To the Editor:
In the review by James Rorty of I Lift My Lamp, in the September issue, he calls the Statue of Liberty the “ugly, bronze colossus.” Two out of three words are incorrect—the statue is of copper and, to those with an appreciation of the monumental arts, it is a great work. Jacques Lipchitz, one of the few sculptors today who can speak with authority on monumental sculpture, has told me he considers the statue symbolically and technically a chef d’oeuvre.
As an architect, I can have nothing but admiration for this simple, bold conception—a pedestal in the waters of a busy harbor, on it a great lighthouse in the form of a noble woman—especially remarkable for having been created in a period of abominable public taste though excellent private taste (we are still in this period). An indicator of Mr. Rorty’s understanding of the value of visual art can be seen in his finding this interesting book “completely documented.” Imagine a book about a statue with not a picture in it!
Percival Goodman
New York City
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