Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-14
NOW MY IDEA is THIS!
Daily Talks With Thinking Philudelpan Subjects They
Kno,v Best
KnOtV Best

The tendency Of the best sculptors now Is
to- deal more and more with the elements
which 90 to make up the real character OF
me man rather than his mere bodily out
lines.
The, same thing is true Of living objects
other than human beings. think that 1t
is a mistake for the sculptor to make his
work too realistic, but, Of course. the sub
Ject chosen has much to do with the artistic
conception.
Sculpture in Other Countries
american sculpture now ranks with the
pest that Europe can produce, and in many
respects 1t Is much higher in thought than
the work being made abroad. I have not
oec1l abroad now for some time, but as far
as can see the sculpture of Europc Is
gong constantly down. while that Of our
OWL country is always rising. Europe IS
"".nh'ns now IN n a small and nggardly way.
As 10 the European characteristics, 1t Is
almost impossible to tell at sight which
country produced a piece Of sculpture. /
am talking now only of the best SCULPTURE OF
t"staai f"cl, nation. 1t is relatively easy to say
rama i ,Eo. from o.? what country piece of work
."nle .,m Inat 49, OF the poorer grades of sculp.
,"r", ui"a,, for example, the German type is
usually heavy and the French light OF
cours'; c; mere are exceptions, but this ia the
general rule. But the very best run about
,nnan anr ~ y, an countries And by the best I
mean the ones which have the finest thouobt
a"n IN" most mastcrly craftsmanship,
80 Stulpturn re-, should not be an exact replica
t tt huturc' The sculptor should work on the
s osS's oI nature; and add to that the elements
b, Taro n'tnah to intellect and spirit. We used to
r"nn,r' U' so'alerS monuments all over the
country the figure Of Il soldier being fed hv
,,,i' nurse or something along similar lines
Mhich IL very ordinary way of jookir, ~
."r subject. But tn" sculptor who can evo,vo
fosi;, Jii;nnoo!c hgure which will give the same
ihte',,s h;e Is looking at both the subject md
"'' 'f' IRON much higher standpoint ~
Tho Commission Question
,,o.,l ing. in the past. hds besp largely tho
WITS ot the commissions appointed to unt
scapter apte ol sGipture They did not give the
Tor will usually get the right idea. If oIIownJ
TO 40 SO but unless he was one of tho gre.t
minus nc would do as the commission III
IrclcI MIN, even when he knew tbnt III,
thoight was the better "' MS
l., ,Lnc various permanent art commissions
III TINS country have been Of prrnt L"n,n,
10 sculpture rs well as to the Other ,r,u ~.
10 some extent at least they hov. ro,,I,'1 10
'nJ COMMISSIONS appointed TO arrange for nm
lhdlVinuAl piece. When one Of tIn,, n' ,,,.'. "n
S,ii w"S appointed the best way for them TO work
thnt ,bcv :" won, 81 10 the sculptor and tell him
illnko wiat hr thinks would be- sutab,o , n'.' "
submit 1t |" them, when Il woulI ho ,,n ",'i
upon by rommittee Of colnpetcnt npI n",S"u ,,,
phrtial Judges. a grent deal of buJ .cni, ,%
dn n'n n,, 'IH E, ou'. cuusrd by commissions who
they do. ' 'ut 'h'hK that
competent men Of the commissions ,.iu
no. interfere with the idea and will n,.a 80.
Only ON IN" work. When sculp,"r ,.ih pnss
WIN Hh Intelligent and traincd co,n,oi N"ihn
there II never any trouble. and n . 'sSioh
Of work. satisfactory alike ~ ,h So"n piece
Sl"'' the public and the sculrtnr ''a'I'nlS. i''
sure 10 result" J" almost