International studio (31.1907)

A merican Sculpture of To-day

One of the best among these is the fine male
figure of Genoa, by Mr. Augustus Lukeman.
Mr. Lukeman was a pupil of Daniel Chester
French, and studied later at Paris under Falguiere,
returning thence to work again in Mr. French’s
studio. His group of Music at the St. Louis
Exposition attracted attention, and his is the
figure of Manu, one among a line of law-givers
outside the Appellate Courts at New York. Here,
in the Customs, his Genoa stands upright and
firm on his feet—a finely conceived mediaeval
figure. Many of the figures beside this on the
front of the Custom House were already in place
before I left New York last summer, and include
England and France (by Grafly), Germany (Jagers),
Denmark (Gillett), Portugal (an armed knight)
and Holland (Dutch sixteenth-century costume),
by Louis St. Gaudens; Spain and Venice (the latter
a Doge); then the Genoa; Phoenicia (a female
figure by Ruckstuhl), Rome (a warrior), and Greece
(draped female figure by Elwell).
I turn now to one of the most brilliant among
the younger generation of American sculptors. In

STATUE OF GOVERNOR WINTHROP BY BELA L. PRATT

treatment, and not less so the Richard Hunt
Monument in Central Park at New York.
An important work which was being carried
through when last summer I visited Mr. French’s
studio at Glendale was the commission for the
four large groups at the entrance of the New
York Customs House, now in construction
from Mr. Cass Gilbert’s design. These groups
represent the four continents of Europe, Asia,
Africa and America, from all of which, pre-
sumably (since the McKinley tariff), the New
York Customs derive some slight pecuniary
assistance.
Together, these four groups will give dignity
to the entrance of the new building, whose
pediment is adorned with some excellent figures
by the leading younger sculptors of to-day.

“THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH” BY BELA L. PRATT

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