Evening journal., 1897-07-09
THE MAKING OF A STATUE.
Vac Science cf Mechanics Pressed
Into the Service OF trt.


Of the time and labor that have been |
expended upon it. First, model must
be made; but even preliminary 70 TINS
the sculptor puts his ideas in the form
of q rough sketch" in clay OF wax, ac-
rordine to the delicacy required. Here
the main points are rapidly nodded in,
and some idea is obtained of bow the
statue will look when it is finished. A
passing thought, an idea is in this way
fixed. and is more carefully worked up
in the model. AS a rule, the first model
is small, and is of clay or wax, and
at first consists Of q nucleus Of tow or
some such material, on which the clay
is laid. Bit by bit it is built up, until
bv trimming and adding, hattening and
rounding oil, the figure comes TO as
sumo its proper proportions. The rough
outlines of the sketch" are developed,
new ideas are added, others are altered,
and by degrees the realization OF the
sculptor's 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
rcouisite amount Of moisture, otherwise
il may become dry and crack. A still
more serious accident is where the clay
crumbles to pieces. In this way the
labor Of months may in few minutes
vanish into a mass of debris, an eN-
uerience which many sculptors have
had To guard against this the clay
must from time to time be moistened,
md when work is finished for the day
the model must be carefully covered
with damp cloths. In this way acci-
dents may be prevented. When large
models have TO be made, extra precau-
tions must 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 out
stretched arms or legs, and the rods
must be properly fixed in stable basis.
At first the figures are modelled nude,
and full regard is paid 20 all the am
atomical details The drapery is added
afterward, from studies arranged on
clay figures.
When the model IS finished according
to the taste of the sculptor q 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 fun
sized model is an absolute necessity, as
the casting in bronze is made from tho
model, and il reproduces the latter il
I every detail. Where the statue is e
be OF marble the final model need no
d necessarily be fun size, and man.
s sculptors prefer working from small
e highly-fnished models. Uusally. how
4 ever, a full-sized model is made in clay
e The sculptor can still alter or modif
:. his original design, bringing ccrtai
" features into greater prominence, sui
r DUNG others. When the model Is tir
:, ished cast Of it is taken in plaster
k and this latter is used as the flint
model, and with it as a guide the bloc
of marble is carved by skilled worl
men. This is am art which has bee
% carried to n high degree OF perfectio
g in Italy, and the worlsmcn of Carrai
y are famous. The sculptor makes h
u model in clay and takes a plaster cas-
. and thcn sends il to the works in ca
rara. where IL is chiscled and then II
e. turned to him for the final touches.
q
ID Of stone. a most important piece
'd work has TO be done, namely, the mari
p ing OF certain points on the plaster ca
= and the determination of similar poin
~ in the marble. Various methods an
instruments have been recommend,
for this purpose In practice a divide
q frame is used. and the exact distant
he Of certain marked points on the plastl
at cast is accurately measured. Fix'
d. points on the stone are marked, ar
10 from these the other points are mea
=. ured with instruments, and the dep
~ to which the stone must be cut
NJ drilled is determined with great a
"a. curacy. In this way all promine
e. points are marked out, and holes a
of drilled TO the required depth and q
's' intervening marble chiseled away,
" first roughly, then with greater al
~ greater care, till the marble begins
assume its finished shape. In {
larger sculpture works one man do
C. the marking, another the rough CHS
se. ing, another the fine work. Finally
%, stage is reached when it again pass
ne into the hands of the sculptor himse
ne and he it is who puts the lines of geni
,a into it with his fine instruments.
ve though the workers i'm Carrara q
inn clever, they seldom are gifted enou
Use to supply the finishing touches viii
"a give the characteristics of the gre
M cculptors themselves.-N. Y. Tribune
Strange Obstinacy of "a Hexicnn
One evening as the express train of {
Mexican Central was approaching NJ,
nd icocity, the engineer observed an lndi
& shepherd lying on the track. The f,
.ck gineer whistled five or six times, 1
es' the man would not get UP. and it s'
cr impossible 10 stop the engine in tir
-, The pilot OF the locomotive struck
on head OF the PROSTATE man and roll
of him down an embankment. When
HE train was stopped and the conduc
Ing and some of the passengers alightcd
look TO the man, it was found III
though he had suffered a rather scv
scalp wound, he was not dangerou
ket injured. lie was able TO sit up WI
las his head was bound with his wit