The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-05-06
The BOy.SculptOr.

oitiSNs W SNOh a. BeAA ~
of the young friends of Piero de Medici
who had been dismissed from the learned
talk of the savants and artists who sur
rounded the hospitable table of " Lorenzo
the Magnificent" as he is often called.
There had been an unusual tall of snow
for the warm climate of Italy, and it lay
before them on the ground in that soft,
tempting whiteness that schoOl-boys like
so well. 1t covered the statues and foun-
tains, and made grotesque figures of the
shrubs, which were cut i'll curious forms.
a" Let us make statues. and decorate this
gallery" proposed one, a youth of four
teen.
"Of what?" said another.
"Of the snOw," replied the first speak
er, named Michael Angelo; and with
merry shouts they plunged into the snow.
without thought of their costumes of
velvet and lace, carrying it and pIing it
In masses at different places along the gal
lery, and shaping it into some rude re-
semblance of the human form, which did
not much differ, dare say, from the " old
snowman " of the nineteenth century.
But Michael Angelo saw in the distance
the statue of faun, headless and much
injured, which had been brought from
some old ruin.
"Ah, | will make head to this faun,"
and he began shaping and molding the
damp snow.
As he worked, his companions gathered
around him and looked on, forgetting
their own sport in watching him, as grad
ually the head began to appear and grew
under his touch into asreal face with good
features.
Then standing, watching the effect of
each motion, HE must be sardonic-
fauns laugh!" said the boy as he gave an
upward turn with his finger to the corner
of the mouth. There that is not bad !;
and one can always do what one loves.
| have drawn in the love of sculpture with
the milk of my nurse. Her husband is a
sculptor, and, from baby, have played
making statues"
Stepping back to get a good look at his
work, he ran against some one, and, to
his amazement, discovered it was the great
noble himself, who, followed by all his
guests, had entered the gallery the youth
full artists were decorating for them, while
they were so engaged as not to perceive
them.
They all stopped to comment on the
statues, and, approaching the faun, Lo-
renZo said:
"This is rather the work of one enter
ing upon the career of a master, than the
attempt of a novice. But, Michael, do
you know that this is statue of an old
faun, and the old do not have all their
teeth? You have given him more than
zoe have. Is it not so, my friends?''
"You are right, my lords" and, with
one stroke, Michael knocked out tooth
and made the hollow in the gum which
showed its loss.
Every one was delighted with this in
telligent and discriminating act, and atI-
plauded him with enthusiasm, showering
praises and prophecies OF future fame on
the young sculptor.
Among the noble guests were his father
and his uncle, who had sternly discour
aged all Michael's attempts at art, and
deemed it an unworthy thing that the heir
of the prIncely house of Canossa should
handle the sculptor's chisel even in sport.
But now, flattered by the praise of LO-
renZo, the great patron of art, they looked
on, and Michael knew, as he
rode home that night with his austere re-
lations, that his lOng-forbidden love of art
could now be INDUCED; the glory of his
boyhOod's dreams was to become the
glory of his life.
VINO can tell what forms of beauty and
visions of fame fitted through his excited
brain, wild with the delight of Lorenzo's
notice!
Could he foresee the wonderful crea-
tons which would make world stand in
silent admiration and awe?
Could he know that under the dome of
st. Peters at Rome, the most magnificent
Christian temple on the earth, people of
all nations would come to do him homage
Let us follow his career. At nineteen
he made beautiful group in marble Of
the dead Christ in his mothers lap. He
carved the colossal statue of young David
for the Ducal palace of Florence. lie de-
signed, and in part completed, the grand
for Julius H., the central fig
ure of which is Moses, at which he worked
over forty years and the reclining fg-
ures of Day and Night, Morning and Eve
ming, are so much admired that they are
TO be reproduced on a monument soon to
be erected to Michael Angelo at the scene
of his labors.
There are but few paintings of his on
canvas, for he is said to have had a con-
tempt for easel pictures.
The Pope sent for him to come and dec
crate the walls of his chapel at the Vati-
CdD. uC diCullCCIS IIOI hllON lAON w
construct a scaffolding which would ena-
Bile him to reach the ceiling, and he in-
vented one and also a curious paper cap,
which would hold candle in front, and
thus leave his hands free to work at night.
He covered the ceiling with beautiful
paintings of scenes taken from the Old les
lament. Thirty years afterward. he paint
ed on the end wall of the chapel the won
of g.FHho + nctT Ind mi -
Thousands of people visit it every year,
and gaze on it with reverence and wonder
and delight, for it is one of the greatest
pictures IN the world.
st. Peters was the closing work of his
life. Begun long before, many artists had
worked upon it-many architects had
made plans for it; but it was left to
Michael Angelo to raise the dome, and to
leave such perfect model for its compile,
ton, that it now stands as the crOwning
glory of his fame.
And it was the work of an old man. Al
seventy, other men generally lay down
their life's labor, but he commenced the
painting of ''The Last Judgment; anC
the building of st. Peters was in progress
at the time of his death, when he wa
ninety.
w I'LL ali HIS SItdI pONCIs. hO was NJ
unmindful of little things. Nothing wa
too trivial for care. The designing of ;
crucifx for lady's wear the candelabr'
for the chapel; the costume of the Papa
Guard, still worn, show his minute atten
ton to detail. In all his works we se'
the same intelligent thought that wa
manifested in the molding of the faun'
mouth, his boyhood's triumph.
Nobly was the prediction of Lorenzo d
Medici fulfilled, ''that it was the work 0
one entering upon the career OF a master.
In Michael Angelo, the Great Master 0
Art, who at ninety stood among tn
honored of the world, ripened all the pro
mise of the boy who, more than sevont
years before. modeIed the snow-face. TO
an hours pastime, in the gardens of tn
Medici Palace.-Enaiiy Noyes, tn s.
\ Nicholas for May.
An Editors Appeal.
Il = -T.W-w~ ~Elg Z