The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-16
MONUMENT PEACE GROUP
THE FIGURES NOW ONLY LACK THE
FINISHING TOUCHES.
Work Was Nearly All Done by Indian
apOIis Men-Size of the
Group.

made and then the Peace group on the mon
ument viii be completed. 1t was expected
that this work would be done yesterday.
but the high wind and the rough weather
made ii impossible TO work on the figures,
and it will be done on the first pleasant day
Rudolph Schwartz, who has had entre
direction Of the carving Of both the Peace
and War groups, was sent here from Ger
many by Bruno Schmitz who designed the
monument, and he has had working under
him ten men, Of whom seven are residents
of this city, so that the greater part OF the
actual work has been done by indianapolis
citizens. Mr.. Schwartz himself has become
a resident OF this city. Within three weeks
after he reached here he determined not TO
return TO Germany and sent for his family.
He has been with Bruno Schmitz since 1872,
and has had charge of the most important
works designed by that artist. He super
vised the erection of the great monument in
Germany which was erected to commemo-
rate the consolidation of the German en-
pire, and he yesterday stated that the figure
surrounding that monument is the only one
that has been made since the huge figures
carved by the Egyptians, thousands of years
ago, that even approaches in size the fig
ures of the Peace and War groups. The
that have been carved in the history of the
world, with the exception of the Egyptian
figures mentioned. The figures on the tri-
Umphal arch, Paris, are but one-third the
size of those on the monument.
The Peace group is carved from fifty
five separate blocks of stone, and, as the
group is completed, it weighs about go tons.
The full effect of the group is lost by close
view, and the best view that can be OBJ
tanned is from the second or third floor of a
building or from some distance from the
monument on Market street, nearly to Illi-
nois street. The prominent figures screen
| the carving at the rear of the group. The
| conception o' the group is the figure of the
| goddess of peace in the center with the flag
| and the shield, the slave at the base holding
| up the broken letters, the blacksmith at the
| corner, seated on his anvil block a rep
resentatiye of industry, the returned SOLDIER
| greeting his wife, While one child cllngs 10
| him, and seated on a sheaf OF wheat Is the
grandfather, holding another child VINO Is;
| waiting for the fathers greeting. The shear
| Of wheat represents agriculture. Back OF
| these main figures is seen a regiment
marching home, headed by the commanding
| officer on horseback. This line OF marching
| troops extends way back and behind hill,
| from behind which the sun is rising. Above
| all is the angel of peace holding laurel
| wreath and branch of laurel in her hands.
| Inc pdDSl llSelI Is lfllTly-StNtu leSl HlSIi,
| but from the extreme high point of carving
| to the lowest point of carved work is forty
| five feet. The width of the carved group is
| thirty feet, while the width or the panel is
| twenty-siX feet. The height of the central
| figure, the goddess of peace, is twenty-three
feet eight inches, and the depth of the group,
| from the panel TO the most projected point
| Of carving, is eighteen feet. The work of
| carving has occupied eleven months, of
which seven were occupied In .'roughing
| out" the group or in cutting away the sur
| plus stone. The detailed carving has occu-
| pied four months. The seated and kneeling
| figures are of proportions that would make
| them fifteen feet high IL standing, and every
| figure in the group was modelled from life.
| over a year was spent in making the model,
arm and every hand was carved from a
| model made by taking a plaster cast of a
| hand arm The foot of the negro slave
one of the workmen. The faces were all
| from photographs. A large number of pho
| tographs were submitted to Mr. Schmitz
used, so that each face In both groups is
| that of some person.
The group as carved is changed from the
| model in but one particular, and that is the
| figure of the cheering soldier who is wav-
| ing his hat. This figure was modelled with
an overcoat on. but in Difference TO the
moved, and to make this figure Mr..
| Schwartz secured a uniform from the State
| house, dressed a model in Ii and posed him
| for a day in order to make the change.
| When the first cast was made all those
| who posed for the figures were dressed in
| the uniforms which were sent from this
| country.
The preparations for the carving were all
made with square and compass and from
| points marked on the model, measurements
| were made in exact proportion on the stone.
| Every prominent point was accurately
measured from the model and when this
had been done the work of "roughing OUT
| was commenced. One pair OF compasses
which was used by Mr. Schwartz is twenty
| four feet long While the group has been
| exposed to public view for only day or
| two, the Eastern magazines have already
| demanded pictures of It, and ii will be pho
| tographed to-day or tomorrow, If the scat
| folding and ladders can be taken down in
| time. One o. the Eastern magazines desires
| the picture by Monday next.