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MICHAEL ANGELO。
A。D。 1475…1564。
THE REVIVAL OF ART。
Michael Angelo Buonarrotione of the Great Lights of the new
civilizationmay stand as the most fitting representative of
reviving art in Europe； also as an illustrious example of those
virtues which dignify intellectual pre…eminence。 He was superior；
in all that is sterling and grand in character； to any man of his
age；certainly in Italy； exhibiting a rugged； stern greatness
which reminds us of Dante； and of other great benefactors； nurtured
in the school of sorrow and disappointment； leading a checkered
life； doomed to envy； ingratitude； and neglect； rarely understood；
and never fully appreciated even by those who employed and honored
him。 He was an isolated man； grave； abstracted； lonely； yet not
unhappy； since his world was that of glorious and exalting ideas；
even those of grace； beauty； majesty； and harmony；the world which
Plato lived in； and in which all great men live who seek to rise
above the transient； the false； and puerile in common life。 He was
also an original genius； remarkable in everything he attempted；
whether as sculptor； painter； or architect； and even as poet。 He
saw the archetypes of everything beautiful and grand； which are
invisible except to those who are almost divinely gifted； and he
had the practical skill to embody them in permanent forms； so that
all ages may study those forms； and rise through them to the realms
in which his soul lived。
Michael Angelo not only created； but he reproduced。 He reproduced
the glories of Grecian and Roman art。 He restored the old
civilization in his pictures； his statues； and his grand edifices。
He revived a taste for what is imperishable in antiquity。 As such
he is justly regarded as an immortal benefactor； for it is art
which gives to nations culture； refinement； and the enjoyment of
the beautiful。 Art diverts the mind from low and commonplace
pursuits； exalts the imagination； and makes its votary indifferent
to the evils of life。 It raises the soul into regions of peace and
bliss。
But art is most ennobling when it is inspired by lofty and
consecrated sentiments；like those of religion； patriotism； and
love。 Now ancient art was consecrated to Paganism。 Of course
there were noble exceptions； but as a general rule temples were
erected in honor of heathen deities。 Statues represented mere
physical strength and beauty and grace。 Pictures portrayed the
charms of an unsanctified humanity。 Hence ancient art did very
little to arrest human degeneracy； facilitated rather than retarded
the ruin of states and empires； since it did not stimulate the
virtues on which the strength of man is based： it did not check
those depraved tastes and habits which are based on egotism。
Now the restorers of ancient art cannot be said to have contributed
to the moral elevation of the new races； unless they avoided the
sensualism of Greece and Rome； and appealed purely to those eternal
ideas which the human mind； even under Pagan influences； sometimes
conceived； and which do not conflict with Christianity itself。
In considering the life and labors of Michael Angelo； then； we are
to examine whether； in the classical glories of antiquity which he
substituted for the Gothic and Mediaeval； he advanced civilization
in the noblest sense； and moreover； whether he carried art to a
higher degree than was ever attained by the Greeks and Romans； and
hence became a benefactor of the world。
In considering these points I shall not attempt a minute criticism
of his works。 I can only seize on the great outlines； the salient
points of those productions which have given him immortality。 No
lecture can be exhaustive。 If it only prove suggestive； it has
reached its end。
Michael Angelo stands out in history in the three aspects of
sculptor； painter； and architect； and that too in a country devoted
to art； and in an age when Italy won all her modern glories；
arising from the matchless works which that age produced。 Indeed；
those works will probably never be surpassed； since all the
energies of a great nation were concentrated upon their production；
even as our own age confines itself chiefly to mechanical
inventions and scientific research and speculation。 What railroads
and telegraphs and spindles and chemical tests and compounds are to
us； what philosophy was to the Greeks； what government and
jurisprudence were to the Romans； what cathedrals and metaphysical
subtilties were to the Middle Ages； what theological inquiries were
to the divines of the seventeenth century； what social urbanities
and refinements were to the French in the eighteenth century；the
fine arts were to the Italians in the sixteenth century： a fact too
commonplace to dwell upon； and which will be conceded when we bear
in mind that no age has been distinguished for everything； and that
nations can try satisfactorily but one experiment at a time； and
are not likely to repeat it with the same enthusiasm。 As the mind
is unbounded in its capacities； and our world affords inexhaustible
fields of enterprise； the progress of the race is to be seen in the
new developments which successively appear； but in which only a
certain limit has thus far been reached。 Not in absolute
perfection in any particular sphere is this progress seen； but
rather in the variety of the experiments。 It may be doubted
whether any Grecian edifice will ever surpass the Parthenon in
beauty of proportion or fitness of ornament； or any nude statue
show grace of form more impressive than the Venus de Milo or the
Apollo Belvedere； or any system of jurisprudence be more completely
codified than that systematized by Justinian； or any Gothic church
rival the lofty expression of Cologne cathedral； or any painting
surpass the holy serenity and ethereal love depicted in Raphael's
madonnas； or any court witness such a brilliant assemblage of wits
and beauties as met at Versailles to render homage to Louis XIV。；
or any theological discussion excite such a national interest as
when Luther confronted Doctor Eck in the great hall of the
Electoral Palace at Leipsic； or any theatrical excitement such as
was produced on cultivated intellects when Garrick and Siddons
represented the sublime conceptions of the myriad…minded
Shakspeare。 These glories may reappear； but never will they shine
as they did before。 No more Olympian games； no more Roman
triumphs； no more Dodona oracles； no more Flavian amphitheatres； no
more Mediaeval cathedrals； no more councils of Nice or Trent； no
more spectacles of kings holding the stirrups of popes； no more
Fields of the Cloth of Gold； no more reigns of court mistresses in
such palaces as Versailles and Fontainbleau；ah！ I wish I could
add； no more such battlefields as Marengo and Waterloo； only
copies and imitations of these； and without the older charm。 The
world is moving on and perpetually changing； nor can we tell what
new vanity will next arise；vanity or glory； according to our
varying notions of the dignity and destiny of man。 We may predict
that it will not be any mechanical improvement； for ere long the
limit will be reached；and it will be reached when the great mass
cannot find work to do； for the everlasting destiny of man is toil
and labor。 But it will be some sublime wonders of which we cannot
now conceive； and which in time will pass away for other wonders
and novelties； until the great circle is completed； and all human
experiments shall verify the moral wisdom of the eternal
revelation。 Then all that man has done； all that man can do； in
his own boastful thought； will be seen； in the light of the
celestial verities； to be indeed a vanity and a failure； not of
human ingenuity and power； but to realize the happiness which is
only promised as the result of supernatural； not mortal； strength；
yet which the soul in its restless aspirations never ceases its
efforts to secure；everlasting Babel…building to reach the
unattainable on earth。
Now the revival of art in Italy was one of the great movements in
the series of human development。 It peculiarly characterized the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries。 It was an age of artistic
wonders； of great creations。
Italy； especially； was glorious when Michael Angelo was born； 1474；
when the rest of Europe was comparatively rude； and when no great
works in art； in poetry； in history； or philosophy had yet
appeared。 He was descended from an illustrious family； and was
destined to one of the learned professions； but he could not give
up his mind to anything but drawing；as annoying to his father as
Galileo's experiments were to his parent； as unmeaning to him as
Gibbon's History was to George III。；〃Scribble； scribble；
scribble； Mr。 Gibbon； I perceive； sir； you are always a…
scribbling。〃 No perception of a new power； no sympathy with the
abandonment to a specialty not indorsed by