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Of all the alumni of the American Academy in Rome none have given more luster to its name than Paul Manship. He came early to the Academy in 1909, when the Academy needed a strong affirmation of its usefulness to American artists and Manship's first exhibition at the Architectural League in New York gave that affirmation.

With the notable exception of the "Bacchante" of Frederic MacMonnies which Boston considered indecent, the note of gaiety had been absent from American sculpture and when Manship exhibited his carefree work at the League the delighted architects, painters and sculptors bought out the collection. Here was the man for whom they had been looking. One of them turned poetic and compared Paul's abundance of energy and talent to the richness of nature in the spring of the year. The League exhibition was followed by a larger show at a commercial gallery which also sold out, launching the young sculptor on a successful career of fifty years.

When Manship first came to Rome he was a slim, short, sturdy, young man, his head covered with a blond fuzz [[strikethrough]] y [[/strikethrough]] of hair which was fast leaving him. He was as avid for knowledge and fresh sources of inspiration as a beagle after a rabbit. His power of concentration was complete. While at work he lived isolated in a world where nothing could touch him, yet when the spasm passed he emerged from his dream keen for fun and amusement.