The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-05-23
TITIAN'S DAUGHTER.

|
Thou dost not admire that picture
Giulio?" said the great painter, Tizianc
Vecelli, Of Venice to his faverite pupil
Giulio Mantoni.
81, 50, signor; but whose portrait il
it? When was it painted and where
has it been until now7"
/" Thou dost not ask who painted it,
Hast no curiosity, hast no wish to learn
this As
Curiosity enough, as thou well
knowest, signor, to prove my descent
from Eve, whose falling that way lost q
paradise to Adam. But need not ask
who painted thus, for there is only one
who can paint thus. There is only one
pencil which can blend such besutiful
coloring with such free drawing. signor
maestro, it theu could have thy pictures
unrecognized, thou must even hang them
with the painting to the WALL"
Flattery, Giulio-rank fatteryl
But believe thou meanest what thou
sayest. As to this portrait -
cay, signor, whose likeness is it F'
" As thou art anxious to know, my
Giulie, and often playest a trick upon
thy master, methinks I shall not tell
thee. Thou msyest look grave if thou
wilt, but shall not tell thee noD. Call
my gondolieri; the day is pleasant ana
they shall row me across the Lido. Addio,
AddioW
The painter went on his way across
the lagune and smiled as one smiles at
lucky thought or a successful specula>
tion. The musings were pleasant and SIS
he lay g at listless length" within the
canopy Of his gondola they found such
utterance as this
He is good youth, and hath prop
er love for art he is studious, too, gem
tie in manner, affectionate, and with
warm heaat. Ny Beatrice is a tender
dove, and it will be we'll ifshe can find a
shelter in his breast. How he gazed
upon the pictured If he admire the
original only half a. mucE, the train will
soon be in flames. He is a goodly
youth" And with such thoughts did
Titan take council on his brief and pleas
ant voyaga IN the r idn
Meanwhile the pupil employed him.
self in looking at the portrait more
than he heretofore had done.
The renewed and closer examination
confirmed his original opinion Of its exs
not alone as work of art, but
as the representation of a character of
feminine loveliness more attractive than
he had yet beheld In Venice. The por-
trait represented beautiful girl just in
the spring Of youth, bearing aloft in her
hands massive casEet, and pansing, as
It were, in her onward progress, to cast
. smile upon the behslder- like sudden
sunbursti The face was one OF exquis.
ite beauty, but the ndiVe and cheerful
expression, the hearty joyousness, the
guileless end trusting eloquence of
aspect, formed part OF intellectual
oveliness far greater than usually accom-
panies mere beauty OF features. For
;Lough to say so would be treason against
he majesty OF that sex whom we gener-
.lize as "fair"-I fear it is but too true
hat the perfection Of personal and mem
al beauty do not often meet inone. Yet
sven now do remember to have met
hat union.
The young artist admired the portrait |
or seme time and then tell intoa medi>
atIve humor-a thing unusual for him,
Or, though he was a SpaDiard, he was
! youth Of quick imagination and lively
and it is not the wont Of
uch TO anticipate the contemplatiye
thoughts which they believe belong to
he maturer season Of manhood. The
Touth thought and thought and thought
lntil, when Titan returned, he found
lis pupil seated opposite the portrait,
With his pencil in his hand and his head
downward dropping as in his
mood Of poetic thought | have seen that
4 Wordsworth, the great master of the
yre. Titan came near, but Giulio did
lot stir; nearer still, and Giulio was
,reathing heavily; close to him and
ouched his shoulder. The youth mp
tartedl He had fallen asleep before
be portraitl
Oh, what 8 very .unloFer-like accidentl
3ut siesta is treasure to the Spaniard,
nd the day was dull, and ii was weari.
ONE to BE- alone, and, if the truth must
& told, Giulio, who had ali a painter's
ye for beauty, bad been Up half the
night, seranading beautiful
ANA. whose bright eyes had fascinated
i'm one evening as be passed beneath
be windows Of her fathers palace.
Giulio Mantoni had been Titian,s
upil for some six months previous to
be incident of the portrait and the
lumber. Without any introduction
ad be come, but bad paid large sum
,r the privilege Of Instruction. After q
lme his gentle manners, his love for the ,