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again at Florence。 He had also painted some； and with such
immediate success that he had been invited to assist Da Vinci in
decorating a hall in the ducal palace at Florence。 But sculpture
was his chosen art； and when called to paint the Sistine Chapel； he
implored the Pope that he might be allowed to finish the mausoleum
which he had begun； and that Raphael； then dazzling the whole city
by his unprecedented talents； might be substituted for him in that
great work。 But the Pope was inflexible； and the great artist
began his task； assisted by other painters； however； he soon got
disgusted with them and sent them away； and worked alone。 For
twenty months he toiled； rarely seen； living abstemiously； absorbed
utterly in his work of creation； and the greater portion of the
compartments in the vast ceiling was finished before any other
voice than his； except the admiring voice of the Pope； pronounced
it good。
It would be useless to attempt to describe those celebrated
frescos。 Their subjects were taken from the Book of Genesis； with
great figures of sibyls and prophets。 They are now half…concealed
by the accumulated dust and smoke of three hundred years； and can
be surveyed only by reclining at full length on the back。 We see
enough； however； to be impressed with the boldness； the majesty；
and the originality of the figures；their fidelity to nature； the
knowledge of anatomy displayed； and the disdain of inferior arts；
especially the noble disdain of appealing to false and perverted
taste； as if he painted from an exalted ideal in his own mind；
which ideal is ever associated with creative power。
It is this creative power which places Michael Angelo at the head
of the artists of his great age； and not merely the power to create
but the power of realizing the most exalted conceptions。 Raphael
was doubtless superior to him in grace and beauty； even as Titian
afterwards surpassed him in coloring。 He delighted； like Dante； in
the awful and the terrible。 This grandeur of conception was
especially seen in his Last Judgment； executed thirty years
afterwards； in completion of the Sistine Chapel； the work on which
had been suspended at the death of Julius。 This vast fresco is
nearly seventy feet in height； painted upon the wall at the end of
the chapel； as an altar…piece。 No subject could have been better
adapted to his genius than thisthe day of supernal terrors （dies
irae； dies illa）； when； according to the sentiments of the Middle
Ages； the doomed were subjected to every variety of physical
suffering； and when this agony of pain； rather than agony of
remorse； was expressed in tortured limbs and in faces writhing with
demoniacal despair。 Such was the variety of tortures which he
expressed； showing an unexampled richness in imaginative powers；
that people came to see it from the remotest parts of Italy。 It
made a great sensation； like the appearance of an immortal poem；
and was magnificently rewarded； for the painter received a pension
of twelve hundred golden crowns a year；a great sum in that age。
But Michael Angelo did not paint many pieces； he confined himself
chiefly to cartoons and designs； which； scattered far and wide；
were reproduced by other artists。 His most famous cartoon was the
Battle of Pisa； the one executed for the ducal palace of Florence；
as pendant to one by Leonardo da Vinci； then in the height of his
fame。 This picture was so remarkable for the accuracy of drawing；
and the variety and form of expression； that Raphael came to
Florence on purpose to study it； and it was the power of giving
boldness and dignity and variety to the human figure； as shown in
this painting； which constitutes his great originality and
transcendent excellence。 The great creations of the painters； in
modern times as well as in the ancient； are those which represent
the human figure in its ideal excellence；which of course implies
what is most perfect； not in any one man or woman； but in men and
women collectively。 Hence the greatest of painters rarely have
stooped to landscape painting； since no imaginary landscape can
surpass what everybody has seen in nature。 You cannot improve on
the colors of the rainbow； or the gilded clouds of sunset； or the
shadows of the mountain； or the graceful form of trees； or the
varied tints of leaves and flowers； but you can represent the
figure of a man or woman more beautiful than any one man or woman
that has ever appeared。 What mortal woman ever expressed the
ethereal beauty depicted in a Madonna of Raphael or Murillo？ And
what man ever had such a sublimity of aspect and figure as the
creations of Michael Angelo？ Why； 〃a beggar；〃 says one of his
greatest critics； 〃arose from his hand the patriarch of poverty；
the hump of his dwarf is impressed with dignity； his infants are
men； and his men are giants。〃 And； says another critic； 〃he is the
inventor of epic painting； in that sublime circle of the Sistine
Chapel which exhibits the origin； progress； and final dispensation
of the theocracy。 He has personified motion in the cartoon of
Pisa； portrayed meditation in the prophets and sibyls of the
Sistine Chapel and in the Last Judgment； traced every attitude
which varies the human body； with every passion which sways the
human soul。〃 His supremacy is in the mighty soaring of his
intellectual conceptions。 Marvellous as a creator； like
Shakspeare； profound and solemn； like Dante； representing power
even in repose； and giving to the Cyclopean forms which he has
called into being a charm of moral excellence which secures our
sympathy； a firm believer in a supreme and personal God；
disciplined in worldly trials； and glowing in lofty conceptions of
justice；he delights in portraying the stern prophets of Israel；
surrounded with an atmosphere of holiness； yet breathing compassion
on those whom they denounce； august in dignity； yet melting with
tenderness； solemn； sad； profound。 Thus was his influence pure and
exalted in an art which has too often been prostituted to please
the perverted taste of a sensual age。 The most refined and
expressive of all the arts；as it sometimes is； and always should
be；is the one which oftenest appeals to that which Christianity
teaches us to shun。 You may say； 〃Evil to him who evil thinks；〃
especially ye pure and immaculate persons who have walked
uncorrupted amid the galleries of Paris； Dresden； Florence； and
Rome； but I fancy that pictures； like books； are what we choose to
make them； and that the more exquisite the art by which vice is
divested of its grossness； but not of its subtle poisons；like the
New Heloise of Rousseau or the Wilhelm Meister of Goethe；the more
fatally will it lead astray by the insidious entrance of an evil
spirit in the guise of an angel of light。 Art； like literature； is
neither good nor evil abstractly； but may become a savor of death
unto death； as well as of life unto life。 You cannot extinguish it
without destroying one of the noblest developments of civilization；
but you cannot have civilization without multiplying the
temptations of human society； and hence must be guarded from those
destructive cankers which； as in old Rome； eat out the virtues on
which the strength of man is based。 The old apostles； and other
great benefactors of the world； attached more value to the truths
which elevate than to the arts which soften。 It was the noble
direction which Michael Angelo gave to art which made him a great
benefactor not only of civilization； but also of art； by linking
with it the eternal ideas of majesty and dignity； as well as the
truths which are taught by divine inspiration；another
illustration of the profound reverence which the great master minds
of the world； like Augustine； Pascal； and Bacon； have ever
expressed for the ideas which were revealed by Christianity and the
old prophets of Jehovah； ideas which many bright but inferior
intellects； in their egotistical arrogance； have sought to subvert。
Yet it was neither as sculptor nor painter that Michael Angelo left
the most enduring influence； but as architect。 Painting and
sculpture are the exclusive ornaments and possession of the rich
and favored。 But architecture concerns all men； and most men have
something to do with it in the course of their lives。 What boots
it that a man pays two thousand pounds for a picture to be shut up
in his library； and probably more valued for its rarity； or from
the caprices of fashion； than for its real merits？ But it is
something when a nation pays a million for a ridiculous building；
without regard to the object for which it is intended；to be
observed and criticised by everybody and for succeeding
generations。 A good picture is the admiration of a few； a
magnificent edifice is the pride of thousands。 A picture
necessarily cultivates the taste of a family circle； a public
edifice educates the minds of millions。 Even the Moses of