Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-21

benefit of the Park Gallery was delivered on
Monday evening. by Prof. II. A. P. Torrey
of the University. The room was filed
with choice audience. Above the desk
hung large engraving of The Last Sup
per, and below 1t photograph of the great
painting. recently taken and showing its
present condition. On either hand were
hung large photographs of the Mona Lisa,
a Madonna, the Num-" heads from Leo
nardo's cartoons and sketches and portraits
of Leonardo, from Mr. Wares collection,
PROF. ToRREY's LECTURE.
Prof. Torrey's subject was Leonardo Da
Vnsci. Among the epochs of great intel
lectual and moral expansion, in History,
he sand, one OF the most remarkable was
that of the Renaissance-remarka not
only for the enlistment of awakened intel
lect in knowledge, Art and Religion but
for the number OF men of universal genius
that appeared and wrought. Among these
were Michel Angelo, and Leonardo Da
Vinci, and of the two, Leonardo surpassed
Michel Angelo, IN the variety OF subjects
that engaged his attention and in the saga
clOus insight which pierced mysteries only
unfOlded by science in future centuries.
Leonardo laid down the principles of the
Experimental Philosophy. a hundred and
twenty years before Lord Bacon wrote the |
NOrum Organum He enumerated the
three laws OF motion hundred years be-
fore Calico. lie laid down the laws of the |
density and pressure of fluids subseq uently |
ascribed to Paschal. lie appears TO have |
adopted the heliOcentrlc theory of the solar
system, thirty years before it was announc-
a lI,a
ted the d" ash colOrsd light" of the new
moon, popularity known as d" the old moon
in the arms of the new, to the reflection
OF terrestrial light, century before its
explanation by kepler In Geology he
was far ahead Of his day and in harmony
with our time, and Lyell gives to him es
pecial mention as one OF the first to present
sound views IN that science. lie seemed 10
possess some art Of divination, and 10 car
nv light with him wherever he went. Had
he lived in our day, Art might have lost
enc OF Its brightest stars but Science
would have gained one OF its successful in
vestlgat0rs. That his discoveries and Opin-
ions had no more effect on the progress OF
Science, Is explained by the Tact that they
were locked in manuscripts. IA volumes
OF which are still IN characterization in
a peculiar character and from right to left,
which have been only decIphered in
later days, with the aid of mirror and
with great labor. After abiding to the
prominent facts OF the lite OF LeOnardo-to
his birth A.; his beauty and strength IN child
hood has precoctY in art, shown by his
painting an angel IN an oil painting on which
his teacher was engaged. which was 50 su-
peri0r to the work OF his master that the
latter laid down his brush III despair his
removal from Florence to the Court of
LudoyicO Slorza. of Milan his success a.
a sculptor, and hydraulic eng ineer his |
anatomical studies at Pavla, and his. ana
tamlcal drawings, still in existence and |
greatly admired his studies IN chalks and |
cray0n his gift OF carieaturc his expert
ments in engraving Professor sorrey pass
Cd 10 his masterpiece, the Last Supper. |
lie narrated the melancholy history OF that |
noted picture. With fatal choice Of ma
terlals 1t was painted in oil. on the plaster
cd wall OF Il rclectOry of a dominican mon |
astery. the colors remained scarce fifty 1
years intact. Eighty years after, 1t was
spoken OF As ruined. 1t was mutllated by |
the Monks. IN order to make a higher |
door into The relectOry. When, in time. |
they began 10 appreciate what priceless, |
treasure they possessed. II suffered worse |
outrage from the attempts to restore It. |
Ii was painted over by one Bolotu, and /
again nearly all over, by another charla-
tan. named Mazzl. In l79o when Milan |
was occupied by the French, the reiectory |
was taken for stable. by the French sol |
diers, who used to amuso themselves by |
throwing bricks at the heads OF the apostles. |
The reectory was twice flooded by inunda- /
lions, and the colors injured by mould. 1t |
had a later restoration, from the cartoons |
and engraylngs and still later one IN |
1853. by one Bar0zzi. 1t IS wonderful that |
after three hundred years OF such treatment +
anything OF Leonardo should remain yet |
the behoder Of our day finds that the genius
OF the great master still shines through the
marks of decay. The Imagination recon- |
structs the most wonderful picture ever
placed on a wall. As he gazes, the shadOwy
forms take on lite. and the heholder seems
to stand IN the upper room IN the pre-
encce of the Master and ms Twelve
\ beautiful explanation OF the painting iol-
lowed. Its sacrifice Of historical accuracy to
ideal truth, it, portralture Of what Is peren-
nal III human nature, As well as what Is teet-
ing in attitude and expression IT. effective
effective arrangement OF details the dis
tribution OF hight and shade-the chIcro-
s1Uo, first brought into Importance by
Leonardo, who wrote a treatise on II the
moral significance Of the light and dark
nes-. illustrated by the placing of the
Savior in unclouded liehI and Of Judas IN
deep ~hatOw-a stroke of high poetic INA
gInation the various groupings and attn
tudeS and the contrasts which helghten the
elect were dwelt on.
The object of interest, said the lecturer,
in this composition l. the different chnrac-
teristic- OF the individuals which compose
/ the group, - characteristics which find
/ spontaneous expression IN their VARYING at
utudCs. in the instructive movements OF
/ their hands, bat most plainly IN the emo
tons depicted on their faces. The picture
would serve 10 illustrate the theory OF
! COlerldge regarding the essence oil the
beautiful Beauty he says, lis unity III
diversity" Both elements are present IN a
striking manner IN this composition. and IN
perfect harmony. The moment chosen by
| the artist l. thar IN whlch the announcement
falls from the lips OF Christ ~ erlly, one
| OF You shall betray me- This Is tue ele-
! mert of ltuity IN the picture-the one
| thought which gives to the scene itS mex
| presslble pathos-the one startling word
which like an electric shock penetrated the
! heart of each disciple. The element OF d.
yersity l. the varying characters and con
seriousness of the disciples themselves. At
once and inVJluntarIly each dl>clOses MS
heart Each displays different emotion. Dis
tress, detection. astUnlshment, Indignation,
resentment, guilt, this last look instantly
replaced By assumed surprise--eyery one OF
these emotions Is depicted, aud not 10
general or vague manner, but such a.
James and John and Andrew and Peter
and Thomas and Judas would have ex-
pressed al such a moment.
The other master piece of Lconardo'-.
selected by Prof Torrey for special descrlp-
ton. was his portrait OF the vile OF Fran
CISCO del GiOcOndO, which Is now IN the
Louvre, where 1t goes by the name OF . La
Belle Jac0nde." otherwise known as the
Mona Lisa. This, the lecturer insisted, Is
something more than portrait OF the Lady
Lisa. II would seem. said he. that in the
wife Of his friend. Leonardo found the sug-
gestion OF some essential characteristic Otw0-
mans nature. There was subtle eyanesecnt
grace there. which the cunning artist de-
tanned by the charm of music until he
| caught II and made 1t dwell Tor alter ages
on his canvass. The face does not reveal
all its inner meaning at the hrSt glance.
One might pass il by without noticing any
thing remarkable in it. and vet 1t would
haunt him and bring him back to look Il
second time, and then he would see some
what more in 1t, and still find II dllhcuit to
define Its charm. Ii expresses no religious
sentiment, no maternal feeling, nothing
moral nor immoral. 1t has no especial IN
tellectual attractions There is a look at
once of penetration and reserve. Tins
woman knows all your thoughts, her own
she keeps There Is more in the work
than its truthful rendering OF the visible,
, for with Leonardo minute fidelity and cx-
qusite handling were not the main
thing These excellencies must have
been at the first but the transparent
medium through which the painter
thought shone out and now that they
have 50 far persisted, that thought vet
/ remains ineifaceable. But to define 1t l.
not easy. There are various lnTerpreta-
tons. Il will venture one. said the lee
turer-"l think that Leonardo meant t.
render in the face OF Mona Lisa the sweet
ness and mystery OF woman's smile 1t i
not the gentle look of maternal fondne>'