WOKK (J.\ .l/7i7('.I.V I.AHCI-: ClMF. 17.") 



Al'rica. li.-is liccii done l)y Mr. I'rcdci-ick I'hixlikc, wlio h.-id tniiiiinu' ;is ;i 

 sciilpliir ;il l>ii(l;i|)('st iiiidci' I'lnlc^vor Siioli!, ;il l>(i!iii in llir Acjidciny of 

 Science, ;it l';ii'i> under Ixmliii ;iiid ;it Muiiicli in llie .\c;ideiny of I )|-;i\\ ini;-. 

 Tlie inodi'Iiiii;' and inomiliiiL; of ilie lii|)|)o involved leelmica! dillicult ies in 

 the ii'iaiit si/.e of tlie aiiiina! and in llie cliara<ter of llie skin adapted to 

 water life, ami llie result is I'cniai'kalile as an example of tlie ajiijlieal ion of 

 inodeliui,;' to the taxidermy wciikof a imisetim. 'riie Z<'l)fa d'roup, re|)re- 

 s(>ntiii,i;- a frmily of the (Jiant zeliia, is a (|niet hut xiuofous composition 

 and shows Mi-. Hlasehke's skill in handling Iecliiii(|ne and his al)ility to 

 inlefpi'el animal life. 



The work of a sculptof in a miisenm of natiifal history mii>t ^t;ind fof 

 scientihc Ifiilh, fof aeeni'ate pi'esentation — not of a few details, hnt of 

 {>\i'fy detail. In thi.s it difl'ers from the work of an animal sculptor in art, 

 where detail ma> he wholly sul)()r(Hnated to action or cliaracter. In animal 

 .seulj)ture for science howcxcr, it would he iinfortmiate if the art ideal of 

 showinfi' tlu> essentia! spirit of an animal were laekiiii;', most fortunate if 

 the sculptor comhined with his power of aeeiM'ae\ an appreciation and 

 symi)athy which would i^ixc him ahility to see life from the uivcn animal's 

 standpoint and to set forth con\incinL;!y in spite of the intrusion of details 

 the inii)ressi()n in his mind. 



To use one of the examples at hand, a zehra must stand hefore the 

 ]\Iu.seinn"s \isitin^' j)ui)!ic as a repre.sentati\'e of a j;i\-en yenus and species, 

 and it may he moiuited to show haunt and typieal hahits; hut there will 

 he no confusion as to its scientific status if in addition to technical accuracy 

 the work l)e done to gi\'e an mulerstandinii,- of this animal's characteristic 

 timidity and nervous acti\ ity, and thus the fint>r conception of the zehra 

 living he set forth and the strong human interest of a work of art realized. 

 This concei)ti()n is rather well achie\-ed in the present zehra grouj) notwith- 

 standing that the grouj) represents a composition of animals in repose. The 

 group stands against the walls of the African Hall with no hahitat con- 

 structed ahout it, yet there is so much alertness in the lines of the tense 

 muscles of the male zehra that the suggestion is vi\i(lly api)arent, to one 

 who knows anything of wild African life, that this zehra is looking out 

 over reaclu's of African country, alixc to tiie possihility of an enemy's 

 approach. 



A new era for the mitin'al history nniseum came when tlie taxidermy 

 method ga\-e way to the careful delineation of the sculi)tor. It is likely that 

 this change marks only the beginning of a new era however, the work having 

 very large po.ssiljilities in an age when animal sculpture is at the highest 

 level yet gained in its history. Hence it is, that iniusual interest will 

 attach to work done in this line during the inunediate future, especially 



