Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-02

The sculptor who seems 70 us the most
personal, the most interesting, and the
most Russian in temperament IL Marc An
tocolski. His record stands as follows
Born at wilma in 1913, pupil OF the ~:
Petersburg Academy. second and first
medal In 1864 and 1861. Academician in 1871.
and subsequently professor. His parents
were orthodox Jews. aud his youth APP
pears TO have been one OF poverty and
otter Of misery.
Antocolski's first work. produced in 1864,
was an slto-rilievo in wood. representing
lean Jew tailor in cap and caftan, sitting
cross-legged in the window Of his little
shop. and trying to thread his needle
against the light. his eyes. lips. and all the
muscles of his face absorbed in the bust
ness. For this piece Of realism he OBJ
tanned second-class silver medal. and fol-
lowed It up in 1865 by q second alto-rilieyo
IN wood and ivory of a country iniser
counting his money. which obtained
first-cless medal. u
Then followed period Of misery and APP
parent hopeless struggling, during which
AntOcolski conceived and executed his
grand statue of Ivan the Terrible. Ivan:
the heroic incarnation Of the might aud
barbarity of old Russia Is represented by
Antocolski in the latter years Of his life,
clad in a monks garb, with the Bible on
his knees. and at his side the Legendary
steel-pointed staff with which he tested
the manhood Of his mobiles, beat out the
brains of his enemies. and killed his son.
Ivan is absorbed in thought. neditating
between despair and the hope OF grace. be-
tween the consolation OF the Scriptures
and the memory of his innumeraole crimes.
When Antocolski conceived his Ivan he
was starving on So d month: he was too
poor to hire o studio. and it was only with
great difficulty that he obtained permission
TO work during the vacations IN one OF the
class rooms ct the academy. whence he was
finally banished 10 lumber-room under
the roof At last. when he finished his
statue the professors at the academy re-
fused to climb upstairs to see it. and IN
despair Antocolski srmmonedup courageto
call upon Prince Gargarin, president OF the
academy, who came and saw the statue,
and returned the following day with the
Grand Duchess Maria Paylovna, whom her
turn brought the Emperor himself. The
imperial visit put an end to Antocolski's
sufferings: all ST. Petersburg trooped up
the stairs which the Gar had not disdained
TO tread. Antocolski was made an Acade-
mician and sent to Rome with pension,
while his statue was bought for the Hermit
tage Museum, where 1t now stands exc
cuted in marble.
In 1872 AntocolslSi produced colossal
statue of Peter the Great marching against
his enemies; in 1874. Christ before the peo-
pie, tied TO post; in 1875, monument OF
| the Princess Obolneska, now in the church
ward Of Monte Testario at Rome; IN
| 1875, the Death of Socrates. now in
| the Hermitage; and then successfully
| among his chief works may be noted
| bas-relief. the Last Sigh Of Christ on
| the Gross. GS77); the head Of John the
| Baptist, bronze and Marble 1S78): the
statue of Spinoza QSS2); Mephistopheles,
| in some respects the finest Of his works,
now in the Herinitage; the high relief of
| Joraslay the Wise, the author of the FIRST
| Russian codex: equestrian statues OF Jaro-
| slay the Wise and of Ivan Ill. seated
| statue of Christ. Come unto me all ye
| that are heavy laden; monument to
| the memory Of the late Emperor Alexan-
der; Christian martyr Ophelia; and
quantities of minor works and busts.
| Autocolski's work in all its varied mani
| festations has certain common characters
| ties. which are those OF the sculptor and
| of the generation to which he belongs.
His work is above all things literary 1t is
full of sorrowfulness and reproach he is
| by preference the sculptor OF martyrs, or.
| if not martyrs, of heroes.
! Antocolski is not a partisan of the theo-
| ~ of art for arts sake; he is rather a
| preacher who endeavors To embody moral
| ideas in marble. to set forth the conflicts OF
| the soul, as in his Ivan the Terrible; the
sublmity OF resignation. us in his Chris
tan Martyr; the majesty of divine COM
| miseration, o. IN Christ.