The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-07-29
The Artist. nIa.r,ea Lie.


The Artists Married Lie.
Being that Of ALBEIT DUKER. Translated from
the German Of Leopold SehetsT, BY Mrs J.
r. StOdaH
The merits of this story consist in its fine
purpose and its thoughtful, and Tor the most
part Just, exposition Of mans inner life.
TO those who, chiefly approaching such
qualities, can dispense with the stimulants
Of incident and passion, the book before US
will not be unacceptable.
The tale is supposed 10 include the auto
biography Of Albert Durer's married life,
communicated by the painter on his death
bed to his friend Willibsld Pirkheimer.
The marriage Of DuIer with Agnes, the
daughter of Hams Frei--sn event pre-ar.
ranged and determined by the will Of their
parents-and the trials which result from
an unsympathetic union, form the motive
and interest Of the narrative. Ii is not
from absence Of affection between the we'd
ded pair, but from want Of harmony in
the aims OF life, that their conjugal miser-
les arise. The loving nature Of the artist
at once attaches him to the partner Of his
destiny-nor is she inesponsive to his re-
gard 1t is her misfortune that with mind
unable to reach the sphere Of her husband S
interests she insists on their surrender. She
is Jealous Of those sympaihies which trans
late the imaginative mind into the expert
ence Of the race and lift its regards from in
dividaal TO universal interests. The law
Of such mind is to aspire and to expand:
while the bias of common nature is 10
monopolize and limit The privilege OF
Genius is TO find its chief reward in its in
spiration-its support in the beni6cence Of
its purpose; but the demand Of ordinary
humanity is for tangible advantage. The
latter measures greatness by its parapherna-
LA and its wealth-not by the power OF
enjoyment, but by the abundance Of its
stimulants.
Here then are the elements OF the strug-
gle. Agnes hates as rival the Art which en-
chants her husband. She would regard il as
a mere productive power 10 supply the means
of graiihcation-and cannot comprehend
the delight Of which it is in itself the source.
All that relates TO il she sees through false
medium. The reyerie in which the painter
conceives his ideas she mistakes for unlhif
~ idleness. His pleasure in social con-
verse or his content in that inner world 10
which he retires for consolation are SC. many
evidences that she is not at allessential to
his happiness. So matters proceed until
Agnes becomes mother-and the recon-
cling influence Of this new tie prevails for
a while. .r-f-... 81. .-...
How the actualities Of life enter into the
development Of Art may be seen in our
first quotation. Ii offers, also, q probable
solution of the manner in which the per-
sonality Of the artist is identified with his
imagination. ~ .a -ss
81 Little Agnes, who now appeared,
gave TO AlBerf's Wife the Radiance, yea the
Glory OF the Mother. Thus the Deity con-
tinued TO bless her. Agnes was the sacred
instrument in His Hands, and the most mys-
ferrous, the most divine Powers Of old Ma
ture were granted 10 her as il were in Fie(.
Albert beng now filled with Reverence,
Rapture, Satisfaction, and Thsnkfulness,
all was well, better thah ever, and his Love
was now nobIy founded, and hers justified,
IL not more. For Agnes also felt in her
Heart as IL newly-bom, and secretly bound
by her Husbands unwearied care. He
watched over Mother and Child. No breath
Of air should blow upon them; and when
both the dear Ones slnmbered, then he has
tened away to draw and to paint and to his
own amazement be quickly and beautifully
completed Picture OF the Nativity, and
one Of the Adorstion, with the three Holy
Kings. The Picture seemed as if speak
ing. And then he blessed the Path he had
chosenl ~. III ...r
His own Life opened up to him an up-
known portion both Of the World and Of
his Art, and he felt that he was now the
Man to produce quite different and truer
Works. Mature in her Divinity had never |
yet presented herself before him so closely |
and 50 sacredlyl And he felt fresher than |
10 the blooming Month of May alter
mild lertilizing Tempest The Ideas which
have once been cleared up TO the Artist re-
main etenally clear in his Mind. He d.
reefs himself 10 these bright points Of his
inner Life when he wishes to model-then
he can dream and create! From this source |
all is Real He has felt what he wishes to |
represent--he may change and transpose;
then unfold and convey bis ideas to other
Men; and his Work will always spring
frora the Heart and go to the Heart agsin.
Therefore he must have experienced the
greatest, the simplest, the most beautiful, /
and the saddest Events Of Nature and Of
human Life in general-he must have felt
the highest Joy and the deepest Sorrow-i