The Washington times., 1922-05-14
FIRST WON FAME
BY A REMARKABLE
PORTRAIT OF POE
Mir. ZOlnay, BORN i'm Rumania, Shocked His
Father BY Choosing a Career That Has
Proven AS Romantic AS That of Amy Hero of
Fact or FiCtion-He Began to Model EARLY
and Did Great Work at the Chicago Fair.


has, too. an element Of humor.
Always Zolnay has been saved
IN every situation by his ability
to act quickly. q sort Of sub
conscious power. So It was in
this case. Just as he was COM
pleting his art study in Bucharest
the prime minister died, and while
his body was lying in state in tho
great cathedral one OF the leaders
who had heard of Zolnay's sculp-
tural success came to him and
said: Can you make a death
mask?" Now the young artist
didn't know the first thing about
this incidental occurrence. but of
course he swore he could, az any
artist would in order to secure .
first commission.
Then" said tho authority,
"you can have tho commission.
The funeral will be at / o'clock.
1t is now past 10. Can It be fin
ished in timer" Again Zolnay
swore IT could. He didn't know
exactly the process. but he gath
cred together the necessary uten-
sils. glue, scissors. plaster, grease,
and in a young classmate John.
who in spite Of his youth had al
ready grown q full beard. he set
out for the cathedral. 1t was
past IL before they arrived. Luck
fly. they took the precaution Of
asking the sacristan to give them
the key. that they might lock the
door on the inside, and so be un.
disturbed.
CORPSE HAD A BEARD.
While Zolnay mixed his plaster,
he heard an exclamation from
John. My c.! he has a
beard"
Now Zolnay had not counted
on that. but he continued. He
applied the grease well, and then
laid his plaster over 1t. He did
not know that a mask of the
face is to be laid only a half
inch thick, and then II 1t ad-
heres 1t may be broken, and the
model made in parts. Zolnay laid
1t on six inches thick. 1t was
slow in drying.
Pounding at the door sounded
The boys explained that they
were just completing their work.
and that in a few moments the
door would be opened. At last,
the plaster began to harden.
Again pounding. more impatient.
Then the moment to remove the
mask. Tragedy! 1t would not
come off! More pounding. Then
fanfare of trumpets. The
king was about to arrive. What
was to be done? The affair was
perilous.
With John holding one side,
Zolnay made a last strenuous
effort. The model came off-but
with II came also the beard, or
a good deal OF it. Pounding at
the door! The king at last Then
Zolnay's subconscious mind saved
the situation. without a word TO
John, Zolnay took the scissors,
and with a single sweep he cut
off Johns beard. He seized the
glue, he patched in his friends
beard in place of the lost one. II
matched fairly well.
CAST WAS PERFECT.
The two young artists gather
ed UP their utensils. not for
getting the precious mask. They
opened the door. They slipped
away. unnouced. Neither of
them remained for the funeral
or watched the procession through
the streets, for in Rumania IL
is law that at state funerals
the body OF the deceased must not
be exposed to the public view
afterward. The arufice was not
detected.
Zolnay hastened to the studio
at the academy, where ne ex.
amined his plaster cast. It was
perfect. With a torch he quick.
ly burned out the adhering beard.
and cast his model. II was a
marvellous success, No one ever
learned the truth. Tho prime
minister was buried with Johns
beard, and Zolnay got his first
commission.
While there Ia In the tempern-
ment OF Mr.. Zolnay this inner
ent love Of adventure and Of
romance which undoubtedly char
aoterired the great Edgar Allan
Poe. yet there IL no bitterness
or tragedy with Zoinay.
He loves his profession. but he
loves also the enjoyment Of life.
and he finds keen pleasure In
his varied interests, He is nov
just at tho prime OF life. whom