The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-21
The nslntra Lafs,etle statue.

The school children Of the United
States who had contributed sJO,0O
toward the fund for the erection of an
equestrian statue of LAFAYErTE in Paris
were dist reased TO hear in February, on
the authority Of Colonel VI A. WINTER
Of the Minute Men, n Washington organ
~ization, that the statue Of staff which
was dedicated on July 4, 1910, was still
In place, weatherbeaten and u~nsightly.
and that the bronze statue which was
to be substituted for II had not been
completed after six years OF endeavor
by the sculptor, Mr.. PAUL WAYLAND
BARTLETT. Colonel WINTERS informa-
ton was that various parts OF the make
shift had succumbed to the elements
from time TO time, so that II became
necessary to supply others and go over
them with bronze paint, with the result
that the temporary Lafayette was an
eyesore and a heartache.
The school children and the other
contributors will be glad to learn, on
the authority Of Mr.. ALEXANDER H..
RRvELL of the Memorial Commission,
that the permanent statue is almost COM
pleted and promises to be not only credit
able to American art, but worthy OF its
splendid site in the Court Of the Louvre.
1T should be understood" says Mr..
REvRLL, that the equestrian statue OF
LAFAYETTE is not an ordinary UNDER
taking. Not only must it fifty repre-
sent the spirit and heroism OF the youth
enthusiastic for liberty, but it must also
be in style and quality in harmony with
its setting, the Palace of the Louvre"
In accepting the plan of the statue
the French Government proposed that
the execution and erection of the work
should be supervised by NJ. GEORGE
REDoN, the architect of the Louvre, and
by the sculptors, NJ. PAUL DUBOIS,
director OF the Ecole DIES Beaux Arts;
NJ. EUaENB GUILLAUME, director Of the
Villa Medici at Rome, and NJ. HENRI
RoUJoUx. NJ. REDoN is responsible to
the Ministry Of Fine Arts for any work
placed in the palace and gardens Of the
Louvre.
Mr., BARTLETT's staff model was not
an unqualified success, and he was not
satisfied with it himself. In the brief
time allowed him before the day Of
dedication during the International ex-
hibition) he could not do justice to his
own conception. The new model seems
to be praised by everybody, and Mr..
j. O. A. WARD, chairman Of the Ameri-
can jury, is reported by Mr.. REvELL to
say that the new design is something
that will live in aria statue that will
be unrivalled in the history Of American
! sculpture" NJ. REDoN declares that it
is quite remarkable for its qualities Of
youth and sentiment, and will therefore
be quite worthy both Of America and
France"
Mr., BARTLETT promises the statue for
this year. Whether he has been a long
time about it depends upon the point of
view, and since it's excellence is vouohed
for there can be no other criticism.
The American public is being slowly
educated to understand that a time
limit cannot be put upon the produce
ton of a work of art. BY now it ought
to be familiar with the delays of genius,
which never works by rule of thumb.
Other sculptors than Mr., BARTLETT
might be named who seem to have taken
an unconscionable time to perform their
contracts. The greatest of all American
soulptors is rather famous for the hope
deferred. Apropos of Mr.. BARTLETT's
six years and more of dallying with the
| Lafayette model, NJ. GEORGE REDoN
says: an France we are not in the habit
Of tying IL artists down to any par
tioular time" So let III have patience,
and we may be rewarded by an imper-
ishable Lafayette.