The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-06
QUEER STATUES.
Eccentric Pieces of Sculpture That Have
Caused Comment.


The eccentricities of sculptors make
an interesting study.
Early this year a mysterious parcel
arrived from South Africa at the studio
of M. Van Bouwn, which parcel it even
tually transpired contained hat the
property of President Kruger.
AS M. Van Bauwn was engaged on
14-metre high monument, the top OF
which was to consist of a counterfeit
presentment in bronze-somewhat ex-
aggerated in size, perhaps, in order 10
emphasize the Importance or the SUD.
ject of the sylph-like proportions OF
Dom Paul, the Debats, considerably
perturbed at the idea of a topper
gracing the head of statue, plaintlve-
Nv remarked that it opened new chap-
ter in art, and apparently resented the
two-foot high chapeau that is to grace
the Dom Paulian head.
AS a matter of fact, the topper be-
decked statue has made several appear
ances in public in this country. For
forty-five years generations of Glasgow
gamins have appreciated to the full the
bronze headgear conveniently (for the
reception of well-aimed stones) held
upside down by the statue of James Os-
valid, M. P.
Dunchurch, near Rugby, is graced by
a statue of Lord Douglas Scott that
holds a wideawake in the left hand,
while Reading possesses a statue OF
| George Palmer that not only perpetu-
ates a top-hat in bronze, but also an
unfolded umbrella. There is said to be
| a monument extant in Amsterdam that
| boasts a pair of slippers, under which
the Dutch equivalent for Exactly Is
| written.
The monument is in memory of an
| individual who fully assured that ne
would die on a certain date, parcelled
out his available capital so as to allow
him to live in the lap of luxury until
| that time, and no further. When he
died with punctuality and dispatch his
! relatives found, when his debts were
paid and affairs cleared UP, that the
remaining assets consisted of pair OF
| slippers and nothing more, and enter
! ing into the humor of the situation,
! they had, says. the legend, the monu-
ment erected.
If a mere pair of slippers can give
rise to a story such as the above, what
! cannot one expect from statue that
| boasts of a bronze umbrella? Reading
is undoubtedly to be congratulated. Is
| it too late to make a similar addition to
| the Kruger trophy?
In days of yore the establishment OF
statuary with pigments enjoyed GER
tain amount of popularity, but the
practice in more modern times fell into
! desuetude until a short time ago it was
revived with great success In the
neighborhood of Forestgate, neigh
borhood unassociated heretofore in a
forward policy as far as art is con-
| cerned.
In the front garden of a certain villa
T Ii
trayed through the agency of plaster OF
Paris in the act of struggling with the
serpents unkindly sent to Minerva for
the purpose of pointing out that the
policy Of the priest of Apollo in en-
deavoring to dissuade the Trojans from
allowing the celebrated Bailey and
Barnum freak of the period the wooden
horse, to enter their town, was de-
cidedly unfriendly act.
The owner of the group, evidently
struck with the pigment idea, one red
mot to mention blue, green and black
letter day painted the father bright
blue; the two sons a cheerful green,
while the serpents with their bright
scarlet skins picked out with black
spots were absolutely unique-at all
events as far as natural historians are
aware. After such an exhibition of
enterprise it was unkind of some prac-
tical Joker to scale the ratings at dead
of night and place battered hats on the
head Of each figure, for such an action
was quite sufficient to make the clas-
steal group an object of riaicule.
once when asked for a subscription
toward a statue to the memory of a
certain contemporary who had during
his life been somewhat hardly treated, !
Dumas replied. Let them take the
stones they threw at him during his |
life. That will make tremendous
monument" and also it might be add |
ed a very novel one such as would ex-
cite the envy Of those sculptors who
turn out the unique-as regards the
material worked upon-statues so pop |
ular at exhibitions.
Visitors to the worlds fair at Chica- |
go will doubtless recall the statue Of
Miss Ada Rehan, fashioned out Of sill |
yer. that was one Of the most remark |
able features of the show Where is /
that statue now? Scattered all over
the United States of America in the
form of dollars. or preserved by one of
the famous artiste's numerous and de-
voted adherents?
The same sculptor, it is reported, |
has been engaged to design a huge
statue of President Mckinley for the
Paris exhibition of 1900. This statue, |
in view of the presidents attitude on
the silver question, will, 1t goes with |
out say NC u s"Au' Nue a. q &c en-
foot high statue Of so massive a chief
magistrate would necessitate the lock- |
ing I'D Of an enormous amount Of gold |
presumably the metal will not be as
solid as are the presidents followers in !
their intention of preserving it as the
standard
Apropos Of exhibitions and their
statues, it was stated early this year
that a colossal statue of her majesty, |
cornoosed of post cards was to be a |
feature Of the forthcoming Glasgow |
exhibition. Any one sending a post |
card to the commissioners Of the ex-
bfbition. with his or her name and adj |
dress on the back of the card, will be |
assisting in the erection Of the statue. |
Eddie McDuffee had the same hard