Archive for June, 2016

A model of the railroad station built for the Universal Exposition of 1900 in Paris. The building is the present day Musee d’Orsay
The Musee d’Orsay in the center of Paris was originally built as the railroad station for the Universal Exposition of 1900. MacNeil and his contemporary sculptors exhibited and received prizes in that competition.
It now is a Museum. Sculptures made by MacNeil’s teachers are a part of the exhibits. MacNeil had many teachers in Paris at the Ecole Des Beau Arts. Below are the signatures of A [Alexandre] Falguiere and H [Henri] Chapu from two of their marble sculptures.
Alexandre Falguiere (1831 – 1900)
Falguiere’s sculpture of Tarcisius was completed in 1867 when MacNeil was just 1 year old.

Falguiere placed Christian symbols on has interpretation of the young martyr: Two doves of peace, olive branches, alpha and omega, and a cross of the chi-rho letters.
Henri Chapu (1833-1891)
A beautiful feature of Chapu’s work graces the Musee d’Orsay — Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc a’ Domremy 1870.