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scribbling。〃 No perception of a new power； no sympathy with the
abandonment to a specialty not indorsed by fashions and traditions；
but without which abandonment genius cannot easily be developed。
At last the father yielded； and the son was apprenticed to a
paintera degradation in the eyes of Mediaeval aristocracy。
The celebrated Lorenzo de' Medici was then in the height of power
and fame in Florence； adored by Roscoe as the patron of artists and
poets； although he subverted the liberties of his country。 This
over…lauded prince； heir of the fortunes of a great family of
merchants； wishing to establish a school for sculpture； filled a
garden with statues； and freely admitted to it young scholars in
art。 Michael Angelo was one of the most frequent and enthusiastic
visitors to this garden； where in due time he attracted the
attention of the magnificent Lord of Florence by a head chiselled
so remarkably that he became an inmate of the palace； sat at the
table of Lorenzo； and at last was regularly adopted as one of the
Prince's family； with every facility for prosecuting his studies。
Before he was eighteen the youth had sculptured the battle of
Hercules with the Centaurs； which he would never part with； and
which still remains in his family； so well done that he himself； at
the age of eighty； regretted that he had not given up his whole
life to sculpture。
It was then as a sculptor that Michael Angelo first appears to the
historical student；about the year 1492； when Columbus was
crossing the great unknown ocean to realize his belief in a western
passage to India。 Thus commercial enterprise began with the
revival of art； and was destined never to be separated in its
alliance with it； since commerce brings wealth； and wealth seeks to
ornament the palaces and gardens which it has created or purchased。
The sculptor's art was not born until piety had already edifices in
which to worship God； or pride the monuments in which it sought the
glories of a name； but it made rapid progress as wealth increased
and taste became refined； as the need was felt for ornaments and
symbols to adorn naked walls and empty spaces； especially statuary；
grouped or single； of men or animals；a marble history to
interpret or reproduce consecrated associations。 Churches might do
without them； the glass stained in every color of the rainbow； the
altar shining with gold and silver and precious stones； the pillars
multiplied and diversified； and rich in foliated circles； mullions；
mouldings； groins； and bosses； and bearing aloft the arched and
ponderous roof；one scene of dazzling magnificence；these could
do without them； but the palaces and halls and houses of the rich
required the image of man；and of man not emaciated and worn and
monstrous； but of man as he appeared to the classical Greeks； in
the perfection of form and physical beauty。 So the artists who
arose with the revival of commerce； with the multiplication of
human wants and the study of antiquity； sought to restore the
buried statues with the long…neglected literature and laws。 It was
in sculptured marbles that enthusiasm was most marked。 These were
found in abundance in various parts of Italy whenever the vast
debris of the ancient magnificence was removed； and were
universally admired and prized by popes； cardinals； and princes；
and formed the nucleus of great museums。
The works of Michael Angelo as a sculptor were not numerous； but in
sublimity they have never been surpassed；non multa； sed multum。
His unfinished monument of Julius II。； begun at that pontiff's
request as a mausoleum； is perhaps his greatest work； and the
statue of Moses； which formed a part of it； has been admired for
three hundred years。 In this； as in his other masterpieces；
grandeur and majesty are his characteristics。 It may have been a
reproduction； and yet it is not a copy。 He made character and
moral force the first consideration； and form subservient to
expression。 And here he differed； it is said by great critics；
from the ancients； who thought more of form than of moral
expression；as may be seen in the faces of the Venus de Medici and
the Apollo Belvedere； matchless and inimitable as these statues are
in grace and beauty。 The Laocoon and the Dying Gladiator are
indeed exceptions； for it is character which constitutes their
chief merit；the expression of pain； despair； and agony。 But
there is almost no intellectual or moral expression in the faces of
other famous and remarkable antique statues； only beauty and
variety of form； such as Powers exhibited in his Greek Slave；an
inferior excellence； since it is much easier to copy the beautiful
in the nude statues which people Italy； than to express such
intellectual majesty as Michael Angelo conceivedthat intellectual
expression which Story has succeeded in giving to his African
Sibyl。 Thus while the great artist retained the antique； he
superadded a loftiness such as the ancients rarely produced； and
sculpture became in his hands； not demoralizing and Pagan；
resplendent in sensual charms； but instructive and exalting；
instructive for the marvellous display of anatomical knowledge； and
exalting from grand conceptions of dignity and power。 His
knowledge of anatomy was so remarkable that he could work without
models。 Our artists； in these days； must always have before their
eyes some nude figure to copy。
The same peculiarities which have given him fame as a sculptor he
carried out into painting； in which he is even more remarkable； for
the artists of Italy at this period often combined a skill for all
the fine arts。 In sculpture they were much indebted to the
ancients； but painting seems to have been purely a development。 In
the Middle Ages it was comparatively rude。 No noted painter arose
until Cimabue in the middle of the thirteenth century。 Before him；
painting was a lifeless imitation of models afforded by Greek
workers in mosaics； but Cimabue abandoned this servile copying； and
gave a new expression to heads； and grouped his figures。 Under
Giotto； who was contemporary with Dante； drawing became still more
correct； and coloring softer。 After him； painting was rapidly
advanced。 Pietro della Francesca was the father of perspective；
Domenico painted in oil； discovered by Van Eyck in Flanders； in
1410； Masaccio studied anatomy； gilding disappeared as a background
around pictures。 In the fifteenth century the enthusiasm for
painting became intense； even monks became painters； and every
convent and church and palace was deemed incomplete without
pictures。 But ideal beauty and harmony in coloring were still
wanting； as well as freedom of the pencil。 Then arose Da Vinci and
Michael Angelo； who practised the immutable principles by which art
could be advanced； and rapidly following in their steps； Fra
Bartolommeo； Fra Angelico； Rossi； and Andrea del Sarto made the age
an era in painting； until the art culminated in Raphael and
Corregio and Titian。 And divers cities of ItalyBologna； Milan；
Parma； and Venicedisputed with Rome and Florence for the empire
of art； as also did many other cities which might be mentioned；
each of which has a history； each of which is hallowed by poetic
associations； so that all men who have lived in Italy； or even
visited it； feel a peculiar interest in these cities；an interest
which they can feel in no others； even if they be such capitals as
London and Paris。 I excuse this extravagant admiration for the
wonderful masterpieces produced in that age； making marble and
canvas eloquent with the most inspiring sentiments； because； wrapt
in the joys which they excite； the cultivated and imaginative man
forgetsand rejoices that he can forgetthe untidiness of that
World Capital； the many reminders of ages of unthrift； which stare
ordinary tourists in the face； and all the other disgusting
realities which philanthropists deplore so loudly in that
degenerate but classical and ever…to…be…hallowed land。 For； come
what will； in spite of past turmoils it has been the scene of the
highest glories of antiquity； calling to our minds saints and
martyrs； as well as conquerors and emperors； and revealing at every
turn their tombs and broken monuments； and all the hoary remnants
of unsurpassed magnificence； as well as preserving in churches and
palaces those wonders which were created when Italy once again
lived in the noble aspiration of making herself the centre and the
pride of the new civilization。
Da Vinci； the oldest of the great masters who immortalized that
era； died in 1519； in the arms of Francis I。 of France； and Michael
Angelo received his mantle。 The young sculptor was taken away from
his chisel to paint； for Pope Julius II。； the ceiling of the
Sistine Chapel。 After the death of his patron Lorenzo； he had
studied and done famous work in marble at Bologna； at Rome； and
again at Florence。 He had also painted some； and with