The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-09-16
THE BEADLE STATUE
Some Interesting Details Of Building
Sculptor's Clay Model


Some Interesting Details Of Building
Sculptor's Clay Model
Sioux Falls-very few persons in
the general community are more than
slightly acquainted with the work OF
the sculptor, though occasional lee
lures give US a few features OF IL. Our
children In the city schools work a
little In ~fashioning soft clay into
forms. From the beginning of scuip-
ture the first form or model was az IL
now is, made in clay. This substance
can be easily shaped and changed un-
til 1t represents more or less perfect
ly the subject OF which the marble or
bronze statue Is intended.
We can best report the process by
a description of the work OF Mr.. Fl.
Daniel Webster, who is making the
statue of Gen. w. II. H. Beadle for a
niche in the rotunda Of our state
capitol at Pierre. He secured, through
the courtesy of the board and super
intendent, Prof. Mcdonald, a part OF
the basement of the high school build
ing as his studio. There he construct
ed two movable and revolving plat
forms between three and four feet
square and about eighteen inches
high, the stronger and frmer for
the model, the lighter one for the
subject to stand or sit upon In posing.
The model being mainly of moist clay
must have some iron and wood inter-
nal supports to prevent the clay from
settling down and losing form. So
iron rods pass up through the limbs
and body, neck and head and are re-
inforced with wooden braces, two
iron rods connect from each shoulder
through the two arms and into the
hands. In addition a strong outside
iron rod, with a branch into the body
where 1t is braced to the platform,
supports and helps to hold plumb the
entire structure.
The clay must be thoroughly ground
and moistened and worked owe With
a box full of this the artist using botn
hands gathers it up and with force
throws it in place and thus builds up
firmly and compactly the mass of the
body and ilmbs; thus the model grows
outward from the central line to the
general form, and the work increases
In care and delicacy until the last
touch is given to features and cloth
ing. When completed the model and
supports together weight about eleven
hundred pounds,
Yesterday morning the last finish
was given to this part of the work
and then two photographs were taken,
one of the model alone and the other
of the model and the subject. Gen.
noadIo ~, n rkanIinu naca 1iko tho ~
the model and the sculptor at work.
The model naturally tends to dry out,
though nightly clad In wet sheets and
cloths. So Mr.. Webster began in the
afternoon another important step by
covering the model with plaster OF
paris, colored blue. This forms the
mould in which he will a little later
cast a white plaster copy of the model.
AS this will have a finer appearance
than the clay It probably will be
placed on exhibition for a short time.
AS compared with clay the plaster
cast is firm, hard and not heavy and
will be shipped to Mr.. Webster's
home. There the marble form will
be cut from a single block Of Tonnes
see marble and the plaster cast will
be the guide. This marble has a gray
and slightly pinkish tinge. The pure
white stone is little used for human
statues.
The final work will be compelled In
some ten or twelve months when 1t
will be shipped direct to Pierre,
placed in the niche and unveiled at the
fall session of the State Educational
association In 1911.
The statue Is a perfect portrait.
Upon the front base of the monu
ment the inscription is as follows,
which will probably so remain as Gen.
Beadle wishes no blaZonry OF titles
and sentiments. The two lines are:
VIM. HI. II. Beadle, Educator.
He Saved the School Lands.
Back into the box goes the clay
while the whittier form goes east to be
there exchanged by the skilled and
already famous artist to the marble
statue. All who have seen the model
praise 1t, warmly. On Roosevelt day
the committee met, examined and
warmly approved the model. To those
to whom this seems so good there will
be delight when the marble shows the
artists splendid ideas In the signal
beauty his chisel always gives.