Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-21

One day during the latter part of my stay in
did studio of Mr.. Powers. He talked very eo-
quently upon art. He said that some OF the
classic statues had become famous, and desery-
eddy 20, although they were sometimes false in
proportion and disposed in attitudes quite i'm
possible in nature. He ilustr aeed this nv a inc
plaster cast of the Venus OF MILO, before which
we were standing. He sho wed that the spinal
cord in the neck could never, from the position
OF the head, have Joined that of the BODY aud
that there was radical fault In the ternina-
ton OF the spinal column. As he proceeded he
convinced me that he was correct; and in de-
fence OF this, my most cherished idol after the
Apollo Belvedere, only asked the iconoclast
whether these defects might not have been in
territorial in order to make the statue appear
more natural when looked at in its eley ated DO
sition from below. subsequently repeated Mr.
studio Of another Of our distinguished sculptors.
and he treated it with great levity, especially
when L told him my authority. There is
spirit OF rivalry among scuiptors which does not
always manifest itself In that courteous and
&ell-bred manner which distinguish the med.
ical faculty, for instance, i'm their dealings with
each other. This courtesy is well illustrated by
an anecdote 1 have recently heard A GENTLE
man fell down in q ht, and q ph ysician entering
saw man kneelng over the patient and grssp.
ing him firmly by the throat; whereupon the
physician exclaimed, "Why, sir, you are stop
ping the circulation IN the jugular VENT"
"Sn, >" replied the other, 81 am a doctor of
medicine" To which the first NJ. u. rem arked,
"Ah beg your pardon" and stood by very
eomposedly until the patient was comfortably
dead.
while Mr.. Powers was conversing with me
about the Venus OF Milo, there entered two
English women dressed very richly in brocades
and velvets. They seemed very anxious to see
everything in the studio, talked in loud tones
OF the various objects OF art. passed us, and oc-
tue called California. heard one of them saw
ul wonder II there's anybody ere that talks
MinghssnY"n and in the same breath she called
he was at work that day, and wore his studio
costume. was somewhat surprised to see him
Immediately obey the rude command, and the
following conversation occurred:
"Do you speak Hinglish?"
eyes, ma'am."
"What is this statue?"
"It Is called California, madam"
"What has she got In 'er 'and?"
'Thorns. madam, in the hand held behind the
back; In the other she presents the quartz con-
tanning the tempting metal"
We next entered room where there was an
other work OF the sculptor In process Of forma-
an animated, aud, to me, very agreeable con-
yersatOn. which was constantly Interrupted by
these ill-bred women. who kept all the time
the artist the most Fostering questions on the
modUs operandi Of sculpturing. al was astonish-
ed at the marvellous temper Of Mr.. Powers, who
politely and patiently answered all their queries.
By some lucky chance these women got out of
the way during our slow progress back to the
outer rooms. and enjoyed MI. Powers CONVEX
He showed me the beautiful baby hand in
marble, copy of his daughters hand when an
infant, and had just returned to its shrine when
the two women reappeared, and We all proceed
ed together. In the outer room there We're sew
eral admirable busts, upon which these women
passed comment freely. One of these busts was
that Of . lady. and they attacked it spitefuIly
"What an ugly facet"
"What mean expression about the mouth"
"Whose is it?'' asked one of them, addressing
Mr.. Powers.
ist mOdestly.
"Your wife!'' repeated one of the women,
and then, nothing abashed, added, "who are
'My name is Powers, madam" he answered
very politely.
This discovery evidently disconnected the i'm
pudence even of these visitors, and they imme-
diately left the studio.-From "reminiscences of
Florence, BY Marie HoDland, in the January nun-
Der of Lippincoft's Magazine.