Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-02-13
YOUNG MEAD's Recording ANGEL"

The young sculptor, MEAD, Of Brattle5oro,' Yer
mont, whose remarkable snow-image, q year ago,
was talked about even beyond the region where
the evanescent material of his first work of plas.
tic art abounds, has given his conception Of "The
Recording Angel" O more permanent form, in
marble. The following sketch of this youthful
genius and Of his work, taken from the B.attle-
boro' Phouix,) will interest every lover of art:
Snow transferred to marble-a new sort Of
transfer in sculpture surely, but one which ha,
been accomplished by the same old process OF
careful modelling and hurd chiseling by which the
young disciples of the noble art have always been
obliged to work their way to an honorable place in
the fraternity of Phidias, Michael Angelo, and
%Flaxman. In common with our citizens general
ly, we have watched the progress Of Mr.. Mead's
statue with increasing interest and satisfaction,
and can most heartily congratulate him on its
near completion. The writer well remembers
passing up Main street quite late one cold night
last winter and seeing a person with a lantern,
engaged in some mysterious operation at the part
ing of the road opposite the High School. A mo.
ment's pause in the singing cold was enough t.
satisfy his curiosity with the ha ty conclusion,
chat some snow.mad boy, whose mother had given
him n special permission to be out so late for the
purpose, was busily employed with all the energy,
benevolence and disinterestedness of a Santa
Claus in putting up a snow,image for his school
mates to pelt the next day.
But the following morning revealed "a thing Of
beauty" there which we had never dreamed of
seeing. Instead of the Informed mass of snow
and surmounted by q large SNOWFALL, which we
were looking for-that distant resemblance of hui
manity with bits of charcoal in the place of eyes,
nose and mouth, and sticks for arms, which pre-
cocious boyhood ventures to call q snOU. man,
there was the pure, white image of an angel,
modelled and finished as none but a true artists
hand could have done it. Nature could hardly
have put into artistic hands q less plastic material
than that cold, dry snow yet there was the wav-
| m a. lr1 merry the rnunnpd anna pprk and h,Ist
and the thoughtful face, as complete as if they
had been cast and transformed to ice in some stat
uary's mould. Was it another sacred image of
Pallas fallen down to us from heaven, its wooden
form enclosed in ice in its wintry passage to earth?
But putting aside poetry and mythology, the first
sight of thut artistic s~Dow-image could not but be
startling. Its beauty of conception and finish was
better appreciated after the first impression of
surprise had passed from the mind. lr IL certain
that none of US had ever seen before 80 complete
and beautiful appearance in snow. Its history is
familiar to us all and need not be recalled. The
town went to see 1t, was satisfied with it, and
abundautly so with the maker. The newspapers
proclaimed it, and thanks to them for this pleas
ant result) the account of it reached the eye of q
noble-hearted patron of art in Ohio,* the young
artist was encouraged by kind words and substan.
tial aid 10 persevere in his work-and now there
may be seen in his studio a nearly snisned reduc.
ed copy in marble of the same recording angel'
who came upon us so unexpectedly in snow
There is good reason to congratulate him and our.
selves on this unlocked for result Of his winter
evenings freak.
The general conception Of the first figure has
been retained in this, but has been differently
treated in some respects. For instance, the tablet
ia the hand of the snow statue has been change
for a closed scroll. The change is an improve
ment upon the original. The left hand now rests
in an easy attitude on the scroll, and the right
:, holding the style hangs in repose at the side. The
' record of the year is finished, and tho angel seems
= lost in meditation. Perhaps she is wondering
q why men will persist from year to year in oblig
ing her to carry such an account Of them Il
4 heaven. However, the expression is more that o.
: digni6ed repose after labor than If any feeling O
. positive regret or satisfaction. The execution o
the work is certainly highly credible to Mr.. Mead
10 q figure whore so much OF the whole effect de
! ponds on the disposition of the drapery ther,
= could not be too much attention given to that
Mr.. Mead appears to have been fully conscious o
this difficulty, and to have expended the utmos
care in working out that important part of hi
statue. To us it appears to be the most success
full feature of the work. Whether or no il cal
n properly be so in accordance with the establishe,
principles of a high Art we will not presume t
say. But We must leave criticism Of the work t
s more competent judges whose opinion in matter
of Art is worth expressing. We could bespea
for it a favorable judgment. and do not dout
h that il will be sure 10 obtain it wherever the Oil
n cumstances of the artist are fully known.
AT the request of Mr.. Mead's friends who ha
manifested SO generous an interest in the wor
frcm the first, it will be placed ON exhibition thi
winter at Washington.
Should the judgment Of connoisseurs respec
'NichOla' Longvcrtb, Esq, Of thIs cty I'd. Gs.stt4