The New York herald., 1922-03-19
By Lillian BELL.

BY Lillian BELL.
the moral that If man build a
better mouse trap than another,
the world will follow the path to his door, It
is just as true that if the same man fails.
after a while, to completely satisfy the
world it will find other paths to follow.
A few years ago one of the busiest
sculptors in the world was George Grey
Barnard, often referred to as the sue
cessor to Rodin. In almost every art
gallery there are works, or copies. which
reveal the mastery and genius of the
sculptor who, after his first rise to fame,
was called upon to translate into
beautiful marbles the ideals of some
of Americas greatest cities that
these ideals might be preserved for -
later generations.
In New York's Metropolitan Mu-
scum Barnard's 1.-TWO Natures" is
admired every year by hundreds of
thousands of visitors; the people of
Norway are inspired by his splendid
marble conception of "Brotherly Love-;
in Central Park his exquisite God of
Pan" holds the attention of countless visi-
tors every week and in France, England,
Rome and Spain his works are as well
known.
new Lincoln-or as many declare, recre-
ate the old and real Lincoln 1t was of in
ternational Importance, for the Lincoln
was to stand in Westminster Abbey
gift to England 1t was a daring concep-
ton; Lincoln not pleasing to look at to
those who look no deeper than the physi-
cal aspect Lincoln that, some said, was
more Of a caricature than a bronze por-
trait.
Controversy Over Statue.
Soon Became Tempest
the statue caused the controversy to as
sumo the proportions Of tempest. There
were many whose judgment both Of Lin
coin and of art was Of great Importance
WHO W Tie ucltuot VI lnt pOPuidl
sculptor, declaring that he had dared only
to offend an ill founded convention-that
his conception of Lincoln was that Of a
greater artist than any who had modelled
or painted him and that the disputed
bronze figure was worthy Of it's author.
But the criticism grew until it became
a storm. The statue was not sent to
Westminster Abbey-it was received in less
conspicuous Manchester
So the world almost forgot the broad
path it had beaten to the sculptor's door.
The great sculptor was hurt, chagrined;
offended.
So there is nothing unusual in the vir-
tual retirement of Mr. Barnard-a retire
ment, that is, from the limelight in which
the appreciative world had kept him.
Many have thought it regrettable that the
master sculptor should, apparently, accept
as defeat what was, after all, but ques-
tion of inspiration-but to all, friends and
critics alike, the sculptor has been silent.
Now it is revealed that while the world
mas been forgetting george trey beTHdTu
he has been preparing a masterpiece as
the answer to his critics.
1t is to be an amazing reply-declare
those who have been pearmitted to visit the
isolated workshop of the artist. Il is to
be the marbled translation of an inspira-
ton that will remain in history, perhaps,
as long as the creations of the first of the
Greek sculptors. To say that the COM
pleted work will occupy not merely
pedestal in a museum but acres of space
may present conception of the startling
magnitude
This masterpiece is to be memorial
TO peace. Many such memorials have been
proposed by almost all the nations In the
recent war, but none will have the grand
eur, the enduring magnificence of the
immense monument which Barnard plans
to give the world.