Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-09
TIomey at E Per Cent.
DOES NOT SET RIGHT.
Cavalry Officers Criticism of RohI.
Smiths Model.

An army officer, In a letter 10 The Star,
discusses the Sherman statue as follows:
What Mr.. John r. Dunlap says in regard
to the details of the Sherman statue In
recent letter is very coed, and if those de-
tails could be carried out artistically it
would be quite much as any reasonable
person could expect. The logical conclusion
is, however, that fine art is one thing AMI
detail in such a respect as that mentioned
by Mr.. Dunlap is quite another. Most any
one can accomplish the latter, but very
few the former. Without wishing, however,
to criticise the Rohl-Smith model in detail
artstically, except to say that IL, as well
as all other competing models, as a whole
were surprisingly Disappointing and should
have all been rejected from an artistic
standpoint, tie writer feels constrained TO
make one suggestion before il is too late
from a professional point of view so far as
lhe position of the bronze figure of Gen
sherman on horseback is concerned
The cavalry and artillery tactics OF tho
United States army prescribe the position
IN detail or a mounted man in the regular
army, and the bronze figure OF Gen. Sher-
man should be mounted accordingly m
stead of having mis- knees and toes too
lnuch elevated, as is the case in the statue.
without the correction OF this detail the
statue VIII be subject for ridicule for all
iime. Even the poorest equestrian statue
in the city has no such gtlring defect
The sherman statue should be a credit to
the country; his record deserves it. WHY
rot, then, make 1t impossible to have his
statue anything else but an ideal piece of
art! Inc governments pcCuniary interest
IN TINS statue warrants interference on tho
part OF Congress or some one in authority
70 bring about If possible. such a result
The writer f&S been nearly forty wears
cavalry o1Icer in the regular army, has no
personal acquaintance with the competing
artists; has no prejudices or fayorites: real.
lmna1iorn raj, IF
sherman could not with rrcpriety, if so
:nclined. insist on better piece of art Than
that selected: but does Ilodestly consider
himself competent to judge Of an artistic
morse, and OF the position a rider should
take when mounted, Well as of a meri-
torious piece of art.
Alter five long visits to- and tolera blv
careful scrutiny of each model presented
pertaining to the Sherman statue the writ
er went away each time tired Of looking AT
such bungling, inartistic work The man
ncr in which the bronze figure of Gen
sherman was seated on the clumsy sleeny-
looking horse in the Rohl-Smith statue was
especially treSome to cont, Elplate for an
experienced cavalryman. as no one can go
SIT horse for any length of time without
great bodily distress, the position being
relther natural, easy or comfortable and
therefore, inartistic.
The writer feels constrained in a helpful
way to mode=tly suggest that it might he
a sensible thing to do hereafter 10 place
either competent cavalry or artillery Of
ficer of the regular army on all similar
boards for accepting equestrian statuary
for the country. The reasons for SO doing
are obvious.