The Germ, Issue #2: Thoughts Toward Nature in Poetry, Literature, and Art | ||
The Purpose and Tendency of Early Italian Art.
The object we have proposed to ourselves in writing on Art, has been " an endeavour to encourage and enforce an entire adherence to the simplicity of nature ; and also to direct attention, as an auxiliary medium, to the comparatively few works which Art has yet produced in this spirit." It is in accordance with the former and more prominent of these objects that the writer proposes at present to treat.
An unprejudiced spectator of the recent progress and main direction of Art in England will have observed, as a great change in the character of the productions of the modern school, a marked attempt to lead the taste of the public into a new channel by producing pure transcripts and faithful studies from nature, instead of conventionalities and feeble reminiscences from the Old Masters; an entire seeking after originality in a more humble manner than has been practised since the decline of Italian Art in the Middle Ages. This has been most strongly shown by the landscape painters, among whom there are many who have raised an entirely new school of natural painting, and whose productions undoubtedly surpass all others in the simple attention to nature in detail as well as in generalities. By this they have succeeded in earning for themselves the reputation of being the finest landscape painters in Europe. But, although this success has been great and merited, it is not of them that we have at present to treat, but rather to recommend their example to their fellow-labourers, the historical painters.
That the system of study to which this would necessarily lead requires a somewhat longer and more devoted course of observation than any other is undoubted ; but that it has a reward in a greater effect produced, and more delight in the searching, is, the writer thinks, equally certain. We shall find a greater pleasure in proportion to our closer communion with nature, and by a more exact adherence to all her details, (for nature has no peculiarities or excentricities) in whatsoever direction her study may conduct.
This patient devotedness appears to be a conviction peculiar to, or at least more purely followed by, the early Italian Painters ; a feeling which, exaggerated, and its object mistaken by them, though still held holy and pure, was the cause of the retirement of many of the greatest men from the world to the monastery ; there, in undisturbed silence and humility,
Those endless cloisters and eternal aisles
With the same series, Virgin, Babe, and Saint,
With the same cold, calm, beautiful regard."
Even with this there is not associated a melancholy feeling alone ; for, although the object was mistaken, yet there is evinced a consciousness of purpose definite and most elevated ; and again, we must remember, as a great cause of this effect, that the Arts were, for the most part, cleric, and not laic, or at least were under the predominant influence of the clergy, who were the most important patrons by far, and their houses the safest receptacles for the works of the great painter.
The modern artist does not retire to monasteries, or practise discipline ; but he may show his participation in the same high feeling by a firm attachment to truth in every point of representation, which is the most just method. For how can good be sought by evil means, or by falsehood, or by slight in any degree ? By a determination to represent the thing and the whole of the thing, by training himself to the deepest observation of its fact and detail, enabling himself to reproduce, as far as possible, nature herself, the painter will best evince his share of faith.
It is by this attachment to truth in its most severe form that the followers of the Arts have to show that they share in the peculiar character of the present age,—a humility of knowledge, a diffidence of attainment ; for, as Emerson has well observed,
'Sicklied o'er with the the pale cast of thought.'
Is this so bad then ? Sight is the last thing to be pitied. Would we be blind ? Do we fear lest we should outsee nature and God, and drink truth dry ?"
It has been said that there is presumption in this movement of the modern school, a want of deference to established authorities, a removing of ancient landmarks. This is best answered by the profession that nothing can be more humble than the pretension to the observation of facts alone, and the truthful rendering of them. If we are not to depart from established principles, how are we to advance at all ? Are we to remain still ? Remember, no thing remains still ; that which does not advance falls backward. That this movement is an advance, and that it is of nature herself, is shown by its going nearer to truth in every object produced, and by its being guided by the very principles the ancient painters followed, as soon as they attained the mere power of representing an object faithfully.
That the earlier painters came nearer to fact, that they were less of the art, artificial, cannot be better shown than by the statement of a few examples from their works. There is a magnificent Niello work by an unknown Florentine artist, on which is a group of the Saviour in the lap of the Virgin. She is old, (a most touching point) ; lamenting aloud, clutches passionately the heavy-weighted body on her knee ; her mouth is open. Altogether it is one of the most powerful appeals possible to be conceived ; for there are few but will consider this identification with humanity to be of more effect than any refined or emasculate treatment of the same subject by later artists, in which we have the fact forgotten for the sake of the type of religion, which the Virgin was always taken to represent, whence she is shown as still young ; as if, nature being taken typically, it were not better to adhere to the emblem throughout, confident by this means to maintain its appropriateness, and, therefore, its value and force.
In the Niello work here mentioned there is a delineation of the Fall, in which the serpent has given to it a human head with a most sweet, crafty expression. Now in these two instances the style is somewhat rude ; but there are passion and feeling in it. This is not a question of mere execution, but of mind, however developed. Let us not mistake, however, from this that execution should be neglected, but only maintained as a most important aid, and in that quality alone, so that we do not forget the soul for the hand. The power of representing an object, that its entire intention may be visible, its lesson felt, is all that is absolutely necessary : mere technicalities of performance are but additions ; and not the real intent and end of painting, as many have considered them to be. For as the knowledge is stronger and more pure in Masaccio than in the Caracci, and the faith higher and greater,—so the first represents nature with more true feeling and love, with a deeper insight into her tenderness ; he follows her more humbly, and has produced to us more of her simplicity ; we feel his appeal to be more earnest : it is the crying out of the man, with none of the strut of the actor.
Let us have the mind and the mind's-workings, not the remains of earnest thought which has been frittered away by a long dreary course of preparatory study, by which all life has been evaporated. Never forget that there is in the wide river of nature something which every body who has a rod and line may catch, precious things which every one may dive for.
It need not be feared that this course of education would lead to a
The sciences have become almost exact within the present century. Geology and chemistry are almost re-instituted. The first has been nearly created ; the second expanded so widely that it now searches and measures the creation. And how has this been done but by bringing greater knowledge to bear upon a wider range of experiment ; by being precise in the search after truth ? If this adherence to fact, to experiment and not theory,—to begin at the beginning and not fly to the end,—has added so much to the knowledge of man in science ; why may it not greatly assist the moral purposes of the Arts ? It cannot be well to degrade a lesson by falsehood. Truth in every particular ought to be the aim of the artist. Admit no untruth : let the priest's garment be clean.
Let us now return to the Early Italian Painters. A complete refutation of any charge that the character of their school was neccessarily gloomy will be found in the works of Benozzo Gozzoli, as in his ' Vineyard ' where there are some grape-gatherers the most elegant and graceful imaginable ; this painter's children are the
The Arts have always been most important moral guides. Their
If we have entered upon a new age, a new cycle of man, of which there are many signs, let us have it unstained by this vice of sensuality of mind. The English school has lately lost a great deal of this character ; why should we not be altogether free from it ? Nothing can degrade a man or a nation more than this meanness ; why should we not avoid it ? Sensuality is a meanness repugnant to youth, and disgusting in age : a degradation at all times. Let us say
Because my heart is pure."
Bearing this in mind,—the conviction that, without the pure heart, nothing can be done worthy of us ; by this, that the most successful school of painters has produced upon us the intention of their earnestness at this distance of time,—let us follow in their path,
That the real power of the Arts, in conjunction with Poetry, upon the actions of any age is, or might be, predominant above all others will be readily allowed by all that have given any thought to the subject : and that there is no assignable limit to the good that may be wrought by their influence is another point on which there can be small doubt. Let us then endeavour to call up and exert this power in the worthiest manner, not forgetting that we chose a difficult path in which there are many snares, and holding in mind the motto, " No Cross, no Crown."
Believe that there is that in the fact of truth, though it be only in the character of a single leaf earnestly studied, which may do its share in the great labor of the world : remember that it is by truth alone that the Arts can ever hold the position for which they were intended, as the most powerful instruments, the most gentle guides ; that, of all classes, there is none to whom the celebrated words of Lessing, " That the destinies of a nation depend upon its young men between nineteen and twenty-five years of age," can apply so well as to yourselves. Recollect, that your portion in this is most important : that your share is with the poet's share ; that, in every careless thought or neglected doubt, you shelve your duty, and forsake your trust ; fulfil and maintain these, whether in the hope of personal fame and fortune, or from a sense of power used to its intentions ; and you may hold out both hands to the world. Trust it, and it will have faith in you ; will hearken to the precepts you may have permission to impart.
* The sources from which these examples are drawn, and where many more might be found, are principally :—D'Agincourt : " Histoire de l'Art par les Monumens ;"—Rossini : " Storia della Pittura ;"—Ottley : " Italian School of Design," and his 120 Fac-similes of scarce prints ;—and the " Gates of San Giovanni," by Ghiberti ; of which last a cast of one entire is set up in the Central School of Design, Somerset House ; portions of the same are also in the Royal Academy.
The Germ, Issue #2: Thoughts Toward Nature in Poetry, Literature, and Art | ||