, 1861-01-25
HOURS IN THE ART UNION GAL.
LEIkY. No. 8.
". vo1k tho Sculptor.

It would not be the fault Of the Artists Of
Chicago il thepresent' Art Union were not
SUCCESS. Realizing how much thc future OF
Art in the West depends upon it, they have
added F1rTr-THREE gifts 10 the original NUM-
ber, forty-seven, making in all ONE HUNDRED
gifts to be distributed among eight hundred
snbscribers-a proportion Of gifts unprece'
dented in the annals Of Art Union tlistribu-
tions. We arc glad to to know that our citi-
zens show their appreciation Of the laudiblc
efforts ofour gifted Artists, by patronage
that is increasingly liberal. Whoever goes
once to the galleryls sure to 60 again, his it,
tercst increasing with each visit.
The collection Of Statuary in the gallery is
smaller than that Of Paintings, but small as it
is, it is yet larger and more credtable than that
Of the first exhibition Of the Fine Arts ut St
Louis, just closed, Of which go much WINS said
at the time. Volk's ideal statue Of Washing
ton, represented in his youth, when lie hacked
his fathers favorite pear-tree, is tic PRINCIPAL
sculpture. It is to be executed in stat,ary
marble, as one of the gifts Of the distribution.
The model On exhibition was made ut Rome by
artists Of Romeat that time. Harriet Hosmcr,
In particular, expressed her satisfaction With it
In the most enthusiastic manner "Ol." said
she, "that docs look like Washington p t'The
boy is tather to the man." And you see in the
noble face and figure Of The child Washington,
the promise of the immortal chieftain and
statesman, whose name causes every Ameri.
can heart to beat faster. He stands, hatchet in
hand, beside the pear tree, which bears the
marks Of his tteprcdations, and the unneryetI
arm and slightly drooped head, with the shade
Of ofthought on tho face reveal the conscious
neSa of 1Ernnp.dcirEy 1xi*f, tfg y,+nhot1a ,,,on.
quences, which has stolen over him.
The most touching thing in this collection
is the Portrait Statue Of il child, the mod
el In clay made By Vollz, for J. R. Mills, Esq,
Of this city. The subject is 4 little boy, who
alter happy LIFE Of two or three summers
here below, went home with the angels to bis
native Heaven. How the eyes Of mothers till
with quick tears as they gaze upon it. and
learn its history! To them no explanation is
necessary, they comprehend it instantly.
They know when the dear little head was laid
away from its mothers bosom to rest in the
grave, and the pattering Of the little feet about
the house were still forever, and the rlppling
music Of childish laughter wns drowned ia
death, the hunger OF the bereft mothers
heart would not be sttlled, until thelcounter-
by the cunning hand Of the sculptor, for her
consolation. a smile illumines the infanti1c
tace Of the figure as he gathers his tunic
He1ghted with flowers in one hnnd, while the
other grasps one Of his floral treasures In
marble this graceful statue must be exquisite
modelled by Volk from life, ut Rome, in 1855,
ts noteworthy, because Of the fidelity Of the
likeness and the celebrity Of the subject. The
grand head and face always command atten-
tlon; 40 Rogers vas committed the modelling
Representatives at Washington, executed in
alto relieve, and cast at Munich, Germany. TO
him WIS also committed the completion OF
three statues Of eminent men Of Virginia 1or
the Washington monument By the hnented
Crawford, ordered By that State, and left un-
finished at the death of the sculptor
Another remarkably correct bust by Volk is
that OF lady In thts city, widely known here
and through the State, rs the Illinois Vice Re-
gent Of the Mount Vernon Association. Moth
ing could surpass the perfection Of this bust
Of the beautifully shaped head and finely cut
features, and the intellectual aud refined ex-
preston Of the counteuance is faithfully pre~
served. It is Immediately identified. There
are also buets by Volk Of Rev. Dr. Patterson,
and Hon 1 n. Arnold, Of Lincoln and Doug
torian, Prescott, and of the wonderful Ame7i- |
caQ preacher, Henry Ward Beecher.
4 case Of canoes By Volk is worthy Of care
full examination, and excites wonder and inter-
est. Cameo-cutting Is subordinate to the |
higher branches Of sculpture, and has been
pursued By Volk as recreation from his |
seycrer studies, as employment for his scraps |
Of leisure. It Is an art Of remote o.igin, prac-
ticed by the Egyptians, and perfected By the |
Greeks, who, more than 1900 years ago, cut |
cameos and intaglios in In Chalcedony, Onyx |
and sardonyx, which are to-day wonderful FOR |
their exquisite finish and polish. In the 4th |
century cameo cutting fell into disuse, was re- |
viycd In the 18th century, and is now practised |
In both Europe and America The shells Of |
various species Of mollnsca have been substi- !
+aE fSSr< fsar CT
Volk's cameos are cut In tho shells Of the green
conch, which presents white or pale cream
cplored layer on dark back ground. His suc-
cess in this branch Of art has been as nndis-
puted as in the ether departments Of scnlp-
ture. It will be remembered that an English
gentleman OF wealth, travelling through this
country, 4 connoisseur In art, gave Mr.. Vo1k
commission for six cameo ukeuesse8 Of emf /
nent Americans, which were forwarded to him.
In acknowledging their reception, he writes
how gratiaed am by the manner in
which you have executed my commission"
Having paid flying visit to Rome after nv
return from America, have thus had an op-
eortunity Of comparing them with q few
canoes by the best artists, which selected at
ing else, 30 far Us can Judge, should hon. |,
estly have no hesitation In ,prefeuing your
whether as regards their finish, or
Lhe life, reality and action Of the features"
These fattering encomiu1ns are indorsed
By high authority. What more beau
ifhl or delicate than q cameo likeness Of hus-
band, child or friend, to be worn as q brooch
or bracelet! I
To Mr. Voll1 belongs the honor Of being the
pioneer sculptor Of the West, and: indeed the
3nly. His first work was done at St. Louis,
,ome tenyea ago, since which time he has
3een steadily developing and growing in fa1ne
ais Washington, spoken Of above, and life size
Itatne Of Douglas, IN marble, haye evidenced
he knowledge Of him-but the West does not
vhich be Is. to be-. We hope another and |:
onger reaIdence in italy Is in store for him,
or We feel that he has in him that measure Of
;enins which Eil make his name pride to
he Weaten world. What he has yet done is
modest enthostastic, deyoted TO his art, patient
# toll finding supreme happiness IN biz stldio,