The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-28
., m. .urr.,tiop Of Gen. Buttsrhe,d. The d..

At the suggestion OF Gen. Butterheld. The d.
sign for the arch and for the colonnndes form-
ing the north and south plaZas was submitted
to the Celebration Committee by the National
Sculpture Society through Its special commit
tee OF which J. y. A. Ward Is chairman and
Karl Bitter and +. Wellington Ruckstuh sculp-
tors. Charles II. Lamb. architect and decorative
designer. and John de Witt Warner are the
other members. The same committee submit
ted the designs for triumphal coonnades at
Montague Terrace on Brooklyn Heights.
Mr.. Lamb has been almost constantly
on the ground since the building OF the arch
was begun and has been ably seconded In his
supervision OF the work by Mr.. N. N. Cutter.
building superintendent OF tho Fire Depart.
ment. who was assigned at Mr.. Lambs request
by the city to supervise the construction. Mr..
Carl Bell has had entire charge OF the enlarge
mont OF the sculptors models and has directed
his corps OF skilled workmen under the super
vision OF Mr.. Kari Bitter and Mr. +. W. Ruck-
stuhl. OF the soulptors Committee. The work
from the beginning has been looked upon by
the city oficials as New York's own enterprise
and the artists engaged upon 1t speak in high
terms OF praise OF the backing they have re-
ceived in every detail concerning their work.
from policing 1t to removing lampposts. 1t 10
O pity that their jurisdiction could not be eX-
tended 40 as to prevent the erection Of tho
unsiRhtly signs on the neighboring roof tops.
which mar the view OF tho arch both from thu
north and tho south. They are all out OF scale
with the buildings Themselves and dstract
very seriously from the otherwise fairly salts.
factory harmony OF the surroundings OF the
arch.
The Quadriga on top OF the arch Is the work
OF j. y. A. Ward. He 10 the dean OF American
sculptors. and his spirited composition fit
tingly crowns the structure which Is embel.
iished by the creations OF some OF his younger
fellow artists. A female figure in this i'm
posing feature Of the arch. appears on the prov
OF a ship surrounded by swimming horses
some OF which are mounted by Tritons. The
figure symbolizes Naval Victory. or Victory on
the Sea- 1t has outspread wings. holds aloft in
tho right hand wreath OF laurel and in the
left a branch OF palm. Vigor and grace are
most happily united In the composition. and its
general effect 10 supremely inn posing.
Four largo groups. each with a colossal figure
OF winged goddess above. are placed on the
piers OF the arch facing north and south At
the north east corner 10 The Call to Arms" BY
Philip Martiny, at the northwest Peace by
Daniel @. French. at the southwest THE Tri-
umphal return" by Charles H. Niehaus. and at
the southeast The Combat by Karl Bitter.
Each group in its wav Is admirable. The
glores OF peace as we'll az OF war are presented
with virile force and vigorous action or by re-
poseful harmony OF line and expression. All
are 80 good that choice is difficult and
comparison invidious. 1t is hard to say
whether Mr.. French's beautiful group for
instance. with its husbandman. his wife
and children. its blacksmith and
its figure typifyln ing tho arts 10 more admirable
than Mr.. Btter's sailors and officers about the
gun projecting from the armored side of
man f-war. In the same way Mr.. Niehaus's
,lrtip A ,iral dnd nv anil In tha
arms OF the women and old men who have
stayed at home contrasts with Mr.. hartiny's
stirring composition. with it's cheering blue
jackets and drummer boy. High above these
four groups. placed on the attic Of the arch
directly over the columns which stand at the
corners OF the piers are eight figures Of naval
heroes. At the northeast corner Is Admiral
Farragut." by william o. Partridge; next. oc-
cupying the northeast centre. is Commodore
Hull" BY W. f. Bush- Brown in the northwest
centre is Com modore Perry" by J Scott Hart
ley and at the northwest corner Commander
Paul Jones" by Edward c. Potter. On the south
front OF the arch the statues are Commodore
Macdonald" by Thomas Shields Clarke. at the
southwest corner next In the southwest center
Lieutenant Cushing" by H. A. Lukeman:
Commodore Porter" by John J. Boyle In the
south EAST center. and In tho southeast corner
Commodore Decatur" by George T. Brew
ster. These figures are about II feet In
height. The effect produced by them 10 most
harmonious and the costumes Of differ
emit periods are treated In an admirable fashion.
each figure presenting an aspect Of dignity and
by reason Of the spacing between them any
suggestion OF motonony Is avoided. They are
all spirited In pose and effective in mass. The
heroes selected for the portrait statues and
msdallions on the arch were chosen By the
Secretary OF the Navy. Hon. John d. Long.
At either end Of the attic on both fronts are
the dates ITS and 1899. II It be asked
why ITS 10 placed there instead Of 1776.
the year OF the Declaration Of Indepsnd-
ence. the answer 10 found in the fact that
under the Continental Congress we had sm all
navy and it's establishment thus precedes the
date OF the nations birth. In the two large
central panels OF the attic are inscriptions In
Roman capitals. On the south front the in
criptlon reads