The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-07


ART MATTERS. .y" 7q
Marshall Woods statuary. n
With the name OF Marshall Wood, the sculptor
Of Daphne" and one OF the most distinguished
OF English artists our readers are already famllar
but up to the present moment 1t has been the
privilege OF only those who have travelled in Eu-
rope to contemplate any of his works, save
through the medium OF journals devoted to
aesthetics. Every sppreciator OF art therefore has
reason to congratulate himself upon the arrival in
this city, and the display At nnany's cosy gallery
of four OF Mr.. Woods statues. which will proba-
bly, make deeper impression and evoke more pro-
fessional rivalry than any other similar importa-
tons made ct . date easily within the
recall Of memory. Contemporary criticism
OF great works Is apt to prove unsatlsfac-
tory for even when their superiority is recognzed
at once, the critic labors under double disadvan-
tage. An unwonted sense of responsibility re-
strains the free expression OF unmotived adml-
ration, while the easy velubility OF praise which
sunless for slight merits makes room for q more
guarded tone, which to some seems like inappre-
ciative GOODNESS. Nor is this all. The vocabulary
of definite eulogy is soon exhausted. Criticism,
to be significant, must be comparative, and there
is an obvious dificulty In measuring new work
by an old standard. Within this qualification
comes Mr.. Woods "Song Of the Shirt" which
almost contains within itself fresh criterion for
guidance and Imitation.
Let US begin, however, with Mr.. Woods
"Daphnen and thus prove our Difference to the
academic value it possesses and the reputation it
has achieved. The conception of IL Is In the high
est degree poetic. Poised upon the left leg, with
the right slightly eased from the ground, the head
MI 80 sh4 Infk
thrown around 1t. The body falls gently backward,
supported and embraced by the laurel, which re-
ceives the hand and arm on the right This
arrangement offers US in front, as well on each
side, and noticeably on the LEFT, q succession Of
graceful and beautiful lines which prove the work
to have been studied from very high type of
nature The modelling Of the abdominal muscles,
with the delicate yet adequate evidence which the
sway OF the torso gives Of their extension is one Of
the most mastery pieces OF execution that we have
Seen IN Of tSe above gure are ndcated
with wonderful fidelity; but this subtle point Is
treated with peculiar power and delcacy: one
in the gentle hat visible on the hip and in the con-
traction Of the form above one perceives sugges-
ton that the in laurel has already
begun. Only careful abstraction Of the essential
in form from the casual could have achieved this
result and have succeeded in combining into one
| grand whole what nature promiscuously dis
tributes. The "Daphne'' is as nearly per.
! feet exhibition Of the spirit OF sculpture as
| tore, while special beauties are dscernible, no
one point towers permanently above every
other. In all that relates to line ana balance OF
parts no Improvement can be suggested. II s9s .
| tains all that we have ever heard IN Mr.. WOODS
favor, and We are not Therefore amazed to learn
at the great exhibition, or that It has been re:
peated to grace the three chief private galleries OF
snd %.glsason, and proves afrssn the truth 81
Keats immortal apothegm about thing Of beauty.
| The "Hebe" deserves to be mentioned as another
| 1n4tance COmDlete
| sion-a mastery which might with benefit become
e than Of
forms and their happy relation ~, 70 each
Elegance ana gentieness OF action are combined
with classic style that recalls the Lycian marbles
examples of that fehctous, Greek-like inspiration
by which Gibson was SO grandly influenced. In ad-
side is particularly beautiful the ieft arm being
| Tree IRON csnstraint and having for background
| the delicate curve OF the breast. The modelling OF
m me- is 70 be detected Ia the treatment Of the
carpus. The harmonious structure Of the different
port each other, gathering weight by the strict
precision OF their movements as influenced by the
form beneath. The general execution Is :, exceed
sented as feeding, Is as carefully studied as the
| principal figure, and 1t is easy to see that the
| mOnopolized more time than any but profoundly
conscientious artist would have been willing to
the title Of the third figure is 'ePsyche Returning
| from Hsdes." The general terms in which we have
spoken Of the others are not napplicable to this.
The sculptor Kept the statue In clay for six years
before he made up his mind to cast It. That this is
more than mere tradition OF the ateier can be
is taken into consideration, and when one intelli-
gently studies the modelling Of the torso, where
the forms are 50 deicately In keeping with the
expressions. Taken as whole, indeed, the com-
position OF the "Heben is Of higher artistic tn
Nrf<h tTcvn hn
passes in poetic force, the latter in simplicity.
The present notice must conclude with de-
Se the spt Of one Of the most tsnchnS stanzas
In Hoods famous ''SOng Of the Shirt" The verse
selected is the following
o, but to breathe the breath
or The cowslip and primrose sweet,
* 70 feel iee as Ssf used used to feel
Sf A1d the e1 walk IL that sS cost: meal
1t is upon this remarkable piece Of sculpture that
the late Theophile Gautier lavished an admiration
he expressed in one Of the finest and warmest
specimens Of that unique and poetic language
TO- pi wnS sdeonste IN marble to this
stanza was like writing lyric In blank verse or
IN aerSG ns And sne ny
but in his natural sympathies and acquired habits
as we'll Mr.. Woods tastes and tendencies are
century a subject, it was necessary fer him to de-
nude himself OF his classical prepossessons and to
give new tutelage 10 nl1 CnlBel. 10 a0mlC tnAL
he has succeeded Is simple Justice. We indeed, de-
tect here and there an antique grace In the folds OF
the drapery and certain hint OF archaic grandeur
beneath the exalted sadness OF the needle-woman's
face. But Mr.. Wood has not spirtualized the c0un
tenance and figure SO much as to indicate nothing
but dreamy abstract sentiment unsuggestive OF
DEFINITE surroundings. The woman's chin rests
upon her right hand, the elbow corresponding to
which is stationed on her knee. The other hand
hangs listless. scanty shawl Is wrapped around
| the bosom. The features are stepped IN such an
expression as face might wear whose sac pos
| SCISSOR, hunted down and wounded BY the world