The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-04-27
GRANT STATUARY
GROUP MEMORIAL
HAS FEW EQUALS
One of Largest Art Works of
Kind in World
BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART
Dedicated Today on Tooth Ami
versary of Great Command
er in Civil War
BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART

Washington, April 27-The Grant
memorial, dedicated today, IS one OF
the largest groups OF statuary in the
word. The equestrian portion OF y
is said to be exceeded i'll he.ght only
by the statue OF Victor Emanuel IN
Rome. Fifteen years have been re-
quired to bring it to virtual compile
ton.
The entire memorial which with to-
days dedicatory ceremonies takes is
place in the national capital with the
o-be-dedicated Lincoln memoir
ial and the great monument which
has stood for half a century as
memorial TO Washington, Is beautL,
full work of art Occupying a posi-
tion OF prominence at the east end
o. tie Botanic Gardens facing the
Capitol grounds it has been approved
by Augustus Saint Gaudens, Charles
f. McKim, Daniel G. French and 9th.
er prominent American artists.
The marble superstTucture on
which the various groups stand is 262
feet long, SO feet deep and five feet
above the ground. An equestrian
statue of Grant stands on high cen
tral pedestal at the west side facing
the Washington Monument and Lin
coin memorial at the other end OF
the Mall Lower pedestals at the
north and south ends support mas.
sive groups Of cavalry and artillery,
respectively The infantry arm is TO
be presented by bronze bas-reliefs to
be placed on the sides of the main
pedestal-this being the only part
not completed.
The finished work presents an in.
termingling Of action and repost At
each end upon the fanked exedras
are colossal groups OF struggling men
and horses In all the paraphernalia
and trappings OF war. The group at
the NORTH end represents cavalry and
the group at the south artillery.
They face inward and picture mad
rush toward the center, across the
wide stretch of marble that separates
them from the mounted figure Of the
great commander in the center. The
statute Of Grant on horseback sur
yeys 1t all The military leader as
portrayed wears the familiar slouch
hat and military cloak of Civil War
days. His pose is that OF a review
ing officer and is said to be a fine
conception of that quiet keenness
and resolution that marked ta- man.
The giant bronze horse partakes
something OF the life and action that
RACES in the artillery and cavalry
groups and seems to emphasize the
calmness Of the rider. That impress
ion is heightened by the bas.reliefs
Of infantry designed for the sides OF
the pedestal on which he stands. One
OF these shows the foot troops in
heavy marching order, trudging along
doggedly on one of the forced
marches that were part Of their daily
lives in the sixties, and the other
bas-rel.ef shows the infantry In bat.
tic
At the four corners, near the base
of the pedestal are large bronze lions
couchant, emblematic OF courage and
strength. Each is protecting the
American standard held in an out
structure are eight ornamental
stretched paw. Around the super
bronze candelabra.
The cavalry and artillery groups
have been In position for several
months and have been the objects o.
considerable interest to artists. tour.
lists and the public generally. An
idea of their size in conveyed by the
statement that the cavalry group
alone weighs Is tons Special artil
lery and cavalry drills were given
at West Point Mi itary Academy and
other posts to aid the sculptor in the
development of his designs for those
arms. The finished products are re
garded as highly realistic and com
plete in detail
Before the final memorial was com
pleted or contracted for. q designs
were submitted and the award final
| ly was given to Henry w. Shrady
who died a few weeks ago, and Ed
ward Pierce Casey architect, of New
York The erection Of the statue
was authorized by Congress 2l years
ago, but various causes contributed
/ 10 the delay III tne competition or the
memorial Chief OF these was the
strong opposition to the erection II
the Botanic Gardens on the ground
lthat the site was on the axis between
the Capitol, the Washington monu
ment and the Lincoln memorial.
In October 1907, contractors be
gan making excavations for the foun
datlons Of the memorial, but hardly
had they started when an order from
the Supreme Court of the District o
Columbia stopped the work, requir
ing the contractors to show causi
why they should not be enioined from
cutting down certain historic trees II
clearing for the site. It was not i'm
I'll May, 1908, that the contractor
were able to resume work Thr
original contract called for the com
pletion OF the memorial within
period of FIVE years, but It becam,
necessary to extend that limit sew
eral times, The cost of the memor
ia' is estimated at about 100000
MIestones In the Life Of Ulysses S
Grant.