The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-03-14
A Question Of Propriety,

Our contemporary Of the Mobile Herald disa.
grees altogether from some humble remarks ofours,
last week, on the subject of Model Artists and
las near as we remember, for the paper containing
the remarks alluded to has been mslaid) disagrees
also from our opinion of the perfect propriety of
sculptures and paintings after similar sort with
these Artists In what we said, and in what
we have to say. it is not so much about the Model
Artists, but the general principle involved, that
care. Much has been written on the subject of
that principle, in this country; for among the
tons on the continent of Europe, it has been set.
tied long ago. A portion of the English hold out
STILL but they do it from the proverbial obsti
macy of John Bull than from any other reason.
The only objection that we can conceive of to
the undraped figure, arises from an assumption of
coarseness and grossness intended Take away
this, and there is no need lin the cases under dis.
cussion) Of any objection at all. Eve in Paradise
Or Adam either-would not be supposed to shock
the mind. Neither would the sight ofthose nhabi-
tants of the Pacific Islands, where nakedness is,
or was, the innocent and usual custom. Neither
does the sight of youth, among us any where
else. And so stern and commanding is the potency
of genius, even over the vulgar-neither do pies
from the Venus de Medicis for the prude dare not
open his mouth against what the world, for many
a year, has pronounced divine. 1t is only when
people wW try hard 10 think exclusively of what
they assume TO be grossness intended, that they
are " shocked at such spectacles. But would not
woman OF sense, Ito say nothing of man of
sense, whose decacies are not supposed to be so
refned.) even if her education has been rigid
III this respect do better take it for granted that
no grossness is intended Is there any absolute
need of directing the mind the worser way,
Amid all the works of that Power which, in the
most stupendolls systems and the smallest objects in
them, shows such unspeakable harmony and per
fiction, nothing compare with the humqn mas
ter-piece, his closing and browning work. 1t is a
masterpiece in ITSELF not as it is frbrlowed off bv
the milliner and tailor. Nor would it be alto
getler undressing TO pursue the inquiry how far
artificial IDEAS on the subject of swaddling this
work, much in vogue among civilized nations
and barring off the contemplation of its noble and
beautiful proportons-how far, we say, these
practices may have aided in the effect of diminish
ing the average amplitude and majesty of the form,
which effect must be confessed to when comparing
present times with the age of the old Grecians and
Iatins.
As for the Model Artists, We know excellent wo-
men, and men too, who have attended their per
tomanees with rational qualification We have
witnessed them with the like result 1t is some
what matter of taste, however, and we do not
wish to quarrel with any body because his taste
differs from ours. In conclusion it may be as we'll
10 STATE that there are perhaps, in bye places exag
geFa'ed exhibitions of these groupings-as glut-
tony or drunkenness is the depravity Of whole
some appetite. Such. from what we hear, are so
abominable as TO be beneath even the merit of
condemnation,