Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-14

which NAV contain no more than five
figures. while days. weeks and even
months may elapsc before all those con-
cerned are ready TO present II TO WASH
ingtonians as typical scene
of the. various steps which have 10
hc taken to reach the completion. the
first and one which perhaps counts the
most is the modelling of the figures shown
in the case. ON these rests the necessity
of SEEING truly representative Of the peo-
pie supposed to be shown. They mus
he true in size, shape. features and eN-
preston and not mere puppets on which
are hung clothes. beads and flowers. They
must represent the life of the picture
while all else is grouped around them
simply to lend atmosphere They are
the picture. the rest is but the frame
Even in the construction of these models
more than one pair OF hands or one
brain is required. First, the idea is set
suggestion of what is to be the general
theme This comes from Dr.. W. III.
Holmes. chief of the division of eth
pology Sometimes the idea will take no
more explicit diagram form than a few
rough pencil marks 10 show the relative
position of the figures which are to be
made. the other details being taken M
in a conversation. Then 1t comes to the
This brings the work to L. S. j. Dunbar.
who has made figures for the Smithson-
ian institution for tho past twenty years.
and has more than sixty specimens on
exhibition. the ma jority Being the various
Indian types, while the remainder
for the most part Fflipinos. or natives
of the South Sea Islands. MIR. Dunbar is
OF necessity q sculptor, for although the
models used in this connection are first
made of clay. and then of plaster. much
the same principle has to be used. and
the same wealth OF knowledge brought to
bear. And especially IN the work which
Mr. Dunbar is doing there is required a
wide knowledge of lypes and facial eX-
pressions as i'll many instances the figure
to Ice modelled cannot be copied from real
life. but only from photograph obtained
ny some Scien-i St or even perhaps only an
illustration from some book
Mr.. Duabar's studio al the museum
is i'll the new building. and here in one
end of big bare room he has his vari-
Gus tools of the trade" being nothing
more pretentious. at least as far as can
%" seen, than stand for the figure, rcd
clay, clothes and water. And yet with
this simple outfit Mr.. Dunbar fashions
men. women and children. in all their
multitudinous attitudes. and In all the
expressions which are known to hu-
manity.
As groundwork for his figures Mr..
Dunbar. as do all others. makes a foun-
dation for the figure. modelled along the
lines required by the attitude to be taken
by the finished figure. Could some of
his figures be stripped of their red clay
flesh their bones would then be displayed
a twisted mass of iron and wire at
tached to a brace which is in turn at
tached to board, and SO made to stand
on the modelling stand. Not even new
wire and iron are demanded by Mr. Dun
bar in his creative work, as old iron
suits him quite well. Sometimes, too,
as in the case of a sitting figure, he will
resort to the use of mere board for a
backbone, and then add what iron or
wire is necessary. Such Is the poor ugly
interior of some of his most beautiful
creations.
The foundation made. the next thing
is to roughly apply the red clay in the
general outlines to be followed. This
clay, Mr.. Dunbar adds. is the same.
purified, as that used for bricks, flower