New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-11-14
POWERS THE scuLrToR.

recent our III
Rather than ten years ago became ac-
ouainted In Cincinnati, In Ohio, with young man
of the name Of Powers: he was at that time ar
assistant 10 Iona Dorfeuille, the ingenious pro-
prietor Of whimsical museum in which curious
objects of Natural History, North American anti
Duties. and historical groups Of wax figures, were
blended, and daily exhibited, for the amusement
and edhcation Of the beau monde Of the western
metropolis. The wax figures were moulded, or q.
any rate finished, by this young Mr.. Powers and
there was degree of talent displayed in this, that
struck us ali very forcibly, as being something
greatly out of the common way. Encouraged,
perhaps, by the opinions expressed by the Euro
pean party, of his skill in modelling, he undertook
d bust in such clay as he could find, and produced
what struck us all as the most wonder fully -perec.
likeness we had ever seen. But we moved on.
and heard no more of him A few days after WI
arrived in Florence, we were invited to visit the
studies of some of the most distinguished artisan
1T present working there. young American,
called Powers among the names first men
toned, and the instant heard the name, telt
not the slightest doubt that by going to his studio
| should meet my old acquaintance Nor was !
disappointed. There indeed | found the highly
gifted Hiram Powers, fully emerged ffom the boy
ism chrysais state in which / had labt seen him.
into full-Redged and acknowledged man of gc-
MUS, in high fashion, overwhelmed with orders
from wealthy patrons of all quarters of the globe,
and with his rooms filled with admirable busts, all
Of them with more of that magical air of life
about them, which we see and feel, In the works
Of the ancient sculptors, than any collection OF
modern marbles that have ever visited. His
busts are life-like to degree that made me look
at him with wonder. When we left him at Gin
oinrat he was lad that had seen nothing of any
art but The art Divine which had formed the iiy-
ing creatures around him; and nothing but that
intutive faculty without which, presume, genius
cannot exist, could have hurried him forward to
The place be now holds among living artists. Hav
ing examined all he had to slow me- with equal
surprise and pleasure, ventured 10 ask him Ii he
had never tried his hand upon any ideal work.
:. In marble?" he replied. eyes" said |, some
group, not merely consisting Of portrait, but
something imaginative" He shook his head
+" | am married, and have two children" he said.
" For busts I have as many orders as | can exc
cute must not risk the loss of this lucrative bu-
siness, in order to indulge myself in works of i'm
agination. If my success continue may, per-
laps, in time, venture to attempt something OF the
kind. But carnol afford it yet But do you
not sometimes imagine compositions said l.
" Do yos-not fancy things that you would like to
execute" "Why, yes" he replied, smiling, :"
certainly have iancied thiogs that should like TO
execute and viii show you one of them. He
then led the way TO another room, and there, BIZ.
hind screen, figure mouHtcd on pedes-
tai, and [ saw at once that il was fu!-length as
large as life, though il yelled from head to
foot with cloth. /" Here" said he, pausing be-
fore he uncovered il, figure in clay, which
| have bestowed some labor, and more thought;
but dare not do it in marble; dare not try my
chisel upon it, unless | could get order for the
statue, and cannot hope forthat az yet. mean
1t as a representation OF Eve. de then with
drew the drapery that concealed it, and displayed
undraped female that gazed upon with un-
tsigned aslonishment. have no words of art al
my command which might enable you to conceive.
all the blended dignity and simplicity of this beau
rful figure. In size, it ia not beyond nature, but
it lie nature in very full perfection, and admirably
well accords with the idea hat ii seems natural TO
conceive of the universal mother, and the model
OF woman, she came from The hand Of the Gre.
ator, before any accident Of earth had furnished
her perfection. In her right hand she holds the
fatal apple, and athwart the still heavenly compo.
sure OF her tair face, may trace q slight shade
ct incipient anxiety Just sufficient to make ono
feel that she is not divine, but human. But what
struck me in the csmposition, still more than the
grace and oveliness, the almost severe sim
plcity with which it conceived and executed
There u in IT something that gave me the idea of
the pride OF genius, tina, could stoop borrow
charm from look, or attitude, but trusted ali to
beauty and to truth alone. Powers watched, al
most wholly IN silence, the impression that his
work made upon Us; and when at length we turn
ed away from it, he threw the veil again over it,
saying. with something like sigh, g I should
like to do it," Most heartily do wish tina. some
one may ere long look upon that Eve of clay with
as sincere admiration did, and with money
enough to boot TO command tina, she should inn
rnediately receive the immortality OF marble, for
well does she deserve it.
IT IS VuLsAx."--The following is extracted