The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-13
The STATUE Of
L|BtRTY'S SISTER

New York. Feb. / A sister of the
Statue OF Liberty on Bedloes Island
will be brought into the world by
Americas noted sculptor. Frederick
MacMonnies, who is at work now on
a model for the Marine memorial to
be known Americas Gift 10
France in his studio at No. 21s East
Forty first street
We have not yet definitely decided
on the site of the statue" said Mr.
MacMonnies today. II understand
that Marshals Foch and Joffrc will
select the exact spot near Meaux, on
the Marine river We had a good sug-
gestion from Thomas Hastings, the
architect who did the public library
that the statue be placed on an island
in the Marine. The figure would then
have taken the classic form, rising
from the point of the island as though
ut were the PROV of ship. Marshal
Foch, however, told us there was no
island suitable.
| Il have not progressed far with
plans for the statue, although | have
been considering it for nearly a year
One cannot find mind for piece
lof art whenever he wants it, YOU
know.
The first decision had to make
! concerned the form Form to me you
Understand. means what harmony is to
the musician. In a spire ] see WORSHIP
! and prayer; in sphere or ball | see
restless. shifting mobility; and in a
pyramid ! see the symbol of defense
and duration, chose the pyramid
form for the statue as depicting best
the successful defense of France and
civilization. There was my beginning
the result of my fret analysis
The next question was detail. How
should defaee the simplicity of that
mountain in way that would make
/ the detail worthy OF the simplicity
which 1t was TO replace? /
took the human figue. a hgue of
a human means more to US than a
pyramid or mountain. for we know
! tha animate possesses our. strength and
our weakness. 1t catches the heart
/ 1t gives the human interest.
The figure | expect to use is of LIB
erty in distress It will be the sister
o. our Liberty in the harbor here 1t
VIII be as though the Statue OF Liberty
+ had been desecrated and attacked: it
will be as though the enemies of civ
iiization had tried to throw her down.
but she stands. even in her agony
stu resisting. Liberty protesting
against invasion, Liberty resisting,
I Liberty triumphant at last
Around this central figure shall
J BLOCK out the reinforcing figures with
hich TO support the center keeninr
tire whole in the shane OF pyramid
England. young man, perhaps with
sword drawn Belgium, violated girl:
France, mother-all round the CEN
/ tal fGute OF strength and triumph
passing through the storm
The statue, / hope viii convey the
whole story from beginnAg to end
TIE attack, the resistance, the strur-
I gle the u+bc
army was at tho gates of Paris and
, diem the dawn of victory peace and
! liberty again.
! Il believe that is what | want, hut
/ | hesitate 20 fix il too definitely now
| Il is only my present conception OF
what 7 shall strive to attain.
| The MATERIAL The most appropri-
ate material would be American gran
| lie, which would lend itself we'll to
=, the colossal simple figures
The great cost Of quarry and trans
pcrtation OF such material. however
viii probably he heyond our reach
We might use the French monumental
stone. which is very good. Tho
French have used II in many OF thar
works Of art such as the Arc dc
tt omphe."
The group, according TO Mr., Mac
Monnies, wiz be about sixty feet in
height, and as large as tho finances
viii rermit The pedestal VIII be Of
the simplest kind. -
II shoGld like to see the great pyra
mid Swinging from the ground said
the sculptor, its head in the clouds
and its TANKS anchored in the earth.
around II cows grazing. perhaps and
n'@ assnrv the ,a e Mapne syanx II is nor
this statue viii not he. decoration
~ VIII be symbol of the defense OF
France against The foes Of civilizations