▁sculpt ures ▁were ▁accepted ▁for ▁PA FA ' s ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁annual ▁exhibition , ▁a ▁rare ▁honor ▁for ▁a ▁student . ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁designed , ▁and ▁was ▁then ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁executing , ▁the ▁extensive ▁sculpt ure ▁program ▁for ▁Philadelphia ▁City ▁Hall . ▁Cal der ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁app rent ice ▁on ▁the ▁project ▁during ▁the ▁sum mers , ▁and ▁is ▁reported ▁to ▁have ▁mode led ▁an ▁arm ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁figures . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁trip ▁to ▁Europe ▁in ▁Summer ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁and ▁returned ▁there ▁to ▁study ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁Cal der ▁moved ▁to ▁Paris ▁in ▁Fall ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Ac adémie ▁Julian ▁under ▁Henri ▁Michel ▁Chap u . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁accepted ▁at ▁the ▁É cole ▁des ▁Be aux - Ar ts , ▁where ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁at el ier ▁of ▁Alexandre ▁F alg ui ère . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Philadelphia ▁and ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁sculpt or ▁in ▁earnest . ▁His ▁first ▁major ▁commission , ▁won ▁in ▁a ▁national ▁competition , ▁was ▁for ▁a ▁larger - than - life - size ▁statue ▁of ▁Dr . ▁Samuel ▁G ross ▁( 1 8 9 5 – 9 7 ) ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁Mall ▁in ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Cal der ▁rep licated ▁the ▁pose ▁of ▁Dr . ▁G ross ▁from ▁E ak ins ' s ▁