The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-04-28
TIE SLIPPERY STAIR.

Let me retell a story of Flemish art
and Flemish love which may serve
yCu "a amusement, instruction, and
incentive.
David TenierS the younger, who was
born IN Antwerp in 1910, educated in
part by his famous father and the still
more famous Rubens. made such pro-
gress in art under his teachers that
early in his career he was appointed
court painter to the Archduke Leopold
Of Austria, governor of the Flemish
provinces. Teniers' fame becoming
wide he received 50 many orders that
he was scarcely able to satisfy the de-
mand for his paintings.
One day the Graf de Eglentier,
friend of Archduke Leopold, sum
moncd Teniers and said:
Il wish YOU to paint for me Il picture
for which | will pay YOU your own
price The subject which | have
chosen for you is most difficult. and
one which | have never seen repre-
seuted truthfulIy on canvas As | in
tend in a few weeks to marry. | wish
to have picture Of Hymen which will
do justice to the beauty OF welded life
with her love"
Tenier did not repeat the Italian
proyerb:
We'll doth the man unmarried cIothe his wife,
And well the childlesS forms his children'S
life"
which came to him as the ardent lover
talked, but contcuted himself with re-
plying:
Herr Graf. will take your order
and will employ my best skill i'll paint
ip9 u fni ,,-h. .h
pictured in glowing words"
The marriage eve came and the
great painter placed before the Graf de
Eglentier 4 picture Of iiymeu which.
said a writer Of those days, was rs
fair as the antique Adonis. for never
were such sweet outlines illumined by
a more fascinating smile. Nor had he
forgotten the torch; and no ilambeau
of Love had ever rayed forth lovelier
light"
The count looked at the picture long
and earnestly; ut length he turned to
the artist and said in tone Of disap-
pointmcnt:
This is only the idea of the dull
world that knows little of the true
charms of marriage The form. the
traved to YOU as my conception of
Hvmen. are all absent from this
picture"
Teniers was a courtier rs we'll as
| painter. and 50 with admirable tact
replied:
You are right, my noble count. for
when recall your description and re-
fleet on the surprising lOyellneSs OF her
YOU wed tomorrow. and consider the
prospect Of your lasting happiness, |
wonder at myself that | could have
produced such a dull picture. Let ME
! retouch ii under the stimulus of your
ladys beautv-and this conversation. :"
The painter carried the "disappoint-
| inc Hvmen" to his studio, where it re-
| manned untouched for five months. At
| the end of this time Teniers once more
visited the Graf de Eglentier and
/ showed him the picture. The count,
Notwithstanding reporter of his day
| wrote that his wife was endowed with
rare beauty worthy of the pencils OF
Murillo and Rubens." found her less
fascinating as the welded days passed
/ BY. SO now he said TO the painter
who stood before him, with quiet
| smile:
You have indeed retouched the
picture most skiIlfully and improved
/ it as work of art. but you
have gone far beyond my ideal of
Hymen. This figure is too smiling
and lively. You have made him more
cod of love than the sober god of
marriage You should have repre-
sented him with, perhaps, a little sad
| expression.
Teniers. though courteous in bear
inc and polite in speech, was COM
PEELED to reply;
MY lord. Your heart, not the
picture. has changed. That which was
too little for the ardent lover is, too
much for the tickle husband
The count. chagrined, would have
taken then the picture and paid the
price, but Teniers said
Grant me few days more of work
upon this painting and | promise you
that full satisfaction viii be given"
The great artist sought his studio
and produced a curiosity in art upon
which the greatest praises were be-
| slowed The Graf de Eglentier-fick
lover that he was-did not become its
owner. for the archduke, having seen
and admired it, purchased it for his
gallery and placed it in recess at the
end. To ascend to the alcove in which
Il" "nhilnSopbic picture" as it was