The San Francisco call., 1897-07-18
A Rag, a Bone and a Hank
of HAIR" by Sculptor
Dobbertin.
Dislikes the Impression Con-
veyed by Jones' Famous
Painting.
Thinks Kipling's Lines Could Be
More Appropriately Applied -.
to His Work.
A fool there was and he made his prayer,
(Even as you and ~
To Tag, a bone and hank Of hair.


When Otto Dobbertin, the sculptor, first
read the fame Gus lines of kipling and saw
the cut of Burne-Jones' equally famous
! painting which is supposed TO have in
spired the lines his artists soul was
/ shocked. That such a beautiful compost
ton should be addressed to such a work
as Jones' seemed to him little short of
sacriIege. Every time he read the lines or
repeated them from memory in his soft
musical voice there arose in his mind two
visions, one of a ruined, desperate man,
with disheveled hair and q pale, hopeless
face; the other, a beautiful, fair-hairei
woman, smiling and debonair. And in
this woman's eyes he saw always the same
expression, an expression which ali 10
him palmer han words: 81 am done with
vou-I have gotten everything you have
Now | have no further use for you."
As the days went by and the sculp ptor
repeated the poem, the beauty OF which,
TO him, was ever marred by the inslstent
vision which came as black cloud on
brilliant scene, his artistic senses rebelled.
Try as he would he could not put out OF
his mind the picture which detracted from.
his enjoy ment of the poem. IL was not
right lie thought. That q woman-a had
woman at rhat-should ruin good man
and then contem ptuously toss MIN aside
was not fiattering to the masculine vanity
of Mr. Dobbertin.
At last came to him an spiration-one
which he believes should be accepted by
the world as much more worthy such
transcendent poem. The woman should
no longer be allowed 10 spurn the man.
He should be the one TO do the spurning
if there was any to be done. What rlSnt
had a woman to deal contem ptuously
with man? 1t should be the other way,
which would be the natural way. And
the artistic discord in the sculptor'S mind
Immediately dispelled.
With a man of Mr.. Dobbertin's nature
execution always quickly follows con-
ception and at once he set 10 work 20 put
into visible form his idea with the result
that he just finished remarkable work.
The statue is that of two forms, the
male standing erect with face turned up
ward and one arm extended, as Mr.. Dob
bertIn expresses it, Ciimbing the ladder
of fame" while with the other hand he
grasps the wrist of q woman and seems to
be pushing her away. Sue is on her knees
in supplicating attitude. evidently where
Mr.. Dobbertin thinks she ought 10 be.
That is as il should be" said the sculptor;
"that is much more artistic-it has more
strength-the man is tired of the woman
she retards his progress and he is putting
her away so that she cannot spoil his
FUTURE
The idea of q woman interfering with
mans an oition. 1t is too presumptuous.
The statue will be ready for exhibition
shortly, and the sculptor thinks his con-
ception should receiv universal COM
mendation. He has called it, "a Rag,
Bone and Hank of Hair" and no mat
ter what the verdict OF his critics may be,
Mr.. Dobbertin has eased his artistic mind
and assuage ed his injured vanity.
There was a fool and he m adj his prayer e..
(kven as you and u
To rag. bOGe and "A hank of hair
The words now fall as sweet music on
the sculptor's ear, for has he not at last
put the woman in her proper place-at the
foot of man, and mas not Burne- Jones
been set an example which would serve
him in good stead?