The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-08

Tbs LENox COLLECTION OF NINEvAH SCULPTURES.
The fine collection of Ninevah Sculptures pre-
sented by James Lenox, ESQ.,, to the New York
Historical Society, was on Tuesday evening sub
mitted for the first time to public inspection. The
precious stones were arranged against the walls OF
the Refractory, hereafter to be known as the Nine
yah room-though this change of name by no
means involves the Punishment of the historical
chocolate and sandwiches. The chief interest of the
exhibition arises from the fact that these sculptures
are accredited relics of Old Testament times, sur
viving all the changes of dynastes and religions,
and bearing in impershable characters story
OF the past The story is yet to be read, and fur
Their discoveries may be needed to throw light upon
the mystic legends but it is believed that they will
ultimately be deciphered, and made to yield valu-
able contribution to the treasures OF historical lore
The stones are known to date back far the
enth century before Christ, and the hoary repre-
sentatives of twenty-five hundred years. cannot be
regarded without awe and reverence When the
edge of these feelings is blunted and the spectator
proceeds to apply his cold modern criticism to tho
subject, he finds that the Ninevites had very fair
notions of art. The sculptures originally in
tended as interior ornaments fpalaces, or the
houses of wealthy people, and are far more elabo-
rate than most OF the decorations which find their
way into the domicil of the modern millionaire.
The artist, unlike the scuptors of the present day,
cared nothing for beauty anatomical accuracy,
paid no attention to oreshortenng and perspective,
put no sentiments into his faces, and wasted no
time on graces of attitude. The ideas that he meant
to convey-whatever they were-are expressed in
the symbolic adjuncts of his figures. The figures
themselves are almost stereotyped copies of each
other, and it is in the uninterrupted surroundings
that the purpose of the sculptor is to be looked for
1t upon these that he avished his utmost skill,
and there few chsses at this day could do neat
and cleaner work. On most of the stones the
finest touches of the steel are still to be seen, as
distinct rs though they had been made but yester-
day. The wonderful preservation of the carving is
not due to the hardness of the material, which is
suphate Of lime, but to the fact that the stones fell
han, thA b,nh thAx
adorned tumbled to the earth, and were buried with
their faces in the sand where they remained unds-
turbed until their exhumation. Thus guarded from
the destructive winds and rains, virtuoso could
have more securely swathed and packed them away
from harm
The stones are thirteen in number and illustrate
variety of unknown subjects. One bears triple
horned winged figure, standing with fir cone in
one hand, and in the other basket ornamented
with bas relief of two kings, beside sacred tree.
Another presents two small eagle-headed human
figures, with offerings-a tree between them, and
one in the back ground third which is a con-
tnuation of two adjacent slabs, contains two dou-
ble-horned winged figures, on either side of sa-
cred tree, presenting the mystic fir cone and bask-
ct. Upon the sandals of one of the twain traces
of black and red paint. The other sculptors are
generally similar to those already described, with
the exception of one bold figure winged and con-
fronting king with a patera in one hand and a
bow in the other. One of the eagle-headed species
is supposed to be "Nisroeh" Inscriptions in cunei-
form of arrowhead characters, the cen
tire of the slabs, traversing the figures, and the
whole is surrounded by ornamented border.
The figures are of that heroic size in which ancient
art sought to express the potential attributes Of
gods and kings. They are from to feet high
with exaggerated legs, and arms that would make
the fortune of a prize fighter. The dimensions O
the stones are-breadth to feet, height 8 feet
thickness inches-and they weigh from ~ to :
tons each. Most of them were either broken in the
smash which laid them low, in the process of dis
interment, but have been put together without i'm
pairing the original design.
The Lenox collection of Ninevah sculptures as i
is called, is worthy of companionship with tina
other (neglected) treasury of antiquities, "Tht
Egyptian Collection" and it is hoped that some
way may be opened for the latter to pass under thu
care and protection of the Historical Society,"
Journal Of Commerce.