FINE ARTS.
THE NELSON. MONUMENT. • THE models and drawings of the second competition for the Nelson Monument are now exhibited, by tickets, at the large room in St. James's Street, formerly Crockford's Bazaar, previous to the decision of the Committee, which will be made on Wednesday next. Sufficient publicity has not been given to the exhibition to answer the purpose of collecting the general sense of the many ; nor has time enough been alloyed for a full discussion of the relative merits of the competitors ; but it is C:.nething to see the principle of an appeal to public opinion recognized in a matter of national interest.
The display of talent is very mediocre : though there are umrA
a —3 slot a.... • • • • - - • #erium.: tivst6ua u.; competition, there is nothing really grand or original, and there are many palpable instances of plagiarism. The pretensions of the leading competitors are so nearly balanced— the points of preference are so slight, and the objectionable ones so strong—that the necessity of choosing one out of the number is the only cogent reason for fixing upon any. There is no work of genius tower- ing preiMinently above the rest, and winning the suffrages of all, as was the case with BARRY'S design for the new Houses of Parlia- iment. Still, though there is no design of which the country may be justly proud, or that is entirely worthy of the occasion, there are a few that would be handsome objects, if erected. We select from out the one hundred and sixty-seven designs those that appear to us the most worthy of attention. They may be divided into three classes,—groups of sculpture, columns and obelisks, and temples. Among the temples, we find none to admire : of the architec- tural composition of Messrs. FowLEa and SIEVIER, (21,) that gained the third prize in the first competition, and which may be placed under this head, we retain our former opinion of its unfitness ; and that of Messrs. SALVIN and SMITH, (43)—which is their former model con- tracted into a tawdry sentry-box, with a statue of Nelson within—is only noticeable on account of the spirited alti-relievi on the sides : these are so admirably adapted to commemorate the heroic deeds of Nelson, and are, moreover, such fine examples of this style of art, that the sculptor, Mr. SMITH, deserves to be chosen as the associate of any architect whose design may he adopted : they are pictures in relief, full Of action and character, and representing the incidents in a way to impress the most casual observer.
The groups of sculpture distinguished by an ambitious attempt to produce a grand composition, are those by PARK, (29, 36, and 41); by BAILY, (39 and 40); by WATSON, (13) ; and by WoomsawoN, (18.) Of these, we prefer BAILY'S second design, No. 40: his former one he has injured njured by heightening the central obelisk so as to dwarf the sur- rounding figures into insignificance. His new model consists of colossal figures of three sea deities and Britannia surrounding a pedestal, having projecting blocks at the angles of its base, on which are placed enormous sea-horses : above the figures project antique prows, or rostra, and the upper part is encircled by four winged Victories linked hand-in-hand with wreaths ; the whole being surmounted by a statue of Nelson. This is commonplace enough ; but the general effect of the composition is bold and imposing, and the modelling is beautiful : it is unquestionably the best of its kind. WATSON'S design consists of a statue of Nelson on a pyramidal pedestal, with recumbent figures pro- jecting from the angles of the base, colossal groups of allegorical figures on the two faces, and Victories at each side : it is a compound of DAILY'S and WoomNovoN's first designs, and looks like two of the Guildhall monuments placed dos-a-dos : the modelling is clever. Wow:us:crew—whose first simple design of a statue on a square pedi- ment, with recumbent figures at the angles of the base, has been copied by several—has sent in a more ambitious one, (18); of which only say that it is a total failure both as a conception and a come pne-°8i- tion. PARK has rearranged the groups of his two former designs, and modelled a third ; but in neither is the composition successful of composi- tion. PARK are they all deficient in unity of effect, but the scattered grow do not compose well if separately viewed. The allegory i tues is at least snore satisfactory than the trite and worn-out personi- ficationsr: of gods and geniuses, and better worth the trouble of under.
standing "
er- design,t'(36,) is a manifest mistake throughout : few and prominent as are its parts, it yet does not form one grand and harmonious ensemble.
The sculptural groups, of which the figure of Nelson is the main
feature, are WOODINGYON'S first, (14,) already alluded to ; LouGifs (38,) which is a modified version of the same idea; and BELL and Asitroses, (35,) a decorated adaptation of the same also. The chief merit of these designs originally belongs to WOODINGTON; the plan is his. Lotion has produced a modification of it, which is simple and graceful, and has a oneness of effect : the corners of the pedestal are cut off, and it curves outward at the base, so as to form resting.plsees at the angles for sailors, who recline in characteristically easy attitude% wants grandeur and importance to The statue of Nelson is heavy and comm, isoonpllaaiegee, aandsptaliceew.hole:LdLesaignin ASHTON S is more ornamental, and in classic taste, and the union of the architect's and the sculptor's talents is felicitous : the figure of Nelson is more characteristic, but the recumbent figures are in a turgid style. Neither, however, is so finely modelled, nor so chaste and severe is design, as Woomszotrox's the figure of Nelson by the latter is un- fortunate, however ; reminding one of a schoolmaster admonishing a boy before raising his cane to enforce the reproof.
Of the columns—for no one obelisk took our fancy—the most notice.
able designs are those by CASE and GRANVILLE. Ran..rost has sent in another version of the one that obtained the first prize in the former competition : it is improved by being made more chaste, but is equally deficient in character with the first. GRANVILLE'S iron column, with bronze capital, statue, and spiral bassi relievi half way up, (00,) has been improved by removing the rostra front the columu to the angles of the cornice on the pedestal. THRUPP'S is an ingenious design, (135): it is a fluted column, the edges of the fluting being carved with laurel-leaves, and the capital formed of winged Victories ; the names of Nelson's great achievements being carved in transparent letters round the column, the letters admitting light into the interior. It is surmounted by a figure of Britannia holding a wreath over the head of Nelson, who stands on the projecting ledge of the pedestal below, so that either the laurel must never encircle the hero's brows, or its descent on his head would be as fatal as the wreath of bronze with which the envious actress in a French fiction crowned her triumphant rival. A. statue at the top of a column is too far out of sight, but it at least con- veys the idea of supremacy and exaltation ; and propriety and custom are in its favour ; but placed at the foot of the pillar, it appears out of place, and comparatively insignificant. The design by CASE, (46,) is the best of the columnar kind. It is a fluted Corinthian column, of lofty and elegant proportions, raised on a terrace and platform having circular pee.estals (termed stelae and cippi) at the angles, which compose well with the central pillar: the pedestal of the column is square, the sides are ornamented with bassi relievi, and the cornice is enriched with nve,‘•••• - rcs.wafil ne Victory—but . these we think had better ha omitted ; the superb capital is surmounted with a colossal statue of
Nelson raised on a plinth supported by four Tritons. The design of the
capital is more ornamental and better adapted to a detached pillar than either of the others ; and the group of Tritons makes a light and grace- ful finish to the design, far preferable to the ungainly cylinder which looks like the top of the post projecting above the capital. The stelae are surmounted with naval and mural crowns, the cippi support trophies, and the steps to the platform are flanked by lions : the ensemble is highly ornamental, yet chaste and in classic taste. The entire height of this column is 207 feet—five feet higher than the Monument at Lon-
don Bridge, and 70 more than the Duke of York's pillar : the masonry is to be of granite, and the decorative sculpture of gilt bronze. The design has been well considered by the architect ; and if a column be selected, this unquestionably deserves to be preferred. We are disinclined to a columnar monument to a great man's memory, because it not only puts his effigy out of sight, but affords so little scope for the display of genius in sculpture,---a sublime art, that inure than any other stands in need of encouragement : a column, too, seems a ready resource for poverty of ideas. But the general character of this display of sculpture renders such a refuge from incapacity and bad taste but too necessary. A handsome column is better than an indifferent group of figures ; moreover, a column is a commanding object, seen front all parts of the town, and the fittest ornament, all things considered, for the centre of Trafalgar Square. An architectural design, also, is better adapted for a monument in the open air, in our damp climate and smoky city, than a piece of sculpture ; which, if of marble, would soon be defaced, and if of bronze, become so blackened as to destroy all beauty of form and expression but the mere outline,—for a group does not admit of being gilded as a statue, or the ornaments of a column.
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