SCULPTURE. m 
graceful action, should not be objects of the most general 
and critical attention ? And is it not a necessary conse¬ 
quence, that those who learnt nothing but as connected with 
the human form, or emanating from the living mouth, should 
excel in the knowledge, admiration and imitation of that 
form ? 
• Somewhat of the greatness of the ancient sculpture has 
been attributed to the cultivation of geometry. It must be 
confessed, that a plan which reduces so much of the general 
mass of sculpture to rule, must shorten labour, and is there¬ 
fore indirectly conducive to the production of superb works. 
But geometry never could have taught what was beautiful 
or graceful. The figure must have existed in the mind, and 
the statue must have been carved in the marble or bronze, 
before the admeasurements of geometry could have been ap¬ 
plied. Geometry facilitates our power of copying, but it 
cannot help our invention; yet it is this invention that the 
Greeks possessed, and that the moderns are deficient in. 
Some again have spoken of the knowledge of anatomy 
that the old sculptors possessed. But the fact is, the Greeks 
of the time of Phidias knew nothing of anatomy worth the 
name, and never knew sufficient to influence their painting 
or sculpture, or even their medicine at any period. To 
know by what mechanism the different risings and depres¬ 
sions of the body are caused, must facilitate both the obser¬ 
vation and recollection of them ; but the Greeks learnt the 
facts from the perpetual contemplation of them, and did very 
well without anatomy. 
If enthusiasm, fanned by profits and applause, the op¬ 
portunity of considering the finest models, and the gene¬ 
ral cultivation of the imaginative faculties, be the true 
sources of excellence in sculpture, we shall see then a reason 
for Grecian celebrity and for modern inferiority. 
A modern sculptor derives his education from three 
sources. The study of the antique, living forms, and ana¬ 
tomy. For the first he travels to Rome, whence he returns 
prejudiced in the belief that the old statues are not only the 
perfection of a particular beauty, which is indubitable, but 
that they are the standard of all beauty, which is absurd. If 
he takes to gross imitation of his idols, his highest glory will 
be to perform that which a caster will do as well. If, on the 
contrary, he dares to contend with the old masters, to invent 
new groups, or to throw the Grecian form into new arrange¬ 
ments, he contends with what cannot be surpassed ; and what, 
from a want of the same knowledge of nature, he cannot 
hope to equal. The student, however, who studies anti¬ 
quity after he has fully imbibed the love of nature, and the 
power to copy her, may, in Italy, leam much to exalt his 
conceptions, and refine his taste. But her works should be 
studied as an orator studies Demosthenes or Cicero. He 
cQpies not their thoughts, nor their words, nor even servilely 
their arrangements; but views them as helps to that know¬ 
ledge of the principles of persuasion, which is the general 
end of rhetoric. He would learn by what artifices men 
have been governed; not as a mere imitator, to apply those 
artifices to all times and societies, but to enlarge his views 
and extend his knowledge of the human heart. And thus 
the contemplation of ancient statuary introduces the imagi¬ 
nation to a new field of beauty, and prevents that exclusive 
admiration of a few sources of taste, which, when confined 
to a narrow range of objects, we are apt to fall into. But 
this is Alpha and Omega of its utility. 
The studying and copying of living figures is the best 
employment of the sculptor. But our artists enjoy little 
opportunity for studying the naked figure. It is true that 
persons who will exhibit their persons to - the artist are 
numerous, but by no means so numerous as are requisite. 
And though from such sources the composition of the 
general form may be learnt, they afford little assistance in 
the study of attitudes; for these, when vigorous and natural, 
last but a moment, and must therefore be repeated frequently 
before the artist ere he can fix them on his mind. Both in 
our sculpture and painting the feebleness of the action of the 
figures is extreme. Even the pictures of West, and the sculp¬ 
tures of Flaxman, afford examples of this fault. But we 
Vox,. XXII. No. 1547. 
know not how it can be otherwise. Can an unimaginate 
fellow, stark naked, and therefore in an unwonted state, on a 
pedestal before a number of students, compare, however well 
made, with the flushed victor of the Hippodrome; How can 
he display any thing but the simplest and most quiescent pos¬ 
tures—-how can he represent action ? Can a man place him¬ 
self in the attitude of a racer unless he runs; or of one striking 
furiously with the sword unless he does so strike ? And as to 
the postures of pulling, pushing, throwing, &c., though they 
may be assumed, if they are prolonged until the artist can 
make even the rudest sketch, their whole spirit and truth are 
lost. Before, therefore, the modern sculptor can attempt to 
rival the ancient Greek, in carving the naked figure in ac¬ 
tion, he must see it in action, and this so frequently that its parts 
may be vividly and permanently impressed on his mind. 
But since for this study, little opportunity can be procured, 
let us consider how that little may be made the most of; and 
since we cannot behold the objects we would imitate so per¬ 
petually as the Greeks, let us consider if we have not readier 
means than they possessed both of impressing on the mind, 
and recollecting the appearances to be represented. We 
have assuredly in anatomy a science which connects the many 
separate details that must be observed by the sculptor or painter 
into fewer and more general principles, and which is there¬ 
fore an assistance of the most powerful kind. But anatomy, 
as it is at present taught to artists, fulfils its indications in a 
very limited degree. This science to be useful, should be 
taught with reference to the end proposed in its study. The 
end proposed by the sculptor is a knowledge of the exter¬ 
nal divisions of the body, which he is to acquire by learning 
the corresponding internal divisions. But anatomy is taught 
to him by surgeons!—men whose attention is exclusively 
directed to internal divisions, and who care nothing for the 
external relations. For the end of surgery being to find 
arteries and other small parts which are carefully secluded 
from external view, his anatomy is full of details and 
directed to the deepest parts. But the sculptor requires to 
know the actions of the larger masses in a general view, and 
their subdivision secondarily and in detail; but neither except 
as they influence the external conformation and the super¬ 
ficies. Now to say nothing of the fact that the very profes¬ 
sion of surgery cramps the imagination and incapacitates a 
man from entering warmly into the objects of sculpture, or 
painting—can any thing be more absurd that to impose on 
those who learn anatomy for the sake of analysis the task of 
teaching those who study it for the sake of synthesis ? At all 
events the qualifications that make an eminent practical sur¬ 
geon are the reverse of those which would make an agreeable 
expositor of the principles and causes of external form; since 
for the latter are requred a general knowledge of sculpture 
itself and a course of arrangement quite at variance with that 
of the dissecting room. 
Constant and laborious study, whether of living figures or 
of anatomy, is only essential to the production of naked sta¬ 
tues. A very small portion of anatomical knowledge is neces¬ 
sary to draw the clothed figures, and with examples of these 
we are of course so abundantly furnished in society, that we 
have only to look around to learn. The ungracefulness of 
modern dress, has, however, rendered most sculptors averse 
to its introduction; and, accordingly, the nudity of barba¬ 
rism prevails. Yet this departure from truth cannot be jus¬ 
tified by any excuse. Such slight liberties may be taken 
with modern costume, as will hide much of its deformity. 
The more marked projections of collar and lappet may be 
softened down, buttons made flat, and the like. At all 
events the face is remaining ; and it is hard that sculptors 
will not see that here is the place for their exertions and 
for their triumph. In this point the superiority of the mo¬ 
derns is complete. What Greek has carved a bust compa¬ 
rable to one of Chantrey’s. There is not a moment’s compa¬ 
rison to be made with the faces of the old statues and those 
of our own times. Yet, surely, the sculpture of the human 
face divine is the summit of the art. No person of taste 
can deny that the expression of a feature is at once more 
definite and more delicate than the general action of the 
10 P limbs; 
