New-York tribune., 1909-11-21

Richard Watson Glider. who was a mem
Der Of the institute. not by name but as
our friend who would have delighted
and rejoiced in just such a meeting as
this. and so. If We might hear his word
tonight il would he a word Of sympathy
J and approval" left nothing unsaid con
corning who was meant
Royal CoFtissoz talked intimately on
The Influence OF Saint-Gaudens
ENRICHED AMERICAN SCULPTURE.
He said
II is always diricuIt to put into words
the exact nature Of the service which
great artist renders To his contemporaries.
There IS good saying OF LOweii's about
a lecture OF Emerson's shat ne had heard.
iSe could not tell, ne said. precisely what
the philosopher had talked aDOut. lie
simply felt, rs he came from the lecture,
that something beautiful had passed that
way. 50 Saint -Ciaudens. I think, has left
MS feeling that something beautiful he's
passed OLT way. RefeCtirg more L. detail
on what his ~ -ans 10 Us. the first thing
| think of is the special character Of hls
work as an artist. the particular gitt or
EenluS with which he enriched American
sculpture.
Tnis was the gift of charm. Locking
back ov-r his career and remembering the
works with which ne began IL. one is struck
bv what l can only describe as a kind Of
gracious aid beguliing note in them. Those
early portraits Of MS are not only very
Intimate and realistic they are Aaveloped
in an atmosphere OF beauty. IF originality,
OF charm. And TIE important thing IS that
this charm. rests upon the pUrest scUlptural
basis. that IL belongs 10 the very grain or
lis technique. The secret II lis success
was jus' a secret Il modelling Since mod
cling mas gone to the making or every
piece f sculpture that ever existed, may
seem for a .lomert 10 be talking about one
Of the TudimentS, but there Is. OF course,
Modelling and modelling With Saint
GIaudens II vas the kind in which every
touch spells knowledge and genius and a
t.f4fTn
matter Of purpose.
We have seen a good deal. in recent
years, OF the modelling that spre ads itself
IN vtrtUOslty. The example OF one brilliant
French master has set any number Of his
juniors al PLAYING sort Of game with
form They place a figure In some STRAPPED
position and then attempt to show on by
modelling IL with pTcdigiOus subtlety-
They call the result Love and the IN
finite" or bv some such high sounding
title and then expect US TO tell them That
they are indeed worthy OF Rodin- DO not
5ut neither do I hesitate To affirm that
much Of lt i weak. for the simple reason
that the modelling in II Il meaningless and
tricky and quite without personal char-
aCIer. The influence of Saint-Gaudens was
always against this sort Of thing In
looking az his surfaces you realize how
lovingly aud how thoughtfuiiy he csressed
them. how he moduated them. not for the
sake of a pretty effect. hut 20 express
the beauty Of nature through the beauty
Of art He could not have been tricky if
he had tried Beneath that delicacv Of
touch which gives an eANulSlNFiN SFnS1lOtls
charm 20 his surfaces there was a deep
recttude. a great artists passion fer
truth. His modelling is not only beautiful.
his fair for low relief which links him
20 Mino De Fiesole and other masters OF
the Italian Renaissance
SIMPLICITY AND BALANCE
I DO not mean tonight 10 engage upon
an exhaustive analysis Of his work but
there Is another specific. phase OF IL 70
ia. N-H.
composition SURVEY the whole body of his
sculpture. his portrait medalliOus his busts
his monuments. and see II YOU 1Hd any
where trace Of uncertainty or restless
ness or seusationalism Perhaps IN a
single instance-that Of the angel in the
upper vart OF the "ShaW''-he would have
. TecOnsidered his design after il was put
into the bronze. But the dominating char
acter of his composition is found In per
feet simplicity and balance. When he is
working IL the round he finds lust the
natural and artistic arrangement for his
figure, When he is working in relief he
finds Just the right placing for his portrait
and gives IL In its background. just the
right proportions. CcnsideI. too. the re-
straiut and the felicity ~ his decoration.
how his lettering Is IN Itself beautiful and
4 is always disposed that a is really ua RI
{ and parcel of the whole design He pIt
/ his sigma ture on a relief with the same
care thot Whistler used I'm putting the
famous Butterfly on one Of his paintings
His influence was acknowledged. con
sciously or unconsclouSy. in A Thousand
different directions. n the young sculptor
working under Saint-Gaudens or not. strove
the harder at his task. i'm the hope that
/ he might he worthy ~ the leader of his
/ profession in this country. architects and
: committees everywhere also f1seusfbIv
came To admit the obligation that he had
done so much TO lay upon them. Everv-
i body knows how the character OF our pub
Z lie monuments has been improving and
how the sculpture on our public buildings
/ Is greater in quantity and better in quality
every year This l. because We have been
developing a competent school Of sCulptlIre
filed with aole men OF Saint-Gaudenss
generation and with younger altists trained
by him and 10y them. But I think that all
/ these scuIp-ors and their fellows In paint
ing and architecture viii unite in agree
ment upon the great impetus that he gave
10 the standard they uphold By precept
I and example. artist and 5 a man
/ az character he exerted an influence max
ms here tonight is not simply in honor
/ OF a man who rs gOue-it Is in honor Of an
artistic force that IS still working
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT
4 President Tart sent the following letter.
/ which was read by Dr. van Dyke.
+ T have your note Of November Is IL
closing invitation which the National
Institute n Arts ana Letters mas been
/ good enough 20 extend 10 me- 20 atterd
the presentation 20 Mrs. Saint-Gaudens Of
the gold medal ~ the institute awarded
/ 10 the sculpture Of Mr.. Saint-tiaudens.
/ should be exceedingly glad 10 be pres
eut az this interesting occasion and 20 tes-
tify by my presence "a nav high apprecia-
I ton Of what Mr. saint -Gaudens had at
tanned not only IN TINS country, but before
the world. a. sculptor of remarkable
genius and who has done so much 20
/ raise the high standard OF American art.
I regret however that my engagements
are such that I cannot be with YOU
Dr. van Dyke then told how sant-Gau-
dens In bis youth had fought his way
through poverty Ito enter into his king
dom" when he handed The medal 10 Airs.
salnt-CisuCtHs he mentioned. Tor the first
time Mr. Glider By name
TRIBUTE To MP. GLIDER