the madonna of the future-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



monster　of　conceit；〃　he　went　on；　as　he　saw　me　smile　at　the　avidity

with　which　he　adopted　my　illustration；　〃I　confess　that　I　am　in　one　of

those　moods　when　great　things　seem　possible！　　This　is　one　of　my

nervous　nightsI　dream　waking！　　When　the　south　wind　blows　over

Florence　at　midnight　it　seems　to　coax　the　soul　from　all　the　fair

things　locked　away　in　her　churches　and　galleries；　it　comes　into　my

own　little　studio　with　the　moonlight；　and　sets　my　heart　beating　too

deeply　for　rest。　　You　see　I　am　always　adding　a　thought　to　my


conception！　　This　evening　I　felt　that　I　couldn't　sleep　unless　I　had

communed　with　the　genius　of　Buonarotti！〃



He　seemed　deeply　versed　in　local　history　and　tradition；　and　he

expatiated　con　amore　on　the　charms　of　Florence。　　I　gathered　that　he

was　an　old　resident；　and　that　he　had　taken　the　lovely　city　into　his

heart。　　〃I　owe　her　everything；〃　he　declared。　　〃It's　only　since　I　came

here　that　I　have　really　lived；　intellectually。　　One　by　one；　all

profane　desires；　all　mere　worldly　aims；　have　dropped　away　from　me；

and　left　me　nothing　but　my　pencil；　my　little　note…book〃　（and　he

tapped　his　breast…pocket）；　〃and　the　worship　of　the　pure　masters

those　who　were　pure　because　they　were　innocent；　and　those　who　were

pure　because　they　were　strong！〃



〃And　have　you　been　very　productive　all　this　time？〃　I　asked

sympathetically。



He　was　silent　a　while　before　replying。　　〃Not　in　the　vulgar　sense！〃　he

said　at　last。　　〃I　have　chosen　never　to　manifest　myself　by

imperfection。　　The　good　in　every　performance　I　have　re…absorbed　into

the　generative　force　of　new　creations；　the　badthere　is　always

plenty　of　thatI　have　religiously　destroyed。　　I　may　say；　with　some

satisfaction；　that　I　have　not　added　a　mite　to　the　rubbish　of　the

world。　　As　a　proof　of　my　conscientiousness　and　he　stopped　short；　and

eyed　me　with　extraordinary　candour；　as　if　the　proof　were　to　be

overwhelming〃I　have　never　sold　a　picture！　　'At　least　no　merchant

traffics　in　my　heart！'　　Do　you　remember　that　divine　line　in　Browning？

My　little　studio　has　never　been　profaned　by　superficial；　feverish；

mercenary　work。　　It's　a　temple　of　labour；　but　of　leisure！　　Art　is

long。　　If　we　work　for　ourselves；　of　course　we　must　hurry。　　If　we　work

for　her；　we　must　often　pause。　　She　can　wait！〃



This　had　brought　us　to　my　hotel　door；　somewhat　to　my　relief；　I

confess；　for　I　had　begun　to　feel　unequal　to　the　society　of　a　genius

of　this　heroic　strain。　　I　left　him；　however；　not　without　expressing　a

friendly　hope　that　we　should　meet　again。　　The　next　morning　my

curiosity　had　not　abated；　I　was　anxious　to　see　him　by　common

daylight。　　I　counted　upon　meeting　him　in　one　of　the　many　pictorial

haunts　of　Florence；　and　I　was　gratified　without　delay。　　I　found　him

in　the　course　of　the　morning　in　the　Tribune　of　the　Uffizithat

little　treasure…chamber　of　world…famous　things。　　He　had　turned　his

back　on　the　Venus　de'　Medici；　and　with　his　arms　resting　on　the　rail…

mug　which　protects　the　pictures；　and　his　head　buried　in　his　hands；　he

was　lost　in　the　contemplation　of　that　superb　triptych　of　Andrea

Mantegnaa　work　which　has　neither　the　material　splendour　nor　the

commanding　force　of　some　of　its　neighbours；　but　which；　glowing　there

with　the　loveliness　of　patient　labour；　suits　possibly　a　more　constant

need　of　the　soul。　　I　looked　at　the　picture　for　some　time　over　his

shoulder；　at　last；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　he　turned　away　and　our　eyes

met。　　As　he　recognised　me　a　deep　blush　rose　to　his　face；　he　fancied；

perhaps；　that　he　had　made　a　fool　of　himself　overnight。　　But　I　offered

him　my　hand　with　a　friendliness　which　assured　him　I　was　not　a

scoffer。　　I　knew　him　by　his　ardent　chevelure；　otherwise　he　was　much

altered。　　His　midnight　mood　was　over；　and　he　looked　as　haggard　as　an

actor　by　daylight。　　He　was　far　older　than　I　had　supposed；　and　he　had

less　bravery　of　costume　and　gesture。　　He　seemed　the　quiet；　poor；

patient　artist　he　had　proclaimed　himself；　and　the　fact　that　he　had

never　sold　a　picture　was　more　obvious　than　glorious。　　His　velvet　coat

was　threadbare；　and　his　short　slouched　hat；　of　an　antique　pattern；

revealed　a　rustiness　which　marked　it　an　〃original；〃　and　not　one　of

the　picturesque　reproductions　which　brethren　of　his　craft　affect。

His　eye　was　mild　and　heavy；　and　his　expression　singularly　gentle　and

acquiescent；　the　more　so　for　a　certain　pallid　leanness　of　visage；

which　I　hardly　knew　whether　to　refer　to　the　consuming　fire　of　genius

or　to　a　meagre　diet。　　A　very　little　talk；　however；　cleared　his　brow

and　brought　back　his　eloquence。



〃And　this　is　your　first　visit　to　these　enchanted　halls？〃　he　cried。

〃Happy；　thrice　happy　youth！〃　And　taking　me　by　the　arm；　he　prepared　to

lead　me　to　each　of　the　pre…eminent　works　in　turn　and　show　me　the

cream　of　the　gallery。　　But　before　we　left　the　Mantegna　he　pressed　my

arm　and　gave　it　a　loving　look。　　〃HE　was　not　in　a　hurry；〃　he　murmured。

〃He　knew　nothing　of　〃raw　Haste；　half…sister　to　Delay！〃　　How　sound　a

critic　my　friend　was　I　am　unable　to　say；　but　he　was　an　extremely

amusing　one；　overflowing　with　opinions；　theories；　and　sympathies；

with　disquisition　and　gossip　and　anecdote。　　He　was　a　shade　too

sentimental　for　my　own　sympathies；　and　I　fancied　he　was　rather　too

fond　of　superfine　discriminations　and　of　discovering　subtle

intentions　in　shallow　places。　　At　moments；　too；　he　plunged　into　the

sea　of　metaphysics；　and　floundered　a　while　in　waters　too　deep　for

intellectual　security。　　But　his　abounding　knowledge　and　happy

judgment　told　a　touching　story　of　long　attentive　hours　in　this

worshipful　company；　there　was　a　reproach　to　my　wasteful　saunterings

in　so　devoted　a　culture　of　opportunity。　　〃There　are　two　moods；〃　I

remember　his　saying；　〃in　which　we　may　walk　through　galleriesthe

critical　and　the　ideal。　　They　seize　us　at　their　pleasure；　and　we　can

never　tell　which　is　to　take　its　turn。　　The　critical　mood；　oddly；　is

the　genial　one；　the　friendly；　the　condescending。　　It　relishes　the

pretty　trivialities　of　art；　its　vulgar　cleverness；　its　conscious

graces。　　It　has　a　kindly　greeting　for　anything　which　looks　as　if；

according　to　his　light；　the　painter　had　enjoyed　doing　itfor　the

little　Dutch　cabbages　and　kettles；　for　the　taper　fingers　and　breezy

mantles　of　late…coming　Madonnas；　for　the　little　blue…hilled；

pastoral；　sceptical　Italian　landscapes。　　Then　there　are　the　days　of

fierce；　fastidious　longingsolemn　church　feasts　of　the　intellect

when　all　vulgar　effort　and　all　petty　success　is　a　weariness；　and

everything　but　the　bestthe　best　of　the　bestdisgusts。　　In　these

hours　we　are　relentless　aristocrats　of　taste。　　We　will　not　take

Michael　Angelo　for　granted；　we　will　not　swallow　Raphael　whole！〃



The　gallery　of　the　Uffizi　is　not　only　rich　in　its　possessions；　but

peculiarly　fortunate　in　that　fine　architectural　accident；　as　one　may

call　it；　which　unites　itwith　the　breadth　of　river　and　city　between

themto　those　princely　chambers　of　the　Pitti　Palace。　　The　Louvre　and

the　Vatican　hardly　give　you　such　a　sense　of　sustained　inclosure　as

those　long　passages　projected　over　street　and　stream　to　establish　a

sort　of　inviolate　transition　between　the　two　palaces　of　art。　　We

passed　along　the　gallery　in　which　those　precious　drawings　by　eminent

hands　hang　chaste　and　gray　above　the　swirl　and　murmur　of　the　yellow

Arno；　and　reached　the　ducal　saloons　of　the　Pitti。　　Ducal　as　they　are；

it　must　be　confessed　that　they　are　imperfect　as　show…rooms；　and　that；

with　their　deep…set　windows　and　their　massive　mouldings；　it　is　rather

a　broken　light　that　reaches　the　pictured　walls。　　But　here　the

masterpieces　hang　thick；　and　you　seem　to　see　them　in　a　luminous

atmosphere　of　their　own。　　And　the　great　saloons；　with　their　superb

dim　ceilings；　their　outer　wall　in　splendid　shadow；　and　the　sombre

opposite　glow　of　mellow　canvas　and　dusky　gilding；　make；　themselves；

almost　as　fine　a　picture　as　the　Titians　and　Raphaels　they　imperfectly

reveal。　　We　lingered　briefly　before　many　a　Raphael　and　Titian；　but　I

saw　my　friend　was　impatient；　and　I　suffered　him　at　last　to　lead　me

directly　to　the　goal　of　our　journeythe　most　tenderly　fair　of

Raphael's　virgins；　the　Madonna　in　the　Chair。　　Of　all　the　fine

pictures　of　the　world；　it　seemed　to　me　this　is　the　one　with　which

criticism　has　least　to　do。　　None　betrays　less　effort；　less　of　the

mechanism　of　success　and　of　the　irrepressible　discord　between

conception　and　result；　which　shows　dimly　in　so　many　consummate　works。

Graceful；　human；　near　to　our　sympathies　as　it　is；　it　has　nothing　of

manner；　of　method；　nothing；　almost；　of　style；　it　blooms　there　in

rounded　softness；　as　instinct　with　harmony　as　if　it　were　an　immediate

exhalation　of　genius。　　The　figure　melts　away　the　spectator's　mind

into　a　sort　of　passionate　tenderness　which　he　knows　not　whether　he

has　given　to　heavenly　purity　or　to　earthly　charm。　　He　is　intoxicated

with　the　fragrance　of　the　tenderest　blossom　of　maternity　that　ever

bloomed　on　earth。



〃That's　what　I　call　a　fine　picture；〃　said　my　companion；　after　we　had

gazed　a　while　in　silence。　　〃I　have　a　right　to　say　so；　for　I　have

copied　it　so　often　and　so　carefully　that　I　could　repeat　it　now　with

my　eyes　shut。　　Other　works　are　of　Raphael：　　this　IS　Raphael　himself。

Others　you　can　praise；　you　can　qualify；　you　can　measure；　explain；

account　for：　　this　you　can　only　love　and　admire。　　I　don't　know　in

what　seeming　he　walked　among　men　while　this　divine　mood　was　upon　him；

but　after　it；　surely；　he　could　do　nothing　but　die；　this　world　had

nothing　more　to　teach　him。　　Think　of　it　a　while；　my　friend；　and　you

will　admit　that　I　am　not　raving。　　Think　of　his　seeing　that　spotless

image；　not　for　a　moment；　for　a　day；　in　a　happy　dream；　or　a　restless

fever…fit；　not　as　a　poet　in　a　five　minutes'　frenzytime　to　snatch

his　phrase　and　scribble　his　immortal　stanza；　but　for　days　together；

while　the　slow　labour　of　the　brush　went　on；　while　the　foul　vapours　of

life　interposed；　and　the　fancy　ached　with　tension；　fixed；　radiant；

distinct；　as　we　see　it　now！　　Wh