Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-06

pointment with him for the next day and
went with him TO the foundry"
THE SCULPTOR.
How does Mercie look? Is he a man
whose features strike you as those OF a
| gcnius?"
Yes" replied Mr.. Burgwyn, :" he is a
man OF striking appearance, and typicai
frenchman in every respect. His face is
/ decidedly intelligent and shows great re-
| Elective power. He is man of genius, and
IS so acknowledged to be by all artists in
Europe.
"Mercic has been twice decorated-that
| is TO say. be has had honorary degrees con-
! ferred upon HIM for his artistic powers.
This so-called decorating in France is
really very much like conforring the honor
( Of knighthood, such as Knight OF the
/ Carter
Besides beng sculptor NJ. Mercie is
| painter Of considerable renown, and he
has magnificent picture of Venus IN the
Luxenburg.
HIS pictures adhere 10 the old style Of
art, reformed by Raphael, and generally re-
present the rude form.
FATHER AND FAMILY.
In height" said Mr. Burgwyn, "Mercie
| is about five feet eight inches, and from
his face one would infer that he was man
of good weight. He ia widower, and has
]
fathers talents as q sculptor"
One of these children is q boy OF re-
markable beauty and intelligence"
VIEW OF THE STATUTE.
when did you first see the statue?"
asked the Dispatch man.
II first saw it," said Mr.. Burgwyn, on
the 18th, at which time it was entirely put
HUpon first beholding il it struck
me very forcibly. Ny feelings were
deeper than l could possibly. express.
l afterwards saw many noble works
of art, some of which have held the
world entranced for centuries, but L can
truly say that the statue of Lee surpassed
them all in my estimation.
Upon first going TO Paris | felt con-
siderable apprehension that / would be
dissatisfied with the statue, or would find
some obvious defect, but these apprehen-
sions vanished when beheld this beauti-
full work Of art.
A GRAND SUCCESS.
"My first impression" said Mr.. Bur
gwyn. was that it was a grand success.
and though / have since seen other works
of art of wondrous beauty | feel more than
/ ever that we have n monument mere as
good as any in Europe.
NO DIscoLoBATIoy.
THE statue" continued Mr.. Burgwyn,
"is Of a greenish hue. and seems 10 have
undergone no disCOlOratlon from It's sea
! voyage, as some supposed.
"The statues of Washington and Jack
son when first unveiled appeared to be
similar in hue TO new copper cent; Dut
| this is differently colored owing to changes
recently adopted in the composition OF
/ bronze. :,
"As far as can sec it has not changed in
color since twas shipped from Paris" said
Mr.. Burgwyn.
WEIGHT AND LIKKNBSs.
1.-THE statue taken in toto" continued
Mr. Burewyn, Twill weigh twelve tons.
LAS likeness of General Lee, said Mr.:
Burgwyn, i an sure the statue is great
success, and while in Paris l met an ola
Confederate veteran to whom the features
of General Lee were perfectly familiar: lie
looked at the statue and experienced all
! his old-lme emotions, and his heart told
him That's Marse Robert.
Every one who has seen it and knows
ANYTHING about the appearance OF General
Lee pronounces this an excellent likeness"
THE WAR HORSE.
"Here in Richmond" said the reporter,
tive have heard that perhaps the steed ls
lacking in vlvacity, and that 1t hardly rep
resented the ideal war horse"
"What do you think about it?"
"Itls all mistake" replied Mr. Bur
gwyn. "to have a spirited horse for such
statue. The idea is inconsistent IN every
way with our recollectiOns of General Lee
and the cause for which he fought.
Mercie wanted TO make the animal
spirited, but made it otherwise in defer
ence to the wishes OF the committee.
THU FRENCH FASHION.
"In fact, It is mark of French sculp-
ture in equestrian groups TO have the most
spirited and rampant steeds. 1t accords
with the natural vivacity, and IN every
movement of the typical tlenchman we
| can see lust such heroic attitudes assumed.
"In NV observations of various statues
in Europe | noticed that nearly all the
statues of riders and horses bad the ami
/ NAL in most strikingly unnatural attitudes.
/ In nearly all cases the horses were rearing,
and consequently had to be supported
either under the stomach or by their tails,
| which props marrcd considerably the
beauty of the group.
THE PEDESTAL.
"As regards the pedestal, / am sure 1t Is
without equal. II struck me az being
rather n singular fact that in nearly all
cases the Europeans apparently neglect
the Dedestals; for instance, the pedestal
/ of the statue of Frederick the Great, a
magnificent work of art in Berlin, Is pecu--
larly out of keeping with the grandeur or
the statue.
THE ARCHITECT.
"I was unable TO see Puiot, tho architect
of the pedestal, but received his excuses
from Nj. Mercle.
tect all over Europe. and comes from
family renowned for their powers as drafts
men and architects.
WILL MERuE CONE?
"Were NM. Mercc and Puiot invited
10 attend the unveiling?" asked the re-
porter. "
Il do not know about Puiot," said Mr.,
Burpwvp. "but Mercie was. To me he
was rather non-committal about the lnVi,;
tation, saying that he was much pressed
with work and consequently could not
spare the time from his labors. know that
he appeared quite busy when saw him'
HOW IT WILL BE JOINED.
In response 10 a question whether the
statue would be put together upon the
monument-grounds MIR. Burgwyn saidi
| "Yes, and afterwards II Will be holsted."
1.-THE pieces, said he. " are TO be fastened
together by rivots. and can be put together
without much difficulty. When the statue
is thus fastened It is difficult even with the
kaenest eveslpht TO detect the rivets from
distance of only few feet. There VIII DO
no need for us TO get skilled mechanics 10
do this work, as thlnk thsIe are pieuly vi
men in this city who could easily accom-
plish the task"
THE ERECTION.
AS regards the raising of the statue,
continued Mr.. Burgwyn, that portion OF
the work will be lacked up; that is to
saw. II will be hoisted by jack-screws, and
without the active use of derricks The
process of lacking is the same as that
bv which houses are raised and moved.
II really consists of raising the statue by
gradually 81 DUAL slipping blocks under it and thus
eievating it higher and higher. For IN IN
stance. block will be slipped under one
end. then under the other, and otce UerSd,
always raising one end higher on an in
chncd plane, and then the Other until until it. it.
GETS to the capital of the pedestal, when 1t
viii be slipped of upon its final resting
place.
PRIVACY WANTED.
1T is our desire" said Mr.. Burgwynl'
"to have the hosting done with all posi-
bls nrivacy. and we shall use the strict
est endeayors to keep the public. gaze