The San Francisco call., 1908-09-27

petrated In communities where haste
had been made to honor the martyred
president They remembered the many
failures to portray his effgy. which was
singularly reposefuI and harmonious.
and gladly voted to accept Aitken's
design. This monument was dedicated
by President Roosevelt. The chairman
upon that occasion offered the following
tribute.
The figure of the republic. majestic
in its wisdom and strength, endowed
seemingly with the POWER to confer
honors and rewards. is griefstricken in
the presence of the king of terrors.
which no earthly power can overcome.
You will see that sadness rests upon
her face and tears suffuse her eyes.
She is the picture OF a mother incon-
solable. Powerless TO save her son,
she can but show her grief while she
murmurs his praise"
Like the monument to the navy in
Union square. the Mckinley monument
has a most beautiful setting at the en-
trance to Golden Gate park. The statue
done in bronze is upon a pedestal OF
California granite approached by four
steps.
Aitken's art entered into many of the
fine architectural achievements swept
away by the fire. Not every one recalls
that 1t was Aitken who modelled the re-
lief figures in the spandrels of the
bandstand in Golden Gate park.
With such a background of achieve
ment in his native city. attesting that
he was not the prophet of tradition, un-
honored and unsung In his own habitat.
Aitken went abroad in 1906. He made
his first European record in 1906 at the
Paris salon, where he exhibited The
Dregs of Love-" a crouching. inexpres-
sibly unhappy figure cut direct from a
block of marble without model. with
out a previous sketch in clay. and
without the use of the usual pointing
machine. This deviation from the ac-
cepted methods shows that Bobby
is still finding his own way for doing
things. After this figure received it's
Paris honors IL was shown in the Penn
sylvania. Academy of Fine Arts in
Philadelphia. the National academy OF
New York and also at the Lambs' club.
The following year brought Aitken
new honors at the Paris salon. He had
accepted figure of an athlete In heroic
size-seven feet six inches high and a
Decentralization" The latter was. like
the 'Dregs of Love-" shown in PhiIa-
delphia and New York.
At present in New York. Aitken has
entered several important competitions
If successful in any OF them he will be
busy IN the east for a long time to
come
He seems to have become the fashion
In the field of portraiture. Quite re-
Gently he modelled a bust of David
Warfield the Music Master that is to
be placed in the Stuyvesant theater.
New York The model has been for
some time at the foundry and will soon
be done in bronze and installed A
portrait bust of r. F. Outcault is near
ing completion, and Aitken has orders
to make portraits of David Belasco,
Augustus Thomas. Mrs. waraeld. Max
inc Elliott, willard Metcalf and sew
eral others. Before leaving San Fran
cisco Aitken achieved much distinction
for the portrait busts he made. Among
his subjects were Nine. Modjeska;
Douglas Tilden, the sculptor; President
Mckinley, George Stirling, Gertrude
Atherton. Charles Rollo Peters and Jo-
seph d. Redding.
San Francisco Is to have something
new done by Aitken. He is at work on
a monument TO Bret Harte which is to
be erected here. as a gift from the Bo-
hemian club to the municipality. There
will be nothing of more personal in
terest in Bobby" Aftken's work than
this order. for it recalls the Bohemian
club. we'll beloved by all it's members.
one of which is this young sculptor
When he was in San Francisco Aitken
was always ready to do his part in the
entertainments of this organization
For the Montezuma jinks, or. more def
nitely speaking. the second of the now
famous grove plays" Aitken modelled
some heroic figures. a particularly note
worthy one being a colossal statue OF
Mextii. which remained for long time
in the grove after the play had become
a memory.
1t may be several years before Aiken
returns to the home he left so reIuc-
tantly. but he will be watched with
interest by his California friends while
he strives for the mantle of ST. Gaudens
which the critics seem ready to be-
stow upon him.