The Wrangell sentinel., 1931-05-29
FAMOUS HOUDoN BUST TO BE OFFICIAL WASHINGTON
 PORTRAIT

chosen by the United States George Washington Bicentennial Commis- sion as the subject for the official Washington portrait which it will distribute over the country in it's plans for organizing the nations celebration of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of Washington's birth in 1899.
 In circulating this portrait of Washington, the United States George Washington Bicentennial Americans the work of great Frenehman recognized as one of the foremost portrait sculptors of all time. Thus a further contribution will be made toward payment of the debt which George Washington owed to Lafayette and to the French for timely aid during the struggle for Independence.
 Jean Antoine Houdon lived from 1741 to 1928. Born the son of al domestic in the employ of courier he rose like Moliere to be an out standing figure of the Eighteenth Century and one of the glories of French culture. While Houdon Is known also for imaginative sculp- ture his fame rests chiefly on al series of 200 busts, 8 collection forming one of the monuments of world art. Besides his bust of Washington, he also made likenesses Benjamin Franklin, John Marshall Rousseau, Moliere and Voltaire.
 The circumstances of Houdon's selection to execute a likeness of Washington are themselves an in teresting page in American history. on June 22, 17S4, the year after the successful close of the Revolution, the Legislature of Virginia resolved
 that measures be taken for pro- curing a statue of General Washing ton. of the finest marble and best workmanship" After much con- sultation, in which Thomas Jeffer- son and Benjamin Franklin took an active part, Houdon, already at the height of his hame, was selected as ineomparably the most reliable and proficient artist.
 Washington himself has left record in his Diaries of Houdon's stay at Mount Vernon for the pur- pose of modelling this bust from close observation and measurement of Washington's features and figure. l He also made a life-mask of Wash | ington. for correction of the bust. l Both mask and bust served as models | fon the statue of Washington by Houdon ordered by the State of | Virginia and later erected in Rich l mond. The original bust was pre- sented by Houdon to Washington | and has been seen by every visitor to Mount Vernon.
 One especially interesting circum- | stance accounts for the life which Houdon imparted to Washington's head. During the artists visit at | Mount Vernon, Washington had oc- casion to decline with some indigna- tion a shady bargain offered him by a horse-dealer. The passing mood l impressed Houdon az so character istic of the man that he immortal | ized it in his bust. The result in the ! opinion of critics, is to give the likeness striking vigor and power.
 In reporting to the Hon. Sol Bloom, Associate Director of the | United States George Washington Bieentennial Commission, the com mittee of historians and artists ap- pointed to select this official DOT trait of Washington stated that all available likenesses of Washington had been studied All had their in- dividual merits, but the committee was unable to arrive at a majority vote on any one
 Unanimous choice fell instead on the Houdon Bust. Selection of this was further determined by the fact that, as modelled from the living figure of Washington, it has every guarantee of absolute accuracy in presenting Washington at the prime of his life, and because the bust is beyond question a great artistic masterpiece in every respect. Finally the bust was chosen because, by being photographed from several angles. it provides a variety of DOT traits, all artistic and all authentic.
 In photographic form the Houdon Bust will now be made familiar all oven the country by the United States George Washington Bicen- tennial Commission during the Cele- bration of the Birth of George Washington, beginning on February 22 and lasting until Thanksgiving in 1892.
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