Studio: international art (80.1920)

ATHLETIC SCULPTURE

Physical Education gave him opportunities
for observing athletic youth under con-
ditions hardly less favourable than those
that the Greek sculptor enjoyed. So far
his object had been to represent the pro-
portions of the ideal athlete. Now he set
himself to portray the ideal athlete in
action. Every position, every movement
represented was to be ideally correct, for
in the perfect action of the perfectly
developed athlete would be found the
supreme grace of human movement. How
far he succeeded may be judged from such
delightful little figures as the Plunger. 0
His finest representation of the athlete
in action in my opinion is his Flying
Sphere. It should be studied together with
The Shot Putter. In the latter the athlete
is preparing for the final effort, his body
drawn back, his muscles contracted, his
face set, the line of the arms showing the
direction of the throw. In the Flying
Sphere the shot is already sped upon its
way, and he gazes after it with a look of
happy expectation. The body extended
to its utmost seems as if it would follow
it in its flight, but that it is held back to
earth by the straining muscles of the
supporting leg. The composition is
superb, the long delicate curve of the body
and the short reversed curve of the open
hand beautifully suggesting the curved
flight of the shot. 0000

THE FRANKLIN MEDAL, FRANKLIN
INSTITUTE, PHILADELPHIA. BY
R. TAIT MACKENZIE

Tait McKenzie has not confined himself
to single figures. In his Onslaught he tries
to depict the spirit of American football.
The central figure who holds the ball is
being forced by his fellows through and
over the ranks of his opponents. It is
difficult for one unversed in the laws of the
game to grasp the multiplicity of detail.
In reality every figure has his own work
to do. Our illustration shows only the
back view, but seen from the front the
impression produced.is that of a curling
wave about to break. 000

Tait McKenzie's intimate knowledge of
the nude influences all his work. Whatever
the garb, he is always conscious of the
human shape beneath. But with his other
works I have no space to deal. Here I
would only emphasise the immense service
that he has rendered to art by his revival
of athletic sculpture. The modern sculp-
tor, confined too often to ill-developed
models, knows little of the beauties of the
human body and its movements. Tait
McKenzie shows him where to learn. In
the playing fields of our schools and
universities he will find models no whit
inferior to those of the Greeks and a
variety of motives of which they knew
nothing. 00000

E. Norman Gardiner,

(Author of " Greek Athletic Sports and
Festivals.")