The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-27

the bust of General Washington in
plaster. 1t was the finest which came
from his hands, and my opinion of
Cirrachi was that he was second to
no sculptor living, except Cnnova, and
If he had lived would have rivaled him.
His style had been formed on the fine
models of antiquity in Italy, and he
had caught their ineffable majesty of
expression. On his return to Rome he
made the bust of Washington In mar
BILE 1t was sent over here and was
universally considered the best effigy
of him ever executed
The plaster cast of this Cirrachi
bust was all that CanGva had after
which to model the statue, the contract
for which was given to him through
Thomas Appleton, then United States
consul ut Leghorn. Italy. Appleton
VISA paid $500 for negotiating the deal
with the artist. Altogether, the statue
as 1t was destroyed in the fire OF
1881 cost the state about 100000.
r. d. w. Conner, secretary of
the North Carolina Historical Com
mission, has been especially instru-
mental in procuring the plaster model
| from Italy and setting 1t up in the
Statehouse here.
statue brought to America.
There seems TO nave peen SoHslu-
cradle delay in the completion OF the
statue after the contract was award
ed to Canova, so that 1t was not ready
for transportation across the Atlantic
until May, 1921. 1t was brought to
Boston on board the United States
ship Columbus, and was reshipped
from Boston to Wilmington, on the
| coastwsc steamer Mary Ann in Mo-
vember of the same year. From VII
| mington 1t was conveyed up the Cape
Fear by boat to Fayetteville. There
the massive parts were put on special
~ constructed wagons, under the SUI
pcrvision of State Architect William
Nichols, then employed especially to
remodel the old state House
The statue reached Raleigh Decem-
Der "a. and was mot some distance
from the city in the public road by
a great company of people from the
city, including bands of music, mill
tary companies state officers and
clerks of the departments, judges of
the Supreme Court members of the
General Assembly and Revolutionary
officers and men headed by Colone!
William Polk. bearing the flag of the
Union. The GRAFTON was delivered by
Colonel Polk.
ilt announcement OI Tie pIOCITt-
ment of the plaster cast modelled ex-
act,y from Cauova's original was re-
ceived with qualification by people in
all parts of the State few months
ago, and there is still further pleas !
ure at the actual arrival of this cast
from Italy, a gift of that government.
and Its being set up in the corridor OF
the state House to await the action
of tho General Assembly In having it |
Reproduced in marble. In spite of
the fact that no one claims that the
statue is at all good likeness OIL
Washington, as he Is generally rep
resented in statuary and on canvas,
the Assembly is sure to be inror-
tuned by people generally for no time
to be lost in providing the marble re-
production.
The Houdon Dronzc Statue.
1t is an interesting fact that the
bronze replica OF the famous Virginia
statue OF Washington made by Hou-
don, the famous French artist under
authority of resolution passed by
the Virginia Legislature In 1884, was
procured and set up at the Fayctte-
Vile street front of the North Caro-
lima State House, to take the place OF
the Canova statue, lost in the fire that
consumed the old State House. And
that this statue represents Washing
ton in his American or Revolutionary
boots and regimentals." characterized
by Thomas Jefferson. as having a
Very puny effect" when he was ad-
yising North Carolina officials as to
the style of statue Carolina should
procure. The Raleigh bronze Hou-
don statue is one of six that were cast |
by special permission OF the Virginia
LEGISLATURE under the direction of
W j. Hubbard, wel-known artist of
Virginia, In 1857 The first OF these
me- casts was set up at Lexington
Va, the second is the one hero in
Raleigh; the third went to Metropol4-}
tan Museums New York; the fourth
to Charleston S, c.; the fifth to s.
Louis. Mo, and the sixth in the uni |
versity at st. Louis.
Bronze Replicns Cast.
u was about 1850 that w. Hub.
bard, the Virginia artist, armed with
special authority from the Virginia i
LEGISLATURE, set about obtaining cast
of the marble statue in order that n
might cast bronze replicas, urging
reason for this that the statue
showed signs of decay, was injured
already by being Shipped" and 9TH
erWise broken and In danger of de-
strrction by FIRE. lie established ~
studio and foundry just outside of
Richmond Ntt-ir -s- /