SIGNOR FOCARDI AND HIS MODELS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 7

SIGNOR FOCARDI AND HIS MODELS.

A ciirkkspon'dknt of .i Home paper says the sculptor who fashioned the famous " Dirty Boy " group has produced an even more wonderfully wrought-out work, called " You Ragamutlins." Signor Focardi, a handsome young Italian, -who speaks English well, is no believer in generalising. He takes his snbjects from real life, and works painstakingly over every inch of his composition, in this new work, which has been placed on exhibition in the galleries of tiie London Stereoscopic Company in Kegent-strcet. he has modelled a scene which lie happened to witness when at I'restou. A farmer caught two boys robbing his orchard, and as he seized them, one by the ear and the other hy the nedi, the varied expressions on the faces of the man and boy struck the fancy of the sculptor, and he set to work to tell tlie story by liis art. The difficulty was to get the face of tlie lad in pain to remain screwed up lonu enough for that minute study of every fold'and wrinkle of tile skin wliicli is one of the secrete of the life-like efl'ects Focardi produces. He saw the parents of his young model, purchased iiis suit of rags, and, putting a shilling down, said he might earn as many as he liked by submitting to the torture of having his ear pulled at a shilling a pull. What the length of that little boys ear is now I can only imagine, for 1 am told he earned -iOs. Study the accessories, and VOU find the same care bestowed on every part—the stalks of the apples in the boy's cap on the ground, the anatomical truthfultuliiess of tlie inside of tlie dog's moutli. The bo\r of the ribbon on tlie farmer's hat, I am told, cost Signor Foeardi three days' close work, and on the modelling of tlie whole group he has spent over nine months. In getting that expression of unutterable discomfort on the face of the " Dirty Boy" at which thousand have laughed lie 'had much • lillioulty, for it seems 'he must have the life before him in working. One day, almost despairing of again getting the exact look which had attracted his notice when he first saw the boy with the soip in his eyes, the artist caught up tlie pail of water and threw the contents in the young model's face. The expression sought for was before the artist at once.