The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-18 00:00:00

ART IN COPPER•

The malleable quality of copper and its adapta-
bility to the purposes of art have seldom been more
fully demonitrated than by Mr. Thomas Phillips, of
Snow-hill, in a work of very high merit, of which
the spirited design is only equalled by the ambition
displayed in its execution. Of all forms
of animal
life, none have presented more difficulties, and none
have been attempted with less success by workers
in stone or metal, than the forms and attitudes of
birds, whether in a state of motion or repose. This
defect, due to the materials used more than to the
deficiencies of the artist, has been boldly grappled
with and successfully overcome by Mr. T. Phillips,
senior. His figure of a " golden eagle" is the first
attempt made to render feather for feather in either
metal or stone. The eagle, which is of the natural
size, stands on the summit of a rugged and precipi-
tous rock in a bold and threatening attitude. With
wings outspread ready for a dash at his quarry or
to withstand a human foe, the bird, with one
claw advanced, firmly grasps with his talons the
rocky ledge, while, with head protruding and
open beak, he absolutely seems to scream warn-
ing and defiance. The keen eye peering
from under the shadowing ridge of the skull, the
rising feathers of the crest, the swell and rutting of
the muscular neck, form a picture of savage anger
as true to nature as it is admirably conceived and
executed. The whole figure is instinct with life,
and has more the appearance of a real bird electro-
typed by some miracle than aught else to which it
can be compared. Every one of the minute feathers
which cluster round the neck, the fine hair-like
down which runs from the beak to the eye, the soft
cushion of plumage at the junction of the wings and
body, are here separate and can be each separately
raised by the finger. The half-hairy, half-feathery
legs of the bird are wonderful in the fineness of tile
down which overspreads them. The most extra'
ordinary triumph of Mr. Phillips's skill, bowed
is shown in the extremely minute feathers "
cover the frame of the pinions and whieb
g the tips
the fastenings of the large feathers foramoto overrate
of the wings. It would be impossible
..,a and so thick
this portion of the work, so ouniero&•-
are the feathers, and so soft and deep is the effect
combination, is
ceoasing Contraston,is
0 the
produced. The rock which fool
a fine mass of tin and antiraeoie
ainpl
of bold workmanship, and
f"rnOf the plumage, i\T
to the somewhat dusky
"'ran the colouring..
the
thin can be more happy
lustre Tof
i
figure of the bird. The metallic... . , of leaders,
so difficult to imitate in painting, is here rendered
Equally good also is the
with great felicity Lorn-
e!' to the beak and
like appearce
and even
scales of talons while
the yellow aNi'
.the feet are life-
like. The mode of colouring.. which Mr. Phillips has
employed. is a secret of his own, and was discovered
by him In tho course o exec
tanga this figure. It is
an improvement on the old e- t - .
ys em, inasmuch as it
supersedes the aid of a battery by
what may be called cold
.of
electrotyping. lts chief
advantage over the ordinary method consists
.in the
variety of colouring on
allows, and its an 0
.the same surface which it
Mr. Phillips has superior economy. For six years
been employed in bringing this
work of art to its than
present condition. More I
te
10,000 feathers, formed from ordinary copper-p a ,
all made by h
0,, . and, some of which had to pass 26 or
were
or ` i limes under the hammer and graver'
necessary for the plumage alone, and show the un-
wearied patience and industry, employed on what
Mr. Phillips,
has evidently been a labour of 1ove• I%
to allow the public
we understand, proposes shortly
to judge of its merits. eagle
'sc°wenycr:eiael