St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-01-01
MEAD'S "SNOW ANGEL"
A ScuIptOr's Work in snow and Ice,
Afterward Cul From Marble.

A scuIptOr's Work in Snow and Ice,
Afterward Cut From Marble.
The following story from the Spring
field Republican will be Of especial inter
est to our readers as Mr.. Mead was the
sculptor Of the m arbe statue on our sol
diers' monument.
Probably no young man so aston
ished the people of the village in which
be had been drought up" as did Larkin
G. Mead the good people of Brattleboro,
by the work he did one December night
40 years ago. The story has often been
told, but it is one the VermOnters never
tire OF telling as they point to the spot
at the junction of Linden and North
Main streets, where young Mead the last
night OF the year 1856 nodded from snow
and ice the image which he aterward
reproduced in marble, and the Record
ing Angel" by some is thought to be the
sculptOr's best work. Its effect on the
Vermont villagers may be imagined.
The cut shows Mead surveying his work
by lanterns light; but when the ice
sheeted image stood forth in the bright
and clear light OF a winters sun, its
beauty marked the work OF a genius. 1t
is related that a weak minded youth of
the village, frightened ran away, and
that one gruff old citizen, who rarely
greeted his ellOw.to wnsman on the
| street, lifted his hat as he gazed at the
SNOW angel"
Mead with two friends labored for
hours in the cold December night. Henry
Burnham kept hot fire going in the old
Burnham foundry, and supplied the
younger workers with sweet cider, while
his brother, Edward. assisted Mead in
molding the image. Occasional trips in
doors enabled them before the fire to
mold the more expressive parts OF the
statue. These fixed to the rough figure
outdoors were kneaded and nodded to-
gelher until they hardened. Over this
the young sculptor's assistant poured
water, which almost instantly Iroze.
This gave the figure an lev covering
which, protected by the cold weaIh her,
withstood the attacks of the suns rays
| for a fortnight or more. Mead's exploit
was described in the Republican and
other papers of this and other countries.
Many people made the pilgrimage to
! Brattleboro to see for themselves what
| others bad so we'll described.
Mead for two YEARS before this had
been studying in New York with Henry
X. Brown a native of Leyden in Frank
lin county, and one of the best known OF
our older sculptors, whose equestrian
statue OF Washington in Union square,
New York, is a most impressive work.
The story of the yourg mans work in
snow and ice attracted tie attention OF
Nicholas Lougworth of Cincinnati, who,
after iuqurng about Mead's character
and prospects, gave him commission
to execute The Recording Angel" in
marble. This was followed by orders
from other persons, Mr.. Longworth
generously ordered that the angel be
sold for the benefit of the sculptor, the
Cincinnati man having previously fur
nished the funds with which Mead should
do the work. The statue now stands
in the rotunda OF the capitol at Washing
ton. Mr.. Meau's next work was a
statue of Ethan Allen, made for the state
OF Vermont which is also in the national
capitol A colossal figure OF bronze, typi
tying Vermont, is in the state house at
Montpelier, with another statue oil
Ethan Allen and a large marble group
columbus Approaching Isabella" His
America" is on the soldiers monument
at st. Johnsbury. Mead's ideal work
beside the angel includes The Returned
Soldier" Echo" La Contadinela, >
"Sappho," The Thought of Freedom,
and statue of the Mississippi river rep
resented as demrgod. The Lincoln
monument at Springfield, Ill is another
important work. When the civil wal
broke out Mead went to the front as az
artist for Harper's Weekly and also en-
gagged in voluntary service in making
drawings of rebel Notifications anC
camps, He messed with the soldiers anc
his humorous sketches OF camp life servet
to keep them in good spirits.
At length he was induced to visit Italy
where he was welcomed by Hiram Pow
ers, also a Vermonter, and where he sool
executed Echo" already referred to
He remained in Venice about three years
after which he returned home for brie
stay. He finally took up his residenc
in Florence, where he has been for nearl
40 years, and where he was made a pre-
lessor in the academy OF fine arts i
1879 The story of his marriage to
young Venetian is quite romantic.
seems that Mr. Mead was lett in cha1e
of the United States consulate at Venc,
E while his brother-in law, William D How
, ellis was IN his wPddino trIn m Ar,eric.