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406      LIVING AMERICAN ARTISTS.

able, then as now, for a few shillings, of the Italian figure-venders. With his old love for the nude, and his intuitive perception of the beautiful, Quincy thought little of the difficulty in the task thus self-imposed. He only knew that this Venus was a pretty thing to copy, and he carried the stucco beauty to his sister's home in triumph. Another journey and he returned with clay from the potter's, - then set to work.

His model finished, he carried it to the sculptor's. Brown was out; but he found no lack of approval of his effort from the men and boys who were at work. He left his Venus for the master to see when he returned. In a few days he called again, with beating heart. The sculptor expressed his gratification, said some flattering things, and ended by offering to take Quincy as a pupil. Ward went to work at once, and remained with H. K. Brown for nearly seven years.

He speaks in the most grateful way of the master's kindness, of his most excellent counsel, and of the encouragement he ever gave him; nor is he stinted in his admiration of the sculptor's genius and of his thoroughness as a teacher. With Brown he learned not only to model in clay, but in wax likewise; to set up large figures, also to cut in marble and to work in bronze. In all the mechanical work, in fact, he received the most thorough drilling.

Quincy began as a paying pupil, but before the first year was out he was receiving wages for modeling. He then felt that he must stand alone, and that the struggle of his life had begun indeed.

During his stay with Brown, the sculptor received his commission for the equestrian statue of Washington for Union Square, New York. At this Ward worked as a skilled assistant.

When Mr. Brown left Brooklyn, which he did about the close of Ward's seventh year as his pupil, the latter continued to occupy the studio, where he received commissions for portrait busts and other work, more of less routine in character. While here he also made his first studies for the "Indian Hunter," the Pioneer Simon Kenton, and several other compositions. But it was still up-hill work as far as money-getting was concerned, and our artist was yet unknown to fame.

In 1859 he went to Washington, and modeled several busts there. Just about this time the Art Commission to superintend the decoration of the Capitol was appointed. The young sculptor dared to hope that there was some chance for him, and made several designs which he submitted to the Commissioners, but nothing came of them. His time in Washington was not lost, however, even if he knew "the proud man's contumely," "the insolence of office," and "the spurns which patient merit from the unworthy takes,"- which we do not say he did, whatever we may think about it. Certainly he makes no complaint. On the contrary, he has a grateful remembrance of the patronage he received; for while there he made busts of T. P. Hale, Joshua Giddings, Alexander H. Stephens, and others. His bust of the latter was not finished, however, until some time after, when he visited Mr. Stephens in his home in Georgia, and there completed it. Here also he made copies, in bronze, of his statuette model of the Indian Hunter, which were flatteringly received and well paid for. This was the first appearance of this design, and its reception encouraged him to essay the life-size figure on his return to New York. He did not return that year, however, but spent the winter in Columbus, Ohio, where he modeled a bust of Governor Dennison.

In New York again, in 1860, Ward rented a studio in Dodworth building, where he was chiefly occupied during that year at portrait busts, giving all his spare time to study. During the year following he made an engagement with Messrs. Ames & Co. to model designs for presentation swords for them exclusively. This was fairly profitable work, for the demand for these costly gifts was good during the early portion of the war. Among his designs were those for swords for Admiral Foote and General Oglesby. The mountings of these swords were of solid gold, and they cost each about $3,000. During this year he made a study for his figure of the Freedman, and during this and the following he made busts of Rev. Dr. Dewey, Dr. Mott, Dr. Webster, and others. This was