Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-02-11
TO be continued.(
A SCULPTOR'S WORK.
Washington Irving Done in Marble by a
Sightless Artist

There is a blind sculptor residing in
Iarrytown who has just completed a won
derful statue of Washington Irving. It
is one-third larger than life, and repre-
sents Mr.. Irving as sitting in an easy
attitude in an arm chair, with one leg
crossed over the other. In the left
hand Is held pair Of eye glasses. TIE
right rests naturally upon the arm of the
chair. There is no other instance on rec
| ord of a blind man producing a successful
statue, unless we except the French
soul ptor Dantan, who is saio to have exc
cuied some portrait busts which bore a
| strong resemblance to their origi-
mails. A writer in Frank Leslie's Weekly
for January 2, thus describes the sculptor.
John Marchant Mundy, and his work.
The writer paid visit to Mr.. Mundy
in his studio und questioned him regard
ing his methods OF work In modelling the
statue The blind sculptor groped his
wey from the house in which he resides
to the little building in the rear which
serves as his studio. 1t was an
unpretentious place, and, had it not been
fsr the beautiful statue, which com
pletely filed the room, mi ght have pass
ed for any ordinary mechanics work
shop.
Il have worked on this model night and
day for the past Is months, said the blind
| sculptor, laying his hand caressingly upon
the plaster model. Il say Light because
night is the same as day to noe. When |
come here IN the evening, the only light
| have is that from within. l have lived so
long with my work that [ know its every
| feature, and imperfections on it come out
more strongly before my mind s eye in the
darkness than they would during the day,
and there is dim glimmering before my
eyes that detract my attention. You ask
me low work? By measurements and
with tools. The bust was first modelled
then the chair upon which the figure sits.
| The height at which the head be elevated
from the floor had next to be determined.
| This, you must understand, is accom-
plished by the exact knowledge of the
proportions of the human form when
placed In a sitting posture, and is the
basis of all other calculations.
ii will now give you an example Of how
| modelled single piece of the statue. It
will serve as an example. Place yourself
in sitting position, throwing enc leg
over the other so as to bring the folds of
your trousers into an easy, natural, and
graceful position. You will observe that
| pass my hands over the folds so made. |
now. have my idea. With 1t go direct to
the statue and pass my hands over the
folds so made in the clay. If there is
anything wrong in my model am ena-
| bIed by this means to detect it at once
| No matter how slight the difference may
be, 1t will not escape me, nor
viii the slightest roughness in the surface
of the plaster. OF course this work can be
done by me as easily in the darkness as in
the light. 1t may be interesting to know
how [ made the pleated shirt front which
Mr.. Irving SO much affected | procured
one similar to the one | wished to produce
and spread it upon pillow. Then pass
ed my hand carefully over the pleats. |
then had strips of lead made, which were
very pliable and were to represent pleats
in toe shirt front of my model. Laying
| these upon the rough clay, | spread a
| thick layer of new clay over them, which
was afterward scraped eff by tools and
modeld into shape"
Upon the writer expressing the great
est admiration for Mr.. Mundy's heroic
work, the latter said, with a sigh: 81 am
glad you like it. It will be the last
statue [ shall ever model. 1t is salts
factory work, / think, as it represents
Irving as he was at the best period of his
life, about so. 1t has been labor OF
love with me- continued the blind
sculpture, as his head dropped and tears
bedimmed his eyes. knowing as | did
that 1t must end my career as an artist,
| | have given it my undivided attention by
night and day. 1t has been ever present
with me during my waking hours and has
haunted my dreams at night. Now that
it is finished, my life work is finished
Also