Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-13
COMMUNICATIONS.
"NATIoNAL SCULPTURES


"NATIONAL SCULPTURES"
Messrs. EDIroas read in your paper of Saturday
last communication from Mr. WITHERALD relative t
the statue of Washington under contract by CLARK
Mills.
Mr.. w. makes suggestions respecting the statue
OF Washington, and crticises with much severity the
equestrian statue Of Jackson Of which Mr. Mills is The
author acknowledge the right Of all to offer sugges-
tions upon and critose national statuary for sug.
geston and criticism, when guided by sound Judgment
aud refined TASTE in this is capable of producing
very beneficial result But must be careful not to be
Influenced by false criticism, by suggestions conveying
impressions else may be led into errors at
which future generations viii wonder and for which they
viii perchance feel degree of shame The representa-
ton in statuary of distinguished should be
perfect personfcation 10 fac-simile Of the in
diyidual as combined genius and art can make it. No
thing should be dea every feature and expression should
be sacred in the eyes of the artist We want around
and we want to transmit to pcsterty, the beloved
forms of those noble patriotic and talented spirits whose
labors whose suerngs and toll and death gave beauty
and grandeur and rmness to hallowed Union those
who made us the wonder and admiration of mighty ma
tons We want them, with all their simplicity, and
grandeur, and moral beauty around them, and the
creation of the artists mind however good may be-
But to return to the subject Mossrs Editors of these
hasty remarks Mr. w. says that intellect and powers
activity do make the hero but that will makes the
hero. Surely will without intellect and activity cannot
produce the hero We must have combination of these
three great powers make herothe intellect to plan
activity the power requisite execution and WILL deter
minaton the motive power which puts into operation and
conducts to success the two former A may have
the viii to be hero but without intellect and action he
will never reach postery in that character And it
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character Napoleon Of stupendous intellect
with the rapty Of thought he would decide upon the
general movements and the minutie Of great battle and
with his mighty and irresistible will like the tornado he
would bear down and demoish every opposition. In him
we the hero, and in him concentrated a juncta
IN mo- these great principles. " It is in the
ment of hero action that observe his power says
Mr.. w. Is this true? Are not frequently deceived
in the intellectual capacity the force aud decision of cha
racter of an individual when we view him in state Of
repose? How different views of the when
sitting, for example, in his house. surrounded by
quiet and repose and when in debate the battle
field, his intellectual and physical being reused by
of injustice oppression In the former he
would perhaps challenge attention. whilst in
the latter he might command profoundes admiration
Mr.. W., in speaking of the Jackson statue finds fault
with the position of the horse and rider The former he
says is in position in which no horse can remain for
minute and the riders is also in position in which
no could hold it for three minutes thus conveying
to the mind painful impression. Upon parity Of
sonng We might cay that it is painful to view sculp-
tured horse other animate being under any
circumstances whatever. For example, let take the
Jackson statue, thoroughly condemned by Mr. W., aud
place the horse upon alours in position requiring the
least muscular effort to support himself then place the
rider in quescent state and what the effect upon the
miad if We follow out the principles of Mr. W.? Why,
they still painful because living horse living
could remain in that position for any length of time
without experiencing extreme fatigue, and eventually
complete exhaustion. So it might convey painful i'm
preston view the statues of Jefferson and Washington
and Columbus remaining, month after month and year
after year. exposed TO the inclemency of the weather
But it is not Mind is too rational Judgment
rect be thus worked upon The very first impression
made upon the mind by statue is that it is inanimate,
Of an original and for this should soon
think Of sculptured horse becoming hungry thirsty
as we should Of his getting tired in any position.
would remark, in conclusion that national sculp
should be correct and faithful representation Of
the original; that there should be nothing artificial,
thing added and nothing withheld And 10 the posi-
ton the attitude It must in every be determined by
circumstancesby the nature and history and charac
ter of the object and the incidents by which it is
rounded at the time WI