The Washington critic., 1890-05-08
THE LEE STATUE.
An Interview with the sculptor of
this Excellent Work OF Art.

An Interview with the Sculptor of
this Excellent Work OF Art.
America may well rejoice at the com
ing to It's borders of the equestrian
statue of General Robert e. Lee, to be
unveiled at Richmond, Va, May 30,
says Ida Rose McCabe. writing from
Paris to the Philadelphia North Ameri-
can. Nj. Antonin Mercie, one of the
four great sculptors Of Paris, is its de-
signer.
An equestrian statue Is one Of the
most difficult feats in sculpture. Venice
and Copenhagen possesses the two finest
equestrian statues In the world. Critics
declare the Lee monument equal If not
superior to any equestrian work at Paris.
II is 40 feet high, IL feet across, aud
weighs tons, and is the result Of four
years careful study. The horse alone
was years labor. The statue was cast
in eight sections and was six months In
the foundry. The pedestal is 81 feet
high, making the total height 81 feet.
1t is of granite, almost white as marble;
four columns of polished blue granite
are On either side. The base is designed
for the statues Of six generals who served
with Lee. The three selected at present
are Stonewall Jackson, J. E. B. Stuart,
and A. p Hill,
| General Lee sits erect upon his
favored war horse, Traveller His cav.
airy boots touch the stirrups lightly,
after the manner of Southern horsemeu.
! He has Just come upon the field of Get
tysburg. His orders have been miscar-
ried. Horse and rider seem to feel the
stab of an unloyal hand.
Had the committee accepted my first
design said the sculptor to me, "it
would have been one Of the most origi-
nal, If not the sublimest, statue in the
world. ! wished to represent General
Lee as he passed among his fallen troops
on the field of Gettysburg--the horse
rearing, the dying stretching for last
affectionate glance of their leader. ]
do not know of another incident in his
tory in which defeated general was
greeted with such affection and conf
dence in the moment of disaster and de-
feat. 1t is sublime"
"The Confederate troops moved
noiselessly excepting their YELL" ex-
| plained Colonel G. p. l.. Burguyn, civil
engineer and delegate sent by Virginia
to receive the statue. 1.-THE committee
thought the design too theatrical.
They were business men, not artists. !"
l. "Ah y said the sculptor, thought
fully, ''they were artists-true artists
They did not wish to receive the
past.
NJ Antonin Mercie is in the prime of
life. A typical FrenchmaD, of medium
height, he has charmiDgly cordial man.
ners, with the simplicity inseparable
from childhood and genius. He
was born at Toulouse, and his par
ents expected him to follow com
merce.
"What turned you to art? / asked
him.
"Laziness, was the naive reply. His
early life was not without hardship, but
success soon crowned it. He came to
Paris at 30 and at 90 was awarded the
prize of the French school at Rome.
David was his first important work.
His second greatest effortis the 'Gloria
Victus" at the last exposition, Paris
has many of his works. The tomb Of
Louis XVIII, at ST. Denis. is probably
the best known. Mercie is the pupil Of
the great Faguiere. Together they
have Just completed the Lafayette mon
ument erected by Congress at a cost of
100000 Mercie is an officer Of the
Legion of Honor.
Unlike most Frenchmen, he has
travelled extensively, and his home is
replete with the art treasures of many
lands. In his bronze medallion. the
Genius of Art, over one Of the arches OF
the Louvre he has perpetuated the
beauty of his young wife. who died 9
couple OF years ago, leaving him two
beautiful children.
The first model of the Lee monument
occupies a pedestal of honor in his
classic atelier. The General had very
small hands and feet, said the sculptor
taking from behind e Gobelin tapestry
the cavalry boots worn at Gettysburg
"a young girl could scarcely veal
them" Over the boots hung Lees hat
The sword was modelled from photo
graph.
"Have you the generals saddle?"
sit Is curious fact" said Mercie
"The saddle of the statue was modelled
from one loaned me by the Due de Char
tres"
The Due de Chartres and his brother
the Comte de Paris, it will he remem
bered, served on the Union side, and tn
saddle was the one the former had uset
throughout his service.
"Whenth due loaned me the saddle,
concluded Mercie, "he said, 'Ah, | see
you wish to make the south fighting
victorious The war; replied, 4
over +" AS the guest of Virginia NJ
Mercie and his son will sail In May, T.
be present atSthe unveiling of this hi
firstwork for America.