The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-07

| tor in American art.
William Rudolph O'Donovan Is n scup-
| tor whose works hare gained for him
n wider recognition than he, out Of his
modesty, is willing to claim. 1t Is about
sixty-one years ago that James Hayes
O'Donovan and Mary Bright O'Donovan.
of Preston county. Va. were called upon
to rejoice Mt the birth OF son. Mr..
O'Donovan early developed a taste foi
art, and taught himself. instead of seek
ing instructions at tho schools. When
the war between the States was declared,
| young O'Donovan was found fighting in
| the cause Of the Contederacy. After
| this, so far had he progressed In his
art. studio was established In New
| York City. Since 1873 Mr.. O'Donovan
] has been an associate of the National
Academy. He is n member OF the So
ciety of American Artists. the Architec-
1 tural League, the National Sculpture So
ciety. and has executed many impor-
tant portrait busts and bas-reiefs. For
Caracas. Venezuela, he executed n statue
of Washington; concentrating the peace
at Newburgh. N. y. there is splendid
specimen of Mr.. ODonovan's skill. and,
among other notable productions, is the
statue for the Trenton battle monument,
equestrian statues OF Lincoln and Grant
for the Soldiers and Sailors Arch, Pros
pact Park. Brooklyn; a statue OF Arch
bishop Hughes, for st. Johns College.
Fordham, and memorial tablet to Bay
ard Taylor, for Cornell University.
And yet, In the face of this achieve
ment, Mr.. donovan chooses to speak
Of himself all retiringly. He said:
II can scarcely say what Influence
birthplace and early surroundings have
had upon my art, unless it is that left
them in u perfectly unbiased state Of
mind as to different schools. for the
people of my part of the State were free
from prejudice In that respect.
In addition to the biographies OF me
extant, / can add nothing, unless 1t Is
to say 1 have grave doubts sometimes
often. indeed. II not always-if what I
have done is, properly speaking, art at
all. In this, doubtless. l will be cheer
fully sustained by many IL not all, of
! my contemporaries.
II may say, however, that in the last
three years l have had good deal of
| amusement In trying to paint pictures.
and that I have quite given over the
pursuit OF the, to me. elusive art of
sculpture
studios OF Italy. coupled with talent
inherited from his parents, both OF
whom were artists. have made of Will
liam Copper. sculptor, whose every
new work Is looked forward to with
pleasurable anticipation Mr.. Couper
told me he got most of his inspiration
in New York. though the influence
worked upon him by the bent of his
father and mother-Virginians and resi-
dents of Norfolk at the time of his birth
could not have been small. 1t was In
Norfolk in Iced, that Mr.. Copper was
educated.
When he came to New York. 1t was to
begin the study of art in the excellent
Cooper Union. of this city. In 1874 he en-
tered the Royal Academy at, Munich.
Bavaria, for the study of drawing and
anatomy. A year later found him in Italy,
working away in the Florentine studio of
Thomas Ball. whose only daughter, Eliza
Chickering Ball, he married in 1878. Mr..
Couper's endeavor soon won him place.
He was on the jury for the acceptance
of works of art sent from Italy to the
Chicago Exposition of 1898. American ex-