New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-04-22
The Fine Art- In Washington.


The Fine Arts In Washington.
Correspondence Of The Tribune.
WAsHiSs1ON, Thursday, ApriI6.
The society nomsdic or permanent, Of Wash
ington, has had an opportunity much greater than
usual 10 indulge their taste for the Fine Arts-psr
tcolsrly those Of Painting and Sculpture The
most distinguished in the two Arts Of whom our
country boasts have either brought with them
here or sent some OF their master pieces per
tormances whose excellence has been fully appre
ciated and spplauded.
The Greek Slave of Powers has attracted visit
ere from every section OF the country been as
much admired by the Western pioneer as the more
,e6ned inhabitsnt of the Atlantic cities. For the
artist drew from Nature, and Nature 10 popular
every where. The consistency Of expression which
dwels in the whole body Of the statue, peryadlng
the face the limbs and the muscles and equally de-
veoped, 10 the very nails and ends OF the toes and
6nRers has been universally recognized and uni
versally admired The exhibition closed asst week
and were grathed to know il has had a successful
season.
or the sister art OF Painting, we have had here
this Winter q number Of eminent professors 10
portrait painting, the two most distinguished, har
ding and Healey, both well known abroad as at
home The works Of the former are most familiar
10 me- and propose 70 make concerning them
lew remarks
Mr. HARDIso commenced practice Alright. Be
fore undertaking to paint men as they should
pa he studied them as they were. lie made
familiar 10 himself by actual observation and &c
curate study the common forms OF Nature. IL Is
a knowledge that no books can teach aud the want
of which not all the scientific theories, physlo0gi
cal ply siognOmicsl or anatomical can supply
Herein the student must minister 70 himself Inc
great painters Of the HOman and BOlognese schools
says Sir Joshua Hey nolds, gathered together
great number OF studies OF heads from Nature To
b. atterwa ard embetished and introduced into their
pictures 1t was by studying men perseverlngy
that Mr.. HARDING became 30 capable OF dlstin
gushing the differences OF feature, expression and
,orm between man and another differences
always existing although sometimes not immedi-
ately perceptible,-and marking them plainly,
strongly and indeliby upon canvas
In the art of coorng, Mr. Harding has no su
perior His colors are not only durable but ma
turs, He gives the very shade OF complexion as
Il by Natures own sweet and cunning hand iald
on
La his studio this Winter have been exhibited
acme of his former chef douUTes to which he has
lately added creations OF no less individuality aud
genius
Ikeness of HENRY CLAr-thst idol OF countless
hearts Tall and erect In early youth, his ooun-
tenance still retains its freshness and his eye ITS
iuness and undaunted expression. He looks the
Man he TO- The painter with fidelity unsurpassed
even by himself has given not only every Tea
tnre aud hneament aud petty artery even but
the soul breathing in the face. You read
the character OF the man ia his image before
YOU Ii 10 compendioos history OF ms HE
His high resolve his firm purpose, his unyleding
spirit the courage 70 dare and the Will to execute
are seen at glance and impressed forever Many
lives Of HENRY CLAY have been written that teach
less Of the man than this abstract and brief chron-
ice on canvass
Directly fronting him, you observe counte'
nance the equal intellectual majesty OF which
neither sculptor painter has handed down from
ancient times nor modern artist found other occa-
sion 20 delneate The proud and lofty forehead,
where all the might of mind seems euthroned the
dark, deep sunken lustrOus eye, flashing IRON be
meath the o'er.jutting tenebrous brow like hgot
emitted from a candle burning in sepulchfe
the chiseed features rare in their separate beauty
and wonderful in their combination, attest the glo-
rious triumph OF the artist in his attempt 10 give
the world assn ance of the intellectual man. de
has added nothing 10 nature, he has withholden
nothing. The likeness 10 ~ perfect as almost TO
be painful 1t hsunts us aiterward like VIVID
dream, or ylsi0g.
Near by is the portrait OF GEo AsHMUS, Masss
chusetts' Representative. This too, is remarks-
hly faithful. Or II Il aims at all u 10 In being
slight establishment of nature, The less pardon
able too, because little necessary few faces re
curing less from the painters hst,ering pencil than
mia The Inner has thrown a shade OF melancholy
over the countenance, aud herein given no slight
indication Of his wonderful study OF the human
face divine" For melancholy at htiul intervals
will be seen TO characterize to greater or less ex
tent every intellectual countenance, like the mel.
lowed rays OF tho departing sun soitenng aud
semperins to beauty. The artist has caught the
expression and made IL historical.
Turning from these portraits, as time sdmonishes
yoa must your eyes encounter the loveliest crea'
ton Tor copy of the poet painter. 1t Is the like
ness OF one Of Springhelds dsughters-s trans At
lantic Marie Antoinette--tor surely never lighted
ON this orb which she hardly seems 70 touch,
more delightful vision In her face Beauty bresthes
on canvas Her expression, al once spsrItaelfe and
lovely gives character and sweet animation %
every feature, establishing harmony among them
all She seems too beautiful for reaty-more Ike
a poetic idea than bodily creation; visitsnt
rather than an nhsbItsnt of earth among US,
bat DOT OF US
All, il CleopaEa appeared to Antony in such
gulse, no wonder the naughty Tnumvir yielded:
Tor who to gain possession OF 50 fair person would
rot lose the world aud be content 20 lose Il
Later, may speak OF other works Of Mr.. Hard
ing As well those Of other authors but this VIII