New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-10
THE YALE ART LECTURES.

LIFE CHARACTER. AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEONARDO
DA vINCr-HIs LIFE IN MILAN-THE LAST SUPPER.
[FRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBuNsJ
NEw-HAvEN, April s.-Prof Eaton closed biz
series of lectures on Italian Painting recently BY
consideration of the life and labOrs Of Leonardo %
Vnci.
This painter said the lecturer, Is Of tho most n
terestng characters Of history both on account OF n
personal qualities and the OF his art He wa, OF
all artists typical Of Italy in the Sixteenth Century Ia
his physical and mental attributes he shows the rch fo
of Nature to the Italians and in his Impotence at sim
pie life Of severe labor Is illustrated the sad change tnas
came over the spirit Of Italian Republicanism
About 20 miles below Florence, on the Arno, lay tne
small burg of vinci Here in 1452 Leonardo waA born
OF his parents know little, and that little does NOS
impress U.s. The accounts Of the painters youth read
like fairy stories. He WAS surprisingly beautfu; OF
extraordinary strength and agility he exeelled In au
youthful sports school be COMPOUNDED the professor
OF mathematics and startled the professor OF pnysc@
He would dance and sing from morning till night, and adj
night; he the first Of fencers and horsemen ne i
provsed verses and played on instruments al sght ID
was continually charcoang his fathers house WIN uie'
like grOtesque drawings At about the age Oh 10 40
went Florence and entered the studio OF godsln'
where he quickly won universal admiration de Wa
still as he had been his humble home the handsomest
the strongest the graceful and the most briant
Favors beauty and renown seemed TO fau OF
themselves 10 his lot
TIL Leonardo 30 years Of age, only little Is known
OF him Two three paintings, OF more or less doubt
full authenticity are all that be seen Of his work In
this period His inactivity Is all the more marvellous
when we think that the republic undor the leadership
OF Lorenzo the Magnificent all his artistic as wen a. nn
mechanical talent could have found full occupation Hn
contemporaries had already produced works that nave
imnortazed them, but Of leonardo who exceiled them
all we have only a few canvases, and they unworthy
ari ain
NJ all Florence that did everything, and everything
perfectly but adds the narraorand this may explain
the mystery-he unstable, had not the patence -
fin All his undertaking. and was perpetuany concevins
some new project At length his friends began " ufs
OF waiting for him do great thing Leonardo IN
doubtedy perceived this impatient longing and proos-
bly, thought as all unstable men THINK That no cou"
onlv On of some where surround himself with new cr
cumstances and begin all over again, ne could tnen
rearrane his life and achieve what he felt was wilma
his powers
sucb feelings must have added strength to the latter
ing call he received from the Duke OF Milan 70 make ns
home IN that city, At any rate he consented Leonardo
seems 10 have won every heart in Nil an ~ he had In
Florence and TO have exhibited there the same univer
salty OF genius IL certain that he assisted IN tns
construction Of cathedral and left his impress on tho
building soon after his arrival he formed the ceis-
brated Academy Of Milan, where the arts and military
ana civil sciences taught; where gigantic schemes
IN, imnrovinc the country planned the building OF
waIIs and bridges draining Of marshes and the I'M
cation of barren wastes To this day Lomoardy under
h,,ations 70 the energy OF this wonderful man. For
the Academy he also composed his treatise on painting
n work full OF entertainment and instruction
In 1897 occurred event which had an important In
suence on Ieonardo's career. In that year Beartcs
Este the lovely and pous wife OF Duke Ludvico died
For time the Duke inconsolabe, but at length pN
savage grief way TO religious sentiment Leaning
upon Leonardos he would walk to the snctuariee
where she had worshped and there PROSTATE nimsen
in humble devotion The painter was hidden TO hvAs
resource of art IN the celebration OF her virtues
and charms. Under such circumstances ana impree'
sions was it that the chapel OF Bearces fAvorie
church Leonardo his painting OF the Last suppO
This picture is at the most profound the pufes
and the most artistic exposition Of Christianity The
bgbe,t spiritual aspirations of all ages are here COM
hnad and exnressed with absolute perfection. The Art
TOO il as pure the sentiment No types are ooserve9
halos or other are ., bs osne nar
tive It the principles OF the Kefornauon nag
already es sSw sss eSceeDee part
There is something almost architectural In the severity OF
me cloth with its regular folds room, plain the
the absence OF all ornamentatlQn our savior seated
each a and yet with these simple elements Leonardo
painted picture which makes It seem as painting
"A nothing and the rest OF it trivial
In 1899 the gala days Of his Milan life were over Wnen
Louis XII OF France the Alps driving al Do
him. Ludyico fed one way and Leonarn1 snosner
The PAINTER returned to Florence here MS iiic was u
satisaeory and sad He had outlived the popularity OF
his youth and eager and unfrendy rivals opposed MN
His genius was indeed recognized, but he was looked
upon as an intruder and hated a. heartily az he Va
admired The artist could not but sigh for the ease ano
comfort Of Milan, the pious friendship Of the genue
dorcd AT the rude entry OF the invader. During this
perod once and only did his artistic spirit asseS
t,seIf In the portrait OF Mona Lisa Leonardo
once more There mystery in this face which fascf
mates and battles And the history OF the picture
no less nv sterious II sad Of sin and passon
must not examine TOO deeply the s snS
Inducements OF Francis First and returned witn INN
France But whatever that country or It's King nope
from the painters old age was doomed 10 asppo IA
ment- Absent from his country almost S ,,T
With Leonardo da Vinci we take IeAvo - a.sacA
pantipg We may hope To such ahosnsr ePoea
IA we have reviewed. Here and there An alus' may
continue 10 express emotions In the enannss ha
raj TO him. shall not have sno.nea non. an
aIher are OF painting Not that the art iaeuI.Y sex
tnct in our natures hut IL must take hereafter new
,nr,ns and character We speak OF the Music OF the
Fnture In derision, yet 10 is not impossible that THIS v
o he the ne II manifestation OF art Ill VIC nave new
arr in which the nations can exercise Original force ana
and the rapture creative activity. We must 50 oaos
To other days and other emeA ?