Isn't statuary riz lately?

[cavaradossi]

I'm translating from a text of 1849 and I found this quote referred to an American visitor of the sculptor Powers who, on hearing the price of a statue of Proserpine, wonderingly asked, "Isn't statuary riz lately?"
Do I put "riz" right as "rise", even if the context would suggest the contrary?

 

[Loob]

I'd say "riz" is an abbreviated version of "risen" (here, risen in price).

What makes you say this is contradicted by the context?

 

[cavaradossi]

The man is astonished by the high price, so I expect him asking "isn't the statues lowered lately?" otherwise, why that negation at the beginning of the phrase?

 

[Loob]

The negation you mentioned can indicate astonishment.

Picture Loob going to the supermarket. Yesterday, tins of baked beans cost 20p. Today, tins of the same beans cost 30p.

Loob to Mr Loob in a shocked voice: "Hasn't the price of beans gone up!!!" (meaning: "My goodness: the price of beans has gone up a lot, hasn't it?")

No more beans for us, and I really like them, too...