The record-union., 1897-05-30

ldDOf that nave Deen eXDenueu oIl H.
First, a model must be made; but even
preliminary to this the sculptor puts
his ideas in the form of a rough sketch
In clay or wax, according to the dellcacy
required. Here the main points are
rapidly nodded in, and some idea is OBJ
tained of how the statue will look when
1t is finished. A passing thought, an
idea is in this way fixed, and is more
carefully worked up in the model AS
q rule, the first model is small, and is of
clay or wax, and at first consists of
nucleus of tow or some such material on
which the clay is laid. Bit by bit it is
built up, until by trimming and adding,
fattening and rounding off, the figure
comes to assume its proper proportions.
The rough outlines of the sketch are
developed new ideas are added, others
are altered, and by degrees the realiza-
tion of the sculptors thoughts begins to
appear in the clay.
In the actual manipulation great care
must be taken that the clay is of the
proper conSistence and possesses the
requisite amount of moisture, otherwise
1t may become dry and crack. \ still
more serious accident is where the clay
crumbleS to pieces. In this way the Ia
Dor of months may in a few minutes
vanish into a mass of debris, an expert
ence which many SculptorS have had.
To guard against this the clay must
from time to time be moistened and
when work is finished for the day the
model must be carefully covered with
damp cloths. In this way accidents
may be prevented. When large models
h1x 70, ha n 10
be taken against drying. The nucleus
must be made strong of iron rods along
the lines where there is least support, as
in the case of outstretched arms or legs,
and the rods must be properly fixed in
a stable basis. At first the figures are
modelled nude, and full regard is paid to
all the anatomical details The drap-
cry is added afterward, from studies ar
ranged on lay figures.
When the model is finished according
to the taste of the sculptor, a second
one is made of the exact size intended
for the final piece of work Where the
statue is to be made of bronze, the full
sized model is an absolute necessity, as
the casting in bronze is made from the
model, and it reproduces the latter in
every detail. Where the statue is to
be of marble, the final model need not
necessarily be full size. and many sculpt-
orS prefer working from small, highly
finished models. Usually, however, a
ful-sized model is made in clay. The
sculptor can still alter or modify his
original design, bringing certain feat
ures into greater prominence, subduing
others When the model is finished
cast of it is taken in plaster, and the
latter is used as the final model and.
with il as a guide, the block of marble
is carved by skilled workmen. This is
an art which has been carried to a high
degree of perfection in Italy, and the
Workmen of Carrara are famous. The
sculptor makes his model in clay and
takes a plaster cast. and then sends it
to the works in Carrara, where it is
chiseled and then returned to him for
the final touches.
After the choice of a suitable block of
stone. a most important piece of work
has to be done, namely, the marking of
certain points on the plaster cast and
the determination of similar points in
the marble. Various methods and in
struments have been recommended for
this purpose. In practice a divided
frame is used, and the exact distance of
certain marked points on the plaster
cast is accurately measured. Fixed
points on the stone are marked, and
from these the other points are meas
ured with instruments, and the depth to
which the stone must be cut or drilled
is determined with great accuracy. In
this way all prominent points are
marked out, and holes are drilled to
the required depth and the intervening
marble chiseled away. at first rough
ly, then with greater and greater care.
till the marble begins to assume its fin
ished shape. In the large sculpture
works. one man does the marking. an
other the rough chiseling. another the
fine work. Finally a stage is reached
when it again passes into the hands of
the sculptor himself. and he it is who
puts the lines of genius into it with his
fine instruments. Although the work
ers in Carrara are clever, they seldom
are gifted enough to supply the finish
ing touches. which give the character
istics' of the great sculptors them
selves.
Miss C. Curtis Huxley. a young
American sculptress. who has spent the
last four years in Paris, has just re-
turned to Europe after a short visit
to friends in New York While here
she learned that for the third year in
succession a piece of her work has
been accepted and placed on exhibi-
ton in the Paris Salon. The exhibit
is a bust of Ralph Woodworth. of Cal
ifornia. Miss Curtis Huxley is a New
Yorker by birth, but prior to going to
Paris. spent a number of years on the
Pacific Coast She is about twenty
four years of age. Not until she went
to Europe did she take up the study
of the art to which she has devoted
herself her original intention having
been to essay painting. After but six
months work in the schools Miss Cur
tis-Huxley sent a bust of a wellknovn
old Paris model. which she entitled
Grandmother" TO the Salon, and to
her friends delight. not TO say 10 her
own surprise. ii was accepted. En-
couraged by this success. the following
year she submitted the study of a
young italian girl. which was also ac-
cepted and given very fiattering posi-
ton IN the Salon She hopes to ex-
hibit two figures next year. Mean
while she will take an atelier at Rome.
Besides seeing old friends, Miss Curtis
Huxiey's flying visit to New York was
prompted by desire to purchase a
good American saddle horse She
found just what she wanted, and so
returns to her work doubly happy.
J. Mesinas of Lima, Peru. has Just
issued the "parte preIiminar'' of a