Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-19
OMAHA SCULPTORS COMPETE
Gutzon and Scion Borglum Submit Designs
for the Grant Monument.
ONE OF THEM IS HIGHLY COMMENDED
Presents the General in All the
Stages Of HIS EventfuI Career,
from Lieutenant TO the
Presidents Chair.
From a stan Correspondent

NIlbhA a otdll 1tIItHponutnls
WASHINGTON. April 1s.-(speciai)-
Persons who have wondered how the $780,
600 which congress appropriated for the
Grant memorial in this city was to be
spent in statusry have their question an
swered by a visit to the Corcoran Art gall
lery. where the competitive models for the
Grant statue are on exhibition.
1t will be Of interest to the art lovers OF
Omaha to know that Gutzen Borglum and
Scion II. Borglum. sons Of the late DR..
Borglum Of that city, are represented in
the competition by two splendid examples
OF the sculptor's art. Gutzen Borglum, the
elder Of the two, has had a very wide ex-
perience since he left Omaha. years ago.
He has been painting In London and in
Paris. he's studied sculpture on the conti-
nent, is a medallist Of the Paris salon, and
Queen Victoria before her death honored
him by purchasing two Of his best pic
lures. He is a painter, a sculptor and a
many-sided man with some pronounced
opinions as TO what the government should
do in relation to It's sculpture. He believes
that here is the entering wedge of great
possibilities looking to the sculpture of
the future and argues that the amount Of
money appropriated for the Grant statue
means life and energy to the sculptor's
art. but II environed by the commercial in
stinct a blanket will be put upon the art
of the sculptor and opportunities for higher
ideals sunk into the mire Of the common
lalace.
simple and Striking.
The first point about the model which
Gutzen Borglum has on exhibition is the
simplicity OF the form of monumental archi-
lecture embodied in it's basic principle Of
construction. The structure is purely
Greek and designedly free from architec-
tural rnament The rich, sculptured frieze
encircling the entire inner wall commando
notice because of the proportion In which II
IS built.
At the beginning OF the first wing is the
general from the time Of his lieutenancy Il
the time OF his generalship. This is typi'
fed by the assemblage of Representative
men in spirited debate, some of whom are
resorting to arms.
The second panel, extending over the en-.
tire face OF the center Of the structure ant
surrounding the base upon which the groul
is mounted. represents the t~hickeninl
struggle and the frieze shows war itself
Because Grant rose to hts place In histor!
out oil this struggle, how appropriate 1
seems to have him placed directly allow
this mass on the marble is the though
the artist has fixed in stone. The friez,
illustrates no particular battle, only
squadron OF cavalry cutting through a de
tachment of infantry and on the right
battery OF artillery can be seen going int
action.
The third portion Of the frieze represent
the period OF fraternity and here Grant
dismounted, is presented in company Will
his one-time adversary, Lee. but there Il
no semblance Of a~ntagonism, everything
suggesting an end to the struggle and moth
ing but perfect harmony prevails.
Grant, surmounting the pedestal, is &C
companied by two aides, seemingly for III
fact that when we think of Grant we pic
ture him as a lone character such a
was Caesar or Bonaparte. With the tw,
aides Grant occupies a slightly rock,
mound, watching an engagement betwee,
two opposing armies, and mounted on
spirited charger.
In the third bas-relief OF Grant he I
pictured as president. with Representative
men Of the day surrounding him.
The statue presents Grant in three diff
ferent stages of his life. before the wal
during the struggle and as president. !
presents him as lieutenant and as genera
and with artists the model is regarded a
full of originality and depth of conception