The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-25
MAN IN PLASTER CAST.
work of the scuIptOrs at the Nation.
nj Museum.
From the washington Post.

N museum.
From the Washington Post.
Some queer likenesses Of human beings
of many nationalities and countries have
been collected in plaster by the scientists
at the National Museum. In sizes these
range from the heroic to miniature. the
last class including a large number of
dolls which illustrate the different races
of mankind. The dolls of sata8eb in this
group are perhaps the most instructive
of all. These, to savage people, are some
thing more than toys, for with them saw
age mothers instruct their offspring in the
domestic arts. Several curious stories are
told of the work done by sculptors at the
museum in the construction of manikins.
The collection includes a number of
heads which have an interesting history.
From one of the shelves there lookn down
a plaster mask of the late Joseph Francis.
1t is in one of the less frequented corners
and attracts no attention from the thou
sands of visitors who pass through the
building weekly. He was the inventor of
life-boats, and the museum has several
valuable specimens of his Invention lie
was a friend of the museum, and the
mask was taken only short while before
ne died. The eyes are closed and Just as
in death mask, there is lack OF express
sion. f.tsaf
companion mask near that of Mr..
Francis is one from Gen. Greedy, the
present head of the signal corps, distin-
guished for his travels In the far north.
The reproduction Of the features is well
nigh perfect except for a slight distortion
of the muscles, caused by the pulling
down of the plaster. The mask is Of the
entire head, except the lower part, which
is omitted that the mask may be taken off
entire. These masks were made by Mr.
Theodore A. Mills, the sculptor, who
has done considerable creditable work
of this kind at the museum. He makes
them very quickly, each occupying only
about fifteen minutes. one advantage in
leaving off the lower part OF the face is
that II allows the person to breathe free
ly, and this part can be ADDED afterward
without difficulty. Most scuiptors, how
ever, spread the plaster down over the
lower part of the face and insert straws
in the nostrils to allow the subject to
breathe. These masks, taken while the
subject is in excellent health, are the
best means known for preserving the fea-
lures. Death masks are unsatisfactory
because the face is then usually emacia-
ted and the eyes sunken. The expression
is then far from satisfactory. Life would
also be of great assistance to sculptors
in moulding busts and statues.
People visiting the museum sometimes
marvel at the life-like proportions of the
many lay figures which adorn the differ
ent collections. The scientists have ac-
quired a great proficiency in this kind
of work and it is not far from the truth
to say that a close inspection of the del
icately formed hands and feet as well as
arms and lower limbs would show intimate
friends that prominent people in Wash
ington have been utilized to grace the
collections of Indian peoples, wild tribes
of Borneo. and other races. That has
come to be one of the penalties of being