The Washington herald., 1908-07-26
FEW MARBLE WOMEN
NOT MANY WHOSE MEMORY
LIVES IN SCULPTURE.

peries, lend themselves 10 the artistic
portrayal Of the feminine figure IN marble
CT bronze But as stated above the
fashions OF medieval. rocoCo. or mod
ern tines are extremely trying in this
connection I can only recall three royal
FADilc monuments OF the kind pertaining
( 20 the eighteenth century. One IS that OF
impress Maria Theresa, just of the
filnssJrasse. between the two imperial
museums al Vienna Il IS almost twice
NE size. and If not artistic. is al any
rate both majestic and imposing. convey
ing an idea OF the grandeur OF this inape-
I rlous and imperial woman There IS one
oller statue OF her. at Pressburg. erected
10 commemorate her meeting with TIE
magnates Of Hungary. on the outbreak
o. he= war with Frederick the Great
when. appealing TO them for assistance.
they pledged their loyalty 20 her cause
with the CRY In Latin. then the current
language Of the Magyar aristocracy.
Aoreanur pro rege nostrot" Then there
Is tle statue OF Queen Anne r. front OF
81 PauIs Cathedra'. which though IA
millar as landmark 10 every American
tourist who has visited London. Is cutie
I1e reverse OF regal. ard is regarded bv
many as so great an eyesore from an ar
ustc point Of view as 70 have led % re-
peated demands for its removal 10 some
less conspicuous site
The statue on the Grand Square OF
Aelines, in Belgium OF Margaret Of aus
tria- who ruled over the Netherlands in
such mastery fashion IN the fifteenth
century and who was the aunt % En-
peror Charles V. belongs. Of. course. 10 a
much earlier era. and Is so far as 1 can
recall. alone of its kind. while anything
incongruous in IT'S appearance IS smooth Z
ed away and toned down IN measure f
.sHaHHH
which Il is surrounded. and which con-
stitute. so 70 speak. a fitting frame
Joan OF Arc Easy subject.
France can boast OF several efsgies IN
marble and in bronze Of the Maid Of Or :
leans produced In the seventeenth. /
eighteenth. and nineteenth centuries. But
they, in every instance. represent her in /
the martial attire OF a medieval knight. D
that is 10 say. in masculine garb. and 4
therefore have not offered any difficulties .
70 their artists ~ the matter Of costume
Most OF the statues now in existence Of T
women-thst IS 70 say. public memorials .
OF lnose who have played a role Ii the
world during the last few centuries-are
the work Of the present generation The
terribly tragic death Of Empress Eliza
beth OF Austria az Geneva Just ten years
ago, mas led 10 the erection Of al least a
score OF her statues. the two most sue
-essIu- and beautiful IN resemblance in t
grace OF pose. and in picturesque setting
beng those at Salzburg and in the Voll-s-
sarten at Vienna At Meran. too. she IS
IepTesented by poetic figure in marble.
Her disregard ot the mode Of the hour. .
and her fashion OF always dressing her
self IN chnging, Cl0sely-dtting gowns de-
void OF any pufIs. 1UrbeloVys. OF founces.
1S vel as the elegance Of form. which
5ne retained even 10 the last. give reason
70 nope that her memorials viii aIwavs
appear as artistic and as pleasing % the
eye as they are to-day They n every
instance owe their existence 10 popular
subscription and may be regarded partly
2 the light Of a tribute Of sy7npathv 10
he murdered Empress bereaved and So
.rueily tried husband. old Emusro-
? ralrcis Joseph. and also as q species OF ]
ernorseful admission by the people OF
Austria that they had sadly mssun5ar- .
1000 their Kaiserin during her lifetime.
ND hao never until her death accorded 10
Ter the need Of appreciation 10 which she
vas entitled