Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-02
PowERs's STATUES.
[Br onvILLE DEwEr.l


FROM TIE UNION MAsAzrsE LITERATURE AND Art,
EDITED MRS. KIRKLAND.
cannot easily express the pleasure have had in looking at
these statues should be almost afraid to say how they impress
me IN comparison with other works Of art The power
iu certainly Of all the statues in the world the Apollo di
DelVedee, That is grandeur. If descend step lower
and seek Tor beauty, confess that have nowhere felt il as
IN these works OF Powers in his Eve that is to saw and in
the "Geek Slave" do not mean the beautv of marc form
OF the moulding of limbs and muscles In this resnec Il IL
very likely that the Venus de Medc is superior 10 the Eve
and The Greek Girl But mean that complex character Of
beauty which embraces with muscular form the moral senti
ment of work And looking at this last trait fearlesv
ask to look the Venus and the Greek Girl and
then to tell where the highest intellectual and moral beau
~ is found There cannot be moments doubt There is
no sentiment In the Venus but modesty. She is not in
situation to express any sentiment any other sentiment
She has neither done any thing going any thing
nor is she in situation to awaken any emotion There
she stands, and says if she says any thing 81 beau
ul and shrink little from the exposure of my charms ~
Well she There ought be exposure
besides beauty like fidelity history in the Eve or help
less constrant in the Greek Girl Nay, according to the
true laws Of art that be right statue which would be
wrong, improper, disgusting in real life bold as to
doubt it. Art proposes the representation something that
exists or may properly and beautifully exist in le And
doubt whether sauaiy painting have any business
depart from that rule than poetry And suppose that epic
poem for the sake of frightening the charms attractions
of its heroine should describe her walking about naked
Could be endueds Nor any more do believe that scup
ture without urgent cause, should take similar ber-
y draped statue be beautiful can answer all the
ordinary purposes of work of witness Canovas Hebe
and the Polymnia in the Louvre ancient work And
doubt that ancient art would have given us more exam
pies of this kind the moral decacy had been equal the
genius that inspired it. trust that Christian refinement
breaking away from the trammels of blind subsection to the
antique will supply the deficiency. But any rate the sta
tues of Mr. Powers entirely free from this objection She
who walked in the bowers of primeva had
thought Of apparehad yet been ashamed find herself
devoid Of it and she is clothed with associations which
permit others to think of the possession Of it, She
is represented in this work standing Her left hand hangs
neggeny by her side her right holds the apple and upon
this with the head little inclined, her fixed
and in this countenance there beautifully blended
daton Sadness and eagerness When first saw this
statue model rather the last Of these expressions was not
given said to the artist 81 here things she me-
dates the point before her and she sad thought
Of erring He said, Yes; that is what would express
but must add another trait" feared to have him touch it
but when next the work. that expression eager desire
added which doubtless fills up the ideal of the cha
racter.
do not wish to speak of this work any general of
commonplace praise The world will it, the skilful will
Judge of it, and have doubt about their verdict
Much as admire this statue confess that the Greek Slave
interests deeply have spoken of the want of SEN
tment in the Venus The form is beautiful but the face is
conessedy nspd The Greek Slave clothed all with
sentiment sheltered protected by it from every prone eye
Brocade cloth of god could be complete protec
ton than the vesure of holiness in which she stands For
what does she stand there To be sold to be sold to
Turkish harem perous position be chosen by an artist
of high and virtuous intent perous point for the artist
being good man, to compass. What is it The highest
point in all art To make the spiritual reign the copo
real to sink form in idealy in this particular case
the appeal to the soul entirely control the appeal sense
make the exposure of this beautiful foil the base in
tent for which is made to create loneliness such that it
charms and yet that has value for the slave
market that has place there than if the love-
illness Of infancy nay, that repe chl disarms the taste
that would buy And how complete is the Iwould
fain assemble all the RIGHTEOUSNESS in the world this
statue be instructed rebuked dsamed converted to pu
y by 1t There stands the Greek Girl in the slavemarket
with charm as winning the eye beheld and every
sympathy of the behoder enlisted for the her
sancy every feeling of the behoder is ready execrate
and curse the wretch that could buy such creature There
she stands with form less vouptuous than the Venus de
Medic but if possible beautiful my eye manacles
clasp her wrists and chain unes them her head turned
then her face-l cannot describe i'll
only say that there the finest imaginable union Of nteec-
ua beauty touching Sadness and in the upper lip the slight
est possible curl just enough express mingled dsdan and
resignation. The thought Of fate be in her face
and perhaps nothing could better bring its climax the touch
ing appeal of innocence and helpessness.
will only add, that Mr. Powerss work to me to be
characterized by most remarkable simplicity and chasteness
Nature his guide, to the very letter. No extravaganza no
strainng after effect exaggeraion make things more
beautiful; all calm, sweet simple Nature The chaste-
in these statues strongly with the usual vo
righteousness Of the antique, and is especially illustrated by
the air Of total unconcousness in the Eve and the Greek Girl
This is trait Of decacy, in my opinion, altogether higher
than the shrinking attitude and action Of Of the antique
statues Of Venus.
PENSACOLA, SEPTEMBER IL, l647
Our old friend, Judge GARNER, committed suicide last
night (Septcmber ICY by drowning himself have always
been under the impression that he about of the hap
pies men in this city but such the From
Letters he wrote to several Of his friends and which
dated time back, appears he had for time past