The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-25
LETTER FROM LONDON.
LONDON, Feb. s, l85

AIoNDOnt RcOs " AOoos
Bridal Bust Of the Princess Royal-Sculp-
tors-The Queen and the little Pasha-An
American Authoress-An English Artist and
| French Atelier.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
A" bridal bust" as it is termed, of the late
Princess Royal, now Princess of Prussia, by
Mrs. Thorneycroft, is now on exhibition.
Mrs. Thorneycroft, the daughter of one artist
and the wife of another, stands among the first
of England's lady sculptors, and is distinguished
especially by Court patronage. The series of
four of the little Princes and Princesses, under
figures symbolical of the four seasons of the
GEAR, engraved for the Art Journal, few years
Asss,.ere By her. The bust of the rr.nv =,
very pleasing, and said to be very faithful like.
ness.
Another lady artist, of still greater promise,
with the advantage of many more years before
her for the development of her talent, is Miss
Susan Durant, who has lately completed, among
other works, beautiful group, FROM an Idyle
Theocritus, for the Baron Rothschild, and bust
of the little son Of the PashA of Egypt, ordered
by Sir Moses Montefore, as a present to the
father Of the little fellow, whose childish face
and figure are very prettily set off by the Turk
ish cap and military coat and badges. The
child having been sent to England on visit, and
having been by right of rank visiter to tho
Queen, she expressed desire to see the bust
when completed and the artist was according.
ly summoned, few weeks ago, to Osborne, to
bring her work, and place it in the best posi-.
BILE light for her Majesty's inspection. Such .
summons being something not to be declined,
even by the most independent of artists, the
lady, quiet and equable, as it is her wont TO be,
betook herself to Osborne, attended by pack.
or with the precious bust. After little rest
and nice dinner, served up for her alone, with
two tall lscqueys in crimson standing behind her
chair, Miss Susan Durant was politely request
ed to proceed to the saloon, and arrange her
bust in the light that pleased her best and
when quite ready, the Queen, attended by Prince
Albert and some of the children, made their sp-
pearance. Their manner, as usual, was quite cor
dial and easy; they conversed with the lady
artist for few minutes very pleasantly, and ex.
pressed their entire satisfaction with the bust.
both for its resemblance to the child and az q
work of art
But it is not alone upon Grecian boys and
little Egyptian Pashas that Mics Durant has
exercised her genius. A bust of Mrs. Stowe,
taken last winter, during the visit Of the author.
ess to Paris, is also among her most successful
works and description of it. and of the cir.
cumstances under which the likeness was taken,
must be interesting to the public, who have
Ill r~l "a a.
tons of this distinguished writer.
The Rue de Cichy, at Paris, is long, straight
stfsst, up one continuous ascent, from the large
and fashionable Chausees d'Antin, to the Bar.
riere; and being cheerful, handsome, and tol.
erably central street, it is much frequented by
American and English visitors, and contains
more than the usual amount of Pensions, or
French clearinghouse In one of these Pen.
sions, (rakher an open and pleasant binding for
French Penaion,) built around q square court.
yard, Q party are seated one day at dinner The
hostess il wondering and cogitating ct the nom
appearance Of Mrs. Stowe and her friends, for
whom abe has set up in expectation the better
part of the previous night, when, 10 and behold,
in come the American party, weary and snx.
ious, looking somewhat worn with travel, and
the first contact with new tongue, new Gus
toms, and new arrangements, 90 perplexiBg to
/
Having missed their direction to the Pension,
the American travellers had searched about in
vain, and slept at length at hotel, bat have
found their way, at last, to their destined ha-
ven.
The inmates Of the Pension regard with in
terest and curiosity the newly-aTrived party,
and among them, at the dinner-table, sits . tall,
well-formed, young English lady, with delicate
profile, light hair with . wave in il, and man
ner indicative Of strength, kindliness, and great
good sense. This is an artist who has been
spending some of the winter months, a. usual,
at Paris. working in the Atelier of her friend
the Baron de Trequet, one of the 6rst of the
French sculptors. The very natural ides in.
stantly enters into her head, of making q bust
of that distinguished American lady; but her
time i short; she has but q week longer 10 re-
main in Paris, and Mrs. Stowe Is very weary
with her journey, and, moreover, the only In
terpreter fer her party in the new tongue.
On going to the Atelier next day, the lady
sculptures communicates her idea to the Baron
L. ~ k~sI - IL 80 and