Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-29

| unuauhAtu COuIage Oh inc man, the oak
| his great endurance, and the laurel pro-
claims his right TO DO crowned as one of
the worlds heroes.
THE TWO MONUMENTS.
Tho height OF the masonry Of
| the Washington monument
above tho surface OF the
ground IS. ...................4O feet
Height OF the bronze-work..... 20 feet inches.
Total height Of tho Washington
monument from the top OF
the riders head 10 the sur
face OF tho ground. 60 feet J inches.
/ The masonry Of the Lee monu-
ment above tho surface Of
ground. 30 feet OK inches.
Horse and rider................2i feet inches.
Total height. 81 feet %. inches.
REMINIscENcE.
The cornerstone OF the Washington
monument was laid on the 22d of Febru-
airy, 1851, and the equestrian statue was
unveiled on the 22d Of February, 1853. but
on account OF the war aud the Interrupt
ton Of communication with Munich,
where the bronze casting was done, as
well as by reason of the death of Crawford,
who undertook all the statuary. the monu-
ment was not fully completed until some
years after the close of the war.
Mr.. Crawford died about 1866, and in &C.
cordance with his wish Mr.. Randolph
Rogers was chosen by the Virginia author-
ties to complete the monument. Mr..
Rogers married sister of Mr.. Z. III. Glib
son, of this city. and his son, Mr. Edger-
ton 5. Rogers. who was the architect Of
the Exposition building, is o resident of
Richmond. The sculptor, now quite ad-
vanced in years, is living in Rome.
THE OTHER FIGURES.
At the time of the death of Mr.. Crawford
he had completed the equestrian statue
and four Of the standing figures. He left
a three-foot model of Marshall and from
it Blassetti, one OF his workmen. pointed
up the figure to the requisite proportions,
and il was cast in the form IN which 1t is
now seen on the monument.
The modelling Of Nelson and Lewis is
wholly the work of Mr.. Rogers. OF Lewis
be sent TO the Monument Commissioners
four sketches. The first, and the one which
he himself preferred, represented Lewis
with his camp-blaukct thrown in graceful
folds around his shoulders In tho manner
the valiant old hunter was accustomed TO
wear it when in the West fighting the In
dams and opening up the way Tor ciylliza-
ton; but this design the board rejected
and accepted another Of the sketches,
which Mr.. Rogers proceeded to model and
have cast.
There wero two sketches made for the
Nelson statue OF these the board selected
the second one. The only difference III
them was in the position OF one arm.
THE EAGLES.
As originally contemplated by Crawford,
instead Of the allegorical figures now seen
on the lower pediments of the monument
there were 10 be eagles with Outstretched
piniOns. Rogers altered this. very much
for the better, substituting the allegoncal
figures, each one of which is volume of
history in itself, and giving 10 the monu-
ment much more artistic finish.
Thus It will be seen the monument is the
Joint production Of Crawford and Rogers.
While Crawford did the greater portion Of
the work the indebtedness of the country
to ROGERS cannot be too highly estimated.
1t is conceded that there IS no such grand
group of statuary to be seen elsewHre in
this land or III Europe, and only a1eT III
the world.
MONEY.
The entire cost OF the WASHINGTON monu-
ment, including granite and bronze-work
and expenses of all kinds, was S2j9.OO0.
The Lee monument cost, about $4,000.
The difference in the cost of the two
monuments would at first glance seem to
indicate that the Lee monument IS inferior
work, but such IS not the case. Bronze
work nowadays is nothing like os costly as
il was in 1Sjl-j5; the stone-work OF the
Washington monument was exceedingly
expensive, while the'Lee board got theirs
on very low terms.
PROGRESS.
The cornerstone Of the Lee monument
was laid on the 9th of October, 1897, when
= rnr,,avl~u Ixr Gov
ernor Lee, PRAYER by DR.. HOge. and an ora
ton bv Colonel Charles Marshall (who was
General Lees military secretary, prefaced
by military and civic parade of large pro-
portions, notwithstanding the day was dis
mally wet.
Antonin Mercie is a native of that inter.
esting old city Toulouse, in the southern
part of France. He was pupil or Jouifroy
and Of talguiere; the latter he speaks OF
afTectlOnately as being his master. He him.
self. now that he has won distinction. has
a number of pupils, both among his com
patriots and young foreign artists: In 1865
be received the great prize IN Rome; IN
1872 he was made chevaller, and seven years
later was raised to the still higher rank OF
officer in the Legion Of Honor. In the two
expositons Of 1874 and 1873 he was award
ed medals for his works exhibited on those
two occasions.
GLORIA vICTIs.
In his GLORIA Victis" Mercie is con-
sidered 10 have made one of the three OF
four finest pieces or modern sculpture, and
the noble work well deserves tins nigh
praise. II represents an lmpersOnatlon OF
Fame in beautiful woman. Ease and grace
in her movement. her arms are clasped
around dead youth lying across her shOul
der. IN whose dceth-grasp broken SWORD
typiGes the lost battle. Few works OF art
have ever been received with the same
applause and enthusiasm a. that with
which this one was greeted 10y th'
French people. Beautiful in conception
and mastery in execution, his country
men. writing under the humiliation OF
| overwhelming defeat and disaster. saw III
! this work Of Morci6 what they considered
an imDersOnation Of their beloved France
as still glorious in deieat-she cast den
ance mt her victorious foe. In an Incredi
| bly, short time after its appearance prlnt'
of the group were scattered through the
! length and breadth Of the land, and were
| found alike in the hut OF the peasant an1
! the home Of the rich. The Gloria Nlctls
stands in the Montholon Square IN Paris.
ANorHER TINE WORK.
Another fine work by Merci6. and one
| inspired bN IKE iittlIotlc Ac"ilh5' vas maui
for the town of Beifort, and Is called
"Quand Nerne." In this group peasant
woman, aglow with patriotic fire anC
courage, catches and upholds witt
one hand mortally-wounded sol
der as he fills. while with the othel
she brandishes the musket snatcheC
from his fesble grasp, apparently with the
intention of taking ms placein the nations
| defence. The woman's figure and pose II
this interesting group are OF astonishing
strength aud spirit.
The light, graceful figure of Fame
trumpet in hand and so lightly poised OF
the summit OF the lofty. 1rocadero as Il
seem to have Just lit there in descen
through the heavens. is also Mercie's work
TIE WINGED GROUP.
Yet another offspring of his genius IS
spirited group known rs the winged geniu