The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-11-12

TmosAs CaAwronD, Esq, the celebrated
American sculptor, died in London on the
10th inst. Ills remains will he brought
home to New York in the steamer Arsgo.
Mr. &. wins native Of New York but his
parents came from Ballyshannon some fry
years ago. lie was only in the iii! gear
Of his age at the time Of bia death. The
New York Comm9ciai has the following
notice Of the distinguished deceased
he WINS sent 10 school at an early age and
though no made fair progress in his studIes.
his inherent taste was evinccd by HE spend.
Ing his spare moments In skeichDg portraits
Of his school fellows Page, the wclLknown
portrait painter, attended the same school
and WINS IN the same class with Crawford,
and has often been heard Ia say that when
the teacher expected from them TIE SOLUTION
Of some arlthmctical or mathematical prob
lem their states exhibited Instead drawings
of animals, trees or horsca About thirty
years afterwards they met al Rome each Al
the head Of his profession.
Mr. Crawford was designed by his father
for mercantile ,lile. For this, however. h.
manifested much dislike, and preferred to
learn the nrt Of carving in wood. lie ap
piled himself 10 il for nbod, six months, bat
finding it too mechanical and too limited
abandoned il and directed his h,udics Ia
drawing and anatomy, under the best ia,
structions The city afforded. Al this time
his taste for the fine arts began 10 dcvclopc
itself aud he entered the studios uf frpzcc
and lAuuitz The former Of these gentle
men had high reputation US II modelcr OF
busis, and Mr.. Crawford found IN that
branch oI art u congcnial employment, Here
he modelled his tint ideal hus, tina, If Ceres
Other busts followed, onc 81 biS scho0lmatc
Page being among them. THESE were eN-
hibitol IN the Nal ionnl Gallery. and may be-
said Ia have given abundant promise Of that
cminence TO which he subsequently rose.
Mr.. Crawford wen, 10 Rome while Sc,
under twenly.one years OF age. lie took
with him letters of introduction TO Thor
waldsten, who received him IA pupil.
With the great Danish sculptor, however.
he did not long remain. but engaged stu
do for himself, and began TO give form 10
his own ideals. At this timc ho executed
several busts among them one Of Commo
dore Hull. who wR then nj Rome, This
branch Of his art Mr. Crawford il said
never t. have liked. AMI rclinqushcd 1t "a
soon as his increasing prosperity permitted.
Between 1horwaldscn and Crawford
warm friendship existed ut the time Of the
former death. who nj an early day spoke
OF Crawford ~ his successor in classical
art, and pronounced his orphcus as II tri-
umph Of genius.
The Orpheus was the first statue Mr..
Crawford put up IN Rome. u was long
before he received m order 10 execute it in
marble. |, finally, however, attracted the
attention Of Charles Sumner, ESP, (who
was then In itone.) now United States
Senator from Massachusetts,, who. by IN
appIeciatory article in one OF our period
Gals, called attention to the y, ung sculptor's
talcn, AMI genius. A commission from
some admirers Of art in Boston to execute
il in marble followed. This was Mr.
Crawfords first elaborate work, and II may
be mentioned that an engraving OF il having
been made, the poet Kenyon, being then IN
Rome. took u copy ot the engraving To
London. and exhibited it at one of the
social literary gatherings at the honse Of
Samuel Rogers. The company were 50
delighted with il that i, was Immediately
agreed among them that IL Mr.. Crawford
had no, received from his own countrymcp
a commission 10 execute il in marble the
necessary amount Of money should be- sub
scribcd by the company and transmitted Ia
Crawford with such u commission. The
fact was told 10 the sculptor by Mr. Ken
yon himself IL is now IN the Boston
Atheneum. Commissions ior other works
now flowed in upon him, lie remained at
Rome, We believe, about I'm WARS without
oncc rcyisi,ng his native land,
On his return home he married. Miss los.
isa Ward daughter OF the late eminent
banker. Samuel Ward, Es,. lie rvturnsl
To Rome. where he remained six or sewn
years. on his second return home he NJ
celvcJ the orIi,r Ia execute for the State Of
Virginia the Washington monument, to be
placed IN front Of the capitol at Richmond,
The equestrian statue To sarmount this mou-
umcnt was completed, Us our readers arr
aware, and viii soon arrive in this country.
Mr. Crawford WAS also commissioned by
the United States Goyermmeu, 10 execute
several works for the capitol extension, and
had his life been spared brilliant carver
would have added further honUrs to his
name,
Mr.. Crawford kuvcs widow and four
children. lie had but one other near rcia'
tive. sister, who, with his wife, has dcyo-
teddy attended him during his long sickness,
The affection subsis,iug between this brother
and sister, both possessing true genius
though taking different dIncc,ions, Mrs
Campbell being us an author justly admired
for the grace aud purity Of her siye,) Wa:
as enduring a. Il was rare. Their corrsE
pondence VAS continued. W. believe. with
cot interruption iot more than twenty years
AMI Ne apprchcni tia, the blow viii fal
With scaroly hrs severity upon the sister
than upon tie widow. While his coaulry as,
,,.v ~ % ,,t1f, -. 49, H., - -. mos.