Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-09-23
A BLIND SCULPTOR.
How He Finished the Statue of Washing
ton Irving.

HOW he t1n15heu the statue OF NasnlnS-
ton Irving.
There is a blind sculptor residing in
Tarrytown who has just completed a
wonderful statue of Washington Irv-
ing. 1t 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 Marchant 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 IS that from
within. l have lived so long with my
work that l know its every feature,
and any imperfections in it come out
more strongly before my minds eye
in the darkness than they would dur
ing the day, when there is a dim glim-
mering before my eyes that distracts
my attention.
You ask me how | work BY meas
uremcnts and with rude tools. The
bust was first modelled then the chair
upon which the figure sits. The height
at which the head was to be elevated
from the floor had next to be deter
mined. 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 l modelled single piece of the
statue. 1t will serve as an example.
Place yourself in a sitting 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. I now have
my idea. With it l go direct to the
statue and pass my hands over the
folds I have made in the clay. If
there is anything wrong In my model
| am enabled by this means to detect
1t at once. No matter how slight the
difference may be, it will not escape
me, nor will 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.
ut may be interesting to know how
I made the pleated shirt front, which
Mr.. Irving so much affected l pro-
cured one similar to the one 1 wished
to produce and spread 1t upon a pill
low. Then l passed my hands care
fully over the pleats. l then had
strips of lead made, which We're very
pliable and which We're to represent
pleats in the shirt front Of my model.
Laying these upon the rough clay, I
spread Il thick layer Of new clay over
them, which was afterwards scraped
off by tools and modelled into shape.
1T has been a labor of love with
me-" continued the blind sculptor, as
his head dropped and tears bedimmed
his eyes. knowing as l 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 La finished, my
lifes 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 a represen-
tative 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 thu town, to be
placed either at .nyside," the
homestead of Irving, OF some public
situation in the village.-Frank Leslie's
Weekly.