Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-12-07
BARNARD S DREAM| IS
REALIZED IN BRICK
Famous Sculptor Reveals His Clois-
tiers in New York For
Charity
Special to The TeLeernhh

New York, Dec. 6. - George Gray
Barnard, the Pennsylvania sculptor of
the famous groups in front of the Cap
itol at Harrisburg, and who has fig
ured in q number of sensational incl
dents in conhection with the contract
and its carrying out, has at last real
lied the dream of his life and erected
sort of Gothic shrine on the heights
at Fort Washington avenue and One
Hundred and Eighty-first street, New
Y ork city, in which ii place his Gothic
art treasures gathered by him in the
south of GRANGE.
Barnard did not expect to reveal
the unique building to New York for
several years, but in view of the needs
of French artists he has decided to
open the "cloisters," as he calls the
MUSEUM, to the public for the bene-
fit of the destitute wives and children
OF French sculptors who are serving
at the front. For the first month an
admittaace fee of So will be charged
except upon Saturdays and Sundays,
when the fee will be 50. "So long
as money will be paid TO help the
wives and children of the French
sculptors at the front, so long shall L
allow a fee to be paid at the door,
and when this condition no longer
eAlstS inc Cnapel VIII De Tree 10 all.
Will Sell One Piece
The sculptor will sell a wonderful
fifteenth century Virgin and Child for
the benefit of the French families,
but the exhibits and the cloisters
themselves will be kept intact. Those
who have been in the very plain,
bleak, brick structure which he has
built with so much enthusiasm, mar
vel at i, for the building, which is
unique and without a counterpart in
the world, is largely Barnard's work
Scarcely a brick in 1t but has been
thoughtfully placed by him. Some
times the bricks have been placed and
replaced until just the right feeling
fofr the arch or the line has been OBJ
tained, for Mr.. Barnard and his work
men have been working in the an
cient way, trying to secure a fitting
background for the ancient carvings
These carvings, which comprise the
pillars and capitals of the cloisters,
as well as virgins, saints and martyrs
in the round and in relief, are in the
loftiest vein of Gothic art.
Has Churchly Appearance
A description of the cloisters notes
that the side aisles of the cloisters cor
respond in this setting to the aisles of
a church and the enclosure of the
cloisters corresponds to the nave. The
interior is in fact perfectly churchly
in spirit, and there is no heason why,
were it consecrated, Mass could not
be celebrated in it. The main altar
contains a fine antique painting on
gold, and above it is a gallery which
would serve admirably as a place for
a concealed choir. There are two side
chapelsc, one of which contains one of
the greatest treasures of the collec-
ton, twelfth century carving of the
Christ in wood of exquisite precious
ness of workmanship, and some old
stained glass taken from the Cathe-
dral of Toul in 1870. The second
remarkable early Pieta in wood. In
the center of the nave is the tomb of
one of the knightly crusaders with
his shield and his chain armor beau
tifully carved.
Most of his capitals and columns
come from the shrine of st. Michael
de CuXa, of the ninth century, and it
will be remembered that when the
French government heard h had
bought tn remains from the peasants,
who used them in their barnyards and
celdars, there was a great outcry and
their confiscation was threatened
Housed where they are they represent
the triumph for Barnard's PERSISTENCE,
and help to make up a building which
is Barnard in eXery brick and drop
of mortar.