the ways of men-第15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！


　master's　beautiful　wife）；　now　known　as　LA　FEMME　AU　GANT；　for　　the　Luxembourg　Gallery。

It　is　difficult　to　overestimate　the　impetus　that　a　master's　　successes　impart　to　the　progress　of　his　pupils。　　My　first　　studious　year　in　Paris　had　been　passed　in　the　shadow　of　an　　elderly　painter；　who　was　comfortably　dozing　on　the　laurels　of　　thirty　years　before。　　The　change　from　that　sleepy　environment　　to　the　vivid　enthusiasm　and　dash　of　Carolus…Duran's　studio　was　　like　stepping　out　of　a　musty　cloister　into　the　warmth　and　　movement　of　a　market…place。

Here；　be　it　said　in　passing；　lies　perhaps　the　secret　of　the　　dry　rot　that　too　often　settles　on　our　American　art　schools。　　　We；　for　some　unknown　reason；　do　not　take　the　work　of　native　　painters　seriously；　nor　encourage　them　in　proportion　to　their　　merit。　　In　consequence　they　retain　but　a　feeble　hold　upon　　their　pupils。

Carolus；　handsome；　young；　successful；　courted；　was　an　ideal　　leader　for　a　band　of　ambitious；　high…strung　youths；　repaying　　their　devotion　with　an　untiring　interest　and　lifting　clever　　and　dull　alike　on　the　strong　wings　of　his　genius。　　His　visits　　to　the　studio；　on　which　his　friend　Henner　often　accompanied　　him；　were　frequent　and　prolonged；　certain　Tuesdays　being　　especially　appreciated　by　us；　as　they　were　set　apart　for　his　　criticism　of　original　compositions。

When　our　sketches　（the　subject　for　which　had　been　given　out　in　　advance）　were　arranged；　and　we　had　seated　ourselves　in　a　big　　half…circle　on　the　floor；　Carolus　would　install　himself　on　a　　tall　stool；　the　one　seat　the　studio　boasted；　and　chat　A　PROPOS　　of　the　works　before　him　on　composition；　on　classic　art；　on　the　　theories　of　color　and　clair…obscur。　　Brilliant　talks；　inlaid　　with　much　wit　and　incisive　criticism；　the　memory　of　which　must　　linger　in　the　minds　of　all　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　hear　　them。　　Nor　was　it　to　the　studio　alone　that　our　master's　　interest　followed　us。　　He　would　drop　in　at　the　Louvre；　when　we　　were　copying　there；　and　after　some　pleasant　words　of　advice　　and　encouragement；　lead　us　off　for　a　stroll　through　the　　galleries；　interrupted　by　stations　before　his　favorite　　masterpieces。

So　important　has　he　always　considered　a　constant　study　of　　Renaissance　art　that　recently；　when　about　to　commence　his　　TRIUMPH　OF　BACCHUS；　Carolus　copied　one　of　Rubens's　larger　　canvases　with　all　the　naivete　of　a　beginner。

An　occasion　soon　presented　itself　for　us　to　learn　another　side　　of　our　trade　by　working　with　our　master　on　a　ceiling　ordered　　of　him　by　the　state　for　the　Palace　of　the　Luxembourg。　　The　　vast　studios　which　the　city　of　Paris　provides　on　occasions　of　　this　kind；　with　a　liberality　that　should　make　our　home　　corporations　reflect；　are　situated　out　beyond　the　Exhibition　　buildings；　in　a　curious；　unfrequented　quarter；　ignored　alike　　by　Parisians　and　tourists；　where　the　city　stores　compromising　　statues　and　the　valuable　debris　of　her　many　revolutions。　　　There；　among　throneless　Napoleons　and　riderless　bronze　steeds；　　we　toiled　for　over　six　months　side　by　side　with　our　master；　on　　gigantic　APOTHEOSIS　OF　MARIE　DE　MEDICIS；　serving　in　turn　as　　painter　and　painted；　and　leaving　the　imprint　of　our　hands　and　　the　reflection　of　our　faces　scattered　about　the　composition。　　　Day　after　day；　when　work　was　over；　we　would　hoist　the　big　　canvas　by　means　of　a　system　of　ropes　and　pulleys；　from　a　　perpendicular　to　the　horizontal　position　it　was　to　occupy　　permanently；　and　then　sit　straining　our　necks　and　discussing　　the　progress　of　the　work　until　the　tardy　spring　twilight　　warned　us　to　depart。

The　year　1877　brought　Carolus…Duran　the　MEDAILLE　D'HONNEUR；　a　　crowning　recompense　that　set　the　atelier　mad　with　delight。　　We　　immediately　organized　a　great　（but　economical）　banquet　to　　commemorate　the　event；　over　which　our　master　presided；　with　　much　modesty；　considering　the　amount　of　incense　we　burned　　before　him；　and　the　speeches　we　made。　　One　of　our　number　even　　burst　into　some　very　bad　French　verses；　asserting　that　the　　painters　of　the　world　in　general　fell　back　before　him　…


。　。　。　EPOUVANTES　…　　CRAIGNANT　EGALEMENT　SA　BROSSE　ET　SON　EPEE。


This　allusion　to　his　proficiency　in　fencing　was　considered　　particularly　neat；　and　became　the　favorite　song　of　the　studio；　　to　be　howled　in　and　out　of　season。

Curiously　enough；　there　is　always　something　in　Carolus…Duran's　　attitude　when　at　work　which　recalls　the　swordsman。　　With　an　　enormous　palette　in　one　hand　and　a　brush　in　the　other；　he　has　　a　way　of　planting　himself　in　front　of　his　sitter　that　is　　amusingly　suggestive　of　a　duel。　　His　lithe　body　sways　to　and　　fro；　his　fine　leonine　face　quivers　with　the　intense　study　of　　his　model；　then　with　a　sudden　spring　forward；　a　few　rapid　　touches　are　dashed　on　the　canvas　（like　home　strokes　in　the　　enemy's　weakest　spot）　with　a　precision　of　hand　acquired　only　　by　long　years　of　fencing。

An　order　to　paint　the　king　and　queen　of　Portugal　was　the　next　　step　on　the　road　to　fame；　another　rung　on　the　pleasant　ladder　　of　success。　　When　this　work　was　done　the　delighted　sovereign　　presented　the　painter　with　the　order　of　〃Christ　of　Portugal；〃　　together　with　many　other　gifts；　among　which　a　caricature　of　　the　master　at　work；　signed　by　his　sitter；　is　not　the　least　　valued。

When　the　great　schism　occurred　several　years　ago　which　rent　　the　art　world　of　France；　Carolus…Duran　was　elected　vice…　president　of　the　new　school　under　Meissonier；　to　whose　office　　he　succeeded　on　that　master's　death；　and　now　directs　and　　presides　over　the　yearly　exhibition　known　as　the　SALON　DU　　CHAMP　DE　MARS。

At　his　chateau　near　Paris　or　at　Saint　Raphael；　on　the　　Mediterranean；　the　master　lives；　like　Leonardo　of　old；　the　　existence　of　a　grand　seigneur；　surrounded　by　his　family；　　innumerable　guests；　and　the　horses　and　dogs　he　loves；　…　a　　group　of　which　his　ornate　figure　and　expressive　face　form　the　　natural　centre。　　Each　year　he　lives　more　away　from　the　world；　　but　no　more　inspiriting　sight　can　be　imagined　than　the　welcome　　the　president　receives　of　a　〃varnishing〃　day；　when　he　makes　　his　entry　surrounded　by　his　pupils。　　The　students　cheer　　themselves　hoarse；　and　the　public　climbs　on　everything　that　　comes　to　hand　to　see　him　pass。　　It　is　hard　to　realize　then　　that　this　is　the　same　man　who；　not　content　with　his　youthful　　progress；　retired　into　an　Italian　monastery　that　he　might　　commune　face　to　face　with　nature　undisturbed。

The　works　of　no　other　painter　give　me　the　same　sensation　of　　quivering　vitality；　except　the　Velasquez　in　the　Madrid　Gallery　　and；　perhaps；　Sargent　at　his　best；　and　one　feels　all　through　　the　American　painter's　work　the　influence　of　his　first　and　　only　master。

〃TOUT　CE　QUI　N'EST　PAS　INDISPENSABLE　EST　NUISIBLE；〃　a　phrase　　which　is　often　on　Carolus…Duran's　lips；　may　be　taken　as　the　　keynote　of　his　work；　where　one　finds　a　noble　simplicity　of　　line　and　color　scheme；　an　elimination　of　useless　detail；　a　　contempt　for　tricks　to　enforce　an　effect；　and　above　all　a　　comprehension　and　mastery　of　light；　vitality；　and　texture　…　　those　three　unities　of　the　painter's　art　…　that　bring　his　　canvases　very　near　to　those　of　his　self…imposed　Spanish　　master。

Those　who　know　the　French　painter's　more　important　works　and　　his　many　splendid　studies　from　the　nude；　feel　it　a　pity　that　　such　masterpieces　as　the　equestrian　portrait　of　Mlle。　　Croisette；　of　the　Comedie　Francaise；　the　REVEIL；　the　superb　　full　length　of　Mme。　Pelouse　on　the　Terrace　of　Chenonceau；　and　　the　head　of　Gounod　in　the　Luxembourg；　could　not　be　collected　　into　one　exhibition；　that　lovers　of　art　here　in　America　might　　realize　for　themselves　how　this　master's　works　are　of　the　　class　that　typify　a　school　and　an　epoch；　and　engrave　their　　author's　name　among　those　destined　to　become　household　words　　in　the　mouths　of　future　generations。




Chapter　15　…　The　Grand　Opera　Fad


WITHOUT　being　more　curious　than　my　neighbors；　there　are　　several　social　mysteries　that　I　should　like　to　fathom；　among　　others；　the　real　reasons　that　induce　the　different　classes　of　　people　one　sees　at　the　opera　to　attend　that　form　of　　entertainment。

A　taste　for　the　theatre　is　natural　enough。　　It　is　also　easy　to　　understand　why　people　who　are　fond　of　sport　and　animals　enjoy　　races　and　dog　shows。　　But　the　continued　vogue　of　grand　opera；　　and　more　especially　of　Wagner's　long…drawn…out　compositions；　　among　our　restless；　unmusical　compatriots；　remains　　unexplained。

The　sheeplike　docility　of　our　public　is　apparent　in　numberless　　ways；　in　none；　however；　more　strikingly　than　in　their　choice　　of　amusements。　　In　business　and　religion；　people　occasionally　　think　for　themselves；　in　the　selection　of　entertainments；　　never！　but　are　apparently　content　to　receive　their　opinions　　and　prejudices　ready…made　from　some　unseen　and　omnipotent　　Areopagus。

The　careful　study　of　an　opera　audience　from　different　parts　of　　our　auditorium　has　brought　me　to　the　conclusion　that　the　　public　there　may　be　loosely　divided　into　three　classes　…　　leaving　out　reporters　of　fashionable　intelligence；　dressmakers　　in　search　of　ideas；　and　the　lady　inhabitants　of　〃Crank　Alley〃　　（as　a　certain　corner　of　the　orchestra　is　called）；　who　sit　in　　perpetual　adoration　before　the　elderly　tenor。

First　…　but　before　venturing　further　on　dangerously　thin　ice；　　it　may　be　as　well　to　suggest　that　this　subject　is　not　treated　　in　absolute　seriousness；　and　that　all　assertions　must　not　be　　taken　AU　PIED　DE　LA　LETTRE。　　First；　then；　and　most　important；　　come　the　stockholders；　for　without　them　the　Metropolitan　would　　close。　　The　majority　of　these　fortunate　people　and　their　　guests　look　upon　the　opera　as　a　social　function；　where　one　can　　meet　one's　friends　and　be　seen；　an　entertaining　antechamber　in　　which　to　linger　until　it's　time　to　〃go　on；〃　her　Box　being　to…　day　as　necessary　a　part　of　a　great　lady's　outfit　as　a　country　　house　or　a　ball…room。

Second　are　those　who　attend　because　it　has　become　the　correct　　thing　to　be　seen　at　the　opera。　　There　is　so　much　wealth　in　　this　city　and　so　little　opportunity　for　its　display；　so　many　　people　long　to　go　about　who　are　asked　nowhere；　that　the　opera　　has　been　seized　upon　as　a　centre　in　which　to　air　rich　apparel　　and　elbow　the　〃world。〃　　This　list　fills　a　large　part　of　the　　closely　packed　parquet　and　first　balcony。

Third；　and　last；　come　the　lovers　of　music；　who　mostly　in