Evening star., 1936-03-14

lost herself in her work, she uncon-
sciously manifested her own very in
dividualistic personality, and to such
an extent that one need not examine
the signature to identify her drawings.
How greatly such illustrations added
to the interest of current publications
and how cheap much of the contempo-
rary work in this field seems in COM
parison! There is a great sincerity in
this work, a great sense of value. which
lifts it above the merely transient and
gives it lasting worth.
Mrs. Stephens died in 1882 and the
examples of her work now on ex-
hibition have been presented to the
Library Of Congress, for its cabinet
of American illustration. by her son,
Mr.. D. Owen Stephens. and a number
of friends They constitute a valuable
contribution.
Indian Sculpture
By Ddllin.
WITHIN the next few days the Cor
coran Gallery of Art will place
on view. as a special exhibition. a
group of small bronzes by Cyrus E.
Dallin of Arlington Heights. Mass, in
whose honor the Washington Society
of Fine Arts is giving dinner at the
Mayfower on Wednesday evening,
March 25. These will be reductions
of some of his monumental works and
will include, it is understood, the
equestrians. THE Medicine Man" and
The Appeal to the Great Spirit" as
well as The Peace Signal"
BY many persons of discriminating
taste and knowledge, Cyrus E. Dallin
is considered the leading sculptor OF
the Indian. j. @. A. Wards Indian
Hunter" in Central Park, New York.
modelled as Statuette in 1857 and
full size seven years later, marked the
first turning toward native subjects
in American sculpture, and also re-
lease from a slavish copying of clas-
sical models. but it is by no means
impressive as typical of a race. Mr..
Ward knew little of the Indians save
through the medium of literature. al
though We are told that he made 'nu-
merous studies of the red men" In
preparation for this group.
The next step, in all probability, was
Henry Bush-Brown's Buffalo Hunt"
modelled Immediately upon his return
to this country. about 1890. after four
years spent abroad, on an estate on
the Hudson not far distant from New
York. and from an Indian model who
had ridden East on his pony. This
was shown in the Columbian Exposi-
ton and aroused much interest. The
next in succession to essay the In
dian in sculpture was Herman Mac
Neil, born in Massachusetts,, educated
in Boston schools and in the acad-
erRies of Paris and Rome.
The first awards of the Reinhart
scholarships in 1895 sent two young
sculptors abroad for four years study
-Hermon MacNeil to Rome and A.
Phimister Proctor to Paris; both came
home to model statues Of Indians. Mr..
MacNeil's most striking work is THE
Sunvow," of which the Corcoran GAL
lery of Art is so fortunate as to have
a copy in bronze. Mr.. Proctor's initial
effort was THE Indian Warrior"
decorative, spirited work, but not pro-
found. From him much greater works
have since come.
These men were all Fasteners.
Solon Borglum was born and reared
in the West and his little statuettes
of Western life on the plains were
epoch marking. In them one finds
interpretations of not merely Indians,
but Indian life. Borglum did not live
long enough TO round out his career.
1t remained, therefore, for Dallin, who
grew up on a farm in Utah, son of
pioneers, who migrated toward the
setting sun in the traditional covered
wagon, to interpret the Indian as a
true parsonage with racial character
istics.
When young Cyrus was working at
of 18 his ability to model was dis
covered by the uncovering of bed
of white clay of inviting consistency.
Possessed with the desire to be a
sculptor, he found his way to Boston
and then to Paris. In the latter city
he studied under Chapu and fell |
under the influence of the works of |
Barge. A visit of Buffalo Bill" with
his show in the French capital Is
said to have revived in Dallin mem
ories of Western life and led to the
modelling of THE Signal of Peace"
which won an honorable mention in
the salon Of 1890, and q medal in
the Columbian Exposition, three years
later, as well as being given perma-
nent placement in Lincoln Park, Chi
cago. This represents a Sioux chief
attired in feathered war bonnet,
breechcloth and moccasins, astride |
his pony, on the neck of which his
left hand rests. In the right hand,
raised aloft, is his feathered spear.
a recognized signal of peace among
the Indians. 1t is, artistically, very
simple statement, and for this reason
the more impressive. Rider and horse
are one, both are vitality alive, yet |
very still. In the figure there Is
q native dignity.
This is likewise true of THE Medi- |
cine Man." Fairmount Park, Phila. |
which was modelled in 1898 |
and exhibited in the salon, Paris. |
the following year. According to
dorado Taft, this statue not only won |
for Mr.. Dallin the respect Of his |