The record-union., 1891-04-10
THE MUTE SCULPTOR.
How Douglas Tilden Was Given a
Chance.
The Friend in Need Who Placed His
Feet on the Ladder of Fame-Why
the Park Commissioners Accepted
the Statue.

''There is story in connection with
the presentation of Douglas Tilden's
beautiful statue 'The Ball Thrower' to
Golden Gate Park by W. E. Brown"
said Park Commissioner Hammond yes
terday. 'You know that the Park Com
missioners have refused a dozen, yes,
twenty, statues offered for the park. and
the story am going to tell you explains
why Mr.. Browns offer of Tilden's statue
was accepted.
In 1859 Mr.. Brown had occasion to
visit Stockton, and there found in Dr.
Tilden, the superintendent of the asylum
for the insane, an old friend whom he
had not seen for years. The old-time
friendship was renewed, and when, later
in the same year, a son was born to DR..
Tilden, Mr.. Brown was the first one no.
tilted. The child was born a mute.
and DR.. Tilden grieved terribly over
the aff1iction visited upon his son, find
Ing III Mr.. Brown most sympathetic
friend. Years passed and DR.. Tilden
died. Mr.. Browns busy life left him but
little time to visit friends, and he lost
sight of his old friends boy other than
that he knew that as soon as the child
was old enough he had been put in the
asylum for the deaf and dumb at Berke-
ley. A little more than three years ago
Mr.. Brown found himself in Berkeley
one afternoon, and he at once determined
to look up young Tflden. He found him
still in the asylum, a bright, manly fell
low, of slight physique, but gifted mar
velously as sculptor. Out of clay, putty
and plaster young Tilden had modelled
scores of beautiful things, and yet he
never had lesson or even seen any of
the great pieces of sculpture. Mr.. Brown
determined the boy should have chance,
and without telling anyone but his pro-
tege of his intentions, he took Douglas
Tilden out from the asylum that had
been his home since childhood, and, pay
ing all his expenses from his own pocket,
sent him to Paris.
The young man constantly wrote to
Mr.. Brown and has constantly received
encouragement in every way from him.
Finally Tilden modelled the Ball
Thrower' and offered it to the Paris Salon.
How his heart must have swelled with
pride when his work was instantly ac-
cepted and given place in the Salon, for
artists with all the advantages imaginable
often struggle year after year to get their
work into the French Salon and fail.
There were 2, ,460 competitors, and the
statue of the poor deaf and dumb Ameri-
can boy was awarded the first prize in its
class. Then it was that he sent photo
STdDn Ol Tie SldIu0 anu q history oil his
success to his patron, and said if he had
money enough to put the Ball Thrower'
into bronze his fortune would be made
and his name become known among the
artists of the world.
without hesitation Mr.. Brown sent
him the money he needed. The statue
after being put in bronze was again ex-
hibited in the French Salon and then in
the National Gallery in New York, receiv-
ing everywhere the highest praise and
honorable mention.' Meantime Tilden
was at work on another statue. Slenderly
built himself, the young artist seemed to
be able to model the muscles and sinews
of athletes perfectly, and when he wrote
Mr.. Brown that he had modelled a heroic
figure OF the athletic type seven and one
half feet highIandlcalled the Tired Boxer
and sent him the notices of his work from
European art critics, the patron of the
deaf and dumb sculptor felt that his inter-
est and money had not been wasted on
the child of his old friend.
Dung Tilden wrote that the Tired
Boxer was far superior to the Ball
Thrower,' but that he had no money to
put it into bronze, and could hope for none
unless he could sell his first statue. At
once Mr.. Brown wrote to the Park Com
missioners detailing Douglas Tilden's
history. In his letter Brown said:
The artist who executed it, Douglas
IlAuCAl. 10 Il IlSlbINC VI anu III
the prime of early manhood. Heis deaf
mute With these difficult physical dis
abilities, added to plentiful lack of pc
cuniary resources, young Tilden has sur
mounted all the difficulties of his posi-
ton, and in quiet, unobtrusive way, in
q retired quarter of Paris, he has in three
years study, through economical habits
Of life and patient application, wrested
tame and artistic success from his modest
surroundings, and acquired high posi-
ton as sculptor, producing work that
has elected the admiration and commen-
dation Of the best artistic circles in Europe
and America
''The commissioners continued GEN
eral Hammond, took the same view of
the matter and agreed to take the statue.
Mr.. Brown at once sent young Tilden
$4,000 for the Bali Thrower,' and with the
money the sculptor is putting his Tired
Boxer into bronze. Whatever of fame
Douglas Tilden may achieve, he will GER
tainly owe to his patron, Mr.. Brown, all
of it.
You know now why the Park Com
missiOners departed from their estab-
lished rule in accepting the Ball