The sun., 1919-01-05
BARNARD STATUE OF
LINCOLN Is PRAISED
Critic Regards 1t as Better
Work Than Same Subject
by Saint Gaudens.
CONTROVERSY STILL ON
French SculptOrs Already De-
filming Monuments to BE
Erected to Wilson.
ny HENRY MCBRIDE.

The Lincoln statue controversy seems
to be one Of those to be continued In
our next serials, and each time II crops
up in the daily papers a resume of the
preceding chapters should be given for
the benefit OF new readers. Owing TO
the reduced rations OF paper that are
now handed out TO the newspapers this
practice Is scarcely feasible at present
but at least in my article OF last Sun
day I might have stated plainly for the
benefit Of those who refuse to accept
hints that in this matter am fatty
against the action taken by the poll
ticlans and academlcians toward the
statue OF Lincoln by George Grey
Barnard.
Mr.. Barnard's bronze is incomparably
better as sculpture, in my opinion. than
Saint Gaudens's Lincoln" am not
wholly in love with 1t, by any means, but
opinion will In time agree that It Is
the strongest Lincoln that we have
produced to date-and unfortunately for
sculpture In safer than our own. There
is very little evidence to show that many
people here have thought at all upon the
two Portraits and few OF the loudest
spokesman in the quarrel have even seen
the rival works. In the course OF time II Ia
10 be hoped some sculptor Of talent will
do even a finer Lincoln than Mr. Bar.
nard' s--one that will mark a step as far
in advance of this new bronze as this
new bronze IL in advance OF Saint
Gaudenss Lincoln"
Where So. Gaudens Il wenk.
Saint Gaudenss Lincoln" 1. alto
gether weak and Intellectual and II was
fast sinking into the obscurity for which
II seems ultimately destined when the
political opponents OF Mr. Barnard. in
despair OF combating him with a living
American sculptor. flashed the cruel and
all too revealing lmelght upon II. As
sculpture II fails in almost every way
The figure lacks stability, does not stand
properly. the frock coat Is hopelessly
the face lacks profunditv.
and the unfortunate chair which is part
of the composition. Is pathetcally alb
surd Whatever else may be said of Mr.
Barnard's Lincoln" II IL at least good
solid sculpture and stands out with the
SlUlpIt lUlHlONaDIe 1DTcc tnat was part
of the dead hero One may quarrel with
some Of Mr.. Barnard's ideas Of Lin
coin Il do. but not with his workman
ship. on the other hand Saint Gaudens
may not be said to have n compelling
idea Of LINCOLN AZ all; at least he has
not expressed IL
This failure OF Saint Gaudens with
his Lincoln" does not affkct his posi-
ton as the first of American sculptors, ,
for his "Farraglt" on Madison Square. !
New York. gives him the front rank in I,
1t Is the best American t,
portrait bronze that | know of Ike !
. much better than Mr. Barnard's Lin 3
coln"-these comparisons are odious, /
but are forced upon me by the circum- |
stances OF the dspute---hut although |
take a pride In "Farragut's" Yankee |
sturdiness and in his decorative qualities !
feel even in It that We must advance /
much upon IL, before our sculpture Will /
be really entitled TO place I'm the sun" !
In the widest flight OF my imagination /
cannot conceive OF French Nculptors |
coming 10 learn sculpture from our
FarragUt" II is satisfactory. even |
ine performance. that ought to give all |
Americans plea sure--but it will not teach |
III" Frenchmen anything they do not |
already know