The New York herald., 1872-11-03
The STATUE.


The STATUE.
Considerable interest has been felt In the value
Of the Scott statue as o work OF art Our native
public monuments are with few exceptions, so
absolutely Worthless that there was excited ma
tional curiosity TO learn whether "they manage
those things better in Scotland" As the best OF
our American statues is placed within sight OF the
Scott memorial every facility was aforded to make
comparison 1t Is not usual nor very desirable to
duplicate public statues, unless the work In ques-
ton is OF great and
STRIKING MERIT.
When such duplication takes place we look for
some Justification In the excellence OF the work
itself. For these reasons there were entertained
expectations In regard to the Scott statue that
were certainly not fulfilled. FIVE were content to
regard the work from merely popular point Of
view we would allow 1t the merit OF picturesque
lacking in the purity and grandeur which Is
THE KSSENCE OF TRUE SCULPTURE
may De 1nat TINS very defect &C. VIII gain fSr the
pie whose artistic education Is defective.
The figure is OF heroic size and cast in bronze,
the better to be able to resist the climate. 1t Is
placed on pedestal or polished Aberdeen granite,
which is In admirable agreement with the super,
massive appearance. Scott is represented seated ted
on one OF his native rocks, In q cOntemplative
m hs has eeR 1eaa G TsSS
slightly raised. The right hand rests lightly the
volume, which is closed This posture is easy and
natural, and well in keeping with the idea
expressed In the composition. 1t has, however,
THE DEFECT OF WEAKNESS,
and this Is of the most serious faults In scup-
ture. In modelling the head, which is turned
slightly to the left the artist has exerted all his
power to express the reflective and genial charac-
teristics of the man, well as p0rtraying his high
intellectual nature. In order to Impress the intel
ectualty Of his subject the spectators the artist
has fallen into the error OF exaggerating the de.
| veopment of Scott's head, giving him forehead
OF abnormal proportions. The lower portion OF the
| face is well modelled and expresses happily
sCoTTs KINDLY NATURE.
| Apart from the exaggerati0n we have ALREADY
mentioned the likeness appears to be good .9 one
effort the artist to avoid the difficulty OF the
modern costume and this he has endeavored to do
nature Not having sufficient daring to present
the Scottish writer as an old Roman, ne clothes
with mass Of drapery which resembles
| neither the toga nor the plaid but is SIMPLY
an expedient for covering up the dress which ;h
to treat successfully. No such liberty as this
| would have been taken by an ancient sculptor nor
| by any great artist Of the present day. Truth is
| ESSENTIAL IN ART
as in literature; and 1t Is as much an anachrOnsm
| to wrap writer OF the nineteenth century in q
Roman costume as 1t would be to speak Of Napoleon
Bonapsrte as contemporary Of Alexander. Il
was the value Of painting the characters
Of an age in the colors OF the age in which they
land clans and made us move among living and
thinking men; but posterity. IN regarding this
o times WHICH e
created those pictures OF the past which have
Nor has ,e arta apI shawn hH fSas sk in the
| agement of his drapery which might have
been accepted as some excuse for the
erect. The drapery is heavy rather than
massive, but is almost entirely wanting in the
an tn
broad efects but the heavy folds are broken with
massive drapery completely hides the con-
sools few points 1as % tSat we ena catch % GLIMPSE Sc
Of the figure beneath. on account Of this clumsi-
ness in the drapery, the figure from some points
torted. When looking at the statue In front from
the left side the left shoulder appears too large,
| and in the back view the right shoulder seems to
| be higher than its companion. These apparent
| defects are caused by the unskilful manner in
which the drapery is disposed, and ought TO have
been
CORRECTED IN THE CLAY.
Some unlucky idea made the artist resolve on In
Producing the poets favOrite hound into the CON-
position and, having resolved on doing SO, he was
evidently puzzled how to dispose Of the animal to
the dog was an afterthought, which was worked
In" At least, this Is the only theory upon which
the composition. The hound is placed on the right
side OF the poet in recumbent posture 80 as to in
terere as little aS possible with the interest OF the
main figure. The dogs head, however, Is raised so
as to continue the line OF the drapery down to the
| base. This arrangement shows good deal OF
| TECHNICAL SKILL,
! but why the dog should be made to regard
sympathetcaly his masters back is rather puzzle
to Had the dog been so placed as to be able to
see his masters face then the action would have
been appropriate and effective; but under the
present conditions 1t is impossible to imagine what
interest the hound. But In spite OF these short
| comings the statue Is respectable addition to our
| public memorials OF great men. No transcendent
1 merit can be claimed Tor 1t q work OF art, but
the qualities 1t possesses will, IN all probability,
4 secure tor 1t
FAIR SHARE OF POPULARITY.
It is pleasing to note that American sculpture is
rapidly advancing to q position OF equality with
| European work. Much as has been written by
some persons inclined to be very seriously critical
| about the proportions OF Wards Shakespeare, the
American artists work stands out well in contrast
with the Scott statue. And 1t is not too much to
say that both In the excellence OF the execution
and in correct conception OF the aim and scope OF
sculpture Mr.. Wards statue shows an unquestion-
able suneYOrffv.