The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-09-08 00:00:00

MISCELLANIES.

FROM THE MONITEUR.

An Account of M. Canon, of t:UI reputatio; his venks, and
his statue at.: the Pugilist.
(Coool skied from our taper of yesterday.)
Having said so much of it, it will be better CO
mention a few of the critiques on this figure. Some
are of opinion that the shane is not sufficiently ath-
letic, and the masculine Character not sufficiently
marked. We imagine that M. Canova has taken
the idea of his two pugilist. from the design. of a
Greek vase (falsely said to be the Etruscan) an the
new collection of M. Hamilton, by Tischbein. We
merely say his idea, because there is nothing, or
could he take any thing from that, of an actual de-
sign, thotigh perhaps he might deduce something
from the character, the manner, or the style, proper
for his subect. If it be so, it is easy to be ascertain-
ed by looking at the antiene design ; and we may
also be convinced that M. Canova has been as faith-
ful to nature as the Greeks in their performance of
the Pugilists. Besides, we know that in making
two figures on one subject, it was necessary for the
statuary to vary the attitudes, and we accordingly
find that he has given his Demoxenes a more mascu- 1
line appearance and more marked energies. These
two figures do not form, as has been telsely asserted,
a groups; they are merely on the rune subject, and
their action, such as Pausanias has described, per-
mitted them to be separate. They are in the very
attitudes of contention, and, as if by agreement,
are its the alternate positions of striking and expect-
ing, of giving a blow and receiving one. Nothing
can be mere favourable to the develonement of two
single figures wit;ei may be considered separately,
bin which min 1..:1y explain and aid mutual valise.
It ;s rather difficult to argue ia writing with re-
'Ned to the adual qualifications of imitation in a
statue. All these who consider themselves grounded
in the art, and who understand, as the artists them-
selves do, the intrinsic merit of a work, are attached
tolong details in technical terms or theoretical ex-
planations, by which they cannot be comprehended,
because, in the first place, their language is spoken
or understood only by a few, and, in the next place,
because they cannot be cleat ly explained, except an
presence of the oojeds themselves. This is the rea-
son which has prevented, and still prevents, poeti-
cal and literary writings on the arts from liging
thoroughly comprehended; the work, of genuine
wit can only be discussed by wits ; and when the
beauties. or deleds appear to common eyes, they
can praise or censure only by goess.
•
It may be said of the pugilist Creuges, that his
head and attitude have a fair expression, and his
figure in every way is extremely interesting. Some
critics observe, that he has made the lower part of
the loins a little too thin ; bat he has himself con-
tended, that if that part of his pogilist is compared
with the same part in that statue called the Torse,
and in the pretended Borghese gladiator, it will be
found the •those figures which pass for classical,
have stitl snore of the defect than his ; and we agree
with him that the position of drawing the flanks for-
ward, and receding the upper part of the body, give
a general turn to the figure which really pruduces
this Jed, and that it is not a sidea.
There might possibly be some critique observa-
tions made oe parts of the study of this figure, for
instance, in the front part of the right shoulder, the
hand of which is raised and thrown back; the mark-
ing of the collar bone, and of the leaders and
muscles which terminate in the neck is not suffi-
ciently expressed. There certaialy is in that part a
strong tension, and the teTe't of that tension in theskin
is to press and soften the appearance of the muscles;
besides in judging of it from d:e pleister in which
certain light hoes eometinies disappear, it is certainly
treated with rather too much severity. This manner
of explaining, on a great and large plan, all the parts
of a figure, must be acknenledeed as peeuliar to M.
Canova. and exists in his • •atue of the pugilist, all of
which kon the e. at cele ; the manner is large,
nothing is um:et:de-if nothing is borrowed, all is
easy and freely etteuted. It is a want of something
on the heed, c: it is a desire to dcliacate all the mo-
tions of the hand placed under it, which has occa-
sioned the little impression that the shut hand seems
to have produced on the skull. M. Canova could,
however, easily remedy this defed, by re-touching
the hair.
With regard to the hair, we do not perceive that
it has been handled in the hold and large style or
the firm Greek statues. He hats cut his marble with
delicacy, and even with elegance; out we preter,
especially in a manly, athletic figure, the decisive
manner of the ancients, avid the separation of tie
locks, which give such lightness and motion to dB
curls.
Artists in general have approied of the execution
and anatomy of the limbs, as the wrists, the hands,
the knee caps, and the hips, in all which there is
the systematic unison, and strong formation, which
we see in antiques, and of the truth of w/aieb, nature
Alone can inform us.
If we cast our eyes on the commencement of this
account, what has been said as.to th r difficulty of
being a self-made sculptor, when there are at pre-
sent ca many great works of antiquit4eviting imi.
cation; and when that imitation we, be so much
the most easy method ; if see retied, that the more
difficult it is to be an original in this way, the more
eager are the public for originality, and that this is
the only merit in the present thee., as well as the
past, which can esteblish a reputation; we will find
ourselve, inclined to acknowledge, that the works
of M. Canova contain many of those qualities,
which constitute a manner altogether original,
r though formed on the grand model of antiquity.
To conclude, M. Canova will himself compre-
bend, that his reputation in France can only be
I established by h7s w,.rks. A hlernher of the School
' of Arts of this Institute, called upon by the labours
which they have demanded cf him to contribute to
, the glory of rear natioit, he ought to be animated
with the ambition of obtaining their approbation.
; Fle should hasten to furnish us with the means of
forming a deduite kedgment. The happy rivalship
which has been established between him and our
artists, has perhaps urged us to anticipate in his
favour, the judgment of posterity.
QUATRLYILKE DE Qt. iNcy.
•
(Estractelfivas tic Literary drciivet.)

PRICE OF STI,CKS.
If LbTLLDAL.

3 per Cent. Cons .. 57/11
5 per Cent. ?Ley 9l'
lotpersl3 per Cent...... ..
Ditto AIIII uities... ...... 9l 13-16
Omnium
5 per Cent 1751 571
End. Lottery Tick. ti. 181.
Commas fur .. .. .
T. BISIL Stuck-Broker,
4, Coninill, and 9, Charing Cross.

kT M MARE LANE,
f Anqua to the 25th of August,
the new Act.

4.
1.
45 Qttartert at 71
503 --- at 70
190 at 49
188 at 6R
J 65 at 67
SO at 66
490 at 64
407 at 63
288 at 62
99 at 61
87 at 60
- at 58
60 - at 60

r.—Avrrage 74%. 1114.
an last Return.