The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-15

Aronson said eXcltsdly. "Couldnt
you persuade him 70 pose for meq
I should be glad to snake a medal
lion even, it might be very useful
in making statue Of Socrates"
7 don't think he would con-
sent" / reioined.
Nevertheless I related ali this 30
Lenin, including Aronsou's remark
about Socrates Lenin literally
went with laughter.
WHI1E ! was in Paris IN 1928
W Arunson invited me TO ezamins
. large plaster bust Of Lenin on
which he was working
Il had come 70 the conclusion,
Aronson said, that I could and
must make 8 bust OF Lenin with
out having him pose for me. After
L,enin's death his image becans
more plastic and definite for me.
I thought this image, almost en-
tireIy the creation OF my inagina-
ton, worthy Of execution, TO say
the least"
Aronson took q view Of Lenin that
was at once politically naive and
rich in meaning. AronSon, a Jew
ish democrat, hated abSolutism.
He regarded Lenin, before all
things, as the embodiment and the
leader Of the Revolution which
dashed the monarchy 10 pieces.
For this he was grateful to Leninr
AS a democrat he felt proud Of
him, but as a peace-loving artist
whose field was culture he was
terrified Of Lenin, the mighty
destroyer"
He was well aware that Lenin
had not stopped ct abolishins
absolutism, that the Revolution
connected with his name had
dashed capitalism to pieces, pro-
claiming a feasible transition 10
the kingdom Of Justice.
Aronson frequently told me that he
placed Lenin along with Moses and
Jesus, for Lenin, too, loved human
beings with a passionate super
human love, loved also that justice
in which alone men can achieve
happiness and realize their worth.
but Lenin," the artist would say,
Stands higher than the prophets
Of the past because instead of pre-
dieting things he achieved them,
being a merciless destroyer and
mighty creator"
This destructiYeness, particularly
since 1t was directed against private
property, rendered Lenin's appear
ance somewhat Economical in Aron-
sons eyes.
The bust showed two principles
the artiStic-realiStie and the
active-romantic united in harmony.
The Bust Of Lenin
Lenin's head, supported by a
strong neck, looked forward. The
huge forehead, executed with an
atomical precision, was full of
thought, at once weighing things
and drawing conclusions. The
eyes looked penetratiugly into the
distance. While the lower part Of
the face revealed exceptional res
olution, AronSon gave an unex-
pected soltness to the mouth and
lips. The mouth itself and the
parts Of the face near the corners
OF the eyes and the mouth ex-
pressed a quality of compassion
and enormous tragic love OF
humanity.
In the bust OF Lenin, Aronson
produced the impression Of a su-
Sc~human being.
Aronson realized his dream. He
embodies his creation in red
marble. The bust is now COM
plete.
A few days ago Dovgalevsh and I
n saw it in the sculptor's work.
shop.
Doykalevsld had not seen the
larger bust in plaster. He found
the finished one to be excellent
| am OF the same opinion, but
think that the bust has lost some
thing Of its elemental force.
I do not by any means want TO
say that his quality has completely
disappeared from the bust. I only
fear that This side of the portrayal
has been weakened, possibly be-
cause the artists undoubted craft
manshtp is more apparent. We see
this in an attempt to give a de-
ncate beauty to Lenin's face. In
the marble bust too, the face is
wise, energetic, relentless and kind.
The bust in plaster seemed to me
to express the leaders, social
character in way that his physi-
cal body, his real head, never did.
even IN moments OF greatest
enthusiasm. Sometimes. however.
during his inspiring speeches or
while presiding at the Council Of
Peoples Commissars, Ienin ex-
pressed in his face something so
flaming, 50 alert, so leonine, that
few particularly successful photo
graphs convey these qualities in a
way unexcelled by the Lenin red
marble.
This, Of course, does not mean
that the Lenin In red marble IS
not one Of the highest, if not the
highest, artistic portrayaIs vet
iven Of Lenin.