The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-13
|g0VoRS FOR zoLNAY
mn OF BARLOW AND Nc
., LAWS, a. BusTs DECORATED BY
LIZ CHARLES 1.
ooDER OF BENE MERENTI
rx CONFERRED ON HIM Br
pas DE KING OF RoUMANIA-

,otine MIR. ZOlnay and HIS
oil friends in the South,
nov Tribute to His Genius,
wJu Rejoice in the honor n"'
Been shown Him-He Has Re-
:, the Insignia of the First
If IL distinguished Order.
linn Inspired by Admiration
e.. zoInay's Angel OF "iei TO
Far the Decoration.
r,ose who had the pleasure of meet
savannah last summer Mr..
ne milan Zolnay, the sculptor OF
w. Bartow and McLaws bust that are
n' ou,n their monuments at the Bull
entrance to Forsyth Park will
titled to learn that he has been
ed nv King Charles of ltou-
With the order of Bene. Merenti
If the first class.
~. zolnay has only recently received
s,oora tion. through the American
S,oeev at Paris and the Department
c+ata at Washington. 1t was con-
- IN him in token of his Rouman-
On maiesty's recognition of Mr.. Zoi-
,ss talents and especially of his ap-
fiction of the sculptor's CANCEL of
r.,of" the figure of the Winnie Davis
ol1i',,ont in Hollywood Cemetery,
near Richmond.
NJ order of Bene Merenti was Gre
u nv charles |. of Roumania, about
score Of years ago. 1t consists Oh
80 classes, Mr.. Zolnay having been
- y member of the hrst
Tba insignia of the three
olseses is of bronze, silver
and gold. respectively. The decoration
Is reserved exclusively for distinguish
ID artists. men of letters ana sclen-
tists and it is one of the most hlgnly
,r;1ed in Roumania and on the con-
!jra9t of Europe. The insignia is worn
On state occasions on the left breast,
sTsnended by a purple ribbon edged
with silver. 1t is in the form OF a med
al hearing the Kings effigy and the
words "Bene Merenti," on the reverse
There is an interesting story con-
nerted with the comforting OF the dec-
grafton upon Mr.. Zolnay. In 1899 he
Received from the Richmond Chapter
Of daughters of the Confederacy the
4 Commission for the Winnie Davis mem
Eorial at Hollywood. He made the mod
81 during the summer of the same year
Eand took it to Florence to execute II IN
ECarrara marble.
While the sculptor was at work in his
Etamporarv studio in Florence, DIR. G.
E7strate Secretary of State of Rou-
mania. came to inspect his work and
Ehs admiration was so excited by the
#Angel of Grief that he gave Mr.. Zol-
A nav an order for a plaster cast or IL,
Eto be placed in the museum OF art
|of the royal academy at Bucharest.
4 The cast was sent in 1900 and when
Etbe king, visiting the museum, saw 1t,
/the admiration with which it filled him
[was not less than that with which the
work had inspired his minister. He
Then decided to confer upon the sculp-
tor the order of Bene Merenti, but the
#lnany yards of red tape that have to
b. unravelled in matter of this kind
have served to account for the long de-
My.
IA From the chancellery at Bucharest
Ethe insignia and warrant of the order
twere sent to the American embassy
|at Paris and thence to the Department
Moi State. The warrant and insignia
|were forwarded to Mr.. Zolnay by Act
/ ing Secretary Adee.
4 The warrant bears the royal coat of
arms and is in the following terms:
Carol l,
by the Grace of God and the Will of
the People, King of Roumania.
Wishing to prove our good will and
/ appreciation to Mr.. George Julian Zol-
nay sculptor. of New York, for his
artistic merits and achievements, we
confer upon him the medal of the Or
der Bene Merenti, first class, in virtue
o. which we give him this letter pat
hrrt1 Id
royal seal.
Given at the Castle Pelos, on the
18th day of June, 1900.
"Signed) Carol"
Countersigned) C. Istrate, Secretary
OF state and Minister of Public In
| struCtion."
Inc tull significance of the distinc-
uon which has been thus conferred
upon Mr.. Zolnay is scarcely to be ap-
peclated in this country of Democrat
institutions, but in Europe such an
nohor forms ofttimes the hight of a
n,ah ambition. Many whose person.
d merits do not entitle them to con-
SlueIauon for such honors and whose
eahs permit them to aspire to re-
I've mem on another account, are ac-
go to give large sums to chart
a94or educational institutions. The
H. 'T B OF such an order as that OF
,t hene Merenti is a recognition of
we recipients social standing. as well
~ ms artistic or other worth.
Mr' Aolnay aspires to the distinction
ana 'le sculptor Of the Confederacy
"l1uy OF his most important works
Iliall~e the valor of the Confederate
5iuier and his intrepid devotion to
s9' III addition to the Winnie Davis
pio, Jefferson Davis monuments at
g. Irlohd' he is the sculptor of the
tba ,' paws Monument, at Nashville,
AZ oDoHIederate Soldiers monument,
rat snoro, KY, and others of like
HE t,,. instruction and artistic merit
T-ni,orSS,t OF Poe, in the library of the
universaiT OF Virginia, has excited
DIi..Fersal admiration.
~ ~ is for this reason largely that Mr.
oo r appreciates so hiebiv the hon.
NJ rSoulerred uqon him nv the King
ma =, utiIiania. He is particularly proud
admir, was inspired by that monarch's
| tribute '. ~. OF one of the scuIptor's
IT. It's to the South.
said r LOUDLY gratifying to me-" he
4 has co1,oe ntly, that this distinction
/ worl, aa, 10 me through a Southern
/ MonHroa1llu especially the Winnie Davis
4 for dI which was a work of love
4 becapso ted friend. I am glad of II
especlau, know that my friends, and
win bs my friends in the South,
this bonon.! ,ased that I have received
whom tgSourt etiquette for those upon
bestows5' t order of Bene Merenti is
the donor 10 return personal thanks to
his newt ana when Mr.. zolnay makes
probablv Tip to Europe, which will be
pay his turing next summer, he will
mania ueVolr to the King OF Rou-
OF MOURNING EXPIRES.