Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-03

terry: Daniel French's charming Gallaudet
group is at Kendall Green, and Niehaus'
Hahnemann occupies a site to the east of
Scott Circle. And besides these there is TO
be mentioned the equestrian statue of Gen
Thomas by J. Q. A. Ward. which is one
of the best, not only here, but in the en-
tire country. Indeed, nowhere can the his
tory of American sculpture be so we'll stud
led as in Washington. The first equestrian
statue which was ever erected In this coun-
try-the Gen. Jackson in Lafayette Square
is here, and each forward step from then
on has witness. When Clark Mills mod
eled the Jackson statue in 1852 no had
never seen an equestrian statue and there
was not a foundry in the country at which
II could be cast With audacipus courage
he built his own foundry outside of this
city and after making numerous expert
iments not only cast this statue himself but
also Crawford's statue OF Freedom" which
surmounts the dome of the Capitol. Henry
X. Brown was the sculptor of the second
Washington Of Union Square, New York
and his are the statues of Gen. Scott and
Nathaniel Greene Mr. Ward was his pu-
Pill. Thomas Ball. the teacher of Daniel
ton group in Lincoln Park; Story by the
statue Of Prof. Henry in the Smithsonian
grounds. and Rogers by the Columbus doors
at the Capitol. But all the important ex.
amples are not to be found In the public
parks and reservations. Those persons who
really wish to Study the development Of
American sculpture must 60 to the hall of
statuary at the Capitol and to the gallery
Of the reading room Of the Library Of Con-
GresS.
The han Of statuary has been greatly
dignihed in appearance recently by the
removal Of paint from the stone walls and
by the simpliied redecoration Of the wood
work. Even the statues appear to better
advantage on account Of the improved en-
yironment. and seem to invite inspection
rather than urge flight, as formerly. For
the masses of sightseers that surge through
this hall the statues derive their chief In
terest as portraits Of great men, but to
one with practiced eye they have another
interest as poignant. Greenough said that
his much derided statue of Washington
would stand for all time as evidence of the
first struggling Of an infant art" and here
Is found testimony of its development. The
names Of the sculptors Of the several stat
ues are to be discovered commonly in
scribed on the base to the right or left side
though in some instances modesty or shame
has forbidden signature. 1t has so long
been the custom to poke fun at the sculp-
ture in the Capitols hall of fame that
1t is a little surprising to find in its galaxy
numerous notable names and not q little
work Of merit There are the earlier men
standing for past traditions and some Of
the latter ones grown stronger as they have
IdDOreQ. Daniel FrencnS Gen. CaSS Is
there; Brooks Charles Carroll. and Me
haus' ingalls, and Garfield. To be sure,
these are the exceptions, but as they are
comparatively recent productions they EN-
phasiZe progress
1t is hard to explain to the uninitiated
what beyond accuracy Of form and cor
rectness of proportion constitutes good
sculpture. but there is almost one who
will pass directly from the contemplation
Of the early sculpture In the Capitol to the
recent work in the Library of Congress and
not note the improvement. The stiff for
mality is gone, the figures modelled
knowingly, and the drapery falls in easy
fods--the surfaces are pleasantly manipu-
lated and the faces are expressive. Still,
there are errors, but only such are made
by master workmen. The statues are not
merely images of men, but artistic interpre-
tatlons well phrased. There are Michael
Angelo and Columbus by Paul Bartlett,
Shakespeare by Macmonnies, Herodotus by
French. Homer by Louis ST. Gaudens. Kent
by Bssell, Bacon by Boyle, Gibbon and
Moses by Niehaus, Fulton by Potter. Scion
by Ruchstuhl, all worthy of careful study
and high praise. Nowhere else in the coun-
try Is there such a collection-a better
representation or more interesting exhibit
Because 1t serves the purpose of decoration