The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-30
THE SUM- SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 80. 1902.

branch in hand. her drapery buoyed up
with air; the horses tail streams behind;
throughout the whole composition ID a
single impulse Of irresistible advance
From every point OF view the mass Ii COM
pact with dignity, ornamental in line and
bulk, alive with elevated and inspiring
energy. Al closer range one may discover
The big simplicity and pregnant generaliza-
ton of the modelling, also the ncaDin gful-
ness OF the character ization. The horse
in build and gait is a serviceable beast bred
for courage and endurance, the rider.
man OF iron purpose, udoinitable in face and
carriage. while the woInans figure in the
grand elegance Of the Rowing lines and
IN the imperial sweetness of her nicn
touches the tenderer chord of patriotism
which lends halo 10 the griinness Of war.
But how does Saint Ga udens fare when
he confines himself TO a factual repre-
| sentation Of his subject Let his statue
of Lincoln II, Chicago testify. No grace
OF line or grandeur OF mass. only chair
behind the standing figure TO Elk out
the stringiness of the legs and In a MEASURE
to build up the composition. Nor could
the sculpt or snatch an eaey triumph through
any heroic f,ndt ring OF the figure, spaie
and elongat ed in clothes uIconprolnisinGIy
ordinary But the man rs be vas, and
just because he CHANGED TO DO the man
he was, vac Cleet and u the fearless ac-
ccptance Of Ibis fact the sculptor has seized
his opportunity. The stetue Is planted
Oh tUt IlXut IOOt hOt eN'iN b'N'"T
really stands upon it's feet--the righ, arm
held IN hind the back--theee are the cbarac-
teristic geeturcs Of stability, tenacity and
reflection: while the advance OF the left
leg and the grip Of the left hand upon the
lapel Of the coat be speak the man Of action
With such completeness are these complex
qualities suggested and then crowned
with the solemn dignity Of tho declined
head, so alooi in impens'rsble meditation,
that the hoInely fguie. has grandeur and
a power Of APPEAL which are nresishplr'
True, our ina gination. r. enforced by kHowl-
edge, goes out to meet the aItist halfway,
the reby lessening the space he ias 20 travel
N his idealization effects. Btlind this
Isolated figure looms up the scene III which
he pls yed 70 great part II vac pre-
cisely beca Use this scene waS present 70 the
sculy'or's Imagination AID he knew II
| would be to ours, that lie st hinst II to
| the most realistic rtnd.ring of his subject
and thereby triumphtd q. II Ne have any
doubt Of this let III recall the icp'rude
| Of that statue Of Wa-hiugt on, which rep
resents him in Roman tOga; that attempts
to force an i'd eli2tt.on Of the subject and
| Il ridiculous; Sairt CT udeL1 siicks 10 facts
! and it'll the COOPERATION OF our imaglna-
ton produces mast. rii,ce.
But once more, turn 10 his statue OF
Peter Cooper. There is TO background
hero OF heroism, or any environment OF
| nation reused TO highest sacrifice only
| the back " o,ind Of building, ugly In Itself,
| though We know II TO bc the habtation 81
a great educational movement: HoWely
also II the general apps arance OF the founder
and Ssnefactor. yet the figure i'll its loose.
1 slovenly costume, seated in a chair. pre-
| sents N its solid mass suggestion OF funda-
mental force. the left hand grasps walk
ing cane with "A gestu OF mn" decision.
and the head with is long hair and fringe on
heard by sheer force Of genial manly
direntress. 30 earnest and unsophisticated,
compel, us TO realize this man to he more
than ordinary. He is the prophet OF
| cause. the Lender Of peaceful revolution.
| In q word. il one has the mind and sym
pathy to note IL this old and yet alert man.
Of ,Inearnished simplicity and indomtable
confidence. is an embodiment OF the sane,
sure uplifting Of the people, to which he
contributed so largely
| have chosen these examples to illus
trate Saint -Gaudehs'- ability TO idealizc
his subject to reach through the fact to the
soul within the fact. But his sensibity
| to impressions IL not only moved by the
larger aspects Of life; il Ia also exquisitely
sweet and subtle. Study his numerous
low -rehef portraits-for example. Of the
children Of Prescott Hall Butler, those OF
Jacob H. Schiff. and the single portraits
of Miss Violet Sargent and OF Robert Louis
Stevenson In all these and In many Others
his sensibiity is exhibited, not only in the
sympatheti comprehension Of character,
but also in the extraordinary rnesse OF the
execution. Inc nRuT% are ho' HieieiN
| So, against the back ground; they grow out
| OF II, forming with IL an enclosed parterre
Of beautiful design. Of delicately differing
planes Of elevation, of subtle tones OF gray
In between the extremes Of light and dark
The effect il not unlike that revealed az
early morning when the landscape is Hat =
tened in appearance by the mist. and As
the latter j. loosened and dispersed by the
sun. the patterned forms take on infinites-
imal degrees Of definition and mysterious.
ness behind the intervening wells OF lighted
vapor. Through such a sinile one may,
perhaps, suggest the essential quality Of
loveli,Iels in these low reliefs.
Ye, they are qualities shared to-day by
several -culp,ors in France, sufficient To re-
veal an arts, of rare senstbiity, but not to
measure the grander characteri-tlcs Of
Saint -Gaudenss art In the conditions OF
American civilization he has come within
range and depth of inspiration denied
70 modern Frenchmen, and II l. in the de-
gree. 10 which he has responded to these
opportunities tina, his preeinnence consists.
III, posi- ion is unique. for no other sculptor
of our time has SO attuned the traditions
of his art TO the KEY of the modern spirit
for the expression Of grand conception.
G. " c,