The morning call., 1893-12-17

= Sculpture, for many years but little con-
.ejdered in San Francisco, has made re-
markable progress Of late and in the near
future magnificent works of art hewn
from stone or formed in bronze will un-
doubleday adorn public places. The work
Ion the Lick monument, which when COM
;. pleted will grace the plaza in front of the
:. new City Hall. has had much to do with
this increased interest.
4: San Francisco has such wealth of
natural beauty and scenery that in years
past attempts to adorn public squares aud
buildings have been but rarely made. But
: now the lovers of beauty are commencing
to realize that nature has provided a won-
, derful setting for the works of man, and
that art here has an opportunity to stand
forth with beautiful backgrounds such as
= are accorded itin sunny Italy and southern
France. Undoubtedly San Francisco will
seme day rival the cities of Europe that
are famed not only for the beauty of
scenery and climate. but for the treasures
shaped by the hands of man, which latter
form The main attraction for millions of
visitors. a more suitable frame than this
fair city of the West could not be chosen,
and it is TO be hoped that every possible
advantage. will be taken to put gems
therein.
=; While Golden Gate Park has received
some consideration, the city itself is nearly
bare of sculptr.al EN- bellishment. Only a
few ef~s5 great buildings and private
go 4 show the wealth of beauty to be
& lss2ss.ed by use of the scuIptor's touch. San
Francisco has yet to set UP 9 public tpun-
Tain OF monumental con ception and artistic
execution, but such work Is sure to come
The artistic pulse is beating more rapidly.
and the true soul of man, which nature
p. made to love the beautiful, is awakening.
s While commerce is building the bulwarks
knowledge of art is spreading, and in the
future gems will crown the solid sub
structure and make this truly the city of
the beautiful
= That the knowledge Of art Is spreading
is evident from the fact that those men
stinct and turned out hastily and iIl-con-
oeived works, which found ready sale, can
no longer dispose of their wares. Every
resident will remember the numerous auc-
ton sales where the public was imposed
upon by these so-calIed paintings. but they
: are BOW things of the past, thanks to this
:: education.
-. At an early period in this States his
tory the stOnecutters drifted into what
they termed sculpture, but to-day they find
:: themselves unable to compete with their
:. modern rivals who have been students of
Fl that branch of art which is the true
!: sculpture. For a time. such works in
=: marble or bronze as were needed for dec
here were secured In Europe, but
;of late years number of designs have
= been executed IN this city.
-: When the Lick monument is completed
:: it will be understood what a step forward
art has taken on this coast. The contract
for this work was given to Frank Han
peFsberger, a sculptor. who was born in
=" this State. The central figure, that of
=: California, has been mentioned several
times in the public prints The concep-
= ton is grand, and an attempt at sketching
it would do the work an injustice. Nearly
:: all the parts of this figure have been cast
: and at present Mr. Happersberger is
e: working upon the figures in bas-relief
.. on the panels. The fault with many such
j. works Is that there is a grand central
piece and that is all; there are no groups
:. that in execution can equal the main one
and the result is shock to the artistic
eye. Something jars on one; there is
: discordant note.
In this respect the Lick monument will
= prove pleasant surprise. AS is the Gus
.; som with sculptors having large contracts
= to fill. Mr.. Happersberger employed some
:. one to assist him, and secured the services
.-.of an old friend and scho climate, Victor
. Gulielmo. The two have worked to-
:. getfer, Mr. HapperSberger on the central
figure and panels. and Mr.. Gulielmo on
:. the pieces that are technically termed
:. wings" These latter are on the four
:. corners, and consist of two figures and
two groups. The figures represent Navi-
cation and Agriculture: the groups
=: Old Days in California and Progress of
: Christianity.
The last touches have just been made by
Mr.. Gulielmo ON the figure of Navigation.
aud critics who have been allowed to ex-
anime it pronounce the work the best that
. has been turned out in this State. Several
photographs were taken yesterday of the
figure, the camera being placed in different
:. positions. so as TO secure every possible
view. These are here reproduced in pen
and ink sketches. OF course, it is
impossible. by reason of the many
transpositions that have to be made
:. before the cut appears In the
newspaper, to do the work Justice.
. but an idea can be formed of the execution.
Me. GuIielmo's work upon the figure and
the groups shows the same skill, and the
wings of the monument are masterpieces
: in themselves. the whole forming as at
tractiYa a piece of work as exists A