The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-23
Egy ptisn Art Dr.. Abbott's C0llec tion at the
Rtuyyesant lnstitute.

OF the curious relics OF which IL is onposed-ths ev
denees of extinct civilization OF which have but
faint ard imperfect idea-se conceive no greater
mental treat than that Of few hoprs passed n their
inspection. Upfortunstey, bur few to share this
opinion, five might judge fr the psucity Of the attsn
dance that have the sevef al occs,ions
have visited it Had been exhibitics of human
dsformy, or some counterfeit rosy all New York
would have 19eksd 10 behold IT,
1t is dincu to kccount for this Indifference II seems
to us that there can be interesting sub.cs for
atudy- and contemplation than these memorials OF q
people whose historical records have entirely
pershed, and OF whose intellectual grsss we can only
form an oplnon from such frsgneutary evidence to
be found In museu Collections such DR.. Aobett's
however, have higher purpose than that OF the grAa
cation Of mere idle curiosity They present US with
conclusive proofs of the suhentcity Of the sacred
wrings-proos tangible and irrecu. Ablssuch rs must
brig conviction home to the mind the most obstinate
scepc They discover to too the st germs of Greek
and Roman art which took their in the gross m, tho
logical eorceptie Ct this singular people, and which
when trsnspsnted to more congeni Al soil, gradually
expanded into the IDEAL aud petic forms thl. are so
much admired st the present day.
lie oseer thae we may thoroughly appreciate the
Of Dr. AbNoss collection must arst bsco quaint.
ed with the leading characteristics OF Egyptian art To do
this We must revert to its origin,
lnbt Inc atth OF pA ntr sculpture vers known
the earliest ages must be evident to all reflect upon
the love OF imitation inherent In nature and the
nsmberless accidental that must have re-
vesed to their primitive elements Tbs popular be
lief that the 6Ist incident which led to the discovery of
ths rneiments OF the ar, OF pAnng the tracing py
Igrl OF her lovers shadow the wall W be
asa type OF the simple chances which first coniucsd the
human mind into ths path init ,on The love o. art
Is IN fac' natural passion which viii 6nd of
deveopement nore or less sccord
Ing TO The intellectual capacities OF ths dreat rscss
The iooian evnoes the necessity for its grsacsoa in
the Fahhns ano tsowng OF his person. the Brshmin 10
tne decoration OF his temples and this Arab in the PIC
tu1sfque penior Of his attire still stronger iacsn.
tive may DO traced 10 the natural anxiety i'm ia
the breasts OF every warlke psops to prpetoae tbs
records OF thar great events by graphic sad
enduring noce OF delr than the perfect symbols
employed In hefoghyphtoai writings For brief period
the latter medium OF expression suced but the progress
OF civilization and the glowing desire rAnsnt to DOS
tsrty the nesmsnta well dee Is Of their heroes
soon inducted them into partial knowledge of the ma
chanim Of the arts.
In this core advanced stage the predominant supsrs
TONS O. the epoch naturally suggested widsr field for
the exercise OF the Imagination TEE arts OF imitation
became subsevsnt to- rather impressed with the re
sious characteristics OF the different races and were sd
vanced or retarded by taer pe,ula iua usns In pro
portion as their mythology assumed or less OF
poecal character did the Of art rise to the level
OF their requirement. Thus whilst the Egyptians, ow
ing to the gross aud steris nature of their worship
made comparatively bu. little progress the Greeks In
sired BY ore idea! sni anciiul theology advanced
picly towards perfection.
In considering the xluence Of different sorms OF wor
sap on the progress OF the arts it will the rst pacs
be necessary to obtain clear insight into the resious
Nv vh fhoyx IT.
sncisnts simply .language of the
which the prevailing suprstitious~ of ths period
found espresson and which, In the hands OF crafty
priesthood, soon assumed certkn form and coneiscen
cy. No system that could have been devised could
have BEEN better calculated to dsvelope the fret
germs cf art and TO stimulate them into healthful &C
tsiiy the my tbology of tbs Exyptisns, however, can
hardly be sid 10 have conferred any real benefit
the gross nature Of the OBJECTS selected
OF their deiss (eubracing nearly the whole zoology OF
the country and the brary regulations ,sed By
the priest hood In der to preserve inuabe chsac
er OF rel gous symbols having An inevitable
cy to crsDp and restrain the Inventive faculties OF ths
artist Tho same legiea.icn fette.sd tie sxpsn
sion Of tase by the prescription CT unyArsg style OF
costume opposed to all our modern notions of grace aud
freedom t. such an extent vas this ecclesiastical des
posm carried ihat We are told by Diodorus that the
yptsu scuptors not allowed to Judge OF the pro-
portions OF statue by the eye but had eted scale Of
paris iAte down for them. Thus religion nh,h might
have afforded wide field for the exercise OF the genius
and fancy OF he artist, and contributed in other coun
trief to the eegelopms OF tho higher principles of ar
sc rendered the of enAvipg its professors
and tf crushing their nooesi impulses.
Although the religious monuments OF tae Eyyptians
are not OF nature TO impress with very high notion
OF TIER artistic capabilities, should bs in error in ar
ivps al The conclusion that their other works de-
void Of merit In their historical subj ct they disptysa
degree OF bodness .nd freedom which showed that they
could occasionally escape from the conventional tram
mtk imposed upon them, and svan themselves of the
inspirations derived from the study OF na ture Whilst
in the former observe fo very worst catures of their
style particularly wien the srts.t involves uuion OF
betial and human FORMS In the latter We cannot help ad
miins the spirit with which the figures are grouped and
designed The advantage de- ived by the artist from the
greater latitude allowed him in the treatment of secular
subjects is no less remarkable when he endezvors to
aehneAte The figures OF the lower animals divesed Of
those typical adjuncts with viii ii superson has Ia
vested them Some OF hsm wonder fully natural and
graceful whilst the figure OF man. the noblest object
IN creation 10 represented by Stiffness and hsavness OF
outline and deficiency of expression that exclude all
dea OF Intellectual superiority This nperect
tanse with the anatomy OF the human asure may b. Ia
degree accounted for the ot that the Egyptians
rethei cultivated thoae amusemsnts nor adopted those
habits which rendered the theatre OF the Greeks aud the
circue Of the Romans such valuable schoos for the
Of form and expression Yet they tbs first psopl.
Who attempted with any degree OF scuiptured re-
presentations Of historical involving action and
| co nplcAted movement From "a early period their
monuments were ornamental with aborsts carvings
and bm reefs Of the battles In which III sir Kings had
been victorious, and one OF their compositions We are
told contained no less than eight hundred Hgures Thus
art when their hisroglyphical writings had psrishsd
stepped In TO the aid OF history and rescued from obi
| won the records Of their achieve ments
In these fev general observations have n'eavored
to impArt popular interest to tho saSsc by placing
before our rea ders thors oharacrcs Of Egyptian
which are strkrsy sxempded ir tn. varied contents
Of Dr. Abbot?s collection but which might otherwise sp
rssr obscure and uninelgbls to those who have NOT
had an opportunity o. studying them. We win pro-
ceed to notice the more prominent features OF the