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 demonstrated 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 ruffling 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,
iand has more the appearance of a real bird elcetro-

_ .
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 the
extra;
down which overspreads them. The most
ordinary triumph of Mr. Phillips's skill, however,
is shown in the extremely minute feathers which
cover the frame of the pinions and which
theconceal tips
the fastenings of the large feathers formingooverrate
of the wings. It would be impossible
and
so thick
this portion of the work, so numerousep w
eis the effiet
are the feathers, and so soft anddt:
eagle's eyrie,
produced. The rock which forms
intn
combination, is
a fine mass of tin and antimeninsYs
, pleasing contrast
lustre re o
heref
rendered feathers
of bold workmanship, and f°,:,. of the plumage. No_
to the somewhat dusky oo ltoban
the colouring of the
thing can be more hi_tinPlprnaeitnatiiinicgl,
figure of the bird.
nqually good also is the horn-
the beak and talons while
swoitdhiffigcruealtt tieoliiciiiiti_
von to
Nt,;ofricnotdrinsgcawleisiioehf ti‘hler.fp'eehtilapeslhitabs-
tlihkee
yaepi pi
cewa r cde
_.,,, a modesccrt of his OWn, and was dis ' I
of executing this figure. It is
employedlike'r.he
c. 0% eret
b y him in the course
improvement.odn tfhe old system, inasmuch as it
eaoblaatteelereytrboytyapninegw. prlotcseseshioeff
an
supersedes the ai
be called°
awdhvaatnintaagYe over the ordinary method consists in the
variety of colouring on the same surface which it
allows,
.and its superior economy. For six years
Mr. Phillips. has been employed iu bringing this
work of art to its present condition. More then
10,000 feathers, formed from ordinary copper-plate,
all made by hand, some of 'which had to pass 26, ore
or 27 times under the hammer and gravetrileNTl.
necessary for the plumage alone, and
show
on what
wearied patience and industry P I
has evidently been a labour of loevele•
we understand, proposes shortly to allow
to judge of its merits. le,llrihle) hi
publicl li p s,