The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-14

FINE ARrs.-A statue Of Greek slave, by an
American artist, exhibiting at the rooms Of Mr..
Graves, in Pail Mall has attracted deserved attention
Mrs Trollope found Mr.. Hiram Powers modelling
wax figures at Cincinnati, many years ago; subse-
quently saw him in Florence, somewhat further adj
vanced on his way to fame; and with so much heart
mess did her best 70 help him in the struggle that
when her account with America is finally settled,
the incident will outweigh some sins Not that
America has taken much Of national interest in
Mr.. Powers, as yet. The present work il a com
mission from an Englishman, Mr.. Grant, who re-
turns to Florence, it is said with solid proofs ofthe
success ofhis generous desire to dusc in as prac-
teal way as was possible the fame of the artist
and the knowledge Of what he can do.
The figure Is entirely naked, and represents Greek
female slave standing erect as exposed for sale in
Turkish market. Chains are on her wrists, and her
right hand rests the column where her dress has
been flung. These Incidents and the subduod sense
OF shame which looks sorrowfully from her face.
suffice to tell the story. Butthe merit of the work
Isles in the sentiment i displays, than in it's marvel
lous execution and modelling.
And we must very decidedly limit our praise even
here. In short, the figure s so remarkably UNEQUAL.
that we best describe the effect it produced upon us
by saying, we found 1t difficult to believe its front
and back to be the modelling Of the same hand. A
writer in the "Times" has been called to account
tor comparing i to a Venus; and he probably did
not know why he had made the comparison, The
truth is, that the left standing leg OF the figure is
an exact copy Of the same limb in the Venus de Me-
dlcis. And exquisite es some of the finishing is IN
even this aspect Of the statue there is no mart OF il
to which we can give unreserved praise The hands
are curiously III formed, Compare the unequal lines
where the fingers Join the palm in any living hand.
with these clumsy examinations, across which a
straight line would run; and our meaning will be per
celved So with the foot, the set Of the wrist, and
the shape OF the bosom. II seems TO us. also that
the hgure from the hips 10 decidedly short. Il NAV
have been 30 In the nature copied: but there is no
part OF the female form In which certain ideal
treatment IL 30 necessary as in this
With these defects before us, we were grevinp
that we could not cordially assent to the praise the
work had elected, when the figure was turned round
The effect seemed to us wonderful. 1t would be
impossible to exaggerae il. The fllness and massive
beauty OF the form; the exquisite articulation of
every part the delicate movement of the shoulders:
the perfect distribution of the shape tho solid sim
plicity and ease of position TO such
nice minutie as the points Of the elbows and the
muscles at the back Of the knee, We Thought AZ
fine as they could possibly have been made n
would be difficult to carry the art farther. few have
carried IL SO far. Objections may admit the merit
and question whether mastery as il is Il beonos ~
the antique We do not discuss that; but we ear
II merit older than the antique. II is the thing
itself II is what the ancients were insured bv.
and il still remains TO work new wonders with
Every one interested 10 art will find this statpe
well worthy of . visit. We can only counsel ,bsn,
to look as little in the direct front of il as NAV he
We cannot account for its amazing ineoualities ex-
cept by supposing something similar In the living
model, and the failure of Mr.. Powers's Imagination
where ne had lost his guide London paper.