The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-21
A Negro Sculptress.
ence Of The London Athenpum.


o,TeepoRdence Of the London AHsReUm.
ROME, February 2O.-An interesting novelty
has sprung up among us, IN city where all our
surroundings are OF the olden time. Miss Edmo
MIA Lewis, lady oil color, has taken studio in
Rome and works as sculptress in one of the
rooms formerly occupied by the great master
Canova. She is the ouly lady OF her race in the
United States who has thus applied herself TO
the study and practice OF sculptural art, and this
fact is SO remarkable aud unique chat a brief
sketch OF her life, given almost in her own
words, will, j an sure, be acceptable to the
wide circle Of your readers. my MOTHER" she
told me only last Monday, was q wild Indian,
and was born in Albany, of copper color, and
with straight, black hair. There she made and
sold noccasins. My father who was negro, and
q eentlemans servant, saw her and married her.
was born at Greenbigh, IN Ohio. Mother often
left her home and wandered With her people,
whose habits she could not forget, and thus we,
her children, were brought up IN the same wild
manner. Until / was twelve years old l led
this wandering life, fishing and swimming she
added with great glee, land making moceasins.
L was then sent to school tor three years IN
MGraw, but was declared to be wild-they
could do nothing with me. OFTEN they said to
me, Here is your book, the book OF Nature;
come and study it, From this school / was
sent to another at 0berlm, in Ohio where re-
mained four years, and thenl thought ofreturn-
ing to wild life again; but my love OF sculpture
forbade it. Some friends recommended me to
go to England, but thought it better first to
study in Rome" And here she is, the descend
struggling against ignorant prejudice, but with
genius enough to prove that she bears the image
OF Him who made all nations under the sun.
While her youth and her color claim our
warmest sympathies Miss Edmonia Lewis has a
very engaging appearance and manners. Her
eyes and the upper part of her face are dne; the
crisp hair and thick lips, on the other hand,
bespeak her negro paternity. NdtUs in manner,
happy and cheerful, and all unconscious OF diifi-
Guilty, because obeying great inpulse, she
prattles like child and with much simplicity
and spirit pours forth all her aspirations. At
present, she has little to show; she appeals TO
the patronage and protection of the civilized
and the Christian world. There is the cast of q
bust OF Colonel Shaw, who commanded the first
colored regiment that was ever formed, and
who died "a leader for all time in Freedom Is
Chivalry." The bust was executed from pho
tograph, and now, as commission from the
sister of Colonel Shaw, is being transferred to
marble.
Another commission is o bust of Mr. Dio
group was to be executed under promise for
some gentlemen in Boston, and, in the true
spirit of a heroine, she has selected FOR her sub
ject "The Freedwoman on her first hearing OF
her Liberty" She has thrown herself on hsl
knees, and with clasped knees and uplifted
eyes, she blesses God for her redemption. HeI
boy, ignorant of the cause OF her agitation
hangs over her knees and engs to her waist
She wears the turban which was used when a
work. Around her wrists are the half-brokeI
manacles, and the chain lies on the groun(
still attached to large ball. YES" che oh
served, $50 were my race treated in the marke
and elsewhere" IL tells, with much eloquence
painful story.