that these imperfect encomiums are far short of the excellence of her works. Her portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, in several hands, confirms the truth of part of these assertions. The nymphlike simplicity of the figure is equal to what a Grecian statuary would have formed for a dryad or goddess of a river. Bartolozzi's print of her two daughters after the drawing of the same lady, is another specimen of her singular genius and taste. The gay and sportive innocence of the younger daughter, and the demure application of the elder, are as characteristically contrasted as Milton's Allegro and Penseroso. A third female genius is Mrs. Damer, daughter of General Conway, in a walk more difficult and far more uncommon than painting. The annals of statuary record few artists of the fair sex, and not one that I recollect of any celebrity.* Mrs. Damer's busts from the life are not inferior to the antique, and • [Mr. W's observation is not strictly correct. The celebrity of PROPERTIA DE' ROSSI of Bologna is sufficiently known from Vasari's account of her, and her singular talents as a female sculptor. (T. i, p. 171, Edit. 1568,) where is a portrait engraved in wood, but of uncertain resemblance. D'Argenville, (Vies des fameux Sculpteurs, T. ii. p. 3,) relates an affecting anecdote of her. She was the victim of an unfortunate attachment, and died at an early age, in 1530; immediately upon the completion of a beautiful bas-relief in white marble, the subject of which was Joseph and Potiphar's wife. The HONOURABLE ANNA SEYMOUR DAMER, to whom Mr. W. bequeathed his villa at Strawberry-hill, and its rare contents. theirs we are sure were not more like. Her shock dog, large as life, and only not alive, has a Since the year 1780 she has produced several specimens of sculpture, both in marble and terra-cotta, progressively increasing in number and excellence. She first acquired the elements of the art from Ceracci, and afterwards perfected herself in the practical part, in the studio of the elder Bacon. Sculptures and Models by the Hon. Anna Seymour Damer. Two Kittens in white marble, and an Osprey Eagle in terra cotta. Strawberry-Hill. A Dog in marble, presented to the late Queen Charlotte. Landgravine of Hesse Homberg. A group of two Sleeping Dogs in white marble, presented to her brother-in-law, the late Duke of Richmond. Goodwood, Sussex. A marble of her own favourite Italian Greyhound. Models in terra cotta, of other Dogs. His late Majesty, in marble, larger than life. Register's Office, Edinburgh. Bust of C. J. Fox, in marble, presented in person to Napoleon, in 1815. Two colossal heads in Portland stone, representing Tame and Isis, as key stones of the centre arch of Henley Bridge, Oxfordshire. Bust in stone (on a monument in Sundridge Church, Kent), of her mother, the Countess of Aylsbury, who was re-married to General Seymour Conway. Bust, heroic size, of Lord Nelson, presented to the City of London. Model in terra cotta, for a Bust of Sir Joseph Banks (in bronze). British Museum. A head of a young Bacchus, (Portrait of Prince Lubomirski). Bodleian Gallery, Oxford. Mrs. Siddons, in the character of the Tragic Muse. Bust. Bust of Herself, in marble. Gallery at Florence. looseness and softness in the curls that seemed Bust of Herself, given to the late R. P. Knight, Esq. with an inscription HANC SUI-IPSIUS EFFIGIEM. Ad vota veteRIS AMICI RICHARDI PAYNE KNIGHT, SUA MANU FECIT ANNA SEYMOUR DAMER, now in the British Museum, with his Collection. Engraved for this work. Isis, Bust in Greek marble. T. Hope, Esq. Lady Viscountess Melbourn, bust in marble. Earl Cowper. Lady Elizabeth Forster, (afterwards Duchess Dowager of Devonshire). D. of Devonshire. Honourable Peniston Lamb, as Mercury, bust in marble. Sir Humphry Davy, bust in marble. Two Basso-relievos from Coriolanus and Marc Antony, for the Shakespear Gallery, models in terra-cotta. Thalia. Bust in marble. Caroline, Countess of Aylsbury. Ditto. Field Marshal Seymour-Conway. Ditto in terra-cotta. Bust of Lord Nelson, model for a cast in bronze, sent as a present to the King of Tanjore. The Editor has been favoured with this accurate list of Mrs. Damer's performances by her relative, Sir Alexander Johnston, late President of His Majesty's Council in the Island of Ceylon. The King of Tanjore, a Hindoo sovereign of great power and influence in the South of Asia, had discovered to Sir Alexander in various communications with him, an ardent desire to disseminate among his Court, a knowledge and love of the arts, as practised in Europe. This circumstance having been made known to Mrs. Damer, she completed a bust of Nelson (the last mentioned) for the acceptance of the Royal amateur, and which Sir Alexander presented to him. It would be a subject of proud congratulation to Mrs. Damer, if this able specimen of her singular talent, should first tend impossible to terra-cotta: it rivals the marble one of Bernini in the Royal collection. As the ancients have left us but five animals of equal merit with their human figures, namely, the Barberini goat, the Tuscan boar, the Mattei eagle, the eagle at Strawberry-hill, and Mr. Jennings's, now Mr. Duncombe's, dog, the talent of Mrs. Damer must appear in the most distinguished light. Aided by some instructions from that masterly statuary Mr. Bacon, she has attempted and executed a bust in marble. Ceracchi, from whom first she received four or five lessons, has given a whole figure of her as the muse of Sculpture, in which he has happily preserved the graceful lightness of her form and air.† Little is said here but historically of the art of Gardening. Mr. Mason, in his first beautiful canto on that subject, has shown that Spenser and to disseminate through that remote nation, a desire of acquiring statuary by British artists, and an eventual imitation of it.] * [The "Stanza dei Animali," in the Pope's collection at the Vatican, would contest this criticism. The Townleian eagle and greyhound in the British Museum, are perhaps not inferior to those five, mentioned above.] [This statue has been lately contributed to the Museum by Mrs. Damer. CERACCI, was a young Italian sculptor of rising talents. Sir J. Reynolds sate to him, for the only bust in marble which was ever executed of that illustrious painter. Ceracci was in France during the Revolution, and having been implicated in the plot to destroy Buonaparte, suffered under the guillotine. Northcote.] Addison ought not to have been omitted in the list of our authors who were not blind to the graces of natural taste. The public must wish, with the author of this work, that Mr. Mason would complete his poem, and leave this essay as unnecessary as it is imperfect.* The historic compositions offered for St. Paul's by some of our first artists, seemed to disclose a vision of future improvement—a period the more to be wished, as the wound given to painting through the sides of the Romish religion menaces the arts as well as idolatry---unless the methodists, whose rigour seems to soften and adopt the artifices of the catholics, [for our itinerant mountebanks already are fond of being sainted in mezzotinto, as well as their St. Bridgets and Teresas] should borrow the paraphernalia of enthusiasm now waning in Italy, and superadd the witchery of painting to that of music. Whitfield's temples encircled with glory may convert rustics, who have never heard of his or Ignatius Loyola's peregrinations. If enthusiasm is to revive, and tabernacles to rise as convents are demolished, may we not hope at least to see them painted? Le Sueur's cloyster at Paris makes some little amends for the imprisonment of the * [The first book of the "English Garden," was published by Mason in 1772, the second in 1777, the third in 1779, and the last in 1783, 8vo. with a Commentary by W. Burgh, Esq.] [See vol. iii. p. 183.] |