New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-09-15
CITY ITEMS.


.; 5eock. P N. services ihs Beeessrsi Church, BY
Rcr Pay. RoKbury Mas
Rev. l. wins. Ciaremout y n
= o'coct P VI OrchaTa-st Church. BY Rev A Miner,
2. o'ciScf. P VI Foarth.st Church between Avenues
and G. by Rev II b s0ule, Hartford. Conn
q. o'clock. VI Brooklyn Taheruic.e, By Rev J n Aus
=, oeiSes. p NJ wi.ism.bursh. b. Rev Suseier.
Portland Ne
THE GREEK SLAvE-On the first opening Of this
statue We briefly expressed the deep eject which as II
seemed 70 us mus, produce every eeholder since
that time II has been exh biied for several dsys and las
been visited by constantly increasing numbers h'd
our impression needed sny continuation We should hsSe
found ii 10 the silent and sbsortei attention win which
Ne have seen the regarded By spectators OF 81
classes and sges. People 81 before Il as rspi and A.
NOS, a. silent dsvoees rel eious ceremony Tie
same surprise and delight sni the elevation OF '-n
timeu, seem In various degrees 70 BE- felt By al eonars
whatever may the critical Jnd-usHi OF individuals
10 the merits Of the work there IL mistake about the
fcsiny which it srakens
We have heard from two or three writer's whose
opinion. se respect the face Of the statue - Win,
out any particular meaning sni hat i M gt a. ~r %
called snvthlrs else 50 The Greek slave The remark
surprised uf sni W. vent straight 60 the eX1ioiaon
room Tor another look At couutensnce which We asd
"a
most careful observation W. could not discover apy
deficiency IN this part 9i the work To us The ises i
stll ful OF meaning AID agree rather with those
visitors who bsve not sen It without being Affected 10
tears
one critic whose perceptions 10 this case W cannot
admire object. to the nudity Of the figure the statue
seems In his view 70 nsusts no, very delicate indii
ference % beingn that condition probably because mod
elad from persons accustomed 10 H. Others - wei 40
tb. writer also think trsi # sculptor bad taken Oh
the chsns hch eonfne the wrists Of the statue snd
called il Eve or Venus or Nymph coming from the
bath he would have done better than 10 call ia Greek
slave.
A. 70 this las. point our friends certainly display
good deal Of literally when they give the artist the
whole range between Eve and Venus to seiec, name
from But Ne believe that they speas from hs'y I'M
prss.ou .ni Do much les. than justice TO Nr Powers
Lot US hsu try 10 SEQ from What lea the Greek slave
was created.
To begin with trui.m ihs nude human figure 10 the
only 1ect which call into pay the beet iaculuts
Of the sculptor h. st-mpt nothing else II he ~i'ae
TO produce - sr-=, work Aud this 10 90 not ony icr
the reason that tn human form Is 10 ia nsiare the most
prfec. Of an possible forms but because I. the only
one In which the passions ms, the soul OF art can DO
embodied i. ho~ever not necessary 10 seek reasons
, for whs, every artist Of any emnence has slssys in
slirc,ivrly felt and scted upon.
Ths being the case whittier shsl the artist resort Tor
hi. themesi tho legends Of P-gsn mythology such
would BE- the course Of the strict disciples OF the an
taue no doubt bu, SIR Powers hiss the honor OF boldly
/. and nobiy departing from that school II we under
snd Tim Alright, he aims rather to fad subjects waien
. in themselves possess universal and permanent inter
est and which must always sppesl to the sympshie' Of
beholders even Il every peculiar fact or history relating
70 them be forgotten To state Il Ia other words Mr
Powers seeks 10 found la sculpture the school OF hu
manty He would carry into his ART that divine spin
which since the advent OF Christ has been moving anon.
? men The supreme element Ia all his works. W.
b,ve reason 10 belieye-and In tho Greek Slave AS VI
know /. the Human. Butthis is something unknown t
the antique for the reason Christianity brought int.
the world It has also hitherto been as little as possible
y EXPRESSED n the whole range OF molern sculpture
We fear We 30 no. make meaning quite clear bu
cannot stop TO help t-Sow where in modern life Is tn
artist TO ind subjec, which shall satsiy all the cond
Il lions which shall be nude by necessity and withou
offence to the delicate taste snd which shall emile
the interest of every spectator To our minds ths YER
choice Mr. Powers has here made Is striking proof
the fertility end certainty Of his genius Chri'tis
lady exposed 10 Turkish slave market to the unre
srie,ed gaze of every buyer Does any mythology OF
: fer aught so touching as that
concernn the way in which this idea has beef
carried out As to tho perfection with which tue hu
u itself ia executed convey All adequate IDEA
In this respect the best works OF the snuqus are Ger
,any very far inferior to the Slave Mature s repro
duced 10 her mos, ideal beauties In tho proportions
IL that person the outlines Of those limbs Inc de'A
convoop, of the muscles the absolute truth of eyerl
detail Not one OF the infinitely various movements oil 'n
u infinitely complex hunsn but here displayed
= lana r
the most famous works that have preceded II We
sneak of the Venus e Msdic only casts and copie
and tho Information OF others but do no. hesitate "
, .av ab.t batter critics have said before Ne that Tue
n Crack slave excos II ~ much 10 the wonderful faith
u flues. with which toe eas, details wrought out ~
in the elevation and dignity Of the sentiment which i
n expresses
About this sentiment wish to state our mpres-ion'
Without any silOy Of doymatism strong a. In our con
victon II their correctness Il the nrs. place itS uu'
that pain a, her exposure not the predominant eeD.
in the mind ol the slave She regards That a. some'nn.
4 inevitable she has undergone before as persons nave
m come H. the market With tho view OF buying Der
abe Dear. as strong souls bear great msiortans' win
x csmnsss Moreover Der thought Is not Il nerse sn'
- g rscsns the struggling country shs has len behind
y her the freni. she hs- lost the 5aekened and desc
ie Grated home she msy never see again ins lover
whose tate the battle hHd sne 10 slh Ignorant 40
e ice The intense concentration OF the bro~' the re'ou
Of lion Of the ps the sad abstraction OF the features gen
orally and If you do that the face expresses N
deco. inward anguish which noble hearted woma'
would feel In such why you look with eyes verl
different from ours To minds the truth OF To-
statue 10 its character and title ismuch greater than II
IN were all overrheln1ei Nth shame, or If lie feature
'. were distorted with SONY To call It either Venus
o. Eve or Symph. anything but what i H. would
think be blunder Of which Mr. Powers ). not toe ma
n 10 be guilty 10 short 10 the Greek slave snd 5oshin
90 else.
Yes.u {. something else-s most touching emblem q
rs Woman in the times Of and dscord 10 mat pero
"a 10 the great cycle Of Humanity which % symbozed b.
the forty years wandering Of the chosen people 10 n
IN desert II IL Woman the s1rrOving. not Womsn n
y triumphant the Woman Of the present NOT OF the uiur
a. Ia the Eve which not Jet finished Mr. Powers bs
made type OF W0man IN the pfiniuve age Of innt
csnce snd happiness. the hrsi mother OF humanity n
Of Greek slave represents ner sier the Fall nas set
Of brand upon the suffering the ensns OF slavery AZ
If the brutal violence Of her esptors when Will the scu
Tor smoody in marble Woman such - she Is desiine
ee 10 be In the of the Redemption when the ransome
OF the Lord .n. return With everlasting Joy upon tnei
% mead. and sorrow and signing shall tee away