American Masters of Sculpture

by Charles H. Caffin

Excerpt from American Masters of Sculpture: Being Brief Appreciations of Some American Sculptors and of Some Phases of Sculpture in America
The year 1876, the date of the Centennial Exhibition, is a landmark in the progress of American sculpture as it is in that of American painting. Not to be fixed too definitely, and yet serving approximately as a starting-point of new conditions which have transformed what had been a sporadic and largely exotic product into a lusty, homogeneous and thoroughly acclimatised growth. I speak of the gradual improvement and spread of taste in the community; the steady trend of students to Paris and the habit of American sculptors to make their own country the scene and inspiration of their labours.
The earlier tendency had been toward Italy; to Rome and Florence, especially, where American colonies existed. Here the student adopted the Canova tradition of sweetened classicism, or the infusion of naturalism into the classic vein, represented in the work of a few romanticists; and, having learned his craft, remained in Italy to practise it. His sources of instruction had not been of the best and he worked in an atmosphere tainted with artistic and political decadence.

234 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1903

About the author

Charles Henry Caffin (4 June 1854 – 14 January 1918) was an Anglo-American writer and art critic, born in Sittingbourne, Kent, England. After graduating from Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1876, with a broad background in culture and aesthetics, he engaged in scholastic and theatrical work. In 1888, he married Caroline Scurfield, a British actress and writer. They had two children, daughters Donna and Freda Caffin. In 1892, he moved to the United States. He worked in the decoration department of the Chicago Exposition, and after moving to New York City in 1897, he was the art critic of Harper's Weekly, the New York Evening Post, the New York Sun (1901–04), the International Studio, and the New York American. His publications are of a popular rather than a scholarly character, but he was an important early if equivocal advocate of modern art in America. His writings were suggestive and stimulating to laymen and encouraged interest in many fields of art. One of his last books, Art for Life's Sake (1913), described his philosophy, which argued that the arts must be seen as "an integral part of life....[not] an orchid-like parasite on life" or a specialized or elite indulgence. He also argued strenuously for art education in American elementary schools and high schools and was a frequent lecturer.

Reviews

[Tech Nossomy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A set of glowing reviews (ie, uncritical) on American sculptors, each with accounts of the curriculum of the artist as well as their most well-known works:
- Augustus Saint-Gaudens
- George Grey Barnard (*)
- John Quincy Adams Ward
- Daniel Chester French (*)
- Frederick Macmonnies (*)
- Paul Weyland Bartlett (*)
- Herbert Adams (*)
- Charles Henry Niehaus (*)
- Olin Levi Warner
- Solon Hannibal Borglum (*)
- Victor David Brenner (*)

A star behind the name indicates whether the sculptor was still alive at the time of publication, ie 1913.

Textually the book is full of value statements, which after a few chapters makes it hard to distinguish fact from opinion. Also, the author makes routine references as to how important it is that a sculptors residing in the United States should have followed his education abroad, in particular France.

Illustrated with black-and-white copies of photos of the sculptures. Available on Project Gutenberg.