THE GLASGOW WELLINGTox TEsTimostAL.
Mccu as we have become familiarized with jobbing and blundering in matters of taste, and submissive as the public has hitherto proved to glaring errors of judgment and scandalous examples of favouritism, we think that decency and fairness have been at last outraged in so offensive a way, that even popular ignorance will be convinced and popular apathy aroused to a sense of the insult and injustice put upon British art and British feeling by the proceedings of the Glasgow Committee for erecting a testimonial to WELLINGTON. The following paragraph from the Glavin') Argus of the 29th October states the facts as they are known to the public.
" THE GLASGOW WELL/NOTON TESTIMONIAL.
" The Committee intrusted with the erection of the equestrian statue in
this city of the Great Duke, have, we learn, come to the resolution of com- mitting the execution of the work to Marochetti, an Italian sculptor now resident in Paris. We have yet to learn the reasons why such a resolution has been come to ; for if we are to judge by the model—a miniature of an eques- trian statue of Emanuel Phillibert, Duke of Savoy—which Maroelietti has forwarded to the Committee, (and it is the only work of this artist of which we have ever heard,) we must pronounce the selection a bad one. There is in this piece an evident iucougruity between the act of the rider, which implies almost complete riietude, and the action of the horse, which is even violent, while the figure of the former is totally destitute of individuality or character. The details, it must he admitted, are ,:xecuted with cleverness, but detract from the dignity, and, we would say, the simplicity of sculpture. In short, the work is too theatrical, extravagant, and full of frippery, ; and unless the proposed statue of the Duke of Wellington be of a very different style, we feel convinced it will he little to the taste of our fellow citizens. Without entering into the question of the merits of foreign and British sculptors, (and we are inclined, especially where portraiture is con- cerned, to give the latter the prefiminence,) we conceive the Committee would have better executed their task had they fixed on one of our own country. men—viz, Bally, Chantrey, Steele, or Westmacott—and thereby give a further impulse to art in our country, and at the same time have secured a nobler specimen of sculpture."
That the enlightened taste and discernment of the Glasgow Com- mittee have led them deliberately to the conclusion that this Maim- caorrx is above all others the sculptor most competent to raise an equestrian portrait-statue, will not be suspected by those who know them, nor be believed by those who do not : we doubt if they will gain credit for exercising a sound judgment in selecting a foreigner as the fittest person to transmit to posterity the character and features of the Duke of Wellington ; thus proclaiming their opinion that no British sculptor is adequate to the task. The boldness of the proceeding savours too much of rashness and blind subserviency. Indignation an disgust change to almost pity of the poor " Glasgow bodies," for the peltino. storm of reprobation which they are doomed to encounter, when it becomes known that an Italian charlatan has robbed our native genius of such a noble opportunity of showing its powers. They are, in truth, no more answerable for this extraordinary flight of connoisseurship, than was John Gilpiu for galloping to Ware when he should have stopped at Edmonton. " Set a beggar on horseback "—the proverb is some- what musty. The prancing horse of MARoctiorri has been the enchanted steed that has lifted them above the ground of' common sense, turned them giddy at their elevation, and carried them into regions beyond their proper sphere. In this highflying expe- dition, moreoverethe Glasgow Committee have been playing time part of Sancho, to a Quixote possessed by the mania for emulating the MEDicts in patronizing genius, as the Don was for imitating the prowess of Atnadis de Gaul ; MAROCHETTI being the MICHAEL ANGELO who is to make Hamilton Palace vie with the Vatican in the glories of art. The misled Committee, when they awaken to their right senses, may make amends for their error by retracing their steps ; and either announce a public competition, or, if they choose the easier mode, appoint a British sculptor of distinguished talent to execute the work. The commission to MAnocitErrt can hardly have been sent out by this time ; certainly not begun : at any rate it may be recalled; and we hope that public feeling will be manifested in such a way as to make Signor Minocuesrars glad to relinquish the job. The Edinburgh Committee have given their statue of Wellington to Mr. STEELE, a young sculptor of talent, a native of their city : no oppo- sition has been made to their choice ; indeed it has been generally approved. If the Glasgow Committee were to confide their statue to one of their townsmen, Mr. PARK, who has proved his capability for the task, we doubt not their choice would be commended, and justified by the result. But a free and open competition is the proper course to pursue. Let MAllocHETTI, in common with other foreign artists, be admitted to compete ; and if his design prove to be supereminently excellent, no objection can be made to his executing the statue. Free trade is the life of art as of commerce, and it is not because a man is a foreigner that he is to be excluded : but we protest most strongly against giving an exclusive preference to a foreigner merely qua foreigner; especially in the case of a work of' national character—and such is this public tribute to "the man whom the country delighteth to honour." " Who is this Maroclietti ?" asks the reader. We are constrained to echo the query. All we know of hint is, that he sent a frivolous and commonplace design to the competition for the Nelson Monument in Trafalgar Square ; and that by some extraordinary piece of good management he has been preferred before all the French sculptors for erecting the tomb to be placed above the remains of NAPOLEON in the Church of the Invalids. What soul of genius—whether of humbug or professional dexterity—animates this colossus of art that bestrides the Channel, while French and English sculptors
" Creep miller his htige legs, nn.1 peep about To lino! themselves Ilishmiourable graves,"
we have yet to learn. His miniature statue of the Duke of Savoy may be seen in a shop-window in Bond Street ; and a very showy ormuneat for the chimneypiece it makes. Its merits are very Justly estimated by the critic in the Glasgow Argu.s.. The Duke, armed cap-a-pie, is in the act of sheathing hit sword ; and as his horse is rather restive, the steadiness of the rider's seat and his dexterity in inserting the point of the blade into the scabbard, implies that he was renowned for feats of horse- manship. The absurdity of judging of the ability of Martocittsru to produce a fine colossal statue from this clever piece of hi jonterie, and electing hint to make a likeness of' the Duke of WELLINcrrox in conse- quence, is only to be parallelA by supposing ALFRED CriAi.oN, or any other fashionable ininiature-pitinter, heing chosen to paint in fresco a colossal portrait of Ili.utaiElt for the Munich Gallery : indeed, this sculptor's style appears to be of' that meretricious quality which is cal- culated rather to give imposing effect to the accessories of costume,
than to cm in form the attributes of mind and character.
Apropo .inters. We have heard a rumour, so pre-
posterous 3 to give so much credence to it as to ask for its m ,y, that Comma us, the great lint Gothic
Painter t) icces, is engageil to furnish designs for the
new Hm We sincerely hope that it only arose front the eirct mintings being required for their decoration. Why lo i so indifferent to their own interests aud
those o. uch an opportunity slip ?
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