New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-01
BRAcKETT's GROUP OF THE SHIpwREcKED

BRACKETS GROUP OF THE SHIPwRECKED
! MOTHER AND CHILD.-We were admitted on Monday
evening to private view of this group, which opens
to the public this morning at the Stuyvesan Institute
The high praise OF Grsenoush was only just for 1t
is one Of the finest sculptures ever wrought by
American. The success Of the work lies in its SIM
plicity. 1t tells its story completely and without
effort The waves have lifted their victim upon the
rock and Their. left it. The Mother, naked figure
lies toward the spectator, upon her right SIDE the
limbs 1.-THE with the first fexbility of death The
right arm is thrown forward little beyond the head
lies. and the LETT falling toward the back, still
clasps the Child. The hair, drenched mass, flo
air OF pathetic reposs which is the feeling belonging
| % the subject and to the moment and whose til
umph 1t was easy to mark, in the hushed voices
and tender intentness Of the spectators.
The group has 10 repulsive aspect of death. The
Mothers face is of extreme beauty, and the agony
of the struggle has subsidized in its expression, into
pensive remembr ance of death. 1t is that feetins
moment Of serene loneliness,
Before Decays efaciIg fingers
Have swept The lines where beauty hnges
II fairly part OF the success Of art in the work
that the spectator who does not look with eyes
alone, hears the sea, enamored OF its own victim
remorsefully retreatng for it is the remembrance
ness to the voice Of the sea. 1t is so skillfully
wrought that no other of nudity remains than
would be instructive in every noble mind which
came, unswares, upon such reality. And 1t has
that final praise that il is real II is the privilege
and triumph of Ant to touch even the saddest OBJ.
Jscts with beauty which rises superior to every
other emotion. The tranquil ease,the feminine
loveness-the aspect of the little child, whose as
ony was brief, and which rests trustfu in death
as life, within the maternal embrace-she tender
ness which bushes the voice and the heart of the
spectator, the fullIess of the womany form, the
grace of the sweeps, the justice OF the bold angles
these are all absorbed and make part Of the impress
sion OF beauty which is supreme in the work.
We commend it most sincerely to the public.
1t is work which although in the strictest sense.
classical, 10 Of no country and OF no special time
That It was made by an American is matter OF salts
facton-and In some sense csrtifes its value, be-
cause genius for sculpture has been hitherto our
distinction in the arts. The only foreign work OF
which it recalls the remembrance is the Dead Abel
of Florentine sculptor, whose Rame at this mo-
ment escapes u.s. and it is only as figure Of youth
indeaih that there is any resemblance between the
two. 1t is finer sculpture than the traveller sees
in most foreign studios, and shames, with Its SAD,
human reality, the throngs Of conventional Psychss
Venuses and Nymphs which crowd the Italian ate
rers. With this group and Delaroches picture and
the Cosnoranas Of Sastler the City has attractions
not hsbtual to 1t, but which it Is the influence OF
such works to keep here permanently
The AZTEC CHILDREN.-We are glad to
notice. but We are not at all surprised that the inter
est in these singular caprces Of Nature is so con-
stantly increasing that after the frs: Of April they will
be exhibited at Metropolitan Hall in the morning,
from II to o'clock at the Society Library In the
afternoon, from 81 to 81, and in the evening from
to o'clock There IL but one verdict In respect o
the extreme singularity OF these beings. Whatever
force may be allowed to the theory of their priest
y descent whether they are, many suppose, spec
linens Of religious sIistocrscy in Central America
whoes membsrs,ey constant intermarrisse, gradually
deeenerated the race or whether the theory be only
strange fable, naturally suggested BY the strange
ness OF the children,-it leaves that strangsness
quite unaffected. Were they born in New-York'
they are yet a. wonderful freak Of Nature a. the
scions Of q desenerated Mexican race could b.
Without any of the impression Of disgust always at
teudant upon dwars they are yet weird csricasurss
of humanity and it 10 not possible to escape feeling
of bewildennent in contemplating them. akin to the
epchsniment Of stories Of Gnomes and Elves. In
fact, We have never seen anything In Nature which
90 ssronely justified the Wild German and Southern
leseads In which beings Of an appearance and Of
characteristics yond Nature pursue their be wtchsd
game among men. Such beings We can well fancy
az assistants in the mysterious subsenanean kitchen
under the enchanted forest, in which Prince RiQust
with the Tuf heard the hurry and busts OF pssPar
ips BANQUET Such figures might glide In the moon