New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-10-27
DEATH OF CRAWFORD, THE SCULPTOR

The Baltic fetcles from Europe the news Of the
death Ct Thomas Crawford the sculptor, which took
place at London on the 9TH of this month. The de
ceased was born in New York, on the I'D Of March,
1915 go that be was - years old.
A fresh and unprecedentedly strong impulse TO the
lar guild interest oroosrly given to American at in
America, WAS produced by Powers earliest works in
sculpture. All of sudden, the cis-Atantic world
rushed to zee statue. Sculpture was talked about,
and the public, from being torpid upon the subject
seemed to think that the highest achievement In srt
was carving in marble. The glory of the painter was
ecpsed On the strength Of thi, favorable current,
Mr. Crawford rapidly rose. The representative Of the
pettcd art--tbe man who could combine groups as
well as chisel individual figures Mr. Crawfs:d took
the highest raik
While doing full justice to bis genius, we wish 10 be
rdeIsood acirg sculpture in its appropriate place
as inferior to painting. The latter requires fo'm
color, sho,teDirg perspective, combination. The
former demar d. only formits combinations being few
and comparatively simple TIE great painter Is in
messursbly above the great sculptor in rank, COM
pe xiv. dyery in, en.y and mystic creative force,
comic cred. We mention this parentoeniicay to set
right the American judgment, which appears to have
gone wofuIly as:rsy on this point.
Mr. Crawford was designed for commercial career
by his parents. WHO is designed for an artistic lie
here who does not take it up by the strong neces
I" sity tflovirg" But the dominant passion OF his
soul overruled parental designs and he began the ca
reer f art he studied in this city under Ffazee and
Lsupi,z; modelled busts with meaning aud pronie
al ttop, before bis msoIisy, in 1884, went to Rome,
end placed himself uoder ThcrSaldsen. Afler~ard,
ssttibp I'd for himself, be commenced to make ouss'
Tn 1889. be detigr ed his "Orpheus, winch was pur
chased by the Boston Athensum Then t''loweo
busts Of .'yesta," "Sappho;" next statues, The
Germs of Ninth :" adam AID Eve" "Dxvid the
Co,oneror If oliah ne 1t bssreliefs David before
s.uI The Shepherds and the Wise Men presenting
,bey ,ff,ires to Christ" containing twenty four hs
u,es. another bas relief, "Curist csputog with the
Dectors," twelve figures; "Chrst and the Woman
e sausria," basielief; Christ blessing little
Children" "Christ ascending hom the Tom"
'Ch,ist raising JaiIus's Daughter" all has reheis
PRAYER, a statue; three severaly distinct stataes
of Washington, an equestrian statue OF Washington
statues Of ferson, Fra kim Channing Asion, Henry
Cav ard Beetbovtp-ibe last in bronze aod now 10
be Mu ic Hall of b stoP, etc.
Enthusiasm and industry here hvishly exhibited
IN an srt shorn Of Its ancient divinty-s old grand
soul departed, for such is sculpture. The scalp
ture Of Greece was essentially religious, The carry
sods possessed ucarr sic form, and had to find wor
sbp.rs Of otjectivity in their temples. The sacred
pxrbe1on and the immortal Minervas, Joves sno
Apoos grew tos ether. Our me dern scuPtors a. 'n'
manhood Of the world thought AID acaon-oi
| works and their circular whTlpgs, OF tue .
CON perstiyey molecule-ike uuimportatce IN 'ne
v.rsal seale-are 70 lor ger Inspired They copy 'ue
s .,s sar,. a' Their % grssss ~~l. not divine
ae .Up'n~ ,.i; n," ia statues divine has passed,
snd pssssd forever. .;o,,,alo 1--we Of the
Du' we nu'' 1000 gculp:u,es 10 the same way
.. sA, cr,elex.ecnce Of modern Greek and
pa. "1 Si.,.bin. A.,ns head Of these, IS con-
S; ps .. fygre. ,ood Crawford. To tie extent o.