Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-09-26
POWERS THE SCULPTURE.

The following extracts are taken from an
article upon the GENIUS AND SCULPTURE
OF POWERS" in the last number of the
American Review. Notwithstanding its
length, we are sure it will be perused with
deep interest, and with feelings Of pride in
the unequalled genius, and spreading renown
of our beloved fellow citizen:
All who gaze upon the Greek Slave and
the Eve, seem to go away with that beautiful
emotion which long fingers around one, like
some ideal form that sometimes in the calm
sleep of an early spring morning fits over
the fancy, but cannot be forgotten Sit wakes
us-we quiet ourselves and try TO sleep, and
bring back the vision again. In these COM
positions there is the highest style of the ideal
and the purest expression Of nature. They
seem like his busts to have been copied from
life land they are)-but as Mr.. Powers re-
marked, they we're composed from a great
variety of models. Unlike other female
statues have seen, combine all that is beau
tnul in the ideal-that CLOVIS in the fancy
and all that is cheerful and home. like in the
fairy beings who cluster around our own fire.
fec,y nude figures and yet so pure in every
line, movement and expression about them,
one feels that he stands in the garden, where
Eve stood, among the fowers-with Angels
and with God-and "was naked and moi
ashamed" An impure thought cannot rise
in the bosom Of The gazer, unless he be one
who is unfit for The society Of pure woman.
I think my residence abroad has only made
me prize more than ever the bright gem
which adorns the American women-that
prinative virtue which recols from the very
shade Of impurity. And so far from feeling
an apprehension that the exhibition of these
statues in America, would have any tenden.
cy to introduce among our women foreign
indelicacy, characteristic Of every country in
the world, but our own and the British Is.
lands at home, l am persuaded they would be
warmly greeted by all the enlightened and all
Of the pure Of both sexes, and leave every
spectator with more exalted conceptions OF
The beauty aud divinity of virtue. And
would even venture to say, that should be
compelled TO fear of every one, who, after
seeing them, should pronounce different
opinion that the character of the spectator
was not right They are as pure as Millions
magical picture Of the Garden of Eden, and
over every pure.minded person they will
exert as high and pure an influence.
have spoken Of Mr.. Powefs' genius in
the other great departments of sculpture
But he has gone further. Sometime last
year, he received commission for a statute
of Mr.. Calhoun, for the city of Charleston
and the model is nearly done. 1t displays
the same consumate talent that appears in III.
other INDEPENDENTLY the head, which
regard as finer than any he has ever execu.
ted. The attitude is erect-in his right hand
he holds up, on a level with his eye, scroll
on which is inscribed his political creed-the
folds Of the drapery are falling gradually
around him, and the whole expression is a
fine personifcation of the old Roman Sena.
tor But in the expression of the face anc
form, there is an air Of majesty. have new.
er seen eqnalIed in any full statue, and The
likeness is as perfect as any of his busls.
But Mr.. Powers will not content himself
until he has ,riumphed in every field of sculp
ture. He is to begin, as soon as Mr.. Cal
houn's statue is done, a magnificent group
the subject OF which | am now at liberty L
mention, but which will constitute, | believe
if executed as well as his other works, tn,
most superb group in the world. 1t is sub
Ject which has not been attempted IN sculp
ture or painting, and yet ii illustrates tn
greatest fact in the history of the human race
But It will be the work Of years.
In the meantime, he has trained up a larg'
number of wofkmeD, who are superior. Il
any in Florence, and they are all occupied
His orders are increasing faster than he cal
execute them, although his prices are highe
than any other soul ptor can command. TIN
Slave has been finished and sent to England
and two copies Of it have been ordered th
price Of the original, was So 800 but he ha
$4,000 for duplicates. The Eve is done
and he is varying the model 10 make du
plicate, which, while it retains all its genera
proportions, will be different in some of it
arrangements, to make it strictly speakin
not duplicate. The Fisher Boy is com
mssioned. His Proserpine, single idea
bust, was ordered by Mr.. Carey. of Phila
delphia, for $500, and large number of du
plicates, mostly from foreigners, have bee
ordered. Tie is DESTROYS not to occupy mo.
Of his time on busls, and he hoped that
raising his price, orders would cease h
rose from 8 to $500, and his commission
have increased so rapidly, it is probable h
will soon double the sum. This will be nc
cessary, for even at this price, he is oblige
to deny many applicants. He told me b
could not now make busts even at that pric
without loss. This may appear strange, b,
he not unfrequen,ly passes many days upo
bust after the best Judges suppose it
done. Ofall his workmen, and he has SOU
he pays as high as four dollars day, (whc
IN Italy 10 Unprecedented he cannot Deepen
upon one of them for the finishing of a sing
work. II has a singular fact that the fir
time Mr.. Powers took chisel in his hand 1
made bust entire, and finished il in sty
superior to any workman or artist in FIol
ence. His mechanical skill is as extraord
> nary'as his creative genius.
!, There may be many who would be gla
= to possess some work Of Mr. Powers, who.
= means would not justify them in the expen'
= OF a statue or even Of bust Of then,selve
" To such, l would recommend IA copy Of Il
J Proserpine, which ] promise ANY lady sha
be even more perfect than herself. For
u boudoir. there is nothing so beautiful, and
= more classic conception could not adorn
T. library. Ii is an exquisite ideal female bus
resting in a basket Of Acanthus leaves, al
70 it forms perhaps the gem of his studio.
In addition to these uninfuenced deci