Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-11-26
ThorWaldsen's Museunl,

! The charm and attraction which, to the low
erS CT art, surround the Danish Capital, which
alone draw mu'tltudes hlther, come from one
mans -Thorwaldsen.
and nothing in modern plastic art nearly
so graceful or so attractive as his ScuI pture
have long known the casts of his best works
but they give really no fair conception Of his
genius. The exquisite severity and parity of
outline, the gentle shadowing and change of
surface, expressing the most delicate scnti-
meats, and as it were, the !ulucss of cxuberant
life, in the marble, are lost in the plaster The
cast is more Shrunken, stiff, and even harder,
and, except in the expression OF very strong
acton and vigor docs not fully convey the
ideal This is contrary to my own impression,
which has always been that the cast often left
an fleet on the feelings as distinct and pleas
ing as the original
wrote these words under the fresh impress
sion of his works. They express still their eff
feet on my own mind
''Thcre are feelings in the life of the soul
which are the most exquisite, joyous and rud-
ant that ever visit man. All ether joys are
poor and commonplace 10y their side. The
memory alone of them is sweetcr than all af-
ter-pIcasnres. They belong to the fresh mora
ing OF Efr-to its bloom, and hope, and chccri-
ness. They are spirits who, with the fragrance
aud beauty of a happier sphere, come oncc to
rs II that early morning, and come not again.
1t is not given, except to poets, to utter the
exceeding jog which they bring into human life
\ that is most delicate and luxurious and
cheerful in nature become their fitting express
sion. The song of thrushcs and nyhtirgalrs,
the fragrance of roses and apple-bioSsonlS, the
richness of summer flowers, tht sparkle of
waves, the @limmer Of moonlight, the radian-
ccs of spring sunshine, all the sweetness and
galcty of the outward world, are their Ian
gnage. How even the poor and ignorant long
to express this overfiowing joy. 1t comes
forth III music, in songs, in the merry dance.
1t is too subtitle for language. The grace of
life, the luxury and the unSpcakabIe dclcious
ness Of youth and love, have 10 verbal medium
fine e;.ouyh to convey them.
1t seems to me, ThorwadSen, like the
Greeks, has been able 20 utter these evancS-
cent and most delicate sentiments The JOY
funess and gracefalueSs OF youth, the eXQuls-
it" pleasures of love- the g;irty and troic and
bitterness of the morning of HE, are his sub
jectS. lii his irolicSomc children, and the ltht
sprugng forms of his youths, in the sweetness
OF matdeus and the luxury Of womanIy beau
ty, in classic scenes, revived with a feeling and
naturaneSs which no other modern has shown,
We feel the jog OF, Ike uttered. 1t is the very
pleasure of radiant love and tender passion.
We sec that here is a touch which can trace
the most delicate and beautiful sentiments ana
never Slur them.
The bloom and grace of the first affection,
the sweetness of youth, the luxury and nb0n-
doa of a happy heart, the thrill OF impasSioucd
love, are driv' and made alive Seemingly on
the cod morhic-sIab. 1t is wonderful That
which words are too earthly to give winch
comes up III ncyrr-to-be-tor.Utten memories, or
Unsuitable longingS, with every fragrant breath
of spring al.d sweet mcody Of music which
alone, once felt, can make hcncetol tn the mean
est he beautiful, and Of which the slightest
traces and ASSOCIATIONS are more delicious than
AL succeeding ,ljoymcmt>-this the Northern
artist has been able to utter i'll the difficult
language OF scripture, and to leave its cntnr-
ing expression in the hard stone ! Such man.
has giyln spring to the world he is a poet
OF ITS happiness.
81 Thank, as / walk about the city and see
his thoughts III saloons, III poor mcu's houses,
IN cellars and tavcrns, that in future, loug at
ter their petty princes aud statesmen are for
gotten, tins great heart will be cherished by
the people, and perhaps, in far distant ages,
the o"y thing watch viii preserve the memory
OF the DANISH capital viii be that 1t was the
home of Tnorwaicsen.'
The mas um OF his works, is, on the whole.
well arrHnycd--cach Important statue mas !;
httic apartment for itself, the light coming in
from above, and the walls being lined with
Il, lao .oj;,F.
among the most precious ot iIls works. and
yet thoS' OF winch the casts give the tceblc>t
impression. 1t is very difficult, however to
get ii good Light for them IN private houses
They denand, | think, ii strong sldr-IIght
Certainly, OF all the representations OF
Cnr'>t, either in painting or scGIl ture, Thor
wuIdscn's is the most effective 1t is known
now through the world. That attitude of be-
n'Snaht and Hcrcltul dignity, OF Il noble ply
ana coHdcscension, are made familiar III thou
SandS OF coplcs--yct it IS not satisfactory. The
original, however, is much more SO than the
casts. 1he giant SIZE, perhaps, lessons the
impress Oh OF weakness which the traditional
face OF Christ always leaves and standing III
It's niche in the church (the ErRe klfhc, oyr-
looking the row OF apostles and the Worship
rers, with the strong lights ami shadows from
above Oh its features, one can sometimes real
ize lalnt!y the inefAb!e grandeur and nobcuess
OF that life of suffering and love, OF which this
is the feeble representation.
1t Is remarkable thing, and shows the
genus of Thorwadsen that he who has, above
all modern artists, best restored the spirit of
ci'ss.c'sm, could not read "a word of Greek or
Latin, and could not write his own language
correctly.
An interesting life has appeared of him, by
Th'cle, going rather too much into detail but
showing clearly the struggles and difficulties OF
the great artist Poverty, dependence and
disappointment were some OF the nurturing cir
cuustaUceS which surrounded the growth of