Evening star., 1926-09-05
MODEL Of GORILLA
TAXES LOCAL SKILL
Taxidermists of National Mu-
scum Toll to Mount Speci-
men Naturally.

Taxidern1ists of the National Mu-
eeum are hard at work on one of the
most difficult bits of artistry they ever
nave been called upon to make-a
clay model of female gorilla about
eight years. old, over which to fit a
skin recently received from Ben Bur
bridge, Jacksonville, Fla.
The chief difficulty, it was explained
by w. l.. Brown, taxidermist in
charge Of the work, is that there Is
no available model upon which to
work. Female gorillas are rare in
collections. The modelers have only
portraits to work on, and are obliged
to rely largely on their own knowl-
edge of anatomy to reproduce the ami
NAL as 1t appeared in life.
For most creatures it is only neces-
sary to take the modelling clay 90 the
Zoo and copy from life either a crea-
ture of the identical species to be
mounted or some close relative. But
there are no live gorillaS at hand.
There are very few of them in cap
tivity anywhere I'm the world.
Chimpanzee as Model.
The nearest live creature from which
model could he made is the chin
psnzee, at the Zoo, but this species
of ape differs very widely from the
gorilla.
TaXidermy. Mr.. Brown said has be.
come q vocation for real artists, re-
quiring ali the skill of the sculptor
besides additional professional knowl-
edge. This skill can be acquired only
by years of practice. Once ii was
matter of taking a skin and etuffing
1t with excelsior, saWdust or cotton.
sticking III some teeth and a couple
of glass eyes. Today stufiing has been
discontinued entirely. The effort is
TO get a mounting that will actually
deceive persons at distance into
The idea that the animal is alive and
which, At tho same time, will undergo
The closest scrutiny of anatomists
Tor technical inaccuracies which
would he unnoticed by any but ex-
pcrts.
First number of miniature clay
models are made. These in them
selves are works of art. Some of
them produced at the National Mu-
scum have been reproduced first in
plaster of paris and then in bronze
ana have found ready sale. From the
models. three in the case Of this 60
rilla, ono is selected after a careful
consideration of the different atti-
tudeS.
Skin Must Fit Perfectly,
Then comes the most difficult part
of the wcrk-baking the life-sized clay
model. This is the basis of the whole
reproduction. Hours are spent on the
tiniest details to make sure they are
scientifically accurate. Books of anat.
omy and zoology are consulted and
scientists are called into conference
The model must be of exactly the
right dimensions SO that the skin will
nj over 1t as tightly as it did over the
live animal
IT is not alone necessary, said Mr..
Brown. that the clay model be scien.
tifically accurate. Weeks of tireless
effort may be spent over these, and
when the work is completed it will
show lack of something-softness,
Mr.. Brown calls (which cannot be
analyzed but which makes all the diff
ference between life and death in the
completed product. Right here is
where the artist comes in. 1t REQUIRES
an instructive touch to impart this
softnesS. this bringing Of a dead crea.
ture to life.
y successful sculptor might pro-
greSs well, according to Mr.. Brown,
up to the point where the clay model
is abandoned. The next step is to
make from the model a cast of
plaster and burlap. Over this cast
tiit ShlIi lS IDIdceu. IDlS, aCCOfQlnR
TO Mr.. Brown. is probably the most
difficult step of ali, and belongs ex-
clusively to the taxidermist. There
Is only the hard. unyielding skin
with which the artist must work If
there has~been the slightest mis-
measurement in the construction of
the clay model the skin will not fit.
1t must, in fact, do more than fit. It
must fit naturally.
Shown Holding Plantafn.
This female gorilla will be shown
holding in her hands plantain.
which probably was her favorite
food in life. 1t is planned to send to
Florida for a plantain to serve as a
model for this fruit.
The museum now has a male gorilla
in its collection. hut there is as much
difference between him and the ami
NAL now being mounted as between
an irritable powerful old man and a
pretty flapper.
The bones are different. The lines
of the face are different. Doubtless,
when they were alive they thought
different thoughts. and this is the
most important point of all The
work would he lost if the artist re-
produced a maiden of the jungle
thinking about fighting rather than
about love making or tending to
family of little gorillaS.
The artists have to guide them the
death mask Of an old gorilla, and il
has helped somewhat in locating the
bones and portuhera noes correctly
but they have taken care to avoid
copying too much. The greatest help
possible, says Mr.. Brown. would have
been death mask of this particular
specimen, but unfortunately none was
taken.
These National lluseum taxider-
mists belong TO the school of ultra
re3liSts in art. They differ widely
from the sculptor. who tries to make
his images symbolic of something.
Il have long maintained" said Mr..
Brown. that the taxidermist must
be more of an artist than the sculp-
tor. Once an error is made he can't
erase it. lie depends on the un-
Yielding skin. The sculptor can elm
mate his errors with a chisel. Unfor-
tunately taNdermists are growing
fewer. There is no real school where
they can learn the trade. They have
to pick ii up wherever an opportu-
nifty offers.