Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-09-02
FEODUR KAMENSKY.
EVERGLADES THE
HOME OF A RUSSIAN ARTIST.
THE First Step" His Greatest and Most
Celebrated Work.


Gently there lived in comparative OBJ
security at Clear Water lIarbor, Fla, a
sculptor, whose namc-Feodor Kamen-
sky-is well-known in European art
circles, where a score of years ago he
was prominent figure, writes a COR
respondent of the Chicago Tribune.
The story of kamensky's life reads
like page of romance. He was born
in 1886, near St. Petersburg, Russia,
and is descended from the Russian no.
bility. AT the age of thirteen young
Feodor entered the Academy OF fine
Arts at St. Petersburg, where he re-
mained as a student until 1859. In q
competitive exhibition of work done
by the students he won the grand
prize" which gave him the privilege
of six years of travel and study at the
expense of the Government.
His first original design was the
Little Sculptor" which was highly
commended by art critics as strong
and realistic. 1t represents u rustic
lad in the simple garb of the peasantry,
absorbed and self-forgetful, while
working intently on his first model.
Alexander IL ordered it reproduced in
marble
His next importont production was
Oy him entitled "The Widow" 1t
was suggested by the sad scenes which
attended the suppression of the in
surrection in Poland in 1868. This
subject has been enormously styled
"A Mother Nursing Her Child" The
widowed mother holding her infant
child and mournfully contemplating it
presents perfect picture of sorrow,
blended with the most tender love for
her innocent cGild. The model was
sold to the Imperial Academy of Fine
Arts at St. Petersburg.
But Kamensky's greatest work is en-
titled The First Step" 1t is grand
both in design and execution. The
story, written in marble, is simple
one. A mother, manifesting all the
Joy OF one supreme moment, guides,
then watches her child as, with an eX-
preston of exultation and half-ma-
tured self-confdence it ventures to
take its first step alone. The emotions
of mother and child are delineated in
manner that is SIMPLY inimitable.
The original of the First Step
vas bought by Alexander III, and is
now in the art gallery of the Cars
Winter Palace.
Referring to an article which ap-
peared some months ago in Harper !
Magazine entitled "Russian Bronzes," ,"
Kamensky said in recent interview
that outside of Russia people in
general are not well informed in regard
to what has been accomplished by
Russian artists.
cover forty years ago." said he,
Baron Klodt, who was born in ST.
IBERIA in 1905, became famous by ere
ating groups in bronze and particularly
by his hfe-like representation Of
horses. The four colossal bronze
horses which every observing traveller
sees at the bridge of Snietchkoff in St.
Petersburg were modelled by him and
reproduced for the King of , tssia, to
whom they were presented by Mich
,las l."
The story of kamensky's life in the
United States is briefly told. He came
10 this country in 1870 or little
later. His best model that he brought
with him was broken in ship
ping it. knowing but little of our
language or customs he failed to OBJ
tain the recognition here which %
merited. For number of years he
lived on the frontier in Kansas, and
the beautiful designs in clay that he
made there were the wonder of his rus
tic neighbors.
Being in Strengthened circumstances
he could give but little time, however,
to his favorite pursuit. After strug-
Cling for years to secure a home he re-
solved to seek a more genial cline.
From Kansas he removed to Clearwater
Harbor, Fla, and with the discerning
eye of an artist selected one of the
most picturesque places in the State
for his home.
Kamensky has recently been called
from his humble home in Florida to
resume his work as sculptor in con-
uection with the american School of
Art'' in New York City.