The Greek Slave
The Greek Slave, upon which much of the fame of Hiram Powers rests, was finished in 1843. It has been called a "Vision in Stone," and the interpretation of this cognomen has led to much romancing on the subject. A long and tedious search brings the following facts to light:--
In August, 1850, the Greek Slave was on exhibition in the village of Woodstock, Vermont, the native place of the sculptor and the scene of his early years. He was much pleased at the tribute paid his genius by his old fellow-townsmen, and from Florence, Italy, wrote a letter to Dr. Thomas E. Powers, his cousin, then living at Woodstock.
He said that the exhibition of his work at Woodstock almost realized a dream which occurred to him many times and for years, beginning when he was a child residing on the banks of the Quechee, and which followed him after his removal to Ohio and until the time he began modelling his statues. He saw in his dream, across the river from his father's house and in the rear of his uncle's house, a white female figure, exceedingly beautiful, standing on a pillar or pedestal. It did not seem to possess life, and his boyish fancy was perplexed by the radiant vision, as he had never seen anything like it and had no idea of a statue. He often attempted to approach it in the hope of being able to make a more distinct observation, but the river was deep and the current rapid, and he was never able to procure a nearer view than was afforded him from the west bank of the river. "Such," said the Woodstock Mercury, of March 6th, 1851, which printed an abstract of the letter, "is the relation of Powers, and such seems to be the origin of the idea of his unrivalled statue."
The historian of Woodstock says, in a recent private letter to a correspondent who addressed him on the subject, "This is all I know concerning Powers' celebrated dream which possesses any authentic character. Being familiar with the parties concerned, and with the localities where the dream is said to have first taken place, I accept it just as the sculptor has related it, and it must stand or fall with him. In books and prints elsewhere, some romancing on the subject very likely has appeared. This is the original and no other. It is unnecessary to add that the sculptor and his cousin have long been dead."
Hiram Powers is said to have made six copies of his Greek Slave. The first, sold to Captain Grant, was taken to England and is now in the gallery of the Duke of Cleveland; the second, brought to America in 1847, attracted great attention and is now at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington; the third copy belongs to Earl Dudley; the fourth, purchased by Prince Demidoff for $4000, was sold, at that nobleman's death, for $11,000, to A. T. Stewart of New York; the fifth copy is in the possession of Hon. E. W. Stoughton. Other works of Powers have been extensively repeated.
The Greek Slave has obtained wide popularity from being more widely known, but there are many who consider his "Eve" as undoubtedly Powers' masterpiece among ideal figures. Of it Edward Everett writes:
"The mother of mankind is contemplating the apple which she holds in her right hand, after having so far listened to the tempter as to pluck the fruit. It is a moment not dwelt upon by Milton, but it seems to us a fine conception to establish an interval between plucking and eating the fruit. The face and form, as becomes the parent of our race before the fatal act was consummated, are intended to exhibit perfect symmetry and beauty. The countenance combines an ardent desire to enjoy the forbidden fruit with thoughtfulness at the consequences which had been denounced. The left hand holds the fruit which she reserves for Adam."
This ideal statue, produced in 1839-40, excited the admiration of Thorwaldsen, who pronounced it a work which any sculptor might be proud to claim as his masterpiece.
Hiram Powers, the American sculptor, was born in Woodstock, Vermont, in 1805; when still young he removed with his family to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he first studied the art of modeling. After he had acquired local fame for his busts and medallions of some of our leading statesmen, Calhoun, Webster, Jackson, and Clay, he went to Washington, D. C. In 1837 he went to Italy, settling in Florence, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying there in 1873.