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¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 467 Florence
¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 Good looking daughters.
¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 “Mrs C “Mr Powers I dont see your bust here”
¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 “Mr P. “The shoemaker always goes bare, and they say his family too, but I have provided for them”.
¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 1 Kindly followed us out to his gate, picked some hardy little flower for the ladies, and showed us the villa and atelier of his neighbor Ball, an American sculptor situated very like himself. We did not meet Mr Ball but was respectfully shown through the working rooms by his Italian foreman. We recognized busts of several Americans, but seemed to be more engaged on ideal pieces and small groups, was making two small sized copies of Lincoln and the emancipated slave. His great piece is a life sized group of two figures. A kneeling maiden looking up to an angel standing who is lifting her vail [sic] illustrating “Faith”-
¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 1 Thence to the studio of Thos R. Gould near the Porta Romana (Roman gate), a pleasant appearing gentleman but who’s expressive advertisement of his own doings (or boasting) soon became tiresome. Has only been in the business since the American war and has but few busts to show but evidently has much artistic genius- His great work, are two works, “West wind” a maiden on tip toes with robes flying behind, and “Cleopatra” sitting in a chair one foot thrown back with the sole up (a little tiresome) disconsolate. The first is a very spirited and airy figure, price of each $5000 per copy. prices of busts $500 each.
¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 Back across the river near the Piazza Nationale we find the studio of Mr Conolly but did not see him, however his Italian foreman was very courteous. The rooms are full of busts and marble copies ready to deliver, full of business, and the delineation of the features are splendidly wrought. His great fancy piece is illustrative of the victory of honor over death. A man on horseback trampling down three men
Thomas Ball (1819 – 1911) was an American artist and musician. His work has had a marked influence on monumental art in the United States, especially in New England. After several odd jobs to help support his family he spent three years working at the Boston Museum entertaining the visitors by drawing portraits, playing the violin, and singing. He then became an apprentice for the museum wood-carver Abel Brown. He taught himself oil painting by copying prints and casts in the studio of the museum superintendent. Transcript. He then turned his attention to sculpture, his earliest work being a bust of Jenny Lind. At thirty-five he went to Florence for study. There, with an interval of work in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1857—1865, he remained for more than thirty years, being one of the artistic colony which included Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Hiram Powers