The Washington times., 1922-05-14

for public safety. and the question
arose with the board of park COM
missioners whether It should be
demolished or reconstructed in
permanent form.
Mr.. Russell e. Hart, a New York
architect, living in Nashville, and
an authority on classic architeo-
ture and in particular the Parthe-
non. was commissioned by the
park board to make necessary
drawings and to study the prob
lem from all sides. After exhaus-
tive study of modern methods OF
concrete construction. Mr.. Hart
finally recommended the mosaic
surface" developed by John
Farley. of Washington. d. c.
LIGHT PLAYS ON STONE.
The result is a practically nom
absorbent surface, permanent in
color. with a texture on which tho
play Of light is far more beautiful
than on a smooth exterior, and
finally with sufficient translucency
to compare favorably with stone.
This forms the setting for the
ornamentation developed by Mr..
Zolnay, who has so daringly re-
stored the metopes adorning the
pediment Of the American Parthe-
non.
The original figures which have
been the admiration and despair Of
Of all artists, bruised and broken
as they now appear. form one Of
the greatest treasures Of the
British Museum in London. Plaster
copies of them, Centaurs, Lapithae,
Theseus. Greek maidens, horse
men, may be seen in the Corcoran
Gallery Of Art. These classical
works. brought from Greece to
England by Lord Elgin, and hence
known as the "Elgin marbles.
have probably been the greatest
inspiration of nineteenth century
art, since It was just a century ago
that Lord Elgin transported them
to London.
Their reception by the British
Parliament was a very Indifferent
one. and 1t was only after. several
years that sufficient money was
voted to reimburse Lord Elgin for
the immense personal expense he
had incurred in saving for England
what his canny Scotch foresight
perceived would prove of immense
Importance in later years.
REVERENCE IN WORK.
Possibly the originals should not
have been removed from Greece.
The Parthenon had suffered much
mutilation by the invasion Of con-
tending forces in Greece-Christian,
Turk and Hebrew. The metopes
might not have survived later in
cursions. In London they have
found haven Of safety in a center
not inaccessible.
Now. in America, through the
enormous study and effort of
George Julian Zolnay we have a
still more nearly perfect restora-
ton Of this famous frieze, for our
sculptor has been daring enough
to replace the broken and damaged
portions OF the beautiful, flowing
figures. a feat never before success
fully accomplished on so large a
scale. 1t was with great humility
that the sculptor attempted this
work.
THE task OF reconstructing
these figures may we'll be approach
ed with reverence" writes Mr..
Zolnay in Art and Archaeology.
mot only because Of its magnitude.
but also because Of the responsi.
bility assumed by the sculptor in
the translating to posterity a
truthful representation Of the trans
lation Of the creations Of those
masters Of the past"
HAD MANY COMMISSIONS.
Zolnay's work has embraced
many important commissions, in
cluding the lions at the gates Of
University City, st. Louis; the
LaClede statue for the founder Of
st. Louis: many portrait busts,
American and European, including
the Emperor Franz Joseph Of
Austro Hungary, Beethoven. Mo-
zart, Schumann, Wagner and
Chopin, whose musical tempera-
ment the sculptor we'll understood
because he Is himself an accom-
plished musician, especially of the
violin. Among the American sub
jects was DR.. Still, the originator
of osteopathy, in Rirksville. Mo.
Occasionally Mr.. Zolnay can be
induced to tell the story OF his
first commission. II 10 a tale IN
gruesome and weird as anything
avar nernetrated by Edgar Allen