The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-02
Realistic Sculpture.
1Harper,s Maeaxine.1


The decadence of sculpture as high art
has been largely promoted by the debased
taste of foreigners, who are captivated by
the cheapness and dexterity with which
Italian artisans can copy any trivial OBJ
ject, or the ready invention Of artists in
rendering i'll marble or metal pantomime
the silliest, commonest, or most compli-
Gated human action, partly, perhaps, by
delight in the comical grotesque, and
superficial, and with Americans, their
instructive preference of form to color,
which is the right beginning but wrong
ending of taste. All this, and the cur
rent senseless prejudices against the old
mastars of painting, have caused to
flourish commercially in Italy school
of picture statuary, or sculpture gone
mad, which is the delight of the eye of
he .uncultivaJed multitude, disposed to
enjoy it as they would the feats and jests
of the circus, or the action of low come
ly.
There still live in Italy artists to whom
sculpture is serious, noble profession,
and ideal fprm of highest abstract beauty
and symbolism their living inspiration.
But they starve, while vulgar, petty, or
pseudo-pretty realism thrives. Sculpture
hops now are crammed with the most
extravagant devices to attract noyices in
art. Suffice it to name few tn indicate
how low the spirit of the profession has
fallen in catering to ignorance and sensa-
sional desire. We see groups of Raphael
toying with the charms OF mistress
model, intended doubtless for the much
maligned Fornarina-a contemplate
libel on both him and his noble art; in
fantile girls in ball costumes and masks
aping old c0quettes: also in full prone
made dress, gloves, laces, founces, fans,
jewels and parasol, flirting with dandyish
boys with similar mature years. note
one overtaken by gust of wind, which
sends her skirts wildly tapping about
her tiny, shrinking person; laces, rib
bons and finery torn and streaming in
whirling confusion, the parasol rent and
turned inside out, hair blown over her
face, as with angry, fearful eyes she
makes frantic effort to avoid exposure
and arrest damages. Wonderfully deli
cate carving of translucent marble is this
tomfoolery, ! admit, as fragile almost as
blown glass-cunuing, difficult workman
ship, but frivolous, tricky sculpture.
There are also babies in basket-cages
playing with birds, or in impotent rage
because they can not reach some coveted
object; mournful babies, with broken
dishes and spilled food, which sly kittens
are stealing and eating to the tune Of
their cries. But enough! These and
congenial marble toys are becoming as
common rs swimming and talking dolls,
with this lamentable difference, that they
are made for the edifcation of grown
men and women. There is harmless
absurdity in some of this genre, incon-
gruous sculpture, which protects it from
serious criticism.
And if there be any class of people
incapable of admiring sculpture for any
higher qualities than imbecile tricks of
fancy and dexterity of chisel, there is no
law to compel them. Indeed some of
the picture motives and inventions are
healthful, amusing or emotional, but
there are none that might not be much
more efficiently and easily executed in
their own proper mediums of design and
color. The old painters were frequently
so sculpturesque in their compositions
that they afford pleasing and graceful
groups for the copyists in marble. This
is particularly the case With Raphael,
whose pictorial Madonnas and Bambinos
are now used by sculptors as models in
stead of living ones, especially the
Tribune Cardellino, and the Gran Sisto
of Dresden. Now, it would seem likely
that painters must soon go to the sculp-
tors for their subjects.