New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-12
Notes of a Winters Holiday in
European GaIIerieS-lll.*

To see a zoreign country for the lifS'
time is surely one of the great seho"-
tions of life, but to revisit It, espe0i-i''
after a long absence, is even more III
teresting. though not perhaps so exit
ing. When ycu discover ltaly-ahd
every traveller discovers Italy for him
self-it is next to impossible to co-orol-
nate your impressions. 1t Is worlo Ia
itself and it must be explored again anu
again, in the light of devoted STUDY pe-
fore it's treasures are seen IN Il really
manageable perspective. 1t is as thOush
one familiariZed himself little by little
with the contents Of an incredlply vast
museum. In other lands IL ma! NC
other things that matter, Things having
nothing to do with the mere mass Oh
stuff to be seen but with the genius OF
n people. The fact has been b'ouSA1
home to me by return 10 Spain. some
sixteen or seventeen years ago, when
visited that country for the first time
chance took me through its southern
gateway. Nothing could be more de-
lightful, but l have since learned that II
YOU want 10 plunge straight into the
spirit Of Spanish art the best approach
is from the North, and it is best made
with some swiftncss in the heart OF
winter.
Spanish art is grave. austero. the lluiI
of a civilization which was domlnatea
by a rigidly formal court and penetrated
10 it's very core by the discipline OF the
Roman Church at the height OF ns
power There was nothing blithely SEN
suous about it in the heyday of its de-
>elopncnt. Its masters were no light
hearted sdvcnturcrs. pursuing beauty
for its oWn sake. but sober craftsmen
obedicntIy filling the orders of royal ana
clerical patrons Moreover, climatic
and social conditions and certain harsh
racial traits played into the hands OF
Church and State Now one is scarcely
n,,t into the cod to realize the fun sig
n;6canco Of all this by summer wan
derings in Andalusia. When l Went
SLOWLY up 10 Madrid. after indolent DAYS
in the Alhambra and in towns like Caulz
and Seville, I was quite ready to oeheNe
forever in the sunny Spain of count
less hooks of travel. and | was the less
prepared TO readiust my point of view
because | had been absorbed in the
suavc traditions Of Italian art. Spanish
nic,ures seen in England and in the va
rious galleries Of Europe had not quite
nrepared me for the revelations OF the
Prado, where alone, it may be noted IN
nassiug. the art of the country is to be
studied at full length. Ny first intima-
tioc Of the atmosphere l was to ma
there came in the course of a long ride
nv diligence to Jaen. | began then 70
taste the quality of the Spanish land
scape in its dustieT, stonier aspects, TO
forget orange trees and gypsy dancers
in the presence Of barren hillsides ana
sombre, brown cloaked shepherds, stand
ing lonely against the sky. Later, as
came to see more Of Spain. ] understood
that when she is barest and bleakest she
is most herself most the jpain of Nelas-
quez. If there is one spot on which
more than on any other in the whole
country you get the key TO the problem
II is beneath the cold walls Of the Es-
curial. on a day Of drifting mist or when
the wind comes down like a knife from
the Guadarrama. Enter the grimly SOL
emn church and look up at the royal
worshippers on either side, kneeling in
bronze with their faces turned to the
high altar. The soul of Spain is there
1t took time to find it out, but this
winter, going down to Madrid from San
Sebastian. one seemed hardly to have
crossed the threshold before the Span