New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-27

ren among them Rsuchs majestic Freder on hosenAo'i
bp, m 10 the present day the Whole United States has sa
~ rsesed single bronze in the open ar except
thst awkward and ahsnrd praised creation Of Mr. Clark
Mil. the equestrian Jackson at Washington And Neg
York larger than ether Of the German cities ne have
named ha done nohng 70 remedy the deficiency AMI set
. berer example, NJ Browns YORK Is 6rst prOdac
ton in thi. department, of historical and monumental art
OF all the Ilustrious sons Of this State mora
truly be called Is hero and benefac'or than De Wrr
C1INros Next Mature he with his bold and providens
policv nav claim have made this metropolis Re
greet nan Of comprehensive mind and snding port
An artist could net have nobler subject the City could
no, honor one to whom it is more deeply indebted.
While then we hail Mr. Browns work as perfectly ap-
proprste in its suhec and the beginning of better
era in popular arwe sorry say that it is BY means
satisfactory in Itself 1t has good points doubt The
head animated expressive and wei wrought That part
Of the drspery which covers the Left arm carefully and
gracefully arranged But whole, the statue Is very
place There Is Inspiration eectrity about
IT, The entire treatment betrays uncertainty and made
Ouacy on the part Of the sculptor His work evident
" too much for him We presume he had modelled
a colossal figure before and probably his aater WAS too
small afford the advantages Of observing and studying
the statue at a sufficient dis in all its stages Thus
has all the air Of having been eXecu'ed it were under
endorsements 1t has not the slightest trace OF genius
Of large Imagination, Of mastery Of the subject and IS
imposing only from is magnitude and because the multi
tudes who gaze have the habit Of seeing statues
and cannot tel whether il has merit not On this head
they might easily convince themselves however by going
up into the Governors Room in the City Hail. and looking
at the copy Of the statue OF Jefferson by DAVID I'd Anger
one Of ihs fir; sculptars of the age The original Is at
Washington and with the exception perhaps Of one by
Houdon Is the best in the country There is nothing
common place in it, and nothing which indicates that the
work oppressed the artist. but all is simplicity life and
power
Still the gravest faults Of the Clinton not comprised
in the DO, ery Of its conception Stand in front of it aud
observe the legs You viii perceive hat rests neither
on tie the right ne nor both Of them butn sor
of dubious and iml Die sraddle To borrow phrase
the statue not well its pins This Is very awk ward
But look at the feet Were there such extensive
splsys 81 mortal man They great deal too large for
tie rect the figure Tho is the with the right
hand And wha, be more ungracefu than the right
am which is exposed 1t hangs askwardy and ann tu
ray and the hand belongs not to IT, it belongs not
10 tie body. Neither does the he I'd. which, as we have
said l. Of the hes. parts Of the whole. Very badly
managed is the drapey brought around a'ross the right
thigh ard abdomen in sort OF wadded diagonal folds The
object doubtless TO hide and relieve the nssgau'
square, ut modern custums but it is not gained The
l,s Of cloak hanging naturally dosn ward from the
breast like unc, may be used to Advantage for such
purose hut these tas hauled crssswsc ribs OF cloth
rr at deal ugier han the simple figure in the most IN
graceful attire The back is mach better for there the
cloak hangs uncons'rsneoy it is true the lines of the
folds are altogether agreeable to the eye but that
viii not complain If.
We ore sorry that our criticism finds little admire
nd much condemn in This first colossal statue pro-
iuced in America Were it possible TO overlook it, dei
rienc on the ground th il IL the first should gladly
10 So But in art no such negative and apologize eKce
nce can b. sdnircd Besides Mr.. Brown does not claim
any indulg Tie is not yro, but sspres to ute
grand works and challenges comparison with the ssveresi
standards lie il even engaged upon equestrian
statue of Washington f. Union place. undertaking Of
great aad iii uliy dem ending for the
ghc-t genus ard the most thorough culture. The friend
st service that can be rendered hi and his future
fame not atery but just Judgment Of his present work.
We say then that compared with The best European
ue. colossal or other by modern artss with Houdons
Voaire with DaVd Ang r Guvier with Raucls Gosthe,
or with the Jeers already referred to-not Mans any
others-bzt is utterly Inferior not to BE- cas,e in
lie category II ), inferior in conce pon aud Diet ais
nf ror IN unity and Proportion inferior by being false to
nature aud Inferior ia treatment and execution.
On the ped st two basrelos Illustrative of tia life
I'D public services Of Clinton In executing them Mr.
Brown at home. and able manage his stsria Tney
sre oroingy simple pleasing and correct though not
very original poetic.
The statue designed for Greenwood It made for
the Clinton Monument Assoos: at az expense Of 5000
Il will r,maiu whefeit lr several weeks b.
by tie public generally We do not know where is to
b. cted in GREENWOOD but earnestly counsel the Com
nirce charged with selecting tbs LEGALITY to choose
open spot marble sui's well environment Of
re,s and foliage bronze needs to stand in the full
sunlight, and to have the sky for is back ground