File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17536956274).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo07amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
'
Text Appearing After Image:
The American Museum Journal Vol. VII MARCH, 1907 No. 3 THE AFRICAN LION "HANNIBAL." ;0 much favorable comment has come to the Museum regarding the illustration of the mounted lion that was issued with the announcement of the spring courses of lectures that we think that our ^Members will be interested in knowing how the specimen was acquired and how it was prepared and mounted. On October 17, 1902, Miss Carnegie, daughter of Andrew Carnegie, presented to the New York Zoological Park an excellent example of the Barbary lion. On February 21, 1905, "Hannibal," as the lion was called, died, and the body was presented to the American Museum, through the courtesy of the Zoological Society. About a year later, Mr. James L. Clark, the ^Museum's animal sculptor, began preparations for modeling the animal. The work was completed a few weeks ago^ and the lion was seen by the public for the first time at the Exhibition of the New York Academy of Sciences which was held at the ^Museum from December 27, 1906, to January 14, 1907. It will soon be placed on permanent exliibition. When )\Ir. Clark began preparations for mounting the lion he visited the Zoological Park and made a study in clay from living specimens. This was prepared with great care, attention being paid to every detail of structure. After the small model had been completed, the real work of mounting began. The general outline of the animal was obtained, and the basis of the life-sized model formed, exactly as a sculptor makes an armature for a large figure. On this foundation wet clay was piled until the mass corresponded in some degree to the measurements which had been made from Hannibal in the flesh. ^Modeling tools in trained hands then developed the surface and reproduced with precision the contours of muscle, cord and tendon. From time to time the skin was placed over the clay to insure an exact fit, and any imperfections in the model were corrected. When at last the desired form had been attained, a plaster mold was taken, from which a cast was made. This cast was made very thin and lined 35

Note About Images