New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-22
NIEHAUS CASE ENDED.
SCULPTOR WINS FIGHT
Correspondence Over "St. Louis
Statue Made Public


without Mr.. Ntehauss consent has condemned
the action of the directors and last night FUR
nshed The Tribune with copy Of the CORE
spondence, which closes the incident
In the final letter Of the society to David r.
Francis, president of the Louisiana purchase
Exposition Company it is charged that the d.
rectors have used a sculptor's work in a way
not permitted by any fair construction OF their
contract with him, and that they have so used
his general design as TO misrepresent his taste
and workmanship, and thus attack his profess
siouaI repute.
The society on September 90 1906 through it's
secretary, J. Scott Hartley, sent letter TO the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company ana 10
Mr. Niehaus, asking them. respectively to SUD-
NIT the facts in the case to the advisory COM
mttee Of sculpture for the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition-J O. A. Ward. Augustus St. eau
dcns and Daniel c. French--for its opinion on
the question involved in the reproduction as
permanent sculpture in bronze Of the stan
model Of the equestrian statue Of st Louis
temporarily constructed for the exposition. The
letter in part follows:
Notwithstanding the evident merit of the
statue i'm question. its huge size had much 10 40
with its selection for permanent reproduction as
the exposition company utterly ignored 'he au-
vice given to reduce the statue To the h-hlIS
within the 7 means, Messrs Taylor Bitter dl.u
Ntehaus commencing such q course to be taken
The statue was enlarged from a hair size
model the charging being done under the dlrsC-
tion of the chief of sculpture in remarkably
So, tiroe nv s1cb assistants as were available.
the result being excellent for its temporary pur-
nose but {ustIv declared UNIT for bronze casting
bv the designer the truth of which every SOUP
tor win readily understand without further eX-
,Ioration Furthermore the open air exposure
for two years and several coats or pant were
bound 10 destroy even temporary surface finish
Owing to the prominence Of the work lnVoNeo
the precedent established in this case Is
danger TO the entire profession, and we would
but no following action
Sc ~ Ta+ionai S;cuiItura Society officially
I ,e,, ~ avroett M, con,ua1v and also the sCulp-
an ,it N|;9t'o,,s - Ia, the facts of their
TOT Cl@Il'S -, ,,I,.,.t~. Loard which acted
case peIoIe 'i' 80 .o,,t,+,,ro and accent
upon i I@ - ~ ~. 1Lo+ hoard
HlT a' ~ $50, octiou he deferred until the
IA 49, ~ "a iu ~. ~, s,,h,rittad to the colin-
SUN VI '''is ''f"'' "
I'll
~, ,-,.h,,,. ,~,,,rlie7 ,y{,b this request but
MI -Nio""'' 0i -, .. ,,.,,,;+ tho
/ the exposition company ue'IlIleu w '''@''''N
matter 10 the advisory council. claiming that
their contract did not contemplate or provide for
|
such reference
Tho letter from President Francis 70 lhd'
oe,,, ,,-as IN ro-+ &c follows.
erect WAS III par a.
Tho Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company
contracted with MI. Niehaus for model for a
mo advisory council Of sculpture 10 pass upon
said model If the executive COMMITTEES is cor
rectIy informed the first model or design sub
nllted was NOV "a sI, acrSnrcd The exposi-
ton company received the model and paid Mr.;
NlehauS lne 'onti"gl I,I1e ionecs - produce
tho statue Of -. Louis in stan which stood
upon th" exposition grounds ,.,
Toward the close of the exposition Il 'tpNt-
ment started by individual cilizehs o. -
Louis to secure the perpetuAJou Oh ne ~
The exposition company had II" pa, -. ~ ~
movement. Correspondence was opened with NJ
Nehaus by the secretary OK SHe tNf!Si' g.
acting in personal not otn5ai cara t a"a
and at tho request OF these citizens. nc 49,,
which passed were I'm the nature OF HlP"Ittt
and answers as TO the probable cost OF IepI.'t .
ton. Mr.. NiehaGs Nlsl't' ~ i''''S n','s
close Of the exposition and met one or more OF
the citizens who had Interested IheiI'9''' - W
preserve the statue. The conferences H'i NO.
result IN action. Up 20 that Time the hndIH "L
directors Of the exposition had not oni[ hot
entered into any negotiation with MI. NlehauS'
but bad not considered me suoJ'gt, 81 -.
ton OF the statue OF ~. LOUIS. ne '"llll'''
which reported To the National sculpture So
clety on June ~ l.Fo. was uiiheT " i''7"ff''-
heusion 10 the facts.
Six months after the close or me exposition
when the movement by citizens had heeh ahdh-
doncd because the estimates or cost were de-
cided by them prohihtiye the board OF directors
Of the exposition took the HrSt step toN"." ~
reproduction by obtaining opinions az 10 NE
mechanical practcahhltE or Ilou1'tls ..o'" ~
staff statue an exact duplicate in bronze EN-
animation Of the condition OF the star statue
. BY experts led TO the conclusion lIldl lIa P'dil
was feasible The stan statue was shlPpeu III
sections 10 the bronze founders ana the bronze
reuroduction was accomplished
-, a., ,-
To this letter the society sent us ih''' IeP'S'
which vas approved by the sOCietys council
T. follows IN mart.
- '''''" " F
= .aor,s "a the National Sculpture Society
mar III Misunderstanding which has arisen as
- toIt ~ tba E,vpositiou COMPANY 10 use
q ,,,orl, far,porariIy constructed in STAFF for the
I &C. nF mo axpoeitioD as a model for a perma-
/ 1on+ statue i'm bronze-acainst the protests Of
I ~ ecnInrnr who had furnished the model eX-
nreeeIv FOR the temporary work in staff-is
erninentlv one which the clause in the contract