New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-01
American Artists In Florence.


our American artists are preeminent The coun-
try that gave a discOverer of the New World,
degenerated though she be, is rich in the works
of the old Titans OF Art. Italy boards these trea-
aures as the miser does bis gold-she will not
part with them-but, with princely gsnerosi-
ty, she opens her bosom 70 receive and edu-
cate the men Of genius born our vigorous
soil AS journal writer, comparisons OF our ar
lists works would be unbecOming. and We con-
fine ourselves to Impressions made by frequent
visits TO the various studios. Greenough has
nearly completed bis groupe Of the Pioneer, de
signed for one of the pedestals of the capitol at
Washington. He has been sac years at work on
this. The figures are colossal frontier man,
in hunting coat, oAp and frnged leggns, is rescu-
ing his wife and child from the murderous ferocity
Of a North American Indian. The white man
stands nearly erect, with all that grandeur of ex
preston which resolution, determin alton aud
manly strength can give. Heis behind the savage,
who appears 10 the act Of smOthering both mothec
and child with bis blanket Grasping him with
Herculean strength mis- wright hand holds the
Indians wrist with a tension and grippe of iron,
while his left arm, doubled around the In
dams shoulder, has forced the savage on one
knee, his face thrown upward, one hand clutch
ing q tOmahawk, and the other enveloPed In
the folds of his blanket. The firm compressed
lip Of the Pioneer, the rugged, angry brow,
the chin, the pose Of the head, half bent over
the savage, and the mastery development OF
muscular strength, render the figure one OF sur
prising excellence. It awes you with the sense
of conscious power. It seems II recite the story
OF our Western progress, the story OF the anglo
Saxon superiority over the Red Man Toe nSure
of the Indian, ia war. plume and feathers, ls adj
mirable in idea and truthfnlness. His up turned,
covering face, ackno wledges the power OF the Pho
neer; his whole frame is already relaxed by the
TO bim) deadly struggle. In front of this group
are the wife and child. The motheris seated,
clsspiDg the infant to her bOsOm-her hair, IN dis
array, floats upon her barred neck and shoulders
her dress falling from her. The fond wife horTor
struck look, forgetful of self and regardfal only OF
her child, cannot be written Fear, love, anguish
all are there-the gaze fixed upon the infant,
who seems struggling in the mothers arms, UNI
conscious Of its danger. The group is a national,
historical one-it will appeal 70 the hearts OF all
Ame1icAns-snd we have no hesitancy In saying
that public opinion at home will pronounce it a
sublime conception grandly executed. The name
of Greenough is worthy 70 stand side by side with
Canovas and Thorwalsdens
Powers invites with numerous beauties. His
famous Proserpine has been, already, several
times duplicated. A copy of the head OF his
Greek Slave, one Of his Fisher Boy, are also In
his studio, together with busts OF w ashngton,
Franklin, jackson, Webster, Van Buren, Preston,
Lyttle, Judge Burnet and Mr. Longworth. II Is
needless to say that they are all admirably exc
cuted and faithful likenesses. He has nearly
coynnleted n MASTER nodelof California A female
figure standing erect holding in her right hand
divining rod, pointing TO the hidden gold, and ID
her left thrown behiDd) a bundle OF thorns en-
blematic of the pain which attends the fortune
hunter in E Dorado. His greatest neU work IS
AMERICA: q woman half draped, emblematlcsl OF
our country The model is carefully aud elabor
ately worked. The face conveys the idea OF
that firmness, strength, courage. youth and
hope, in the future, appertainngt to our hepu6iic
Al. ,laFeh oah
is raised towards Heaven, signifying that our
surest safety and hope are in Jehovah. Tne
right rests upon the faSceS, bundle OF rods bound
with bands, denoting that in MON is strength.
The left foot is firmly placed upon an emblem OF
tyranny, crushing 1t with the power OF Liberty
In female figures. in beauty aud delcacy Of ex
preston in grace OF outline and anatomy, Powers
hes not living equal They are voluptuous, ex-
ouisite in form and tendeness-he IL the modem
Canova of sculpture, bat can never be the Mi
chael Angelo-he lacks the elements OF grdHfe1r
the true majesty of highly developed awe IN.
spring genius.
A rising young sculptor is c. B. Ives man,
unsssuming courteous and free from vanity, a.
ready known at home for his busts of our Wash.
ineton and Gen. Winfield Scott. For young
man, we know not one whose genius exces his;
he has all the lively love iorh art, without which
superiority is unattsnable. His dream, to be
chIseed in marble, is Pandora; and well has he
modelled out his dream. She stands erect, half
draped from the left arm to the feet, IN the most
bewitching attitude. The form is perfect IN It's
easy natural grace, while the face cast down upon
the box of mischief (held in the left hand,l has
mingled expression of reflection, curiosity, and
beauty, which awakes one to love. She seems 10
hesitate whether to open the box or not, and the
douh pervades the whole expression. We all
know that curiosity overcomes her at last, for she
9cQs q qcomaR. The hair is plainly and chastey
arranged in Grecian knot Mr. Ives has evil
IDENTIFY bestowed much labor and thought upon
this lis IDEAL and We can bat hope that his labor
of months will meet a just reward. We have
men of wealth amongst us, who can well afford
to encourage Art. He has, also, duplicate OF
Bacchante, the original OF which is in the posses
sion of our fellow citizen, Mr.. James S. Gregory
Jersey City. A bust Of little boy Of seven, re-
markable for its expression of precocious thought
is in bis studio. We believe it is of child OF Mr.
Hopping, of Providence.
Rogers, another young American, is laboring
industriously on 3 clay model OF Ruth cleaning in
the fields She is represented in an exceedingly
graceful half kneeliDg position the drapery dispos
ed with elegance, relieving the figure from all in
modesty and yet preserving the easy freedom OF
nature Tie right hand, partially open, comes
near the ground while the left rests upon the
thigh, holding a wheat sheaf Emblems are scat
tered upon the earth. The head is turoed slightly
inward lit is the moment when BOaZ appears
before her, with hair neatly arranged, In SIMPLE
natural tresses and knotted behind. One cannot
fail to admire this production of Rogers. The
t0ut-ensemNe is lovely and winning, the contour OF
the face purely Grecian, expressive OF surprise
sweetness, meekness and love. This statue IS
ordered by patron Of the arts in America.
Hart is also here, commissioned by the State OF
Virginia to execute a statue Of Mr.. Clay. No one
who converses with, and sees him, can doubt his
genius, his ability for the work intrusted TO him
Waiting the delayed arrival of his busts aud Ell
fects from home, be is occupying himself upon an
ideal head Of the Belle Gait We believe, ends
the list Of cur Sculptors here. He is quite young
man, ardent, bnt little known.
L. Buchanan Read 50 favoraby known In
America as a promising poet, is practising his
sister srt Of painting IN Florence. But three
months here. by constant application az his easel
he mas nearly finished four or i've most Tespecta
bic pictur, S :, is pleasing 20 see that his natur
al genius depends entirely upon its own powers,
snd free from taa rice Of conAing. bis hghly pOeil