Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06
a BLIND SCULPTOR
How He Finished the Statue OF Washington
Irving

irving
From Frank Leslie's Weekly
There is blind sculptor residing in larry
town who has just completed wonderful statue
OF Washington Irving. II is one-third larger
than life and represents 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 eyeglasses. The right arm rests
naturally upon the arm Of the chair.
Il have worked on this model night and day
for the past eighteen months" said John Mar
chant Munday, the blind sculptor, laying his
hand caressingly upon the plaster model Il
say night, because night is the same as day to
me. When come here in the evening the
only light have lie that from within / have
lived so long with my work that / know it,
every feature, and any imperfections in II
come out more strongly before my minds eve
In the darkness than they would during the
day. when there is . dim glimmering before
my eyes that distracts my attention.
You ask me how l work. BY measul omen.s
and with rude tools. The bust was first mod
eled. then the chair upon which the figure sits.
The height at which the head was TO be ele-
waited from the floor had ne xt TO be determined
This, you must understand, is accomplished 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
Il will now give you an example Of how
serve as an example. Place yourself in a sit
ting posture, throwing one leg over the other
so as to bring the folds in 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 il 1
do direct to the statue and pass my hands over
the folds / have made in the clay. IL there is
anything wrong In my model l am enabled Nv
this means to detect II at once. No matter how
slight the difference may be, it will not escape
me, nor viii the slightest roughness in the sur
face Of the plaster. OF course this work can
be done by me as easily in the darkness = in
the light
the pleated shirt front, which Mr. Irving so
much affected. / procured one similar TO
the one L wished TO produce and spread it
upon pillow. Then l passed my hands care
| fully over the pleats. | then had strips of lead
made, which were very pliable and which were
TO represent pleats in the shirt front of my
model. Laying these upon the rough clay,
which was afterward scraped of by tools snd
modelled into shape"
1T has been a labor OF love with me-" con-
tnued the blind sculptor. as his head dropped
aud tears bedimmed his eyes. knowing as
did that it must end my career as an artist
have given 1t my undivided attention by night
and day. 1t has been ever present with me
during my waking hours and has haunted nv
dreams at night. Now that it is finished my
life work is finished ALSO
The question of a site for the statue has not
yet been decided. The claims of New York to
Irving as representative citizen are urged by
many who would like to see him honored in
that city. The people of Tarrytown are also
DESTROYS OF securing this notable work of art
for their town. TO be placed either at sunny
side. the homestead Of Irving or some public
situation in the village.