Evening star., 1921-08-19
MEADE MEMORIAL
THING OF BEAUTY
Statue Soon to Be Placed in
Botanical Gardens Will
Compare With ANY.

What is conceded to be one of the
handsomes tworks of art of it's kind
ever erected in the Distric of Columbia
Is the Meade Memorial, which will be
placed in position in the botanic
gardens shortly. This tribute to Maj.
Gen. George G. Meade, who COM
manded the army of the Potomac at
the battle of Gettysburg, is to be in
the form of white stone statue of
heroic size and wit han elaborate
base. 1t will serve as a champion
piece to the Grant memorial in the
botanic gardens and the work of
placing the statue will begin within
the next few days, according to Col.
Clarence 0. Sheriff., superintendent
OF public building an dgrounds.
Memorial Declared Beautiful
Col. Sheriff. is of the opinion that
the beauty of this piece of art is such
that the Meade memorial will COM
pare favorably with any park statue
anywhere in the world. 1t is the
work of Charles Groslys of Glouces-
ter, Mass, designer and sculptor, who
has worked for more than six years
on the creation of the statue. He al
ready has started cutting the statue
from stone. following designs sub
mitted and approved by the Fine Arts
Commission, and in the meantime the
work of constructing the base in Bo-
tanic Garden will be under way.
VIII Portray Virtues.
In describing the memorial, Col
Sheriff. said:
The problem provoked by the
chosen site for the Meade memorial
dictated form which should be equal
In interest and fullnesS of workman
ship from every vantage point. Work.
ing upon this basis. the artist con-
ceived a circle of figures which should
embody the qualities which are es-
sentfal to the character of great
general. These six qualities-Military
Courage. Energy. Fame. Loyalty Chiv-
airy and Progress-while recognizing
their origin in the spirit Of war, look
toward Gen. Meade as the composite
of their several virutea
''The figure of Gen. Meade is thus
rendered the center of the artistic de-
sign, and the focal point in the imagi-
native conception. He stands. his
forth from the cloak of battle into the
future era of progress. Chivalry (at
his right and Loyalty Cat his right
hold back the cloak, while Loyalty
also raises aloft over Meade's head a
commem moration of a great achieve
ment. Fame and Progress occupy the
central position fright and lefD on
either side of the group. Fame. with
the urge ever upward and on, strains
upward for "a clearer vision of her
born. typifies the mortal striving for
that which is just beyond. and carries
with it a sense of unrest and of per-
petual movement.
Progress shown Ideal.
The figure Progress. on the other
hand. is dynamic in the strength of its
own potentialities. 1t is figure which
which will gather from its own being
the wings of action. To its left. Mill
tary Courage clings with bulldog Se-
nacity to the dominant figure of the rear
group. War. from which 1t takes its
being. To the left of War. the figure
loosens his grasp upon the arm Of War.
aquiver for the greater achievement
yet to come. War. itself. occupying the
central position in the rear group, a
ng and unchanged since war first raw
aged the world, holds in his grim clutch
two memorial tablets. His wings. in
ong sweeping CURVES. stretch toward
the standard which Loyalty holds above
shadow of the wings of War. =
''From the grim determination of
Courage. through the figure of
Energy, to the figures of Chivalry and
loyalty. the urge is onward and forward
toward Progress and Fame, which, alone,
If the group have the power to move
with Gen. Meade into the accomplish
nent Of the future. Although his dark
wings may carry him through other
lges and other lands, War will ever re-
main the same, unchanging. But the |
great general VIII move forward, leav-
ng behind him the static, symbolized /
n the figures of War and of Military
Courage. The command os .EorXardn % |