“Early Sorrow” by F. MacDowell

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Early Sorrow

F. MacDowell RA

c. 1851

Source: 1851 Art-Journal, p. 88

“‘Early Sorrow’ is typified by a girl lamenting the death of her bird, a dove, which she clasps to her bosom; at her feet lies a small bunch of fruit, apparently dropped from her hand as of no further service to the favourite whose loss she bewails; this incident in the work is sufficient at once to show the skill of the sculptor in seizing a comparatively trivial idea to aid both the poetry and the sentiment of his subject” — Art-Journal

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From the Art-Journal

There is no sculptor of our time who can more effectively work out poetical idea so as to bring it within the range of human sympathy than Mr. Mac Dowell: whatever the feeling he he desires to draw forth — whether of affection, as in his "Love Triumphant;" of pity, as in his "Virginius;" or of grief, as in his "Early Sorrow" — it is impossible to resist the impulse to which his imaginative, but natural, conceptions give rise. Beauty of form is nothing if it lacks sentiment, and is only impressive when it stands in relation to the beautiful in character: mind cannot be separated from matter in any object that lays claim to oar admiration. This statue was executed by the sculptor for the late Mr. T. W. Beaumont, M.P., who also gave him commissions for several other works, some of which rank as his most successful productions. "Early Sorrow" is typified by a girl lamenting the death of her bird, a dove, which she clasps to her bosom; at her feet lies a small bunch of fruit, apparently dropped from her hand as of no further service to the favourite whose loss she bewails; this incident in the work is sufficient at once to show the skill of the sculptor in seizing a comparatively trivial idea to aid both the poetry and the sentiment of his subject. The figure is semi-nude, exhibiting the delicate proportions of the body and the upper limbs; and there is an originality in the treatment of the head that contributes to make it a very striking sculptural study. It is slightly bent forward, and on amount of shadow is thereby brought forward that gives character to the face. The features are charmingly rounded, and thr manipulation of the marble expresses all the softness and delicacy of life.

Bibliography

“Early Soprrow.” Art Journal (1851): 88. Hathi Trust Digital Library version of a copy in the University of Michigan Library. Web. 28 July 2013.

Last modified 29 July 2013