The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-18
f71FTER rs CENTURIES TIL
80 SECRET OF TIE F1EDSURs
USED By ANCIENT SCULpII
rs BROUGHT 70 LIGHT.

Museum. to visit that institution. It
was not until this summer. however,
that he was able to accept the invita-
tl0n.
In Rome Magelssen received the rec
OgnltiOn due to his services on behalf
Of the fine arts He was given access
TO the various museums and permitted
TO take from their pedestais or cases
and to examine at viii any Of the ex-
hiblts for further proofs OF the gen.
uineness OF his discovery privilege
never hitherto granted in Rome. al
though il had been accorded him in
the British Museum He read paper
on his discovery before the Circolo
Artistico. whose membership comprises
the aristocracy of the art world
a eongratulatory banquet by the Sculp-
tors Society The leading newspapers.
the Popolo Romano, the Trtbuna and
the Giornaie d'Italia, sounded his
praises and congratulated the frater-
nifty OF sculptors that since the dis
covery of the lost art ii Will no longer
be necessary to cast in plaster.
Artists and curators OF art were alike
warm in their recognition OF the value
OF his discovery. First Secretary Korts
of the Imperial German. Archaeological
Institute in Rome wrote TO him:
In the FIRST place. it is possible by
means OF the clay found by you to
produce hollow objects OF any shape
and size. You build them over a core
which is destroyed by the burning
process (wooden shavings or the like).
and then merely burn them in the oven
with the necessary holes for the gas
to escape. This Is exactly the process
which the ancients must have used for
their terra Gotta works. In the sec
ond place. iron rods can be placed IN
the statuary made OF your clay with
out the clay cracking through the ex-
pansion OF the iron during the heat
ing or It's contracting during the cool
ing process. Thus IL will be possible
to shape large statuary with the in
terror iron support necessary for their
stability and to burn them In q SUI
hcientiy large oven
Neither the one thing nor the other
Is possible with the usual clay. which
would burst
Consequently. the clay found by you
In ancient times was used for hollow
! statuary. Also outwardly in color and
quality, particularly as far as concerns
the numerous mica particles mixed in).
your samples show a striking similar
ity with the antique terra Gotta
Il congratulate you heartily upon
your invention. which will be OF
pecial Importance for the modern ar
tistic clay plastique-"
Ilermanini, director OF the Royal Ma
tional Museum in Rome wrote with
great interest have examined the ter
ra cottas you have made and which
correspond In color and in structure
with those OF the ancients. BY ex-
animation of these samples you have
laid before me am. indeed, convinced
that you have been able to burn hg-
ures In terra Gotta which are hollow
throughout. and you have shown also
that IL is possible without danger OF
breakage to put these figures in the
oven. no matter II they have metal
armatures or skeletons inside.
Il believe that II you live you will
see the sculptors OF our day using the
method you have rediscovered and we
will then hope to waken to new life
the forgotten art Of creating original
terra cottas- am glad to express my
most serious admiration for your dis
covery."
Bisson. the Danish sculptor. wrote an
acknowledgment OF the Importance OF
his discovery to Magelssen. to which
Hasselbins had added the following
line: II fully agree with what Pro-
lessor Bisson has stated above"
Bisson wrote: Mr.. Magelssen has
invented a new modelling material. It
resembles clay. but has the invaluabls
quality of not contracting when IL
dries. Thus It Is possible to leave a
figure standing with it's iron skeleton
without watering II. and yet 1t viii
not crack. II one wishes to begin
working again this new mass can be
easily softened.
The most remarkable thing about IL
is that IL will be possible TO have the
figure burned with the iron skeleton
standing. without its being in any way
damaged 10 Is. therefore. my con-
vfction that this material in many
cases will be of extraordinary import
ance for sculptors. as we'll as for all
clay industry"