was what We saw.
/ The lifc-sizcd or small head WAS on
/ stand and beside II the colossal one. The
/ mans body from neck 10 sword belt was also
/ beside its colossal counterpart and was
finished but for the buttons, which were
/ being carefully moulded by "a man lu tine
corner of the shed the bride arm was of
/ on a table finished, so WAS one booted leg
| up to the knee, and on the other work
man was hard al work The horses mann
/ moth head was on a stand apparently
/ finished. and the tail, hanging down from
post lu which il was fastened. showed lt
+ had been faithfully worked ont after the
unttern of the liie-siZcd one stuck INTO az
/ other post beside it. The huge horse, con-
/ tainingall the rest of the dlsmem bcIcdrder,
WAS SLIGHTLY eucumbcled with the hght
eca60lding around IL, bat seemed nearing
/ horse
and hcadlcss, and the rdcr cut up into sec
/ tions sitting around IN different corners of
the shed, YOU would not expect an OPINION
a. be- formed as TO the likeness, or one OF
/ the work as q work of art yet II Was most
| interesting and striking 10 see the likeness
to the General lowering over the whole
and binding together. If | may 50 express
myself. the dlsmcmbered statue. As we
entered the she'd the back of the large
/ statue. from neck to belt, was what our
eyes first rested on. and the sight of II
took me back 10 many an afternoon IN war
/ day,W when had watched the General riding
down the street in Richmond. The pose
and the figure were the Generals 10 per-
| fcction. We thought. The head, facing Us.
next caught our eyes. and of course re-
/ celvcd the most earnest attention. II is
/ very noble and good likeness the hair
! however was "a little too long ON the right
/ side of the brow. and called the attention
OF the workman, a very intelligent man, 90
it. Some one seemed 10 have spoken 90
him about 10 before probably Mr. Chllde
or Miss Mason for he seemed tO know lt
was wrong. and asked me 10 tell Mercie
about it, The bmdlo-arm and hand | no.
ticrd. and the wrist, as lar as ! could tel.
had the bendit should have. and theflngcrs
the right clasp for the reius. MY sister
saw the booted leg m the corner. and sald,
"'ihis is the GeueraIe loot Altogether.
we were most agIecahly impressed, and
came away feeling the work Was sale. But
YOU can imagine the surprise felt 10y per-
sons making pilgrimage through the aru-
sian streets of Ims TO see the Icy of the
great NireIulau, and quite prepared To- iall
down ou their knees before II as noble
work of art, TO find him chopped up IN BITS
scattered about the room or Shed. bought
"A spur M Baltimore, such as the Ncnc-
raj wore. and brought II over with
mo aud land great stress ON II To the work
man. Who Wa, anxious about ~, but SAID
. hc could lot alter a line without Mtrclc
order. placed the spur TWO days later m
Monsieur Alcrcie's hands and hc promised
10 have the matter attended 10, as We'll rs
to have tine hair shortened which was the
only alteration We had TO suggest. On tins
second visit, which was indeed 10 a me-
breakfast he gave rs, / again asked Tor the
date at which the statue would bC ready
for shipment. and pinned hin down o. the
statement that the founder demanded four
months TO nave il IN his hands. He count
ed ON getting IT into ms hands by the first
day of July. which then was about a week
OF. This would prevent the statue leaving
Paris before the end Of the first week IN
November at tue earliest. suppose Mon
sieur Puiol is not in Paris, and have not
been able TO get that letter 10 INN yet.
LANDS, LOTS, AND HOUSES.