The Washington herald., 1909-07-25
SLAVE GIRL OF GREECE
NUCLEUS OF ART GALLERY.

In front OF buckingham Palace. in Lon
don, a splendid memorial to the late
queen OF England has been erected. and
the workmanship Of the bas rellefs and
classical figures are probably as fne as
anything Of the modern school OF sculp-
ture- But according 70 recent dispatches
the general plan OF these decorations
seems 10 be on the idea that beauty un-
adorned. adorned the most" and the King
Is being assaUed with letters from min
isters OF the noEconfOrmist persuasion.
protesting and asking what he thinks hts
gracious mother would say 10 some OF
the figures on this national tribute 70
the best and greatest Of English womeng''
There is an old. and probably true. say
ing that 70 the pure all things are pure,
and in turning the leaves OF a Washing
ton newspaper OF 1S4S the following de-
fense Of Powers Greek Slave" written
by a resident OF this city for sixty years,
a refined and gentle woman OF the South.
cousin Of Mrs. Madison and great niece
OF Patrick Henry, came TO view:
"All visitors OF the Corcoran Gallery
Of Art are familiar with the beautiful
piece Of marble which g the original
masterpiece OF Power, and which was
exhibited after a tour Of the larger
cities OF the United States in
hau on the Avenue IN 1873 Great
was the excitement in art and
other circles. and bitter the newspaper
attacks on this conception Of the slave
girl OF Greece. Mr.. W. W. Corcoran was
a warm defender Of the statue. and show
ed his appreciation Of 1t in a practical
way, by buying ii. and having recently
purchased the old home of Daniel Web
ster, on II street. had n wing built and
in q Curtained niche the statue set I'D.
From this nucleus sprang the COrcoran
Gallery Of Art-this brCad-minded citi-
zen wishing 10 give the city the benefit
OF the art gems gotten together for his
own pleasure. gave the building on Penn
sylvania avenue and Seventeenth street,
which so long bore his name. with all
the marble and canvas he had assem-
bled around the Greek Slave" in his
own home gallery.
Tt is hard 10 believe that any one
could have objected TO this lovely work
OF art and easily one indorses the de
Tense set forth in the InteHigencer.
which reads, IN part: AS a work Of art
it IS surprisingly beautiful. The elabO-
rately-wrought robe which falls over the
pillar on which she leans excels any
thing Of the kind / ever beheId. But Il
is the conception OF the artist I most
sdmire-the chasteness and purity which
filed his mind when he gave US this
almost living embodiment OF thought We
behold female, lovely. gifted. perhaps
high born and noble, in the most help
less heart-rending circumstances in
which she could be placed Behold IN
her face ''the siCkening anguish Of de-
spair" We see no look or degradation,
for We can only be degraded by our own
acts But there IS that helpless. hope
less. despairing expression which seems
10 say "Oh. let me shut my eyes upon
this hateful scene forever" See appended
20 her mantle the locSet and the cross,
touching emblems Of love and religionl
Perhaps before the one she has vowed
eternal fidelity 10 him whose image fills
the other. The contemplation of such a
spectacle seems TO me calculated 10
awaken the purest emotions in any vir-
tuous mind"