Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-17
BRINGING A STATUE
TOLiFE is HARD WORK
most interesting incident in tn,

~ HE most interesting incident in the
career of the figures in bronze
i which adorn the Washington pub
lie parks is not in the foundry where they
are cast nor in the impressive ceremonies
with which they are unveiled, but in the
studio of the. sculptor, where they are
born. There are many things in the
studio that are interesting and many that
create wonder, but the one thing which
makes the greatest impression on the
layman who watches for the first time
the creation of statue is the large
amount of hard manual labor performed
by the sculptor. Art and ease have al
ways been closely associated, but In the
art of the sculptor. there is a great deal
more labor than the average man
magines.
statue is the study model" and it is
the only part that Is all art: the rest is
all work and little art. The study model
is a small replica of the proposed statue
upon which the committee in charge OF
erection must pass. The sculptor makes
drawings or photographs of his subject
and studies his features carefully. FROM
these photographs and his memory he
molds the study model. II those III
charge of the erection of the statue APP
real work, not that of making the finish
ed statue, as many suppose, but the max
ing of the mold in which the statue Will
be cast All sculptors are not experienced
casters. however. SO their molds must
be made by others. To this small class
it is all art and little work.
The making of the mold begins when
the clay statue is finished and the beau
tiful creation of the sculptor is apparently
ruined by the first process. 1t is literally
f,,l Of rianaC closer
seryation shows that these pieces of tin
all follow certain lines, up and down the
sides of the legs. arms. head. shoulders
and around the waist. and 1t is evident
that they are to divide the mold into
sections. These pieces of tin appear 10
have been stuck in carelessly, but as a
matter Of fact the work has been most
carefully done, for it is a delicate opera
ton upon the accuracy of which depends
the success of the mold.
Making Plaster Cast.
This step completed the first coat of
plaster is put on. 1t consists of plaster
Of paris mixed to the consistency of
cream and colored, usually red or green.
The coloring of the first coat plays an
important part in later developments of
the mold. The first coat is thrown onto
the clay handful at a time with great
care for every indentation must be filled.
In this manner tilln smell OF ABOUT d
quarter of an inch is formed, every part
Of which is in touch with every part OF
the clay When this shell is set the
mold is thickened by throwing on white
plaster covering the clay to the depth of
about half an inch. To strengthen the
mold a framework of iron pipe is con-
structed This skeleton has many fam
tastic shapes, but each turn is designed
to strengthen some important part of the
mold. This framework is placed around
the statue and more plaster is thrown
on The throwing-on process continues
until the mold has reached the proper
thickness, about six inches.
Twenty-four hours or more are allowed
for the plaster to be thoroughly set
and then the delicate operation of detach-
ing the mold begins. In this operation
the work of the sculptor is ruined. for
in detaching the plaster mold the clay
statue is destroyed. The lines where the
master mold must separate are marked by
the pieces of tin thrust into the clay
statue With hammer and chisel the
caster opens these seams and separates
the mold into the required sections. Great
care must be used for the molds do not
always draw" well. When the section
will not draw he must exert his efforts
to such effect that the clay and hot
plaster shall break.
Cleaning the Molds.
The next step is to clean the molds of
all adhering clay. The inside of the
various sections are then creased with a
special compound, to prevent the plaster.