Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-11-11

The Prominent Art Subjects
PHILADELPHIA, Pa,
November 8. 1876.


Art Gallery at Washington. This
piece Of statuary has attracted
more attention and has been more
universally admired than any
work of art on exhibition here. 1t
represents little four year-old ur-
chin who is compelled to say his
prayers and does 80 under protest,
while the tears trickle down his
cheeks, and his countenance Is 80
ludicrously funny that every new
visitor who has any appreciation
whatever stops to enjoy it. 1.-THE
Forced Prayer you may remem-
Der, carried off the first prize at the
Vienna Exposition. and it was
this which prompted the Italians
10 send so many Juvenile pieces to
America. The subjects are child
rer, "by a large majority" In the
annex.the little boy who is endeav-
oring to pull on his shirt after a
bath, 'andlwhO finds it more diff
cult than he expected, ON account
of the moisture Of the garment,
and whose thumb has caught in
the sleeve near the cuff, has had
two of his fingers broken off by
careless visitors. 1t is the only
case Of the kind in the whole col
lection it is only a wonder that
more OF the delicate statuary has
not been mutilated. Another ia
miiar subject is here, Washing
ton and his little Ratchet" He has
first hacked down the tree, and
branch OF cherries lay at the root,
to explain the incident more forci-
bly,. Benjamin Franklin, whose
early days were more devoted to
musical treats, occupies an adjoin-
ing pedestal, as he blows his pen
m whistle.
Michael Angelo himself is OF
very diminutive size, and is rep
resented ,chisel and mallet In hand,
carving the human skull ont of
the marble. One of the best and
most original OF the bronzes in IA
niche in Memorial Hall, is the
Spartan Boy" He looks to be
a"out twelve or thirteen years Of
age. He has his toga drawn round
his lOins and over his right breast.
The head of the fox is just dis
cernable, as he gnaws at the very
heart-string of the boy, who bears
it with all the enduran, for which
the Spartans are SO renowned
While the fox is taking his very
life's blood he holds out the other
hand, and yet the expression of
his mouth, his wide opened ewes,
and the very curling up Of his
his great toe, all are so many evil
dences ofthe unspeakable anguish
he is compelled to undergo in or
der to prevent his crime being
known. "The First Misfortune"
where the little child drops cup,
the pieces of which lie at his feet,
islexceedingly we'll executed, anu
The First Step into Cold Water"
where the little girl hasjust touch
ed the stream with her feet, and
shivers at the sudden change, is
remarkably well expressed. The
anatomy of the feetsis pronounced
perfect by surgeons who have eX-
amined them carefully, and who
are good critics, where the human
form is displayed, whether in
sculpture or in paintings. A scene
from the "Inquisition" in the
French Department is one of the
gnastliest productions in the
exhibition. An old man, quite
three score years and ten, has been
laid upon the floor of a dungeon,
with his feet in stocks and his out
stretched hands fastened i'm iron
rings. At lis feet bends an old
monk. who keeps alive dishfu
of red hot Goals, and places them
nearer and nearer to his victim 5
soles. Another monk bends over
him with an ebony cross, and en-
deavors to extract from the hereto
an expression OF faith in their doc.
trines and q remuneration of his
own belief, while three or four
other reverend" fathers are
standing by noting down in books
The different stages to which their
cruelty has subjected the poor old
man, whose whitened locks and
furrowed cheeks, and the awful
agony of his expression, form a
picture of such dreadful terror and
distress taat the visitor hurries on,
fearful lest it be impressed upon
his memory and haunt him in his
dreams.
The Mexicans have large and
conspicuous picture of"David and
Goliah." The radiant youth has
met the giant on the plains of the
PhiistineS, and has proved the
conqueror. His stone Singer lies
at his feet, and he has severed the
huge head from the mammoth
body of the giant. He stands over
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