New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-18
FINE ARTS.
WARDS "c,TIzEN SOLDIER"

The statue erected by the members oil inc
Seventh Regiment IN honor of their comrades who fell In
the late war; stands In studio OF the artist wait
Ing till place shall be prepared for 1t near the war
rior's Gate" which opens into tho fark ut tno oe'o
The statue is colossal sze In bronze tue race anu
hands Furnished II represents soldier Oh the regiment
in the field dress Of private military cap ana oNereoa
standing in an easy posture. at rest lightly leaning on
hi, musket waiting for the word OF command. with
none OF the Stiffness OF the common military air. tho
figure Is manly the countenance Is that OF young n
I'm the vgor OF health uuworn and unharheheu' wearing
the expression OF Ingenious confidence that Deoeeu W
the fresh volunteer The nen is noble without pretese'
perfectly simple and at the same time commanding Inc
treatment is remarkably elcitous The ordinary dress
OF private soldier IA not graceful IN fashion, 1t Is loose
but not flowing IL hangs but has neither folds nor lines
Mr. Ward has made no effort to alter 1t in single parc
ular he has takeAt was trusting That the hoOeneHs
OF the figure womb dignity It In art as the noOeheSsol
the man dgnnedit IN service The cape Is made 10 give
breadth to tho upper part Of the form. the shapeiess
sleeves character OF drapery and the shoness OF
the skirt allows enough OF tho lower limbs to be seen to
give the cffe OF hight The left lappet OF the SKIRT
slightly thrown back as II by motion Of tho hand or tho
brushing pat OF conrade, throws out the left leg thuS
breaking NJ the mOnotOny OF the lines and revealing e
in the body The foot is firmly planted the strong hands
grasp the sket with quiet determinations the features
are expressive Of courage The whole statue In fact III
perfect out7ard repose yet every part animated with
purpose is very grand image OF the citizen soldier the
man who le his pow in the furrow, his hammer az the
forge or hi work In the shop and, full OF enthusiasm
earnest nn( grave went meet his cOuntys foes IL Is
tribute Dt TO the 9TH Regiment, but to the volunteer
and 1t Is sgh o tribute none but master could ereeh
The Workmanship shows the utmost earoi tho modelling
Is at ono bold and fine; the hands are fault
| less I'm their anatomy; tho OF the
| face ar grandly developed, and the features
I'm every Inc are strongly marked. Ward Is realst In
art Dt one; he reveres his facts; he cngs
subbOrny TO his facts; bo will have them every one
Just thy are He has no notion OF drawing on BIS I'M
agnatio for them. or OF trifing with them when his
honest PERCEPTION has told him what they arc. But the
bare Irul hard fact does satisfy him. IS not In
truth On fact lie perceves, is not the whole fact The
fact wit him expresses q soul behind 10, aud mtl he
gets at hat soul does not apprehend It. The power to
get at 90 soul belongs him lie uses IT. he looks at his
subiectrom the center he works 1t out from the heart;
feels ut first then bodies II forth with snch skill that
spirit nd form correspond From this proceeds the
muglig OF the ideal and the real In all his work, even
tho mot trnng It literally true and true also to tho
| meanV. There Is all that the eye can see, and more
He doe not transcend the plain reality or transform IT,
he neher submates dsgnlses It; lie presents IL IN
its reons to the person who IA alive in time and place
Hencdhe plain reality is never Insignificant or COM
! nominee sthl less is 1t ever vulgar. Or.
dinary II may be, and naturally will be-
n sdllcr's capOte, an Indians bear'skin,-
but itas the dignity that perfect fitness never falls to
C1vc nd beautiful In its time. The genuine artist
can ai 20 bo exact for he will DO sure not TO DO crude
harshanguar or superficial, a mere copyst cannot
avodjcnc be can afford to give scope TO bis feeling Tor
bcaur for no will incur danger OF becoming weak,
| continental or affected. An easy balance Of power
lust appreciation materials aud methods, Is charao-
tcfist, Of Mr. Wards mud and 1t constitutes him the
spctor sculptor that he S. His latest work. Whatever
II mT be- is likely to be his most complete and adnlIa
bic ecauso the combination Of genius with aesthetic
tastc,nd artistic sk certain 10 be more completely
disnlted than IN previous efforts This combination
maLs the artist; Ward Is young man yet; he has time
10 grow; better still he las hope 10 grow; he counts not
hmscf 10 have attained, but, recognizing the fact that
art Is ,eiorc HIN well life, eneayors at every effort
to d.stince himself We hope that when THIS statue Is
put limits place In Park pains will bo taken 10 set 1t
10 Tia IL can be frOu an sides aud not from one
only. w Is tho case with tie Indian Hunter, which can
not he Airy viewed without trcspassiug ON the ground
CHURCm's DAMASCUS.
Mr.. Churcl's latest-and, in the opinion of his
| adnirds, grcates-wOrk Is on exhibition for short
time Kuoedlers gallery. II Is the first fruit Of the
artist ElserD travel To understand the merits Of tile
paiutig 10 must be borne 10 mind that the city OF
Damaeus sauds almcst circular plain about thirty
| miles In diameter. To the east, the bare horizon
stretchs far away To the west lies the great mountain
chain Anti-Ibauus piles Of sterile limestone rock
fTorte aud usual approach TO the city Is from this
auarc The traveller passes the mountains, crosses
tho wtershed following the course Of small stream
that aws through rich valley. AZ length cleft opeus In
the rOsy hills between two precp0us cliffs up the side
OF ono these cliffs winds the road at the summit stands
a rund chapel. Prom that chapel. tho very edge Of
the mdutain range the traveller gazes on the plain OF
Damaus spreading out green and vast some thousands
| of fet below. Tho view is ono OF the
most nchanting IN the world. You stand on nights
| consecated Of old by saintliness and prayer You
look Own on tho famous seat Of civilization that has
passethw way and eXpanse OF natural beauty whose
| glory On never pass away. The litto river that had
been puring along between Us banks marking the land
| scape with deep line OF ver1ure PUSHES furOu,ly
throuh the raylne and suddenly breaking forth ke the
burstig of shell. like the eruption Of volcano, seat
tiers ievery direction ts life giving waters aEd flashes
all tho immense valley the intensity Of green that
hitlco had clung lovingly to It's channel. Below are
the gives aud gardens floating as IL were like islands
tho b.om OF fruitful seattle walnut and the olive
treesihe pomeganae tho hg the ctron. the apricot.
| the ape. and far In the distance
| "Tto city sparkle, Ike grain ofnt"
Tn IL the view the artist spread out beneath him,
and tried to transfer to his pershabe canvas To de-
pictbecs In detail was, Of course impossible. In tho
deey below tho special groups Of foliage disappear,
bleng In rich but Ddistnct mass OF yerduro. In tho
rewteness Of tho plain the city becomos white gloami
| andthe river tho ancient ALBANIA, probably sends
| up Gtful flashes Of light from tho dark bosom
Of te forest. The hour chosen for the scene Is tho
coslg OF the day The wCstcring SINKS behind the
moutaD chain leaving its eastern decvity IN shadow
whic explains the apparent want Of texture and even
OF iom In the rocks making them look soft like wool os
they low down into the plain Tho craggy points alono
are dined by the beams that gid them, as they
urhrough the gorge and throw trail Of splendor
acros the yordant sea 7his trail OF light Is he picture.
The hge shadow OF the mountain darkens the left sido
OF III valley, eStinguishng all but tho faint gmmertngs
OF III repressbe river that tho broad band Of glory
mak1g clear course. strikes full upon tho white d0mcs
and inarets Of tho city No person who hes not gazpd