Roundabout Papers - Penn State University

Thackeraythe storm, and pouncing mayhap on carrion; or the linnetwarbling on the spray?By much the most delightful of the Christopher set ofRubens to my mind (and ego is introduced on theseoccasions, so that the opinion may pass only for myown, at the reader’s humble service to be received ordeclined,) is the “Presentation in the Temple:” splendidin color, in sentiment sweet and tender, finely conveyingthe story. To be sure, all the others tell their taleunmistakably—witness that coarse “Salutation,” thatmagnificent “Adoration of the Kings” (at the Museum),by the same strong downright hands; that wonderful“Communion of St. Francis,” which, I think, gives thekey to the artist’s faire better than any of his performances.I have passed hours before that picture in mytime, trying and sometimes fancying I could understandby what masses and contrasts the artist arrived at hiseffect. In many others of the pictures parts of his methodare painfully obvious, and you see how grief and agonyare produced by blue lips, and eyes rolling blood shotwith dabs of vermilion. There is something simple inthe practice. Contort the eyebrow sufficiently, and placethe eyeball near it,—by a few lines you have anger orfierceness depicted. Give me a mouth with no specialexpression, and pop a dab of carmine at each extremity—andthere are the lips smiling. This is art if youwill, but a very naive kind of art: and now you knowthe trick, don’t you see how easy it is?TU QUOQUE.—Now you know the trick, suppose youtake a canvas and see whether you can do it? There arebrushes, palettes, and gallipots full of paint and varnish.Have you tried, my dear sir—you who set up to bea connoisseur? Have you tried? I have—and many aday. And the end of the day’s labor? O dismal conclusion!Is this puerile niggling, this feeble scrawl, thisimpotent rubbish, all you can produce—you, who butnow found Rubens commonplace and vulgar, and werepointing out the tricks of his mystery? Pardon, O greatchief, magnificent master and poet! You can do. Wecritics, who sneer and are wise, can but pry, and measure,and doubt, and carp. Look at the lion. Did you179