Evening star., 1925-05-03
Augustus Lukeman, Man and Artist

Tor his personality must stamp the
work with definite unity of plan If
the finished thing is to possess that
quality of natural growth perfected as
flower or tree in its prime IS per
fected. However. whatever part of
the work already completed can be
made to tit into the new pattern will
be retained for the finished work.
The vastness Of the undertaking
and the fact that the achievement
will. like true greatness. belong to the
+ ages move Mr.. Lukeman tremen-
dously and he plans nightly TO
measure up TO the task. AS soon as
he completes the Pittsfield, Mass,
war memorial upon which he is now
/ engaged, and that will he in July. he
will have 80 carvers at work on Stone
Mountain in order that the first group
may be an accomplished thing inside
of a year and a half. 1t Smacks of
energy and execution under leader
and director who achieves definite
progress as the months run their
rounded and relentless courses.
All models for his groups will be
made in duplicate TO obviate loss OF
time should accident mar those used
at the mountain. They will be made
| in Mr.. Lukeman's F'orty-first street
studio in New York. where live horses
Will be driven in for study.
AS though the carving of the noun.
! tain side were not enough to exhaust
his energy. Mr.. Lukeman plans that,
/ simultaneously with the carving of
the groups. the construction of the
temple at the base of the rock mass
shall be under way. for rock cut
! temple is to he no minor part of the
memorial scheme. This doubling up
of the work is consistent with the
speed of the twentieth century and
we'll might make the driving power
of RameseS envious of its possibilities
in achievement. 1t is evidence, too.
of that practicality that balances with
nice delicacy the subtle thing that
makes a man an artist and as a re-
suit makes success an assured thing.
This rare combination Mr.. Lukeman
most fortunately possesses.
As at Abu-Simbel, along the Nubian
Nile. the chamber of the temple is 10
be cut out of the solid rock. 1t Will
be circular in shape and it will serve
as a hall Of fame for the Confed-
crates. Magnificent flights of steps
will ascend to the temple from
lagoon, which has recumbent figures
about its rim, and tripods for tho
ceremonial burning of incense will
have a place on the imposing balus-
trades of the steps.
A oneness of plan. a unity of pur-
pose, is evident from the description
above, and a great driving power Of
human energy will carry The plan
to as speedy a fulfillment aS is in
herent in the nature of 50 vast an
undertaking.
AS Phidias and Callicrates and their
many assistants worked in eager ef
fort in the building of the Parthenon,
so one may imagine Augustus Luke
man and his carvers and builders
working together in the sheer joy Of
their great task, for Mr.. Lukeman
has warm humanity about him that
will harmonic the whole corps of
, his assistants. There is in his make
up no repellent touch. Good nature
is bound to preside over the work a
Stone Mountain.
On the part of the Memorial Asso-
citation the choice of Mr.. Lukeman
was a happy one, for his is a sunny
nature and his is a true and a tested
ability to complete with a masters
hand the work of the memorial in
the Gate City" that city which was
one of the most important to the Cor
federacy during the Civil War, that
city so impoSingly situated above the
Chattanooga at the base of the Blue
Ridge Mountains, made famous by
the determined siege that Gen. Sher-
man laid upon it under the able
defense of Gen. Hood.
It will be, this city of Atlanta, a
place of pilgrimage, whose memorial
at Stone Mountain shall, in the maj
esty of great sculpture, keep alive
for all time the courage and the de-
votion of the people Of the South
to the cause to which they pledged
themselves.
Augustus Lukeman has been given
an opportunity to make his name
immortal. His joy in work, his eager
ness to begin the task, his f1awless
coupling of the real with the ideal
and his proved genius are but pledges
of his sure success. He goes to his
new endeavors with the good wishes
of the whole country for his encour-
agement. He is one of America $
foremost sculptors; America will jur-
ously grant him whatever new laurels
his steady, true hands can win. The
completed memorial at Syone Noun
tain will write the inde bic record OF
his fame.