The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-24
WnenaOsyne' s
Pictures
THE READING MAeDALENE.
BY ChrIstefano AIIori.

Alior1 Reading Magdalene is hung
in the third room of the Tribuna, in
the Uffizi Palace, Florences most his
| tor1c and oppulent art gallery Just
| where 1t hangs, the writer will never
forget, because it was after repeated
endeavor on his part that the famous
painting was located Copies seen in
| America had stimulated the mind, so
that when the actual opportunity Of
studying the original arrived, it was
inconceivable that any human mishap
should prevent seeing it. Still the
last morning in Florence waned and
the Magdalene perversely remained in
eclipse! The worthy Baedaeker said
she was right there, close by the Tri-
buna, but search as one might, she
could not be found.
Perhaps. in fact the main trouble
lay in the minds eye. Having so re-
Gently gazed in admiration at Botti-
cellis Spring. having seen the wonder
and magnitude of Titien's Venus, the
eye of the traveller was tuned to
pitch Of the greatest magnitude. That
was why, after the fourth fruitless
search, despairingly, the guard was
called to the rescue, and he pointed
out the picture. Baedaeker was right.
1t was just where his guide book said
it must be, but no wonder that II had
escaped observation. For behold, it is
not a medium sized picture. On the
contrary 1t is a very small one.
The actual size of this canvass. one
that is famous over two continents,
is about IS by "a inches. So the writ
er's Gargantuan eyes had never even.
noticed 1t. -Four times 1t had been
passed by. Then we studied the paint
ing, which small as 1t is, had held
its place since Allori painted it about
the beginning of the 18th Century. The
significance of its fame is soon appar-
ent.
Not after the model of sainted wom-
enhood, nor yet with the idea of realiz-
Ing anything more sublime than
woman at her loveliest did Allori con-
ceive Of the Reading Mary. The Mag
dalene, as he presents her. is a daugh-
ter of nature. She is young and
comely Her spiritual rebirth has in
no way marred her earthly beauty
Rather it has transfigured her whole
womanhood with an tneffable lowell
ness.
AS she reads the words of Isaiah,
she is free from all remembrance of
sin. She is conscious and triumphant
in the forgiveness of her Lord. She
is SO confident that the loneliness of
her surroundings, the wild country,
even the horror of those human bones
lying at her elbow, are as completely
forgotten as are the physical beauties
of her own body. Now. she has some
thing else, a something which makes
all life beautiful That is her treas
ure and she studies the scriptures
opIx n x1yha Oh al d<yl
knows. She lies there on the sand and
reads. She forgets all else. That is
the story that Allori has told upon a
two square feet of canvas.
1t is of course the spiritual beauty
that has made famous the Reading
Aagdalene for a matter of four hun
bred years, but there are other attrac-
tons, which though less admired to-
day, then gave it merit. Allori
crowned his Mary with all the charms
that men loved most in women during
the Renaissance. She has wonderful
hair The arm that holds the book
is perfect In coloring. Her figure,
half cancelled as it is by her dark
cloak. is plump and pretty. There is
nothing modern about his conception
of female grace Allori's Mary prob !
ably pleased Hogarth. 1t does not
delight the illustrator OF today.
The artists who illustrate contemp-
orary magazines conceive of lowell |
ness as link of sweetness long
drawn out Not so the Masters 1t I
is reasonable to ask how long today's |
attenuated drawings viii lastI- Not |
as many centuries as has this paint |
ing of the Italian, Cbristophano /
Allori.
Too fluch yap has already caused /