Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-04-15
Mead and his .. Echo.r

=" L. q. Mead, Jr., Of Vermont, whose
snow figure of the " Recording Angel at
tractcd 50 much attention even before he
had settled upon Art as his profession, and
which won him the anonymous encourage
ment and patronage o' the late Nicholas
Llngworth Of Cincinnati, opened a studio in
Florence few months ago. Young, modest
and retiring. his achievements arc, nevcrthe-
less winning for him an abundant crop pi
good opinion, 70 say nothing Of the more
substantial evidences Of popular favor which
are attending his ambitious steps. His first
work finished in Italy was made to order Of
W. ". Corcoran. the Washington banker.
wcll-known and enlightened patron Of
American art Echo. a. it Is called. Is a
female figure. thirty-sIx inches in height,
entirely without draperv, but 30 refined in
treatment that the most iastidious hehoider
j. completely absorbed m it, BEAUTIES, and
fails entirely 10 experience the sense of indie
hcscy often suggested by nude statues in
marble. The idea intended Ia he embodied
is $, simply and Vet forcibly expressed that
We perceive it at glance. The figure stands
lightly upon one toot-the other being raised
slightly upon tip-toe. One hand holds a
horn, which VT See has lust been sounded
AlAf- uAiltl y AhA1f1f4 ANNdAl Nflt Nnt a. Hilt
stands with head erect, in an attitude Of in-
tense attention, listening for the return Of
notes echced from some opposing height.
The figure j. wonderfully delicate and iemi-
nine, and the pose a. unsurpassably graceful,
light and airy "a an " echo should be. In
deed. the easy naturalness pervading this
and all Of Mr. Mead's works can never fail
10 impress the visitor.
Joseph the Dreamer, and '>appho. Med
itating the Plunge. are two small statuettesf
of which copies were ordered by = New
Yorker before the originals had fairly left
Mr. Mesd's studio for Paris Joseph,
fine. muscular figure, is presented to Us st
the point of time when he has Just been sold
bv hIs brethren to the Egyptian traders.
The strikingly thoughvful air given 10 the
future Prime Minister shows US that he has
already entered upon his significant dream
ings. .Sappho' represents the unfortunate
maiden. with her ~ longer tuneiul Tyre at
her feet, her mantle thrown careessly over
an arm. ani her grandly beautiful Greclan
face, expressive OF despair too deep for moan
Ings OF tears, standing upon the Leucadian
rock, gazing upon the welcome food IN
which She Is about 70 eHtinguish life and its
sorrows The pathetic story Is admirably
told in marble. Indeel, both these statuettes.
though OF miniature size only, are large
enough 10 speak for theRselves, and 10 mar
rate their own histories with mute elo-
quence that Is irresistible.
1HE BATTLE STORY.
But the artist Is now chiefly engaged IN
modelling HE hrst group 1t Is nearly com
pleted In clay, and we see at once that It Is
The B0ffE Story \ war-worn soldier,
seated, with a Young sister upon his knee,
Is depicting 10 her the horrors, and relating
to her the stirring incidents OF a battle.
Nothing, surely, could be more striking
than the expression OF nervous exhaustion
and dicni6ed mental distress developed in
the figure of the soldier. With body lean
in- forward in intense emotional action, and
ewes cast toward the ground, which, how
ever. they evidently do not see, he appears
10 behold again the field of blood, while the
position of hls extended gaunt right hand
and arm, in harmony with the emaciated,
care-worn and soIrowful face, conveys
touching idea of the anguish tugging at his
heart. as with mental vision he reviews the
fearful scene, and witnesses once more the
sufierIngs of his loved comrades on the fatal
field. The little ten year old sister is equal
" expressive of still other emotions. With
one hand thrown trustingly upon the broth
er's shoulder, and the other pressed convul-
siyely upon her throbbing heart, she seems
to shrink from the dread picture which he Is
sketching, her innocent child's face turning
to him, meanwhile, with a mingled look oil
curiosity, surprised interest, and tender tone
and PITY 10 which the artists chisel has done
more justice than my pen can hope to rem
der. When this group is finished In mar,
BILE, the artists admirers may feel assured
that 1t will fully Justify the expectations OF
those who knew his Ethan Allen, executed
for the State of Vermont, and which secured
for him the friendship and encouragement OF
SO capable critic az Hon. George z. Marsh
now United States Minister in Turin. Mr..
Mead was recently in Paris modelling a
head for new work which has been ordered
as companion for Echo The subject
chosen is taken from the English opera OF
'Marltana, and the figure is to persoDate the
mountain youth who spoke to Eebo,' and
was disappointed when, instead of respond
ing to has rhapsody about bis love for one
whose perlections he recited, she only con
fessed her own, as a less unsophisticated In
dividual would have expected of so etherla
a character Paris Cor. " Y. Times