The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-15
Think She Merely Looked
PLASTER CASTS OF STATUE
On Exhibition at GrlswoId's and
Electric Light Office.


Charles Keck, the sculptor of the
Old First church, although a young
man has already done some notable
work. He came to New York but a
few years ago, fresh from his stud
les OF some four or five years in the
American Academy at Rome. Up
to this season he has been the sue
cessor of st. Gaudens in the studio
SO long occupied by him in West
both st. While there some striking
and enduring work has come from
his brain and hand, both in panel
and in the round. The latest and
nearest to us, is to be seen in the
new educational building in Albany.
1t has attracted the attention of
connoisseurs. The Architectural
Record for last August devotes eight
pages with Illuminating illustration
to him and his sculpture, especially
commencing his sympathetic treat
ment manifest in making his work
fit it's surroundings and tell its story
with strength.
His creations SO far comprise
bas relief in marble and bronze. AS
for instance the Telegraphers panel
in the Soldiers Memorial at Pitts
burg, in which two stirring scenes,
surrounded by frieze of twenty
eight portrait heads, tells a story of
the war brief and to the point like
the Telegraphers art itself.
The chimney piece in the UNIVERSE
ty club in New York is another
bit of his panel work. But in the
round full figure, he has especially
shown himself sympathetic mas
ter. His Mohammed in stone in the
Brooklyn Institute, his Elihu Vedder,
portrait bust in bronze, as well as
his figure of America outside the AL
leghany County Soldiers Memorial
at Pittsburg, all show his originate
ty, strength and genius at adapta-
ton.
But his latest work in the edu-
cational building at Albany, in
bronze medallion over the main en-
trance, in the candelabra On either
side the same entrance. where he
has introduced some two dozen chill
dren with most happy effect, and in
the great candelabrum which
hangs in the rotunda, are both evil
dence Of his power of adaptation
and originality, with a note of pecul-
iarly national flavor that marks his
conceptions as essentially American.
But perhaps his greatest work to
date, along the line of the purely his
toric. is that of full length portrait
statue of George Washington, order
ed by United States citizens resid-
ing in Buenos Ayres as a gift to
their adopted home. A speaking
likeness carrying in pose and fea-
ture the power, the common sense,
the poise, the kindness as well as
sternness, which we are wont to as
sociate with that figure, and which
made him the father of his country.
The plaster casts OF the statue the
committee has chosen, now to be
seen in the window at Griswold's and
at the Electric Light Office, can only
remotely suggest the real bronze
figure, eight feet high standing on
rock on the old green. Here we see
the colonial preacher with all the
earnestness of the pioneer urging
upon the people, his people, with
whom he is willing to share even
death itself to win the object of
their coming here, the importance
of that stedfastness which is loyalty
and wins victories. There is deter
mination in the face, and command
in the pose which we'll illustrate the
character we are wont to ascribe to
this leader of Bennington's early
days.
One of the statuettes is also. on
exhibition at the Walloomsac Inn at
Old Bennington.