The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-12
THE MADISONIAN
GREENoUGH'S STATUE OF WASHING
TON.

In one of our recent foreign Journals we ma
the following incidental notice OF this colossal
statue. II is from the pen of a continental tour
ist, whose communications IN the journal are
under the title of Modern Art and Artists IN
Italy, being portion of Continental fragments.
The safe arrival of the statue IN the uniteu
States must make this notice, though very oriel'
acceptable committee has been appointed
by Congress to provide for the removal OF the
statue to the Capitol.
Arrived at Florence, my ears rang with Inc
fame of two American sculptors: Greenough
and Powers know the Americans write beau
rifuI poetry. and therefore did not see why they
should not be capable Of producing marble eepcs;
at all events their advent was sort OF Hellacai
rising in Italy, which is at once the cradle ana
the tomb of the arts and as | have strong
presentiment that ancient america, IN the my
Rad century revolutions of time will one day be
talked of as we now talk OF ancient Rome,
had great curiosity TO see the first launching OF
her children's presents TO posterlty sun had
nv doubts, for | heard that both these artists
excelled in busts, and take it that the perpetu-
ating human ugliness, or even human beauty, on
canvass or in marble, is the utter destruction OF
the ideal, which is the soul or essence OF either
art as it may be said Of sculptors and painters
that devote themselves exclusively TO this sort
of eHgy-ic colonization, what has already been
said of Cardinal Mazarin and Sir Robert Walpole
j. e. that .sthey would do mean things Tor prht
and never thought of doing great ones for glory.
had met Powers previous TO visiting his stu
do, and finer face il is not possible to conceive,
or one more OVERLOOKING with genius and lmag-
nation; there is almost superhuman lustre in his
eyes, which gives one an idea that they IN them
selves contain creative power, and that he
could look soul into the images he FORMS
From the impression received from the man
and the high wrought expectations formed OF
his works, it would have been next to miracle
if had not been disappointed in his studio. AS
for his busts, the power OF art almost of nature,
can no further go; but sadly missed what one
always seeks in an artists studio-He ideal.
There were but two attempts at ia head of
Rogers Geneva, which told nothing Of that
exquisite story, and being much older than the
poets youthful creation, might have passed for
Cornelia or any other Roman matron; the other
was a statue of Eve still in the clay, the figure
was beautifully moulded; more beautiful,
think, than that Of Venus in the Tribune. But
the attitude is ungraceful, that of the right ell
bow resting on the hip as she holds out the APP
pie; and while every feature in the face is per-
feet, the face ITSELF like the face of Geneva,
has the fault of being too discreet and express
ing nothing. Why does not such an artist leave
dull realities, and draw little upon the imagi-
nation that | feel sure he must possess! Truly
may it be said, blessed are they who do not
expects" for where expected to be dsappoint
Sd m9fs hea ase COLOSSAL stat Of Wash
ington, that thought it utterly impossible that it
could produce an effect upon me proportions
ate to the praises had heard bestowed upon
IL, especially as | remembered the almost dis
gust with which | had looked at Thorwald-
sens modern statue-that is, modernly dress
ed statue of Lord Byron, and, to say the
least OF It, Washington, particularly when mag
nhed, was more unpoetlcal, therefore more
difficult subject. But The manner in which Green
ough has executed his almost impossible task is
only another proof that genius can infuse ma
gic INTO the commonest and most common place
things, just man was mass of inanimate
clay ''of the earth earthly" till God breathed i'm
mortality into him, and so formed him after his
own image Nothing can be more human, and
at the same time more godlike, than this colossal
statue OF Washington. 1t is sort of domestic
Juplter-the sublime repose and simplicity of
the whole figure, united, as it is, with exceeding
energy OF expression, is perfectly classical with
out the slightest abstract imitation for the ar
tst seems TO have embodied Seneca's admirable
advice as TO stye-simitem esse te rolo, quo-
modo tiium, non quomodo imoginem, as there
IS no mstaklng the pure lineage of this statue.
Being intended 10 fill the central position in the
Capitol of the United States, he has addressed
his statue of Washington to a distant posterty,
and made 1t rather a poetica abstract of his
whole career than the chronlcler of any one
deed, or any one leading feature of his life
lie Is, therefore, seated as first magistrate and
extends with his left hand sword, the emblem
OF his military command, towards the people
as the sovereign, he points heavenward with
his right hand by this double gesture is convey
ed the idea OF an entire abrogation of self, and
making the patriot a conductor. as il were. be-
tween God and man.
The chair in which he is seated, being too
large TO be left mute, tells also its history. The
superior part is richly ornamented with acan-
thus, and garlands of flowers, while the base is
SOLID, simple and massive, which plainly ndi-
Gates that high cultivation is the proper result of
sound government, and that nations, when well
planted and well titled, must flourish as well as
grow, BY the figure of Columbus, which leans
against the back of the chair on the left side. is
connected the history of morioa with ,hot OF
Europe, while that of the Indian chief on the
right Is embematc of the state America was
In when clylzaton first dawned upon it The
bas relief on the right side of the chair, which
was the first crest of the American National
Arms, IS the rising sun. under which is inscribed
Hdgnus db integlo sPciorum ndScit,tr orio
The relieve on the left side represents the penil
" A'"itu ahu hoouH hIieIlcd, unuer tne forms
OF the infants Hercules and Iphiclus, the latter
shrinking in dread whilst the former struggles
successfully with the obstacles and dangers of
an lnclplent political existence. The motto for
this bas-reief is Rcipe posse puer cui non
riSere parentes. In this statue Greenough has
achieved glorious work, and one that cannot
fail TO reach lis destinaion-namely the distant
posterIty to'which il is addressed Though he
modestly says, that like the modern Italian ar
lists, he fears he should have contented himself
with the sleepy and Indifferent toll of the studio,
had not the confidence Of his countrymen-who
are unriyalled in hoping great things. and truly