The Nevada journal., 1858-04-09
G.P.R. JAMES ON CRAwFoRD's STA


papers are full of reference to the great
equestrian statue of Washington, in that
city, which was inaugurated with much
ceremony, on Monday, 22d ult A let
ter to the editor of the enquirer, from
G. p. r. James, the able writer of the
biography of "two horsemen. thus
speaks of Mr. Crawford's :" one horse
man."
/ saw the statue by Crawford twice,
and only twice and much, both of ex-
cellence, and of defect, if there be anv,
may have been overlooked; but still, as
y,u request it, will present to you fully
the general impression produced upon
my mind. | will confess, it was that of
unmixed admiration. To give it no 9th
er credit, | believe no one can doubt,
that this is one of the most striking sta
tues in the world. The positions of both
horse and man are perfectly natural.
The horse full of fire, and of ardor sub
dued, but not extinguished by the strong
hand upon the snaffle; the man full of
calm power, as if he felt that he could
rule the future destinies of his country
with the same vigor that governed the
lightning crested creature beneath him.
In the horse there is an effort to obey at
once, in full career, the mighty hand that
rules him. In the main there is no ef-
fort. 1t is all power.
Such, think. the general expression
of the group. The particular express
sion, or rather the Interpretation to be
given to it; for statuary is written lam
guage-hieroglyphic, if you please, but
still needing an interpreter-hasb been
read wrong, l think, by many persons.
/ hearo it stated by gentlemen around,
that the moment chosen for the deplc-
ton of Washington was at the battle of
Monmouth, or at half dozen other bat
ties. But it seemed to me that such an
idea was all a mistake. 1t cannot, of
course, enter into the mind of the great
artist, now, alas gone, and say what
was in his thoughts | do not believe
Crawford intended to represent any par
ticular moment or any particular event
in Washington's life. 1t was only
Washington-Washington embalmed in
memories, such as leave behind all sIi-
ces of the Egyptian tomb-the love of
his countrymen, the gratitude of ages,
the admiration of world-W Washington
leading on, not so much to victory and
fame, as to duty and liberty.
If we must give more material view
of the conception, it presents the colos-
sal figure of man of fine and dignifed
department, and of form, powerful, yet
graceful, riding a splendid charger, in
full action. The mans left hand is on
the snaffie bridle, which he has drawn
tight enough to suddenly check the
horses course, but not to throw him far
back upon his launches. 1t is a posi-
ton we have all seen hundred times in
the manege, when young horse in be-
tween the pillars, and the ground is
lightly struck with the craoache behind
him. The man sits on the beast with
majestic ease, and, as if something had
suddenly caught his attention in the dis
tance, he is pointing forward, and rath
er upward with his hand, while his head
and face are slightly turned to the left.
and might indicate that he was either
calling the object that had Just struck
his own eyes to the notice Of his COM
panions, or was giving a command TO be
executed at the spot to which he points.
The figure is erect. the chest thrown
forward, the knees pressed to the sad
die, the heel nearly beneath the shoul-
der. and the sole Of the foot almost at
horizontal. The seat is military and
not hunting seat; and the whole i'm
presses the mind with the idea of a per-
feet ease, calmness and command.
The horse is full of restrained eager
hess. The bronze eye seems to flash
fire, snd the nostrils ''to snuff The battle
from afar." The model must have been
most carefully selected to afford such
combination of blood, bone and muscle.
To have mounted man of Washing
tons size and weight upon a full blood
ed Arab would have been to reduce the
warrior to the mere sportsman or horse
jockey; and every tyro knows that for
service and even for the hunting field,
a cross of other blood is absolutely nee
essary for the sake of muscular power
probably for the purpose of marking
tnat lie was IHOuchuS d CHdI ger, anu not
merely fine blooded horse. Crawford
diminished the distance between the
root of the ear and the maxillary angle,
while he retained most of the other char
acteristics of the Arab, adding, howev-
er, great muscular development to give
the impression of strength. That mus
cular development is most apparent in
the limbs OH which the strain, caused by
the sudden check, must be thrown; and
probably there is not finer illustration
of equine anatomy in the world than in
the near Qeft) bind leg and Group of the
charger The pas:erns ami stiae;j joints
show more of pure Arab; but, if this be
a little too much for a charger, some,
thing must be allowed fOr the bean ideal.
1 do not suppose that Crawford strove to
represent the horse that Washington ac-
tuaIly rode, but horse, IN blood and
spirit, fit for such a man.
1.,l,rbtad in rnOrpStlit-