Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-01-27
POWERS THE SCULPTOR,

The following interesting notice of Pow
ers, the gifted American Sculptor, now in
Italy, is quoted by the London Athennum
from Mrs. Trollope's recent Tour in Italy !:
"Rather more than ten years ago be-
came acquainted in Cincinnati, in Ohio,
with young man of the name of Powers {:
he was at that time an assistant to Mons.
Dorfeuille, the ingenious proprietor of a
whimsical museum in which curious objects
Of Natural history, North American antique
ties, and historical groups of wax figures,
were blended, and daily exhibited, for the
amusement and edifcation of the beau monde
ofthe western metropolis. The wax figures
~-ie .uuided, or at any rate finished, by
this young Mr.. Powers: and there was
degree of talent displayed in this, that struck
US all very forcbly, as being something
greatly out of the common way. Encour-
aged, perhaps, by the opinions expressed by
the European party, Of his skill in modelling,
he undertook bust in such clay as he could
find, and produced what struck us all as
the most wonderfully perfect likeness we
had ever seen. But we moved on, and
heard no more of him. A few days after
We arrived in Florence, we were invited TO
visit the studio of some of the most dislin-
gulshed artisans at present working there
A young American, called Powers, was
among the names first mentioned, and the
instant | heard the name, | felt not the
slightest doubt that by going to his STU
do should meet my old acquaintance.
Nor was disappointed. There indeed |
found the highly gifted Hiram Powers, fully
emerged fiom tho hovisi. cir, sails state in
which had last secShim into "a full-nedged
and acknowledged man of genius, in hieh
fashion, overwhelmed with orders from veal
thy patrons ofal quarters Of the globe, and
with his rooms filled with admirable busts,
all Of them with more of the 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 de.
gree that made me look at him with wonder
When we left him at Cincinnati he was a
lad that had seen nothing of any art but the
art Divine which had formed the living crea-
lures around him; and nothing but that intu.
tive faculty without which, presume. ge.
MUS cannot exist, could have hurried him for.
ward TO the place he now holds among liv.
ing artists. Having examined all he had &c
show me, with equal surprise and pleasure,
ventured to ask him if he had never tried hi.
hand upon ideal work.
sin marble ?" he replied. "Yes," said |
some group, not merely consisting of por.
trait, but something imaginative" He SHOOK
his head.-'l am married, and have two
children" he said. "For busts | have a,
many orders as can execute; | must no
risk the loss Of this lucrative business, in or.
der to indulge myself in works of magma,
ton. Ii my success continues, | may
perhaps in time, venture 10 attempt some
thing of the kind. But l cannot afford i
yet" "But do you not sometimes imagine
compositions 7" said ]. "Do you not fame,
things that you would like to execute 2
"Why yes he replied smiling, 81 Ger.
tainly have fancied things that should Xix,
to execute, and Twill show you one ofthem.'
He then led the way to another room, an,
there, behind screen, was figure mountet
on pedestal. and l saw at once that it wa
full-length as large as life, though it wa
yelled from head to foot with a CLOTH
"Here," said he, pausing before he uncover
tits figure in clay, on which have be-
slowed some labor, and more thought but
dare not do il on marble dare not try m,
chIsel upon it, unless could &c, an orde