The Irish standard., 1892-12-24
Z q, Y siss5 81 4
AN IRISH. !. ] ! rI / 7,
I Limerick Lady 81 the Model for q Solid i'a
Silver statue az the WorId,s Fair. Il

- -
Worlds Fair. Her real name is Miss
Ada Cregan, and che is native OF the
.City Of the Violated Treaty, : one OF her
ancestors being principal character 70
the beautiful novel Of ''The Collegians
by Gerald Griffin. The following de
scription Of Miss Rehan and her statue
is taken from the Chicago Tribune:
What single thing on exhibition at the
Worlds Columbian Exposition OF 1888
will attract most attention and cause
most comment?
In all probability it will be statue in
the Montana State building. Isl
Why? There are several reasons. Ia
the first place it will be the largest sta
tue OF this kind ever made, in that it will
be eight feet high, including the pedes-
tai, and of solid silver. Though there
are stories 6kanclent statues of fabulous
size and value, sculptors agree that IN
all probability no solid silver statue
larger than four feet in height was ever
made.
The statue will also attract attention
because of it's great value The intrinsic
worth of the silver is $35 600, and the
sculptor is to receive $4,000 for his
work. Making reasonable estimate OF
the cost of making the silver statue it
represents at least $4,000, aside from it's
value as work of art.
In brief the statue. is that OF woman
after the severely Greek type of sculp-
ture. She wears single garment, which
leaves arms, neck, and upper bust bare,
and fall just below the knee. A girdle
about the waist loosely confines the dra-
perry. On her head is q diadem. In her
left hand which is raised above her head,
she holds the scales, in which gold and
silver balance each other, thus symbol
izing Montana's stand on the silver ques
ton. In her right hand which falls at
her side, is drawn sword. She stands
on globe two feet in diameter, which is
supposed to be floating in the clouds.
But il is not because of it's size, or be-
cause of it's value in dollars or cents, CT
even because of it's artistic merit that
this statue in the Montana building will
attract such attention. Tt is because of
two other reasons.
1t is the figure of the perfect woman
from the physical standpoint. 1t is the
figure OF woman known all over the
Epglish-speaking world--MissxA Re-
han.
When Montana decided to show such
a statue in it's mining exhibit commit
tee appointed by the State came to Chr
cago in search of sculptor and model.
1t found the sculptor in r. FL. Park,
i ,843 Michigan avenue. In the search of
n1odsl the committee was at first un-
successful. Half a dozen prominent
actresses of the United States we're un-
der consideration, but were rejected one
by one. Finally some one suggested
Miss Ada Rehan as woman of rare ply
steal perfection. Miss Rehan was con-
suited and was won to consent. The
Fisst National Bank of Helena, Mont,
agreed to furnish the money, and the
committee, after appointing representa-
tiyes in Chicago and New York, returned
to Montana.
or course the selection of the model
leaked out Ali Montana was indignant
not that it loved Miss Rehan less, but its
own fair daughters more. The statement
was reiterated, and it came to be believed
in Montana that Miss Doro Hauser,
daughter of President Hauser, of the
First National Bank Of Helena was the
model selected. Now Mr.. Harvey, of
New York, and Mr.. Highly, of Chicago,
the representatives of the Montana Com
mittee, announce that Miss Rehan is the
one selected, and Mr.. Park confirms it.
In fact, in Mr.. Parks studio stands,
nearly completed, the working model of
the silver statue for the Montana build
ing, Miss Rehan's own self in clay.
s'Not long after I had received the
commission" said Mr.. Park last evening,
II saw Miss Rehan in Philadelphia, and
arranged for sitting in New York. I
saw her there and made all the measure
ments and drawings necessary for the
modelling of q portrait statue. I found
that Miss Rehan's figure was as nearly
perfect as an artist could desire for
model for an ideal figure, and re ported
to Mr.. Harvey that she filed my ideal of
q well proportioned woman. n
There are probably many handsomer
women than Miss Rehan, but her face is
strong and full Of dignity and inteli-
gence. Every community doubtless has
its physical perfect woman, but Miss
Rahan is not only perfect, but an artist
also. Her figure is severely classic, with
the single exception Of the face, which
might be said to be slightly Milesian.
She is Of heroic mould. She would not
maka a f.0rrent model for Hebo or a