San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-05-08
STATUARY EXHIBITION.
Grand Display of Sculpture at New
York-The Fine Arts Building
Beautifully Decorated for
the Occasion.

Beautifully Decorated for
the Occasion.
NEW YORK, May The Nation
al Sculpture society are given the
greatest exhibition OF sculpture
ever seen in this country in the
Fine Arts Building, in West Fifty
seventh street. Inc exhibition be-
gan yesterday, to last till May %.
About a year and a half ago a
number OF sculptors met in New
York and agreed that the condition
Of the art of sculpture in the Unit
ed was deplorable, and that the
time had arrived when efforts
should be made to better it. The
sculptors Of the whole country have
since been found equally ready to
feel the deficiency and the need of
improvement. Many artists not
sculptors, and many citizens not
artists, have been found who were
in full sympathy with this move
ment. The National Sculpture
society is the result. The country
is being dotted over with memorial
buildings and statutes on pc desials
in most Of which structures, the So
ciety says, really lamentable lack
Of taste and knowledge exists.
These, moreover, mostly soldier
monuments, offer nothing, or very
little, in the way OF sculpture, 9TH
er than effigies OF soldiers in uni
form, with or without horses, with
or without flags, cannon and other
military attributes. Otherwise,
the chief demand for scripture
is in the way OF portraiture.
Sculpture somewhat less natural
istic and more purely sculptures
que, whether nude or draped, finds
very little recognition. The aim
Of the society is to develop the
ideal in sculpture.
The society consists Of men to
whom sculpture seems noble and
exalted art, who know that modern
times have much to show of a
very lofty character in the way Of
achievement in this field, who are
sure that more of this modern
achievement might be Amer
lean il only the community
could be awakened to the need
of encouragement and critical
selection. The government, the
State governments, the municipal
tiles, all should be encouraged to
order works Of art, the society de-
clares, but also their way Of order
ing them needs to be controlled.
Private persons must be encour-
aged to demand works OF plastic
art in connection with their build
ings, exterior and interior, gardens,
parks, etc, as memorials, or for
pure aesthetic pleasure, but they
should also be wisely aided in
making their choice. The society
is acting in unison with the Archi-
tectural league of New York in the
matter OF proposed important
public monument, and also with
the American Numismatic and
Archaeological society in trying
to raise the standard Of our nation
al coinage. In this connection 1t
proposes to have an exhibition OF
original designs, carried out in
plaster at fixed scale. for new
dollar. Money has been contrib
uted for prizes, and the COMPETE
tive designs are to be shown at the
exhibition.
The hall Of sculpture is laid out
like a garden, with great masses Of
plants and flowers here and there
through which CLEAN and shine
in the dazzling limbs OF goddesses
and the superb torsos OF mytholo-
gical heroes. The garden idea has
been caught from the French
who delight to show their
sculpured works in atmos-
phere suggestive OF purest ma
ture. Here is the executive cOun-
Gil Of the society; J. Q. A. Ward,
president; Russell Sturgis, vice
president; Richard w. Glider, sec
sond vice-president; l. w. Drum
mOnd, treasurer; F. w. Ruckstuhl,
secretary; H. Adams, William. c.
Brownell, Thomas Shields Clarke,
William T. Evans, Paulding Farm
ham, Daniel C. French, William
c. Hall, Thomas Hastings, r. NJ.
Hunt, Augustus st. Gaudens, Olin
l.. Warner, John Villa ms.
IT u Misaiops