The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-06-26
Lat AYETTE RELIC
A GIFT TO HIM FROM FRANCE
NOW IN PlTTsBuRGH.

Inere was placed on eXhlD1tlOn re-
Gently in Gallery l., of the Art De-
partment of Carnegie Institute, Pitts
burgh, a silver gilt vase of great his
toric and artistic value, in that it was
presented to General Lafayette, Of
American Revolutionary fame, by the
people of France in 1880, and is, to
quote from Ferdinand de Lastyrie's
"Histoire de L'Orfeverie, "a piece of
plate which can really be considered
as the most remarkable left to art by
the first third of the nineteenth
century"
The relic has been purchased by
the Carnegie Institute and will con-
tinue on exhibition for an indefinite
period. 1t was designed by FaucOn-
nier, the celebrated French sculptor,
and the engraving is the handiwork of
Mulerat and Vechte. It was presented
to General Lafayette in recognition
of his services as a soldier and a
diplomat.
The vase consists of a cup and
pedestal four feet high. The handles
al 0hapCu 1lh0 WIG III dlCHC0 sup
ported by two lions heads bearing on
the border of the shouldering. On the
sides of the vase there are two winged
figures, representing fine arts and in
dustry, holding scroll, on which is
the inscription, France to General
Lafayette" On the other side is the
date, 1880, surrounded by halo. The
neck OF the vase is surrounded by a
civic crown in oak and laurel leaves
The base is adorned with plants and
| flowers of America. The pedestal is
square, with bevelled corners, and
adorned with aHegorical figures and
bassi-relievi. representing episodes in
the life of General Lafayette. The four
allegorical figures are:
First-Liberty: Represented by the
figure of a young woman with the
Phrygian cap, holding in one hand
the. national flag end in the other the
sword to defend 1t, and trampling on
broken links of chain.
Second-Justice: Represented by a
woman with stern features, wearing
the helmet of Minerva in meditating
attitude.
Third Strength: Represented by a
woman in all the vigor of life, slightly
draped, and leaning on bundle of
rods to show that she belongs to the
Union. Sis
| Fourth-Equality, or law: Repre-
sented by a young woman holding a
level, symbol of equality, and in the
other hand the tables of the law.
The four bassi-relievi represent:
| First-Surrender of CORVALLIS at
Yorktown: English general-hat in
hand handing his sword to Washing
ton in the presence of Generals
Rochambeau and Lafayette and the
stats of the allied troops. An Ameri-
can officer is helping to lift wounded
soldier, who appears oblivious to his
pain in seeing the triumph of his Fa-
therland.
Second Federation of 1890: Gen
eral Lafayette on the altar of the
Fatherland taking the civic oath. He
is erect, bareheaded, in the uniform OF
a commander of the National Guard,
holding in his left hand his sword,
which he presses to his heart, and
with his right hand leaning on the
oath to which he has just sworn. The
Bishop of Autin, in his sacerdotal
robes, surrounded by the clergy,
spreads his hands on the Bible lying
topen on the foot of the cross.
Third General Lafayette presenting
the Due d'Orleans, Lieutenant General
of the Kingdom, to the people: Gen
Eeral Lafayette shaking the hand of the
Due d'Orleans with effusion on the
Isteps of the Hotel de Vile. An officer
is holding the tricolor flag over them.
In the background are represented the
National Guards, combatants of July,
wounded soldiers and citizens. A
child standing on the basis of one of
the columns of the Hotel de Vile is
waving the national flag
Fourth-The distribution Of the
colors to the Paris National Guard,
on August 80, 1880: The basso-relieyo
represent2 the King and Lafayette on
the estrada. The King is upholding
the national flag and receiving the
oaths of the Chiefs of Legions. Lafay-
ette is handing to colonel OF q
llegion a flag, which he presses to his
heart. The King and Lafayette are
surrounded by generals and officers
holding unfurled colors and some
wounded soldiers.
Il