New-York tribune., 1901-12-25
DEATH OF ONSLOW FORD.
THE TRIBUTE OF AN AMERICAN ADMIRER TO
THE ENGLISH SCULPTOR.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
The morning paper brings US the sad news OF the
death of the English sculptor Onslow Ford 1t mas
been the privilege of the writer 10 know him IN the
pleasant relationship Of artist to artist and 10 meet
him through Irving and that charming group III
which he important factor
Ford was man who reckoned with the humani-
ties who kept abreast with the spirit Of his time.
and his work Will speak for him as long as the
name of England lasts, and longer. His daring con-
ception Of Gordon a camel. for Birmingham
showed that the Academy could not fTghten him
any more than it could Gautier when he appeared
at Victor Hugos first presentation OF Hermann
His touching and pathetic figure Of Shelley now
placed in marble at Oxford which the writer had
the privilege Of seeing while still in clay at his
studio can never be forgotten It represents that
most sensitive and ethereal of all the poets, thrown
uo on the beach OF the Gulf Of Spezia, where his
body was burned by Byron Trelawney and few
kindred souls who appreciated the rare spirit that
nossessed that fragile body II is noteworthy that
oxford was forced accept the statue OF the poet
she expelled for heresy There IS a tenderness and
s,,btIety Of treatment IN this statue which echoes
the tenderness and subtlety Of the sculptor who
produced it He was the most human Of all the
scuptors in England
remember one anecdote in connection with the
statuette he did of Henry Irving for the Guild Hall
in London which represents the great actor as
Hamlet leaning forward in his chair and speaking
his great soIiloquy The committee had paid for
this statuette. cities very apt to do very
little great Work ana Wnen Irving next
met him q had this story from Fords own lips
Irving being courteous enough TO introduce me 10
the sculptor he said, Ford, think the city has
paid little for this statuette. and II you Will
permit me I will send you check for double this
amount Ford. who then poor. struggling
artist, replied to the great actor, Il am not in
position TO refuse your generous offer In and
about the Lyceur Theatre are many "reminiscences
Of Fords presence there sketches Of Irving in his
different characters. There was one regularity
about his technical work which may not be unin-
teresring: he made little of the wooden tools
handled sculptors. but modelled with the
iron rasps of the marble cutter. have mentioned
his Gordon his Shelley and his irving. ana may
mention his statue Of Queen Victoria as another
work OF the first order.
One might mention many more. but let these
suffice and let behind the art and look for a
moment a: the man who is forever greater thans
the highest expression he may find in any art HIS
domestic life was pathetic, If not tragic, and the
suffering he went through was written upon his
works; his nature gentle, lovable, strong and
fine his spirit democratic and noble; whatever
attentions he may have had from the nobility. he
felt that he ben-iged TO the people, and he worked
for the people every great artist must To
nv humble thinking his name stood first among
the sculptors of his time. and when the Academy
has passed away. and the work OF the goldsmith Is
rnlegated to the museum, the monumental works OF
Onslow Ford will live onto speak OF the generous.
brave spirit who created them-one who loved and
lived for his fellow men - =.
New-York Dec. q 1901.