Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-20
PORTRAITS OF WASHINGTON.
Move for the Adoption of a "Standard,"

| Move Tor tne ADOPTION OF "Standard."
Washington, Feb 19.-The adoption of
standard likeness of Washington is
a suggestion that may be worthy of
| consideration as Feb. % draws near.
Two weeks ago bill was introduced i'm
! Congress by Representative Rider of
New York to appropriate $500 for the
3, purpose of placing Wilson MacDonalds
bust of Washington in the public
schools of the District of Columbia.
While this move is unimportant in it.
self, it is typical of the rivalry among
/ the friends of various artists and sculp
tors for the honor of presenting
their conception of the first American
to the rising generation. If any bust
of Washington is to go into the schools,
whose bust should it be? What is our
standard in this particular? Is it not
time one was reached?
! In plastic pOrtraiture the country has
the cast made in the matrix taken from
the living features of Washington at
Mount Vernon in the autumn of 1855 by
: the great French sculptor Jean Antoine
! HOudon. Many critical students MAIN
! tain that this should be the standard.
| Artists such as Ball, Brown, Ward and
Il model. No other head is considered
; for medals or decorations. For twenty
| years this portrait was familiar to the
world OH the domestic stamp of the
! United States. Its removal provoked
earnest protest, and it is not i'm
probable that this superb head will in
| the near future be restored to this place
of honor.
When the State of Virginia deter
mined to have Il statue of Washington,
Charles Wilson Pcale was asked to
paint Il full-length portrait of him as a
guide and send it to Paris. Thomas
jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, who
hrd the matter in their charge. con-
sidered IL cast of the head of Washfng-
ton so important, that after they gave
| Houdon the commission from Governor
Ecnjamin Harrison, they induced Hou-
don to come to America and make IL life
, study. 1t has even been said that the
artist was not willing to undertake the
statue without life mOuldS and that
this is the reason we are possessed OF
this noble portrait which is little short
of Il national heritage. 1t is in fine
condition, has been reproduced num-
Der Of times, and has received much
celebrated medal ordered by Congress
for George Washington. to commence
rate the evacuation of Boston. Boston
Town appropriately has the first
reproduction of the HOudon head IT
Will be recalled that this medal. fraught
with local ana national history. was
purchased by fifty of EOston's citizens
and presented to the city on the CEN
te1ary of that important event Why.
then. it may be argued, should Con-
SreSS consider for q moment, the crea-
ton OF a contemporary artist, which il
necessarily Z conception based on the
study of HoudOn, Stuart and perhaps
Trumbul1.
The statue Of Washington placed in
the State Capitol at Richmond in l19f
is not SO valuable for Il model as the
plaster cast. There is Il touch Of dis
appointment in this work: for Houdon.
great rs he vas. when he took the
chisel in hand became a Frcnchman
anG could not rid himself of the man
neriEnl of his nation. He tilted Wash
inSton'S head, which gives him a reced-
ing brow: i'll a word. Houdon made
him courtly gentleman of France.
But that does not apply to the plaster
cast. In that the position of the head
is normal: the brow broad and passive.
the fine mouth firm and incisive, the
chin strong and rcplete with character.
The bust inspires trust. and one can
readily accept the statement that it
was moulded in the matriX that cluag
to the living face of Washington and
captured the real features.
The history Of this plaster bust may
l.
General Washington when he left
Mount Vernon i'll the latter part of
October, 1855. and placed it upon a
bracket iii the library. Later. Wash
ingtol put over the fireplace. on Il
bracket. a small bust of Necker pre-
scented by the gallant Count d'Estaing
in 1870. The Houdon remained in
position for more than sixty years. 1t |
was appraised in May. 1860. as zone |
bust of General Washington in Plaster |
from the t.ife-$1O0.G0' In the division |
Of personal effects this came to Su-
rr2me Court Justice Bushrod Wash |
rGton, to whom the estate of Mount
Vernon was wlled. In December, 1929 |
Justice Washinston's will was admitted |
to probate: it contained this clause:
TO my nephew John A. Washington |
sSiN' tiIt tNo SiObtS anu tlt DuSl vi
General Washington and Necker''
When Clark Mills in 1S41 received the |
commission to execute an equestrian
statue Of Washington. he asked per-
mission from Colonel John a. WASH |
ington, the hOsritablc owner Of Mount |
Fernon,to copy the "Owl Head" When
the reproduction was ready to wrap for
transportation. he took it into the
house to exhibit. He said, 1.-THE family
exclaimed. oh Mr.. Mills. how nicely
you have cleaned the old Head-It
never looked 50 well.''' So Mills
thought, as they liked it, he would just
put it up on the bracket and then
brought the real one to this city. Sew
cral years later in the presence of Mr..
William Valentine and Mr.. Sam Ward,
two gentlemen well known in this city.
Mr.. Mills formally presented the Hou-
don to Mr. Wilson Macdonald, who has
had it in his care, of know ledge Of it's
place of deposit for half century.
The recent gracious favor of certain