Pueblo chieftain. (Pueblo, Colo.) 1889-current, 1921-07-15
WASHINGTON IN MARBLE OR BRONZE

congress planned n monument for the
rotunda OF the capitol and passed a
resolution to ask Mrs. Washington II
the body of the former president might
lie in the circular hall beneath the ro-
tunda Mrs. Washington answered.
giving her permission. II was fitting.
congress- felt, that the Father OF His
Country should lie in the center of
, the capitol AT the exact spot which
L'Enfant had marked az the center OF
the city. II was also thought fitting
/ that a monument should be placed over
the tomb. But CORES pondence. plans.
and committee meetings went on for
/ thirty-two years without anything
being done.
| Then. the proprietor OF Mt. Vernon.
John WASHINGTON. refused consent to
/ the removal Of Washington tn tho
capitol. and the incident was regarded
as closed Plans for the monument,
! however, were spurred up by his re-
I fusal An American sculptor named
Horatio GreenouEh was commissioned
almost Immediately TO execute in
marble a full length pedestrian statue
/ Of Washington to be placed in the CEN
ter of the rotunda OF the capitol, the
head TO be a copy OF Houdon's Wash
ington and the accessories left to the
Judgment OF the artist"
Warrington In Roman Dr-..
Greenough proceeded to create the
lmost argued over statue OF Washing
ton that has ever been produced. OF
the features there was no criticism.
But GreenouEh chose to represent tho
statesman Washington rather than thu
soldier, and he dressed the figure In a
tosa, a Ia Julius Ceasar. The figure
was presented sitting. with the waist
practically bare, and with a drapery
covering tho lower part OF the body
| thrown over one appraised arm. This
conception led to endless discussions,
Jokes. and even to indiEnation.
| Greenough ecoffed at people who
could not appreciate the poetic or ar
tistic in sculpture and who were ap-
lpalled by statue without a shirt But
be against him.
Long before. when Houdon was
working on his statue. jefferson had
written to Washington asking in what
costume he would like the statue to be
made. And washington had answered
In the formal letter style OF the time
that he was satisfied with whatever
might be Judged proper. but that per
haps servile adherence to the Earb
OF antiquity might not be altogether
20 eHpedient as some little in favor OF
the modern costumes"
jefferson agreed with him and re-
piled: II think n modern in an an
tique dress as Just an object of rldi-
Guile as a Hercules or Narlus with
periwig or chapeau bras
/ After this CORES pondence. washing
ton was represented by Houdon in the
continental uniform which he wore as
Commander n-chief.
Washington's dislike Of the Roman
toga on moderns was held up to
lGreenouEh's discontinue. The statue
had almost a tragic career. The career
had started inauspiciously when the
2i-ton statue could not be got aboard
a warship to bring II from Italy to the
! United States without damage to the
ship. merchant vessel was finally
lremodeled to accommodate the i'm
porthnt cargo and the statue was got
into the Capitol with only little in
fury to the doors.
| Then, the light in the rotunda was
not good. and tho colossal Washington
was removed to the east plaza OF the
Capitol, The statue was not modelled
for outdoor exhibition, and the sculp-
tor feared exposure to rain and snow
would cause delicate corners TO split
off So the figure had TO be covered
IN winter by an unsigntly wooden hut.
until finally all controversy was
closed by removing IT to the Smith
sonian Institution.
This has left the capitol minus its
monument to the national hero. There
arc two copies of Uoudon's statue in
the capitol. and n bronze bust by
David DANGERS in tho rotunda. but
no great, outstanding statue The ro-
tunda beneath the dome is eth await
Ing the long promised monument COM
memorativo Of washinEton's Victories
'and achievements.