The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-28
THE SILVER EBHAN CRITICISED
Only the Actress Head and Ankles
in Evidence, and They Are Libels.

Only the Actress Head and Ankles
IN evidence, and They Are Libels.
| .. FROM the Chicago Times.
The clay model for the statue of Justice
to be cast in solid silver as an exhibit OF the
natural wealth Of the state of Montana, /.
now finished. 1t was on exhibition yester-
day at the studio of the sculptor, r. H. Park
1t is modelled. after Ada Rehan.
Admirers of the actress will be somewhat
surprised If not disappointed. The wonder.
full points of excellence in her physique are
| SO well covered by a sQuare-cut long un-
dergarmant that, minus the scales and
sword, the statue could easily be mistaken
for the lay figure of a theatrical costumer
| Fhe countenance is In the heroic mold,
| looking to the front. Outlines of the figure
are undiscernible under the wrappings of
| drapery. The right arm is extended down
ward and outward, the hand grasping a
| toy-shaped sword. The left arm is out.
stretched, with the forearm elevated and
the fingers lightly closed on pair of scales
| The neck of Justices underwear is askew.
| falling from point on the left shoulder
near the neck to an inch or so below the
shoulder on the right arm.
| When Miss RehRn is confronted by a pale
| blue drawing Of what purports to be the
| Montana goddess of Justice she will be
| ICulptcd " ~ OlL SOIUtWueT6 ana eXDlre.
| The puOlic can probably stand it, for the
public is tough and long forbearing. Lillian
Russell and Pauline Hall and the other
| terpslcborean and histrionic fairies may
take an extra hitch in their suspenders and
| sing merry tra-ln-loo, for they are avenged,
The thrifty devotees OF high art whose
| devotion to beauty and booty is credited
with the preparation of the siIver statue of
| Rehan have got SO far along with their in
| afnirad IL hOrs that khaxy - e.
lish blueprint map OF the Montana fig
ure mounted on a turkey Robbler with
| wings and tail rampant. The blue print
| diagram represents the fair but siRhtless
goddess, nee Rehan, with her good sword
arm tied to her side by q nightie six sizes
too small. While she grasps her trusty
| cheese knife In a manner that would indi-
cate heroic resolve TO vindicate the ve>
rscity of her druggists scales, there is no
possible way by which she can use it until
somebody cuts the strap which binds her
| right arm TO her side. 1t is possible that
this hampered condition Of the goddess was
premeditatedly executed by the artist as a
measure of self-defense, for there is grave
reason to believe that If the sword could be
freed the head Of the designer would be
the first TO fall beneath its blow.
1t IL not the province of an art critic 60
go into hyperoritical details concerning the
methods OF the artist, but in this instance
the makeup of Ada Reuan certainly
| comes within the scope of criticism. With
| out questioning her privilege to adorn the
ah-terminal facilities of her night gown
with Irish shamrocks and barps Of Erin, or
even intimating that Miss Rehan ia iniu-
dicously boycotting the corn doctor, il is
| certainly proper to suggest that she should
have changed dressmakers before appear
ing in she role Of the slghtless goddess
The measurements to which it is said Miss
Rehan submitted herself muss-if one is
TO take the statue itself as a standard,
have teen made by two persons, one
working by the day and the other doing
space work" The artistic surveyor of the
Rehan form divine who worked on the off
side gave that side Of the statue tunio big
enough for Vera Ava or "Big Steve, che
fairy Of the police foroe.n 1t bags under the
Rrmpib, and ia only saved from floating
away like nlainsail by a girdle at the belt
On the right side, however, the artist, who
was evidently working on a salary and
whose stock Of material had run short, has
made the gown SO tight that it holds the
goddess arm close to her side, giving the
sleeve the appearance of having been
forcibly pulled down over the shoulder.
1t is Miss Rehans head and feet, as shown
in the statue, that will startle the public
however. The features are sour. The face
would indicate that the statue is that Of
Nemesis instead of Justice. The expression
might resemble that of Lillian Russell or
Mrs. Beach when they heard that Miss
Kehal had been selected as the model for
the statue. 1t may also resemble Miss
Rehan's face when she gazes upon the Sc
called work OF art for the first time, but
certainly not. as she looked when the
anatomical engineers we're marking her off
by fnetes and bounds, unless they were
sticking piEs in her calves aud making re-
marks about her feet.
Speaking Of feet and things, it is said
thai Rehan mas an elegantly turned pair of
ankles. If so, the artist or sculptor or ply
sioal engineer has mislsid them They are
built On the plans aud specifications of a
fire hy.drant. Otherwise they are poems.
The thrifty gentlemen who are elevating
art aud their owa bank account in one fell
swoop 10 the Rehan statue have wisely COL
lected Miss Rehan's figure aud cash 10 ad-
vance Aud the public cares little for the
art so that the financial part Of the trans
action is all right.