Year: 1869

From the Liberal Cnristian.1


One Of the most remarkable works Of
modern sculpture has recently been in-
ished by E. d. Palmer, of Albany. In
originality, boldness and grandeur Of
conception, it must certainly take high
rank among the achievements of art. As
this is not the utterance Of a professional
critic, it will be necessary to attempt the
proof Of the statement.


The perfection of representative art is
to produce the best material embodiment
Of spiritual ideal. Every soul has an
iRtuitive feeling of its immortality. a
consciousness, as it were, Of a spirit that
will defy death and the grave. Mr..
Palmer has interpreted this instinct. this
consciousness, in marble, and calls his
eloquent expression Of this mystery Of
our nature {" The Angel at the
Sepuleher" 1t Is a sitting figure, heroic
in size, and illustrating one Of the most
glorious facts Of Christianity, the resur-
rection The angel who, according to
the record, rolled back the stone from
the door Of the sepulcher, and sat upon
it, and said 10 the woman, know
that ye seek Jesus, which was crucifed
he Is not here, for he is risen as he
said, is represented as a celestial man,
sublime and awe Inspiring, yet attractive
in his spiritual beauty. He sits upon
the stone in an attitude of perfect re-
pose, suggestive of infinite forces in
reserve. This perfection Of poise is one
of the best indications and credentials
Of angelic quality. The face seems to
be irradiated with the light Of heaven,
and to be instinct with higher intelli-
genee. This wonderful face make Us
feel that We are looking upon the spirit
ual perfection Of our humanity. We
see the true meaning Of the declaration
Of the Divine Artist, that He created
man in His own image. In its express
sion is combined the intellect of the
man with the affection of the woman,
that rare commingling which does not


" Lose the chiIdIike in the larger mind


The features have great beauty, united
with masculine strength. The eyes are
full of inspiration, for in them is the
assurance of immortality. In the grace
ful, flowing locks, -combed only by celes-
tial breezes, we have another indication
of power and dignity, which Homer
employs Ia the description Of Jupiter.


The left hand is clenehed and rests
upon the lower part Of the thigh, while
the right is extended on the correspond
ing knee the lower limbs are disposed
in resting attitude, and the whole con-
tour of the figure is full of grace and
variety. The drapery falls in harmon
iOus folds, light, airy, and simple, il
accordance with our intuitive conception
of angelic robes. The wings, which,
though cut in marble, look soft and
feathery as the plumage of bird, while
they are a kind of concession to the
popular idea of angel, are not regarded
by the sculptor as the official insignia of
celestial character. They add to the
beauty of the statue, but Its majesty Is
Expressed without them. The whole
figure is a consummate expression Of
supernatural power. 1t ignores the
ordinary indications Of physical strength,
and rising even above the grand symbol
ism Of the intellect, gives the world
true type Of mans spiritual being. This
is difficult problem of art, bat be
lieve that Mr. Palmer has approached its
solution.


This last work of our national sculp-
tor will, by many of his admirers, be
regarded as his best 1t has not the
sentiment, dramatic force and ravishing
beauty Of his Z" White Captive; it
may lack the popular characteristics and
simple rendering of his Faith; it
has not the subtle symbolism and
ethereal delieacy of his Morning;
but, better than all these, it embodies
the eternal triumph Of the soul. To
one with any aesthetic sense, it explains
the half-revealed mystery Of immortality,
We see in it the spiritual body,
which the tomb cannot impale. 1t Is
the richest treasure of our religious art,
for it comes like oraeular proof to him
who queries dOubtfully Z" If man die
shall he live again p No one can
look upon this truly wonderful compost
ton and net feel yelling up within him
that spontaneous exultation Of Christian
faith " Oh, death where is thy sting +?
Oh, grave, where is thy victory ?"
I