New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-07-13

PERRIco's STATUE OF COLUMBUS.
NAPLES, March To-
| have often wished you with me in my ram
bea, especially when visiting works OF art nu'
never more than to-day, when ! called Oh WI
Perrico you know is finishing group LOT 'ne
Capitol at Washington. 1t will be i'nlsheo IN d
few DAYS and ready for transportation. lou
must see it on it's arrival. L have seen inner
ignres and more elaborate art, but no group
more spirited and exciting. There are two flg-
nres-one. Columbus a majestic 1orln IN fu
Spanish dress--with countenancc III up with
lofty enthusiasm, and leaning forward with one
foot advanced, az if he had Just planted 1t on
new world. His right hand Is elevated above
and before him, with the palm upturncd, on
which rests gloJe-the world Of his early dreams
and present enraptured vision The altitude
1he countenance Of all arc sublime. Near HIM
stands an indian female with her hands and body
thrown back and her face turned in dismay to-
ward the triumphant Columbus, in which arc
blended in life-likc vividness surprise, 'conder.
and tear The form is rich, even to volupuous-
ness, and the face superbly beautiful, and yet
wholly Indian. think, however, that her att
tude is unnatural and in some respects awkward.
But il is not either the one form the other that
admired so much; it was the design. The two
standing in that attitude were history-thcy
were great poem, the finest Columblad that
ever was written. They are to be spoiled, how
ever, by the position in which they are ordered
to be placed. Mr. Pcrrico told me they were to
stand together on one side of the entrance INTO
the Capitol Standing close together will lessen
mconccivably the effect. The whole design con-
dennis this very close proximity. 1t will bring
the Indian female directly under Coumbus's out
stretched arm, and the attitude which, at little
distance, expresses surprise, wonder and fear,
will be changed into the single expression of hor-
ror. She will seem to be shrinking from him as
if expecting a sudden blow, or startled by the
uttcrancc of some horrid crime l spoke to Mr.
Pcrrico of it. He said no one could regret it SO
much as himself, but there was no other place
free in the Capitol. Imcntioncd the propricsy of
having one each side Of the door rather than so
near. He said one side was appropriated to a
another group, statue, by an American artist.
1t is pity--a great pity. Hc wished to make
the Indian naked, but found it impossible to sus-
tain the figure in the attitude he wished to put it
without some support. So he has simply thrown
scarf around her hips which descending natu-
rally behind, firmly supports the colossal statue.
| think independent of this it is an improvement.
asked him where he found the best portrait of
Columbus to copy from. He replied in Genoa,
bust on the shaft that contains his manuscr PTS
But he said he followed no portrait or bust He
drew from al, and especially from Irvlns descrip-
ton Of him, and then chiseed out the ideal man
he had formed in his imagination. He has done
we'll. A simple statue of Columbus was all he
first intended, but one thing after another sug-
gescdf itse until he hilton the group and the atti
tude. 1t will be & valuable national possession
At the door we were told he saw no one while
al work. persevcrcd, however, and sent in our
names, and we were admitted. He was dressed
in the garb Of common aboring man, and when
we entered stood with his chisel and maIlet in his
hand, and covered with the marble dust he had
struck off from the statue before him. and came
smiling toward us saying" All, Americans are
privileged here" He removed the drapcry from
the Indian took down all the scafIoldng from
the statue of Columbus, and turned them into
every position they could be seem We left him
with our expectations more than realized, and
before the door was shut behind us we heard the
chisel hard at work. That group is impressed on
my vision with two or three other pieces of statu-
airy have seen abroad, with q clcarness that can
never be obitcrated. They are like sweet dreams
remembered at morning. Many statues | am not
fond Of seeing-some | aerer weary of. Gale
mes tire me- and always come away with aching
eyes and an unsatiSlied heart. / dislike your
statues that stands and crlucises the first
time he bcholds them. | want only those that
move ne sc deeply that never think of crit
cising and simply stand and enjoy. The grand
design Of Persics's group may have blinded my
judgement on the details.