After mature reflection, I have judged it superfluous to transcribe in
this place the parchment book of the old and supernatural painter;
though I might be tempted to do so by the consideration, that no one
else could ever be enabled to understand and follow out its intricate
details, or even to decipher the hand-writing. He sets out by speaking
of himself in the third, but afterwards, or towards the close of his
narrative, uses the first personal pronoun.
He was the eldest son of a certain Prince Camillo di Rosoli, (who had in
early life been distinguished for his bravery and military talents,) and
had been sent by his father, at an early age, into the world, where, to
the great surprise of his noble friends and relations, he devoted
himself almost exclusively to the study of painting, under a celebrated
master of that art in Rome. Here he had already been for a considerable
time, when his father, having been requested by the Republic of Genua to
take the command of a powerful fleet against the Algerine corsairs, sent
an abrupt and peremptory order for the young prince to return home. To
this, Francesco, for that was his name, returned for answer, that a
prince, surrounded by all the pomp and dignity incident to high rank,
was, in his estimation, a mere cipher, in comparison with the character
of an independent man of genius, whose wants were few, and who could
supply these wants by the exercise of his art. A prince, he said, was,
by the circumstances under which he lived, much more subdued and slavish
than even the poorest artist:--for his own part, he knew well enough how
to wield the pallet and pencils, but by no means the sceptre. Finally,
that as to exploits in warfare, whether by sea or land, they were
barbarous and abhorrent to his nature; whereas the creations of the
painter were like reflections on canvass of the divine spirit, of which
a share sometimes descends on favoured mortals.
Thus he sent back his father's messengers with contumely and disgrace,
and the old prince, being thereby violently incensed, dispatched other
ambassadors, who had no better success; whereupon, they informed him,
that, if he did not obey his father's orders, they were commissioned to
say, that he would be disinherited, and never more permitted to assume
that rank which he had now virtually, though not formally, resigned.
To these conditions Francesco made no objections whatever;--on the
contrary, he gave up to his younger brother, in a regular charter, all
claims on the family estates; and as the old prince soon after lost his
life in battle, Zenobio succeeded to the government, and Francesco
continued to live poorly enough on a small pension, which his brother
voluntarily bestowed upon him.
Francesco was originally of a proud and overbearing temper; but his
instructor in the art of painting, the celebrated Leonardo di Rovino,
was one of the most pious and ingenious of men. Finding that his pupil
had actually renounced the fortune and rank to which he had been born,
he gave him such good counsel and example, that for some years Francesco
behaved as a very obedient and faithful disciple, assisting his master
in the completion of several great works, which were almost wholly
devoted to the illustration of the Christian miracles, and the glorious
lives of the Saints.
After some time, however, it came to pass that Francesco raised himself
to the rank of a master on his own account, and was engaged to paint
many altar-pieces for churches, &c., in which Leonardo continued kindly
to assist him, until at length, being very far advanced in years, he
died.
Then like a fire long with difficulty suppressed, the native pride and
insolence of Francesco's character again broke forth. He looked on
himself as the greatest painter of his time, and joining with this
notion of his own pre-eminence, the recollection of his hereditary rank,
he assumed for himself the title of the Noble Painter. Of his once
revered master, Leonardo, he now spoke with contempt, and invented for
himself a new school of art, which was well adapted to attract the
admiration of the multitude. He diligently studied the works of the
ancient statuaries; among which, a certain renowned figure of Venus,
above all others, engaged his attention; and henceforth no one could
equal him in representing the luxurious seductions of the female form,
which he always introduced naked, giving to his figures, by means of
dark shadows in the back ground, and a brilliance of colouring, which
were particularly his own, the most magical effect of _alto relievo_.
It happened that in the great city he fell into the society of a set of
wild young men, most of them of high rank, who were delighted to have
for their companion a man in birth equal to themselves, though, as an
artist and man of genius, more interesting than men of mere fortune and
family can generally pretend to be. Francesco was but too willing to
attend their feasts and festivals, and was delighted by the praise with
which they constantly fed his vanity, insisting, in particular, on the
high advantages which he possessed over the artists of that age, by his
preference of the ancient models, and his correctness as to drawing and
anatomy.
Being all of them unable or unwilling to submit to any degree of
restraint, and cherishing no other principle than that of yielding to
the extravagance of youthful imagination, and the indulgence of their
own passions, they formed a plan of renouncing altogether the Christian
Religion, and adopting fantastically the creed and manners of the
ancient Romans.
In this manner they for some time continued to lead a shameless and most
dissolute life, in consequence of which, it happened that Francesco,
neglecting the orders which were from time to time sent to him from
convents and other religious institutions, fell into grievous distress
for want of ready money. Added to this it so happened, that the salary
usually allowed him by his brother Zenobio, was not paid at the regular
time. He now recollected that the monks of a certain Capuchin convent
had some months before offered a large sum for an altar piece,
representing the martyrdom of St Rosalia, which commission he had, under
the influence of his dissolute pleasures, and apostacy from the
Christian faith, refused to execute. Now, however, he resolved to
perform the work required of him, wholly for the sake of the reward with
which it would be attended.
Accordingly he began, intending to paint the martyrdom of St Rosalia, in
his usual glaring and seductive manner, modelling her form and features
after those of the favourite Venus which has already been mentioned. In
the pencil drawing which he made in the first place, he succeeded well
enough, and the wicked young men, his companions, were highly delighted
with the notion of setting up a heathenish idol, instead of a real
picture of a Christian saint, in the church.
But when Francesco came actually to paint, lo! by some inexplicable
influence, the work turned out very differently from what he had
intended.--A more powerful inspiration overcame that of wicked deceit,
and hatred to the Christian faith, by which he had been till then
actuated. It seemed as if the countenance of an angel, from the realms
of the blest, began to dawn on his perceptions, out of the dark clouds
which he had laid for the ground-work on his canvass. Involuntarily a
kind of religious terror took possession of his mind. He became fearful
of offending the blessed martyr whom he was employed to represent, and
around the body, which, according to the original design, he had painted
naked, were at last thrown the elegant folds of a dark-red dress, with a
sky-blue shawl or mantle.
The Capuchin monks had, in their letter to the painter, only expressed
their wish for a portrait of St Rosalia, that is to say, for a single
figure, and for this purpose had his drawing been prepared; but now, led
on by the workings of his own creative spirit, he invented a grand
historical design, and introduced many figures, grouped with great
skill, and which blended very harmoniously with that of the principal
personage. In short, Francesco's attention was wholly absorbed by this
work, so that the shameful course of life which he had before led was
completely broken of, or at least interrupted.
It came to pass, however, that he found himself quite unable to finish,
according to his own notions, the countenance of the saint; and this
disappointment tormented him so exceedingly, that he had no rest by
night or by day. He no longer thought of having recourse to his
favourite statue of Venus, but it seemed to him as if he beheld his old
master Leonardo, who looked at him mournfully, and addressed him in
these words--"Alas! I would willingly assist you, but I dare not! You
must first renounce all your sinful and shameless propensities, and, in
deep repentance and contrition, pray for the interposition of the
saints, against whom you have so fearfully offended."
The wicked young men, whose society had been long neglected by
Francesco, once more sought him out, and found him in his painting
room, but wholly unemployed; for, in consequence of his mental anxiety,
he had fallen sick, and was lying powerless and despairing on his couch.
On the appearance of his friends he complained to them bitterly of his
misfortune, and expressed his belief that some malignant demon had
interfered to rob him of his former reputation, and would prevent him
altogether from completing his picture of St Rosalia.
At this they all laughed aloud. "Ha, brother," cried one among them, "it
is easy to perceive that solitude and fasting have been the demons that
have brought this illness upon you. Come then, my friends, let us devote
a libation of good old wine to Esculapius, and the benevolent Hygeia, in
order that this feeble youth may again be restored!"
They sent immediately for Syracusan wine, which these fantastic young
men drank out of antique-fashioned horns, and silver beakers, pouring
forth, as they expressed it, their libations to Hygeia, before the
unfinished picture. Afterwards, when they began to drink stoutly, and
insisted on Francesco joining in their orgies, the latter resolved
positively not to taste a drop of their wine, and would take no share in
their merriment; although they drank the health of his favourite
goddess, and tried every stratagem to flatter his vanity, and engage his
attention.
At last, one of them exclaimed, "Our _penseroso_ comrade there is
perhaps really sick, and cannot so easily be cured as we had supposed.
Yet, methinks, he hath acted very wrongfully in refusing to taste the
remedies that have been already prescribed for him. Be this as it may,
seeing that he is so very ill, I shall directly go hence, and obtain for
him the assistance of a learned physician." The youth then threw his
mantle around him, girted on his sword, and marched out. Scarcely,
however, had he got beyond the door, when he returned again.--"Look you
now, comrades," he exclaimed, "I am myself the man who will effectually
cure this poor despairing artist!"
He then put on, as well as he could, the character of an old ridiculous
physician,--bent himself half double,--walked with his knees knocking
together, and twisted his face into an hundred wrinkles,--so that, in
truth, he looked like an hideous old man; and his companions, greatly
diverted, cried out, "See what learned physiognomies the doctor cuts!"
The doctor went up to Francesco, and pretended to feel his pulse. Then,
in a pompous rough voice, "Why, thou poor devil!" cried he, "what has
brought it into thine addled brain to fall sick in this manner? Thy
pulse beats regularly; what then is the matter with thee? Be that as it
may, I must make haste to cure thy distemper, whether real or imaginary,
and thou must submissively follow all my prescriptions; for in the state
in which thou now art, thy Donna Venus will never be pleased with thee.
It might be, however, that, if thy visage were less pale, and thy looks
not so downcast, the Lady Rosalia herself would receive you kindly.
Here, then, thou poor desponding shepherd! sip up a little of that
miraculous cordial which I always carry about with me. As you wish to
paint portraits of saints and angels, my drink will probably be of
especial service to you; for it is wine from the celebrated cellar of St
Anthony."
With these words, the pretended doctor had pulled out a small and
oddly-shaped flask from underneath his mantle, from which flask he now
drew the cork. Instantly there spread itself all around, an
extraordinary stupifying vapour, by which most of the youths were so
confused and overcome, that, one by one, in the course of a few seconds,
they all dropt in their chairs, closed their eyes, and fell asleep.
Francesco, meanwhile, as if tired of this mummery, and vexed to have
been mocked and flouted at, snatched the bottle with violence from the
doctor, intending at first to dash it against the wall. On the contrary,
however, the odour attracted him so much, that he put it to his lips,
and instantly swallowed a copious draught.
"Much good may it do you!" said the doctor, who now assumed his former
countenance and youthful demeanour. But, at that moment, the door
opened, and the youth, who had before departed in order to bring a
physician, reappeared _in propria persona_. His double, who must have
been the devil, stepped forward, and made him a formal bow, whereat the
whole party were so affrighted, that they all (having been awoke from
sleep by the noise of his entrance) started up, ran away, and tumbled
headlong down stairs.
Even like the raging of a volcano was now the tempest which arose within
the heart and soul of Francesco! All the Heathen stories which he had
before painted, revived once more, in tenfold force, on his imagination,
and their _dramatis personae_ floated around him in forms as seductive,
and colours as brilliant, as if they had been alive, and corporeally
present.--"But thou, my beloved goddess!" he exclaimed, addressing
himself to the favourite Venus whom he had so often painted--"thou must
assume also life, and a tangible form, and become mine, otherwise I
shall devote myself from henceforth to Pluto, and the subterranean
powers of darkness!"
Then he beheld, according to his distempered phantasy, the animated
figure of his admired statue, with an exquisite bloom on her complexion,
standing right before the unfinished picture, and kindly nodding towards
him.
Hereupon, seized with a sudden fit of inspiration, he started from his
couch, ran to his _easel_, and began to paint at the head of St Rosalia;
for he thought that he would now be able to make an exact copy from the
features of his Venus. It seemed to him, however, as if the firmest
efforts of volition could not command his hand--as if, in spite of all
his endeavours, the pencil glided away from the unfinished countenance
of Rosalia, to the profane figures by which the rest of the canvass was
tenanted--and the heavenly aspect of the saint, unfinished as it was,
and that came there he knew not how, always broke out more visibly and
powerfully into view, till at last the eyes seemed to move, and look
into his very soul. Finally, he was overcome with such agitation, that
he dropped his pallet and pencils, and fell to the ground as if dead, in
a state of utter despair and insensibility.
When, after a long interval, he awoke from his trance, and had with
difficulty raised himself up, he did not venture to look at the picture,
which had now become so terrific, but crawled, with his eyes fixed on
the ground, towards the table, where he still found the doctor's
extraordinary bottle of wine, out of which he indulged himself with a
long and powerful draught.
Francesco was, by this means, completely restored and energized. New
life and spirit vibrated through every limb and fibre of his frame. He
mustered up courage enough to look at his picture; and, behold! it was
now completed, even to the finest touches of the pencil which in his
best days he could have been able to bestow! But what appeared most
remarkable, was, that not the saintly countenance of Rosalia, but that
of his old favourite Venus, now smiled with the most seductive
expression and glances of love upon him.
Accordingly, Francesco, from that moment, became the victim of the most
sinful and delirious passion. He thought of the Pagan statuary
Pygmalion, whose history had supplied him with a subject for one of his
former profane works, and like him, he implored the gods, that they
would infuse life into the creations of his art. Very soon it appeared
to him as if the principal figures in his picture began to move and to
swell forward in _alto relievo_; but when he tried to clasp the phantom
in his arms, he found that the dead, cold canvass still mocked at his
embrace! Thereupon he tore his hair, and behaved like one possessed by
the devil.