The Washington times., 1922-07-02

DOhbo - NcAAhAso thSAaSAaS So
act We perform. explained Mr..
Edstrom. The first. or crouching
figure, is 1 more brutal and eie-
mental form. named Initiative. the
first incentive to action. in Q way
akin to Bergson's "eian vital"
The second Titan. rising. tense
of face and posture. is Concentra.
ton. symbolizing the finding Of
ways and means Of carrying the
impulse to execution. Intelligence
and conscious will-power unite
here. The third Titan, Tenacity.
10 sustained effort. the impulse to
carry on to the end.
TITANs BACK TO BACK.
Back to back stand these Titans.
not facing and fighting. The big.
the interesting. the really roman
tic battle Is the one in the study.
In the office, the laboratory or
the shop. where we unite in the
work Of the world. and conquer
heaven and earth, not by killing
but by creating. not by taking
life, but by making life more
abundant"
THE serpent Is q symbol OF the
outside world, the material uni
verse around US. Fire, air, water.
minerals. electricity. all the ele-
ments Of the universe I include In
my symbolism. Even the serpent
becomes Q bewinsed Golden Drag
on Of Blessedness that carries us
on to bliss apd joys. instead OF
destroying u.s."
The base Of his monument Ed
stron explained in some detail.
This remarkable inspirationa'
composition will be featured in
the July "Art and Archaeology"
in an illustrated article by tho
editor, DR.. Mitchell Carroll. It
was pictured In the May mum.
Der, with a brief description by
Mrs. Minnigerode Andrews. who
wrote:
There 10 potent poetry ana pro-
found philosophy In the symbolism
of his latest great work, n colossal
competition entitled Man Tri.
umphant.' There IL indestruct..
BILE ldealism in the conception Of
the three heroic male figures.
model.d with unerrins knowl'
edge Of form and authoritative
firmness Of touch. which con-
tradicts the pessimism Of the an
tique group. The LAGOON. Here.
the genius Of the human spirit
overcomes the evil Of the worlds
naterialism. whereas in the older
work. evil, wrought the destruc-
ton Of the. father and his off,
spring" ..
Miss Leila Mechlin, editor OF
The American Magazine of Arr" |"
writes in praise Of Edstrom's new
conception. Mr.. Edstrom has
been to an extent q follower Of
Rodin.' she says, "an impress
sionIsr in sculpture. and his work
has teen characterized by an al.
most rude virility. In modelling
this group he has. however, fol.
lowed classical tradition and taken
into consideration rhythm Of line
and beauty Of finish, as well as
the relation Of mass to mass"
ART-MUsIC-POETRY.
In the reiiefs Of his Man
Triumphant" on the four sides os
the architectural base. the sculp.
tor has symbolized important
themes. the means through which
man gains ascendancy over the
world N which he finds himself.
On the first relief. play and ath-
letics accentuate the physical
functions. Scientific activities are
typified in figures Of the second
relief. The third glorifies the
rhythmic or aesthetic functions
Art, Music, and Poetry, while the
fourth emphasizes religious activi.
ties.
Heroic figures fronting the
groups Of each relief on the four
sides symbolic respectively. Thou
Must" II Must" "I Desire" and
II AM" Edstrom is emphatic. in
explaining the reliefs, that the
grouping on the four sides Is for
artistic expression only. and that
It has no relation whatever to the
emotional or the dogmatic Of a
limited creed. Too often the art
critic, in his willingness to dis
cuss the sculpture or the painting,
is prone to miss the artists real
intention. For this reason, II is
important to strive to understand
the purpose of the sculptor. in his
creation. to which he has given
90 much thought and study.
The story Of the various sroups