The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-13
AMERICAN SCULPTORS.

A letter from young American in Florence to the
editor of the New York Spirit of the Times, gives
an interesting account OF the doings of the American
sculptors in Italy The extract from his letter is as
follows
GAS it may please you to hear something OF our
sculptors here, will say few words about them; 1t
is impossible for an American not to feel proud OF
them First Of all stands Powers, who has finished
his cast of Eve, which he superintendent in person,
introducing altogether new method OF taking the
mould from the clay with entire success. 1t Is well
known that he makes many of his own tools some
of which impart that peculiar heshlike appearance
his bss, allowed to be By Itaiian artists ana raV
elled detantti the perfection OF that branch OF ms
noble art AS likenesses they are perfect. He has
finished his bust of Mr. Everett of his very best
performances. Until lately he has been principally
employed upon his countrymen, but his fame IS now
spreading far and wide, and he has had several Eng
lsh sitters The bust of our Minister IN London,
will / trust make him known among class able
and willing to promote worth. To acquire aiiaence
from his chsel he must look elsewhere than at home,
and he certainly has reason to be satisfied with the
treatment he has received from his country His
friends must be glad that he has conceived and ex-
ecuted such beautiful and divine figure as his EyE
embodying everything that one can imagine OF the
mother of mankind. An American should wish 1t to
be owned by an American but 1t would be more to
the sculptor's advantage that it should lind lis way
into the collection of an European connoisseur In
sonally all the gifts Of fortune. His amiaility, un
assuming manners and intelligence, mingled with
great originality, make him popular wherever ne Is
known.
CLEvENGER's busts also very remarkable per-
formances 1t operates rather against him having
such competitor as Powers, but he is very busy. He
brought out number of casts from America, which
he is executing in marble here. Personally these
two artists great friends and 1t is pleasant to
see such total absence of any OF that Jealousy
- h,,f<< fhar
generally there is too much of it, trust this rivalry
will only serve to stimulate them to greater exer-
tions to acquire for themselves foremost rank
among modern sculptors.
Since writing the above have seen Powers, who
has had royal vsiter in his studio, in the person OF
the King of Bavaria, the celebrated patron OF the
arts. He passed through here ncog,' and have
not heard that he has honored any other artist
From his being very particular about the spelling oil
Powers name, l hope he intends to order something
worthy of them both. From the description OF a
person present this occasion, his Bavarian Majesty
must be an odd fish; very deaf very inqustive, and
| very unlike what one would be apt to fancy con-
nosseur of his rank. OLD HIcKoRY's colossal bust
of drew his attention particularly, and well it
might for it is of Powers chef dGuures lie has
Just terminated the cast of Mr.. C. Of Baltimore /;
than which think he has done nothing better
There is minueness about it altogether admirable
Every vein that stands above the surface, every
smallest line every ndentation transferred to the plas-
ter in manner which it is not possible to surpass
consider it the very beau IDEAL the nc plus ultra OF
sculpture, and destined to place him as the flrst
sculptor of busts in the world. This is no American
prejudice, am singular, for even the Italians
consider him far above any living artist 1t must be
borne in mind that he has founded quite new
school, / do not know whether his friends should
be glad grieved that he has taken his leave OF this
branch of his profession He says it takes too much
of his time and does not remunerae him. He is
about to commence another original subject. 1t is
r~vh h. ac 1zkhar hon
too communicative, had his ideas pirated He has
impaired it, however, to me, and am not afraid to
predict that the embodiment of such conception
will be of the most interesting things of modern
days So soon as | am relieved from my promise OF
secrecy you shall, if agreeable to you, be made ac-
quainted with the subject.