Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-01-29
COMMUNICATIONS.
Harriet 1Iosmcr,tsie Female Scul;,-
tor.

age, and also among those Americans. who
have obtained an unqucstioned reputation,
as trac artists, and have given evidence OF
great genius, Harriet Hosmer stands promi-
nent. Perhaps the following account of this
remarkable woman will interest some of the
readers OF the american il is taken from
the Ladies Rcpository' and follows Il highly
complimentary notice of some of her works
of art.
! az few words concerning the sculptor--not
/ .'sculptrcss, rs we have seen in some rapcrs
we are glad Worcester and Webster give
no authority for any such word. Miss IIar-
/ rict Hosmer is a native Of Watertown, Mass
she is the only surviving child Of physi-
cian-her mother died many years since
| Her youth was distinguished for its activity,
independence and restless love of liberty. The
loss of her mother. the death of her brothers
and sisters, the ccaseless occupation of her
father in his profession, threw hor much up
/ on herself in childhood, while her exposure
/ to the family disease made her love of the
/ open air and her distaste for regular ocsupa-
ton, as much a part of parental policy as of
| flial inclination. Her natural courage and
indifference to criticism, grated on her IL
censed youth, gave her many habits not usn
nj with girls. She learned the use Of the
gun, and shot birds, which she afterwards
stuffed and prepared with all the skill of a
taxidcrmist she climbed trees, rode spirited
horses walked great distances. and eultivat-
ed fearless and self protecting habits. 4
/ strong love of fun led her into considerable
mischief and her practical jokes were the
| common talk Of the village Of Watcrtown.
where she lived. and Of the ncighborins city
Of Boston.
As early as eight or ton years, she showed
indications of her taste for art, and having
drawn picture Of the Unitarian church
where she attended, and where DR.. Francis,
brother of Mrs. Child, whose genius has en-
Outraged Miss IIosmcr's kindred gifts from
an early period, was the pastor. aud no dondt
the unconscious nourishcr Of her original
powers. 4 strong taste for nature and nat
ural history accompanied her love for draw
ing She collected, while at school, in solit,-
ry excursions between dayli.h, and school
hours, the nests Of seventy differn, sPecies
Of Bird, and, on one occasion, returned. torn
and bruised, with the trophy Of a ernw 5 nest
(still preserved by her iathcr) which she had
climbed forty feet to reach. saving off the
branch that held it to its tormost place on
the tres
Her first attempt nj sculpture was the
modelling Of Cymbelinc frpm an engraving
She succeeded 50 well that she attempt
ed some ideal heads. then a dimin-
ished COPY of canova's col -esl bust Of
Nap.leon Ills WIS her first cfTort in mar
bic. Sha then studied anatomy in Dr. Nc
DJwell's disscrting room. Her hrst work
which was exhihitsi scsshn public was Hc~-
l~r. parhns and sil.iust. 'serr, her next pro-
ductions, and her first statue was teoua D.
sstel by Paris. She went to Rome in ia13
war; she remain i five yctrss She returned
in July last AMI sailed again, octalrsr a4th
While in Rome SIC studied With Tn, cia-
br,ted John Gibson Her last work y atrica
Ccnci Is considered her bsst work, but Pack
was a BEAUTIFUL littla figure anil on whi,h
sarl~~'. Mi4e ii,-r.,,er I,er.zif uuua iltTc
,~peeliy delighted in. =
81 ,ndoubtsily, theesi who talk - much of
the ,2autY Of feminine dclioley. retirement
and dependence. will assert that natur,,
iui,lc one grand mistake when she gave iiar-
rict il1smcr her taste aud capacity for art,
and with it also, necessities and ineliatious.
which Id her II cultivate and strengthen her
plis seal organization, by climbing tr-e.
walking grcpt distances, and riding spirited
horses.' thereby acquiring fearless aui s,iif-
protecting habits, all Of which wer' aecg4-
sary to. her sasote-s, ia the profession fer
which tic was undoubtedly fitted, hot we
who claim that women should lc allowed to
cultivate all her capacities and follow her
tas.es. 10 their fullest extent, whether they
lead her II thcdoncstie sphere alone or whcth
er they carry her also into the bread field Of
art science, literature ,,ncchanics-we will re-
joiee that the age has produced a Harriet
ilosmer, who dared assert that nature knew
what she was about, when she gave her taste
and genius, and who proves that ID.
"hs who aa this hing bra do i,-elalnss her IL
cefise In her work"
Her success is unqucstionahc ALE cri-
- r