Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-02-09
.. Is II.
iIEaI LLJItHL uT TIE COURSE, BY REV. l.. e.
WAKE. THE IAsr JUDGMENT, OF MICHEL
ANGELO.

still bearing its tasteful Christmas dccors-
tons Of wreaths and notices CT evergreen,
was filed with cultivated audience. The
wall behind the desk was hung with large
photographs of the Last Judgment and OF
groups and figures from it, with these
bein: striking crayon drawing, life size.
Of one OF the most striking faces IN the
fresc1, and photographs of the sculptures
on the tOmbs of the Medicean dukes at
Florence. On the right OF the desk wa
large representation, IN colOrs, Of the cell
ing of the Si-;ine Chapel; and on the left
large outline engraving OF the Last Judg-
ment. The lecturer was briefly introduced
by President Buckham. lie alluded to the
Art course Ct last Winter. as creditdb!e to
the culture OF our city, 10 the character OF
the lectures, and in the reception given to
them and their effect upon the community.
In response to what was thought TO be
popular demand the Trustees of the Cal
lery had arranged similar course for this
Winter. Their programme had been sadly
married by the dropping out OF DR.. Lord
and Mr.. Phelps, who had been compelled,
one by ill health aud the other by prvirs-
sional engagements. to withdraw their
promise to contribute lectures. The trus-
tees had concluded. however, to 90 on with
the rest Of the course, ard presented it as
their torso -mutila,cd but beautiful still
Mr.. WARES LECTURE.
Mr.. Ware began by briefly recapituiating
the history of the portrayal OF the Last
Judgment in Art. This has not been con-
fined TO Christian Art. When the mora!
sense has become strongly aroused in Pagan
or in Christian, the alarmed conscience has
sought to express the idea of coming Tetri-
button, rudey or skiitully, in painting or
sculpture. We find it in the wall paint
ings OF the Ancient Egyptian and Etrnscan
tombs; and in the Indian and Assyrian
sculptures, though the Oriental Art was so
\ brutal as hardly TO be called art. Tho Last
| Judgment had no place in the serene and
smiling Greek Art. Plato described it, but
| it was to wait 500 years to be painted.
Roman Art. a pensioner on the Greek. bOr-
rowing everything from the Greek, borrow
| cd also its lack, and left US no Last Judg-
ment The early Christian Art, gentle and
| uplifting, for fye centuries was devoted to
other subjects The dOlor of the dark ages
| followed. and not till the ninth century
did the Last Judgment begin to be por-
trayed. The Byzantine wall painting in
| Capua; the mosaics of TorcellO the Sculp-
lures OF the English. German and Italian
Cathedrals; the work Of Cimabue, Or
cagna, Fra Angelica and Signorelli, pre-
pared the way for and led up to the last aud
creates representation, by Michel Angelo.
l. Ii.
| Twenty-Five years before, he Gas painting
| the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which he
found bare unsightly surface, and which
he left the noblest OF mural paintings,
stately creation in which the height OF
beauty and grandeur meet - the stan
dard and despair Of all after time.
Having portrayed on the ceiling this sever
al steps Of the creation the inspiring OF
man with the spark CT life =; the bringing
of woman out of man the Temptation
the Fall ; the Deluge; the forerunners of
Christ from Abraham to Joseph; the types
OF the Redemption-he brings the ciele 10
close with the Last Judgment. which fills
the end OF the chapel. lie was seven years
in painting it. In 1911 1t was opened to
public view. | wish, said the lecturer, 1t
were possible to restore the sight which
met the eyes OF those who crowded the
as through openings in marble architecture
| they looked into the lar blue of Heaven,
and beheid the seven fold work OF Creation
proceeding under the Almighty's hand,
aud the solemn first scenes Il human SIN.
Entranced they looked up at those prophets
and siby Is. more than human in dignity and
loveliness, of colossal build, august OF micn
and presence. tit 10 receive anu convey the
counselS OF God. Beneath them the eye FOL
lowed round a succession OF charming group
ed fdmiiIes and striking single figures. the
long lire OF the prOgenItOrs OF Christ.
They saw the lustre Of white marble in
arcn and panel the brisht crimson. purple
and orange, the blue, tawney and violet of
folded robes and flying mantles, the gold OF
medallions hung by many colOrei bands,
like shields OF warriors III temple the
green OF great lcaiy garlanGs, and against
the rich tones of color, the ruddy limbs and
mighty frames OF the athletes along the
cornce. This they saw overhead. Then,
turning 10 the altar-wail, they looked upon
the Last Judgment, fresh from the masters
banda vast space of Heaven, and there
the Judge in Cory, with HIS Mother and
Saints, and "all HIS holy Angels" about
them the circle Of the blest; beneath. the
saved rising in the Resurrection to meet the
Lord in the air, and the lost falling into
the fire prepared for the Devil and his
angels-the retreating sky bright from its
central glory, but more bright by the shin
ing figures dispersed through 1t, H0rld &C.
lestial-rOsy, the strong color OF men 5
bodies, the brighter tones of women's, here
broad in the light. there softly graded in
shadow, rich and splendid with tender and
delicate. all modulated, cadenced like fine
music-a symphony 10 the eye. Not yet
nuh "A trfy d. ha-I fh,.p t,la
and Jared the harmony OF color with
the tags and flaps of the perticoat. and elouts
i'll which the immodesty ct priests found it
needful to dress these figures. Unhurt by
time and neglect, untouched by InsOlent
criticism with these Indecent shreds and
patches Of diScOrdant hgeS, there the great
work stood in its glory.
Ii is now Il different thing the glorious |
shapes are there but the color Is faded. |
Great cracks run through it, cObwebs and |
dust obscure it, and it is snouched with the |
smoke of candles and torches used in the |
chapel service. Each year the observation |
thickens. The ceiling, seventy feet high, |
has Jared best; the Last Judgment has sui !
iered the most. IL has been scrubbed with |
coarse brooms. and a tawdry altar canopy, !
the stanchlons for which have been driven /
thrOugh the lresco. hides u good third of |
paid to work more reverend than their
altar. Restorers have wreakcd upon it their
ignorance. Like Leonardo's Last Supper
and the Sculptures of the ParthenOn, it is |
wreck. which makes one more indignant ut
the maleyolence of men than regretiul of the
harms OF time. Fortunately brilliant copy
OF it, executed by Michel Angeles pupil,
Venusti, Is in the Museum OF Naples, by
which We may judge OF .he brilliancy ofIhe
the frescO, in It's original glory.
Mr. Ware proceeded to take up the paint
ing in detail, describing the various groups.
eleven in number and dwelling on some OF the
most striking figures. with 4 graphic effect
to which no abstract would do justice.
lie dwelt also on the moral lesson ut
the painting Michel Angelo has been
called the conscience of Italy, and his great
work Is his conscience taxing form. Its
motive is JUSTICE II il SiyonarOla'S fiery
preaching continued by his disciple the
Reformation standing IN the most sacred
spot OF Papacy not in dogma, but IN ITS
spirit, a. 1t existed III the eOn-lence OF hun
whom God made one Vt the most Just OF
men before lie made him the sresIest OF
painters.
Our report can give but iaint impression
Of the vividness with which Mr.. WaIe
brought before his hearers the great work
which he described. and the glow which his
own interest in it and his surprising ad.
iniration of Michael Angelo threw oyer his
subject. Ii was a most difficult thing TO do,
and most admirably doue.
Following the description Of the Last
Judgment, Mr.. Ware sketched some ct the
inciie,ts of Michael Anrsln : life and the