, 1876-12-24


Stuhlweissenburg, and the manifestly incorrect
date QlOO) may simply be misprint.
MICHAEL y ANGELO. -
a New Life of the Grent Artist-Hls Char
acter and His Work.
London Times, Nor. 80.
Michael Angelo the greatest Of the great mer
Of great age, has had long line Of bloera
piers. There WAS much in the life Of that most
remarkable man to invite the pens OF writer's
and great many biographies Of that incom,
parable artist have, from time to time, been
given to the world. Even without the exagger-
alton and unauthentic "reminiscences OF Vasarl
and Condivi, who had opportunities of better In
formation and more accurate narration, there Is
enough in the true story Of his career to com
mand attention and interest. He himself as a
man Is wonderfully attractive. His marvellous
genius enabled him, not only to become the
greatest sculptor Of modern times, and to paint
the frescoes Of the Sistino, which taught lesson
even to Raphael, but also to excel all the archt-
tects OF his time by bis airy achievement,
the cupola OF St. Peters. But
even these works do not show
the full extent Of his versatility. He was not
only the sculptor Of tt t'Moscs," not only the
painter ofthe "Last Judgment" not only the
modelled by Giovanni Franzese, but he was when
the policy Of Leo x. made it e1pedent to en-
courage the excavation OF marble in Tuscany, a
capable quarryman and engineer, aud when the
need OF Florence called for defcnses against the
powerful allies of the hiedici, Michael Angelo
became, under the compulsion Of patriotism, 4
military engineer, and constructed bastions and
embrasures with adequate skill He could
WELD not only the brush, and the ehisel, and the
plumb-linc, but the pen; and his letters are
written in clear, straightforward prose, which
shapes his meaning with accuracy and faith !;
while his verses show that he had no mean
powers Of poetic imagination. Few men have
have achieved greatness In SO many departments
OF art. But, we're his dotngs less considerable,
his character is Of no small interest," He was BY
no means perfect. Though commonly Of calm
demcanor, he had volcanic temper,
which broke the blunt crust Of
the presence Of the great. It was this temper
which led to the fierce blow Of Pietro Torregrani
which broke Michael Ange1o's nose and disdgg-
ured him for life. It was this temper which led
him to insult Leonardo da Vinci. It was this
temper which induced m when d1a rope ynlns Nus
Chapel {the Sistine), to answer grufdv, When
I shall be able" and brought the Pope's cane
upon his head. It was this temper which made
him write the angry and impatient letter to his
nephew Leonardo, which Is dated July, Lag, and
Which brought other troubles upon him. Hume
said that his happy disposition was better worth
having than 81, 900 year; and il that is SO, the
frctfulncss OF Michael Angelo might be equiva-
lent to considerable pecuniary deficit. But
this rugged side OF his great nature Is compen-
sated by bis loyalty, obedience, and kindness to
somewhat greedy, exacting, and unapprcciatr
ing father; By his kindness to his brothers; by
his warm friendship for many who knew his
worth; and By his generous gifts to many
who were Ignorant OF bis generosity. he
was m interchangeable worker, brave aud self
foiblcs, truly great man. He not only did
great work, which deserved great praise, but lie
was, in truth, successful man. He earned his
reward in his lifetime, and had not to leaye It
to other centuries to do that justice to his
merit which had been withheld by bis own. Il
is true he complains much Of the tardy payments
of the Popes; but, though some Of his en-
ployers doubtless cozencd him, he made money,
and, it is evident, must have invested very con-
siderable sums in land Greatness is not always
match for the light-dngcrod world; but
Michael Angelo seems to have been capable
man Of business, and to have held his own. he
commanded the respect Of Popes and Princes,
the admiration OF many, the love Of some; and
all the honors which could be bestowed upon
him were unstintingly conferred.
Michael Angelo was not q happy man. He had
mission, and that was to bring men out OF
marble. This, however, he was not allowed to
achieve Pope Julius IL at first commissioned
Michael Angelo to design and sculpture his
monument; ana that artist promised th?t,
equal In the world.'' This was bis profession;
here he was working with the grain. But, from
some unexplained causc,-for as Mr.. Wilson
points out, the jealousy Of Bramante is not snf~
t1cicnt to account for il, the Pope changed his
monument. mont, Michael Angelo left Rome, and it
was with difficulty that be was persuaded to re-
turn to the Pope's service. When he did ac-
cedc to the Pope's wishes and went to Bologna,
he was ordered to make . statue OF the
Pope in bronze With difficulty, and al
was completed, and the statue was erect
cd over the door Of San Petronio. Then
Michael Angelo Was summoned to Rome by the
Pope, and informed that he was not to 80 on
with the monument, but to paint IN 1resco the
protested that "Painting was not in bis pro-
fession,'' and suggested that the commission
should be given to Raphael; but 1t "as OF no
use. Even after the completion OF those 1n-
works, be was not allowed to return
to his fayorite art. The discovery OF marble ~
and Cardinal De Medici to insist upon Michael
Angelo having recourse to the Tuscan rather
than the Carrara quarries, Thus, he was
not only as the architect OF the front
Of San Lorcnzo at Florence. but at road-maklng
and quarrying in the mountains OF Tuscany. 1t
is not to be wondered at that, at this time, he
complains that 81 die with ye1ation from not
being able to do that which I would do but tor
my evil fortune" Freed from this unworthy
labor, he resumed at scant intervals bis chisei:
Even In these brief periods OF unmolesteh
time, however, his achievements were great. ne
worked with extraordinary energy ano rapldity.
The fakes Of marble fell quickly before his
vigorous hand, and the living statue stood cor-
rcssed. With wanton folly, Piero De Alcdtci, it
is said, once employed Michael Angelo to make
! statue of snow but when he was at work on
The hard marble, it seemed SHOW under his hant1-
ALI through his life, however, he was forced to
work at things Hnot his profession" The de-
sign for the monument Of julius II. was re-
Deatedly changed; for it was found that the
.xipcucics and icalous;es Of his successors, and
the small amount of time at Michael Ange1o's
disposal, would not permit OF its being carried
3ut. But even the curtalled plans and modlhca
designs made slow progress. M1chael angelo,
still protesting that architecture "Was not his
3rofession,' vas employed to design the Lau-
:enttan Library. After Florence, 10 spite OF
! brave resistance, to which the artist, rs we
nave seen, contributed, had fallen again
1nder the power Of the Medlca, Michael Angelo
.esumcd his work upon the monuments o1 the
Medic, and executed the " Dawn" which rests
N the tomb of Lorenzo, and the "Night, :" which
S scarcely more checr1es5 than the ''D2Nn-"