Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08

Marble bust of Lincoln by Sarah Fisher
AnleS. 1t is placed IN the Senate tUiRg
Of the Capitol.
come into the possession of the Government
until February IL, 1873 when Mrs. Elizabeth
Thompson Of New York City presented it to
the Congress. Her gift was, as far as is known,
the first painting of such great historical value
given to the Government by a private indi-
vidual.
The presentation ceremony in tbs House Of
Representatives was notable event. The Vice
President of the United States presided and
the presentation speech was made by James A.
Garfield.
THE marble statue of Lincoln in the rotundA
OF the Capitol, by Winnie Ream also shows
the martyred President holding the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation in his hand, although the
manuscript has been broken of and only Q
small portion Of it remains in the clenched fist.
The bust was modelled from life at the White
House, but the model itself was completed IA
the Capitol.
The statue was cut in Italy of pure white
marble. Winnie Ream was the first woman
from whom statue was ordered by the United
States Government, and 1t was the artists first
important commission. The SculptreSs,. like
Carpenter, sought only to truthfully depict ma
ture. She modelled Lincoln as she saw him, I'm
Grapes so popular with other sculptorS Of her
time. She did not use trivial detail to mar
the simplicity of the statue.
Winnie Ream was born September IS, 1048,
in Madison, Wis, and like Lincoln, her first
home was log cabin. Her father was pioneer
surveyor for the Government. Winnie was the
first white child born in that locality and her
first playmates were Indian children. When
the Civil War came on the Ream family moved
TO Washington Vinnie's father was stricken
with rheumatism and her brother was a pris-
oner OF war, so the young girl was the main
support of the family. She was scarcely more
than 13 years old when she secured position
as clerk in the Post once Department ct
salary Of 5000 year.
While the girl was working as q Government
clerk Representative James Rollins of Missouri
decided to have Clark Mills make bust of the
precocious child for the library of Christian
College where Winnie had been the youngest
pupil. For a while she watched the sculptor
model her, then she exclaimed IT could do that
If had some clay" Mr.. Mills teaSngly gave
her lump of clay and she proceeded to modes
him as he modelled her. The success Of her
first attempt amazed Mills, who offered to give
her lessons She studied at night and advanced
so rapidly that she was finally able to give un
her modest income and devote her entire tame
to sculpture.
Representative Rollins then became inter-
ested in her marked talents for modelling and
aSAe0 the PERMISSION OF FreSloenC Lincoln 10r
her to visit the Executive Mansion to make
studies Of the President and to develop her art
ability. He assured the President that the
girl would never annoy or disturb him in any
way, and he added, Besides all this she IL
young and . poor girl, and this opportunity
win mean much to her." Lincoln promptly re.
piled, $50 she's young and poor, Is she? Well
that's nothing against her. Tell her she can
come"
Thus the young sculptures was given the
greatest opportunity Of her life. This young
girl barely 16 years DID, Immediately began
studying and modelling Lincoln. She spent
about one-hah hour each day for more than
tive months in his ONCE. She was tiny little
thing, scarcely fve feet tall and weighing less
than 90 pounds. She had soft, brown eyes and
long chestnut curlS
1t was just after the death Of Lincoln's SON
that Miss ReNm frequented the White House.