New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-01

This art of statue grating Is by no means
confined to the busts of the Presidents of the
French Republic. Quite large number of other
statues, both in Paris and in the provinces, bear
other heads on their shoulders than those which
were originally placed there by the sculptors.
Probably the best known cases of this statue
grating are to be found In the Cour d'Honneur
of the Palace of Versailles. The statues whlch
now are adorned with the names of Marshais
Nortier Massena Jourdan and Lannes origl-'
raIlv bore the heads of Generals dEspagne
0xilled at Wagram), Lassalle and a couple OF
other military leaders Of minor fame ana celep-
rty on their shoulders. 1t appears that the chill
dren of General d'Espagne happened TO De visit
ing Versailles at the very time when the process
of statue grating was in progress ana came
nron the scuIptor Latte when he in the act
of decapitating the statue of their reVered
narent One of the ladies OF the party tainted
on the SPOT and it is needless TO add that a
great outcry was raised about the subject, with
o,t however, preventing the accomplishment of
the act
sian more peculiar are the vicissitudes OF the
r,,7t that figures on the facade OF the east side
of the Io,,,,re at Paris just over the coonnade.
The bIst originally represented King Louis XIV.
I, Int when Napoleon became Emperor, at the be-
ginning OF the last century his Minister OF Fine
Arts ordered that it should. be transformed Into
a bust of Bonaparte The sculptor. by way or
economy effected this by cutting short the flow
ing wig and altering the nose from an aquiiine
to q straight one. When Louis XVIII came
back to the Tuileries the bust was restored to
resemble Louis XIV, and during the Hundred
DAYS which preceded the battle Of Waterloo it
was again changed to represent Napoleon
After the Punishment OF the Emperor to ST.
Helena there was vet another alteration and
from that time until about ten years ago the
bust was left without further change, until at
tention was called thereto by the fact that the
dampness had loosened the cement that at
tached TO the bust the flowing wig and the
Bourbonian to the bridge of the nose. The
bust was accordingly taken in hand. and to-day
it represents no longer Louis XIV nor the first
Napoleon. but Mime la Republique."
Nor is this art of statue grating confined to
France. Thus in the parish church Of Var
mouth, in the Isle OF Wight, their stands over
the tomb of Admiral Sir Robert Holmes statue
of which the head only is that of the admiral.
The latter captured sea a French vessel
which was cow wing from Leghorn 10 Mar
seilles en- route for Paris a statue of King
Louis XIV, OF which all save the head had been
completed It being the object of the sculptor TO
model the head from the royal living original at
Paris Sir Robert coolly appropriated the statue
and caused an English sculptor to place the
marble representation OF his own head upon the
trunk. In tho recent restoration of some OF the
entrances of me old English cathedrals the
sculptured heads OF deans and canons then in
office have been placed by those intrusted with
the work OF restoration upon the headess
statues OF saints and kings of Oden days
This art has been extended even to paintings
and engravings. OF Van Dyck's grand eques-
trian portrait of Charles the first plats was
completed before the execution OF the Inflated
King. After his death Lombart. with view of
currying favor obliterated the head OF Charles
from the plate and substituted that Of Oliver