Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-02-06
MEAD'S "SNOW ANGEL
A Scuptor's Work in Snow and Ice,
Afterward Cut From Marble.

Sculptor's Work in Snow and Ice,
Afterward Cut From Marble.
Probably no young man so aston
ished the people of the village in
which he had been brought up" as
did Larkin G.. Mead the good people of
Brattleboro, Vt, by the work he did
one December night As 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 june
ton 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 afterward re
produced in marble, and the Record
ing Angel by some is thought to be
the sCulptOr's best work It's effect
on the Vermont villagers may be i'm
agined. The cut shows Mead survey
ing his work by a 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. It is related that
weak-minded youth of the village,
frightened, ran away, and that one
gruff old citizen, who rarely greeted
his fellOw-townsmen 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 a hot fire going
in the old Burnham foundry, and sup
piled the younger workers with sweet
cider, while his brother, Edward, as
sisted Mead in molding the image. Oc-
casional trips indoors enabled them
before the fire to mold the more ex-
pressive parts Of the statue. These
fixed to the rough figure outdoors were
kneaded and nodded together until
they hardened. Over this the young
sculptOr's assistant poured water,
which almost instantly frOze. This
gave the figure an icy covering which,
protected by the cold weather, with
stood the attacks Of the suns rays
for fortnight or more. Mead's ex-
plot was described in The Republican
and other papers of this and other
countries. Many people made the pill
grimage to Brattleboro to see for
themselves what others had so well
described
Mead for two years before this had
been studying in New York with Henry
K. Brown, a native of Leyden in
Franklin county, and one of the best
known of our old sculptors, whose
equestrian statue of Washington in
Union square, New York, is a most
impressive work. The story of the
young mans work in snow and ice at
tracted the attention of Nicholas
LongWOrth of Cincinnati, who, after in
quiring about Mead's character and
prospects, gave him a commission to
execute THE Recording Angel in
marble. This was followed by Or
ders from other persons. Mr.. Long
worth generously ordered that the
angel be sold for the benefit of the
sculptor, the Cincinnati man having
previously furnished the funds With
which Mead should do the work. The
statue now stands in the rotunda of
the capitol at Washington. Mr.
Mead'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,
| typifying Vermont, is in the state
house at Montpelier, with another
/ statue Of Ethan Allen and a large
marble group, Columbus Approaching
Isabella" His America" is on the
|
Mead's ideal work beside the angel in
cludes The Returned Soldier"
Echo" La Contadinella,' Sappho,"
''The Thought of Freedom" and a
statue of the Mississippi river rep.
resented as Il demigod. The Lincoln
monument at Springfield, H., is an.
other important work When the civil
war broke out Mead went to the front
as an artist for Harper's Weekly and
! also engaged in voluntary service In
| making drawings of rebel fortifica
tons and camps. He messed with
the soldiers and his humorous sketches
Of camp life served to keep them in
good spirits.
At length he was induced to visit
| Italy, where he was welcomed by
Hiram Powers, also a Vermonter, and
where he soon executed Echo, already
referred to. He remained in Venice
about three years. after which he re
turned home for a brief stay He
finally took up his residence in Flor
ence, where he has been for nearly
40 years, and where he was made a
L in no - g.
in 1879. His story OF his marriage
f, l..