Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-06-02
From 'Das Ausland.' published at Stuttgart
nrlnAn 1raYeIIer's CrifIcISmR Washing 1o,,

N
That this city presents rather strange appearance
is well known. Seen from capitol hll the govern
ment edlhcieS rise to view here and there, lofty
and colossal, if erected for the of giants and
between, in the long extended streets, the eye wan
ders about among the small houses and shops over
the broad houseless spaces True, there are plenty
of noble looking dwelling houses, but they seem to
disappear beside the huge public buildings. and the
broad streets and squares. The effect of the whole
is if after coag few persons had settled
on the spot and the first few buildings were up as a
specimen of what the city is 10 be-
Again: AS to the public building, they are all
built IN majestic style, and worthy of the Union
which so far and wide rules the land and seas.
nober colonade than that which adorns the treasury
building can alone be found in the ruins of the Grac
oScilian cities. The Capitol is one of the most
magnificent specimens of architecture in the world -
In the detail there indeed faults for instance in
the position of the wing but a whole it produces
a proud and grand effect and it would be difficult to
find nobler location than the hill which it stands
The portraits upon Colonel TrumbulFs battle pie
ces look down upon if they were alive they
must in fact, be true TO their originals the colonel
was personally acquainted with those whom he has
placed upon his canvass. But the position and
expression of the separate characters were decided
beforehand, any high artistic generalization was not
to be thought of. All the works of art which one
sees in Washington are pervaded by the proud feel
ing we are the treemen of America i AS to the
artistic value, one can almost say only that which
IS NOT by Americans is g0OQ.' when q native Amer
lean has succeeded in following foreign examples in
producing plan in purest taste for work of art,
some misshapen goblin or other is to mount his
back and drive him out of his path something ad-
ded-so changed in his character and out of the way
that nobody can help laughing when the work is fin
ished
1t is SO with the Capitol and most of the other
public buildings in Washington Some curious thing
or other is added, which spos the harmony, though
in these cases overlooks the disturbances in the
grand impression they make whole. But
stranger sick enough when be meets such monstrous
architectural abortions as the huge gingerbread build
lngs OF the Smithsonian Institute, or that huge box,
the General Post Office which, however, is pure Amer
lean. still droller ill-luck seems to pursue the
native artists in their statues The Americans had
heard of Jupiter; of course they must have Jupiter
to themselves alone There they have made of the
good Washington sort of private Jupiter So
Greenough has placed him. in the style of his model
the Olympan Jove, upon seat in colossal form-not
in temple, however, but GU: in the park. The white
marble is very beautiful but not much better wrought
than large garden figure hewn by Of our artists
out of sandstone. Washington holds out sword
with his right hand, and raises his left towards
heaven as though he would say "Here, take this
sword, and Gods vengeance be upon you if you
it unrg hteouslyn Seen from distance, one could
easily imagine this although he easily under
stand why Washington should smile SO much or be
so nearly naked. However, coming nearer, it
strikes that he has just out of the BATH and
is asking somewhat threateninsly: "Isnobody coming
10 shave me :" On the steps to the grand entrance
to the Capitol stands Persico's Columbus. The naval
hero is making rope-dancer's posture, and with
''hurrah p throwing up ball. which is intended TO
represent the newly -discovered hemisphere, and
urally enough, s bracing himself by resting his left
hand upon bis person behind. But now an Indian
woman creeps about him. as if she would say, "God
preserve us from that sort of people,"