I.1TURE. 



scunw. 



The work* of Roubiliae, with all Uieir defocU, have merit* hi. h 



redeem them fr.-m thin grneral and deterred condemnation [Hoi mu.vr, 



in Bioo DIY.] ; but, with th qualified exception in his favour, tlu< 



productions of the artists who practised with him, and after hii 



death, can only be rimed in the loweat grade of art ; it U impossible 



to imagine anything more false and poor than the style that prevailed 



Early in the prevent century, the firat step was taken towards form- 



KiitrUnd a national collection of ancient work* of art. The 



T"nly MnrbK* were purchased by a grant of purl lament, and placed 

 in th.- flriti.h MIIM-IIIII in the year ISO?. Since UiU period tli, 



is been enriched by the addition of the Athenian (or 1.1., ir 

 Marblea. the Phigalian Marbles, the Lycian and Xantliiau Marhl. -. tl.. 

 rilievi discovered by Layard and his successors, at Nineveh, and the 

 sculpture still more recently found on the site of the mausoleum at 

 Halioarnasaus, together with various fine broniea, and other valuable 

 specimens of ancient sculpture. 



The honour of giving a new direction to taste, or rather, of leading 

 H back to a recognition of true principles, is eminently due to Klaxman 

 and Canova. "To C'anora Italy owes her emancipation from those 

 false perceptions which had, from the influence of the Bernini school, 

 so long diverted the current of pure taste. .... To Klaxman the art 

 owe* equal obligation. Banks had corrected the grosser impurities, 

 and had stemmed the torrent of bad taste." " No modern sculptor has 

 ntared so deeply into the recesses of ancient art as FUxmnn ; his 

 style was founded upon their principles, combined with tho simplicity 

 of the Pisani and others of the 14th century." The above short 

 extracts from the address of Sir H. Westmacott, who succeeded Klax- 

 man as professor of sculpture in the Royal Academy, place the merits 

 of these two distinguished artist* the restorers of sculpture in their 

 true light In the Theseus of Canova, one of his best and earliest 

 works, we recognise the long-lost purity of form and a decided <l 

 to the simplicity of the antique. In the designs of Klaxman simplicity, 

 grace, and expression resume their influence, in place of the affectation 

 and display of fanciful ingenuity that had so long prevailed. The 

 later works of Canova show a tendency in that great artist to a more 

 minute execution and attention to small parts than is quite consistent 

 with the best taste in sculpture ; and it may be objected to Klaxman, 

 that, in his admiration of the beautiful and impressive in design, he 

 too often neglected the means of making his works effective in execu- 

 tion ; but it is not expedient to enter here into a critical examination 

 of their respective merits and defects. Their works, the best evidence 

 of the superiority of these distinguished sculptors, are before the 

 world, and a comparison of their productions with those of the entire 

 series of artists from the time of Michel Angelo (and the best of his 

 immediate followers) down to our own age, will at once exhibit their 

 merit in its true point of view in the influence they have had in 

 restoring a degraded and fallen art to its proper position. 



Jfecnanical Procett of Sculpture. The technical or mechanical pro- 

 ceases of sculpture are for the most part extremely dimple. The 

 sculptor, having conceived or invented bis subject, usually begins by 

 making a slight sketch of it, either drawing it on paper, or at once 

 modelling it, in small, in clay or wax. This preliminary step enables 

 him to judge of the arrangement, and to correct and improve the 

 general composition of his figure or group. He next proceeds to Imild 

 up his statue of the desired size. The first thing necessary is to con- 

 struct a sort of nuflriu, or skeleton, by which the clny may be sup- 

 ported. This is made of wood or iron, according to the strength 

 required, and the limbs are usually made movable, by attaching the 

 skeleton parU to the main support, or trunk, by wire joints. The 

 figure in then built up in clay ; and whether it is ultimately to be 

 draped or not, it should always be modelled naked, in order that the 

 true forms may be easily distinguished, and the drapery made to fall 

 naturally. In modelling in relief, a plane, or ground as it is called, is 

 prepared, upon which the sculptor care/ully draws his design. The 

 clay is then laid and pressed upon this, the outline of the figure 

 boun .lud by the lines of the drawing. The projection or fulness of the 

 forms must of course depend upon the fancy of the artist, or the 

 purpose or situation for which the work may be intended. The same 

 rule with respect to modelling the figures naked should be observed 

 here an in figures or groups in the " round." To preserve the models 

 from shrinking and cracking, it is necessary to sprinkle the clny occa- 

 sionally with water; and on leaving them, to cover them over with 

 damp cloths. 



The next process is " casting." The model being completed, a 

 mixture is made of plaster of Paris and water, which is thrown over 

 the whole. When this is " set," or hardened, the clay within it in 

 picked out, and there remains an exact mould of the model. This is 

 washed, and the interior is brushed over with any greasy substance, 

 usually a composition of oil and soap, to prevent the fresh plaster, with 

 which it is next to be filled, from adhering too (irmly to it. After the 

 in-uld U thoroughly filled in ah 1 its parts with this plaster, mixed to 

 about the eounstonoy of cream, the latter is left to set. The mould is 

 then " knocked off" with chisels, and a "cast "of the model 

 duced entire. If it i* intended to execute the work in bronze, the 

 Bame general principle in otervcd in the moulding; but there are 



' attended to, in order to enable t ' 



bear the weight of the metal, and to ensure the soundness of ih- 

 "cast," [ BRONZE.] 



In copying a model in marble, the first step is to prepare two stones 

 of the same size, or at least with an exactly corresponding graduated 

 scale marked on the front of each, on which the block of marble and 

 the model are respectively to be placed. The fronts of the two scales 

 are so constructed or fitted up, that a " pointing" instrument can be 

 applied t.. th.-ni. This instrument U usually composed of a pole or 

 standard, to which a long bnus or steel " needle capable of being 

 extended and withdrawn, loosened, or fixed, and moved in every direc- 

 tion by means of ball-and-socket joints is attached. This is made to 

 touch a particular part of the model Tli> is then 



removed to the scale-stone on which the rough M". k is placed, ,. 

 marble is cut away till the needle reaches as far into the Mock as it 

 bad been fixed at upon the model. A pencil mark is tin HUM.; 

 the two corresponding ]>artH of the model and Mock, and tliu- , 

 technically called "a point" is taken. This process is repeat, 

 the numerous points at fixed depths, corresponding throughout with 

 the surface of the model, are attained, and a rough copy i the 

 sculptor's original work is thus mechanically made. These 

 for pointing marble statues are not always constructed in precisely the 

 same manner. The practice of different sculptors lias suggested 

 various changes in detail, by which either the movement of the whole 

 machine from one scale-stone to the other is facilitated, or a : 

 rapidity and security in taking points is attained ; but tho principle on 

 which they act seems to be exactly similar in all. The statue 

 rudely blocked out or pointed, the marble is in this state put n: 

 bauds of a superior workman called a carver, who copies the minuter 

 portions of the work, by means of chisels of various sizes, rasps, and 

 files; the pencil marks or points showing him the limits beyond which 

 he is out to i>eiietrate into the marble. When the carver has o 

 the work as far as the sculptor desires, he proceeds himself to 

 the finishing stroke, by retouching and improving the details of form 

 and expression, liy producing varieties of texture and surface, ami )<y 

 giving that general quality or appearance to the whole which 

 tutea what is termed harmony of effect. 



SCURF is a material composed of minute portions of the dry 

 external scales of the cuticle. These are, in moderate quantn 

 tinually separated by the friction to which the surface of the bwly in 

 subject, and are in due proportion replaced by others deposited nn the 

 inner surface of the cuticle. Sometimes, however, they separate 

 in unnatural quantities, and this constitutes the disease called 1'ity- 

 i-i i-;-. 



l'it>/rian (from -irlrvpov, bran) is a disease of the skin in which irre- 

 gular patches of the cuticle appear covered with thin bran-like scales, 

 or with particles of a fine white powder, which, aa fast as they fall off, 

 are succeeded by others. It may be regarded aa a morbid excess of the 

 natural process of desquamation which is constantly going 

 which the old cuticle is removed from the surface of the body to be 

 replaced by that of more recent formation. The commonest ! 

 this disease is that called Pityriatu capitis, or damlrill'. It 

 chiefly the scalp and eye-brows, and is most frequent in children, in 

 whom it originates either from generally disordered health or from 

 mere neglect of cleanliness. It occurs also on the face and sometimes 

 on other parts of the body in adults and old persons after exposure to 

 tho sun or a cutting wind, and it usually accompanies the commence- 

 ment of baldness. The only local treatment which is necessary or 

 useful is frequent washing, and the application of some mil 

 simple ointment. 



In the other forma of pityriasis the discoloration of the cuticle is a 

 more prominent sign than its desquamation in fine scales. 

 occurs in the form of irregular yellow or light brown patches, which 

 are chiefly situated on the front of the chest and alxloim -n. ami an; 

 commonly called liver-spots or tan-spots. The extent anrl form which 

 such spot* present are infinitely various ; but though the; 

 exist unaltered for several years, they rarely produce :un ii 

 beyond a slight itching. J'. rubra is an aggravated form 

 ceding; the spots are more or less brightly red, an. ats of 



considerable irritation. In P. nvjru the essential part of the disease, 

 which is of very rare occurrence, is the production of a cuticle < ,f nearly 

 a black colour. 



scl'liw. This word, as well as its Latin synonym tenriiit, 

 been used very vaguely, both by medical men and 

 large, to designate various diseases of the akin, of ten diffi 

 tially from each other. IU derivatives, *e,,, /,/;, ,m<l mil, 

 which the former is employed to designate a supposed virus, the 

 of these diseases, and the latter the remedies employed for their cure, 

 have been misapplied in a similar manner. 



. so called, is a malady of a peculiar nature, which 

 occurs either at sea or on land as the result <>> various moral and 

 physical causes of disease, especially oi and a 



scarcity or total deprivation of succulent vegetables or i 

 origin is involved in obscurity, and it is a question still debated 

 whether it was known to the Greeks and Romans. Of it., 

 in the middle ages we have abundant testimony, but th 

 {amines that resulted from the imperfect state of agriculture .-, 

 day gave rise to so many diseases, win. -h, though ditlei.' 



'ints of rcfeiiil.l.inre. tl. con- 



founding them. Thus there is a great similarity between ocun 

 disease which was then called St. Anthony's i 



