| OCR Text |
Show 'ah Historical Quarterly Dallin and His Paul Revere Statue relative of that which has borne the bronze figure of Washington so many years on the Boston Public Garden, while his rider presents all the dignified ease of attitude which is so desirable and fashionable among equestrian statues.t6 judging. As inducement, 1 of the three best designs ~ competition by the cash ~ir models ideas expressed n, "Paul Revere's Ride." ;," was displayed at the :ls that had arrived from ,delphia. With the excepIe models were equestrian Undoubtedly, this terse accusation and Dallin's youthful appearance and unknown reputation gave the committee second thoughts about its choice. There was another reason for the stalemate. All of the models were declared historically inaccurate. As Dallin later explained: The first time we submitted models in the competition it was interesting to see that each entrant had chosen the same dramatic moment, Revere seated on the horse and turning back to wait for the light, as the Poet Longfellow put it: "He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns, But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight A second lamp in the belfry burns!" his entry was chosen as ied to set up in the city, hich was to select from ors. These three models he Art Club. For each a >ledge acceptance of any ve been closed, but it is iCluding one from Mr. een Mr. James E. Kelly :I, and Mr. C.E. DaIIin Charlestown side of the ,e, and casting a quick Hd North Church. The Mr. French, shows the der in impatient waiting e seated upon his horse, I Mr. French's modeJ.1s accepted for the statue. ition's meager prize offer'ench and Dallin of being ~ continued: although much smaller, being apparently a near of Paul Revere," Boston Evening are inco~ct); "Rare Stroke of ; "The Statue of Paul Revere"; 883. Daniel Chester French, who Washington, D .C., and of other mpetition. Dallin was twenty-one. 13 But some erudite gentleman wrote a letter to Boston's classic newspaper declaring that not only the artists had erred in depicting this gesture, but that the immortal Longfellow had exceeded his poetic license, had gotten off on the wrong metric foot, so to speak. The fact was, Paul Revere did not wait to see the "lantern aloft in the belfry arch," but from other signals knew the British were coming and set out to spread the alarmY Eager to prove himself, Dallin asked the committee chairman for permission to submit a second model in the unresolved contest, and his request was granted. Within three weeks he had completed his design ,. American Architect and Building News 13 (1883): 194. Since Dallin admired Thomas equestrian of Washington, the youthful sculptor may have been influenced by it. However, live horses were still seen on Boston streets and could have been used as models, and Dallin would have remembered horses from his boyhood as well. See Albert F. Cochrane "Cyrus E. Dallin: Let Justice Be Done," Boston Evening Transcript, November 18, 1933. ' >T Rabbette, "Ashes of a Famous Blaze." ~all's The. first Paul Revere model made by Dallin in 1883 for the competition. Present location unknown. Photograph courtesy of the Robbins Library. |
