The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-09
Anniversary Of the Battle Of Ksw Orleans.

The Inauguration OF the EquestrfaN Statue
OF Gen. jackson In Washington.
The splendid equestrian statue Of Gen. Jackson
was inaugurated in Washington yesterday-the ami
versary Of the battle Of New Orleans. Before pub
fishing any of the details of the anniversary, we will
give the following letter describing the statue which
we received several weeks ago.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Is, 1852.
Triumph OF american Geaiss.-Te Grand Statue
of Jackson.
The NEW YORK Herald being the cver-ready sd.
vocate of American genius and skill, send the fol-
lowing notice of of the grandest and most beau.
tul works Of art of this or any former age-the CO.
lossal bronze equestrian statue of Gen. Jackson.
This statue is elevated in the workshop of the
artist, Clark Mills ESQ.,, ready to be removed to Fay
ette square, where it is to stand and where it will be
inaugurated the sth of January next the anniver
sary of the battle of New Orleans Itissupposed that
the President and the Vice-Presdent eject will be
present the interesting occasion, and that the dis
tinguished men of all parties with large concourse
of people, will attend. SO it ought to be for no
only is the great hero and statesman "nationa
man, :, in the broadest sense, and especially in the
character of a general here represented, but the
native genius that every American should be proud
of it and should honor the artist and the occasion.
It is not saying too much to assert that there is
equestrian statue in the world equal to it. have
seen most of the celebrated statues in the Old World
and understand the comparative merits OF all; but
never saw anything, nor could imagine anything
SO like living animal. Its proportions, the ana
tony, the attitude and the action, is perfect and
lifeke, that it scarcely seems an inanimate thing
Every muscle is in full play, and drawn up with the
force of an excited and rampant horse With its
eye of fire and expanded nostr breathing impatient
fierceness, it looks to the poetic language of
Scripture, terrible" The artist has fully realized
the ancient and sacred poets grand conception of
warhorse. There is no part Of it, from the beautiful
and fierce head to the very hair of the tail and
all question it is, in point OF merit, the
first equestrian statue in the world. Those who
were most intimately acquainted with Gen. Jackson,
that dressed in precisely the same uniform he wore
at the battle Of New Orleans the whole figure looks
livngly natural My astonishmcnt is not less than
my admiration Here is man who never saw
statue-whO never was in Europe-who never studied
under any OF the great artists, nor ever saw their
works; he, by the force of his own native genius
and indomtable perseverance against. the greatest
difficulties has, in this great work, Outstripped all
the genius of the Old World.
But the most striking feature of this colossal statue
is the whole group being balanced and resting on
the hind feet alone. There is no other support The
tail il thrown up and the fore feet raised in rear
ing attitude. Here is mass of metal, thirty five
thousand pounds weight, balanced on the hind feet
Of the horse and stands as mmovable as the pedes-
tai ltSef. IL was considered great triumph OF are
in supporting the worldrenowned statue OF Peter
the Great, at st. Peterburg, which is only about
Thousand pounds heavier than this ono, by its hind
feet and tail alone. The English papers speak in
high terms of the artist of the Wellington statue at
Edinburg, for having succeeded in sustaining that
great statue in the same way that s by fastening the
tail. This must always give tame, unnatural appear
to the horse II the artists Of Europe think they
have done something greatif the Russians think it
great merit i'll their statue, which cost nearly mil
lion dollars and eighteen years labor-if the English
boast Of their Wellington statue--what shall we
the centTs Sv 81 SHI sist aH @a9 ~ ssn'y
most natural attitude to the horse, has made his
statue to stand without any other support than his
hind feetl This is truly great triumph of American
art.
1t would appear that not only are we beating the
Old World in the practical and useful but in the fine
arts also Mr. Mills, who has labored four years with
so much anxiety and against many difficulties and
discoumgements, has placed himself in the first rank
of great artists He has lost money by his contract,
but he rcaps great glory and the American people
will. We doubt not, be proud to honor and reward
him. H.