Chapter 5

In the lower half of the picture the lines in the draperies of the kneeling saints taper to an imaginary point between the heads of the cherubs, forming a second inverted pyramid or triangle. Thus the composition is inclosed in a harmonious figure whose outlines suggest what we call a diamond.

Perhaps one reason why a triangular arrangement satisfies the eye, lies in the simple fact that the most important and yet familiar object in nature is thus arranged. Thus in this picture, the three principal persons form the upper triangle, and the body of each person repeats the figure,--that is, the head rises from the shoulders in such a way that the lines inclosing them produce a triangle. Further, in each face, the line formed by the eyes is connected by two imaginary lines meeting at the mouth.

In the picture the central figure illustrates this very noticeably. The arm of the Virgin forms by its position, along with the body of the child, a base, from which two other lines rise, tapering to the top of the head; the child's head lies right in the course of one of these lines. Thus mother and child together form a single figure, the two united in one.

But when we have studied this simple principle of composition, we go back with delight to the picture itself for what it tells us: the deep mystery of the mother's face, as if she were lifted above the ordinary plane of human life; the blended loveliness of childhood with the consciousness of a holy calling; the lowly devotion yet dignity of St. Barbara; the grandeur and forgetfulness of self of the Pope, whose triple crown rests on the parapet; the perpetual childhood of the angelic figures.

The picture takes its name from the Pope, who had been canonized as St. Sixtus. It was painted for the convent of St. Sixtus at Piacenza, but early in the eighteenth century it was bought by the Elector of Saxony, and now hangs in the gallery at Dresden. It is a pleasant thing to know that when Frederick the Great bombarded Dresden, he ordered his cannon to keep clear of the Picture Gallery. Napoleon, too, though he took many pictures to Paris, did not take any from the Dresden gallery.

When we compare the Sistine Madonna with the Madonna of the Chair, we see what a wide variety of pictures there may be on the single subject of the Mother and Child. The Madonna of the Chair is, as we have said, a home scene, like a picture from real life. The Sistine Madonna is a vision; the figures are lifted above the actual surroundings of earth into a purely ideal and heavenly atmosphere. In the Madonna of the Chair, the Mother and Child are all in all to each other, and what attracts us most in the picture is the mother's love. In the other picture both mother and boy seem to forget themselves in the thought of some glorious service to others.

XVI

PORTRAIT OF RAPHAEL

We have been looking at fifteen pictures designed by Raphael. They are but a few of the great number painted either wholly or in part by the master, or painted by his pupils from designs and sketches made by him. He was thirty-seven years old when he died, and it was said that he died on his birthday. His life was brimful of activity as a painter.

The portrait which stands at the beginning of this little book was painted by himself at the age of twenty-three, for his mother's brother, whom he was wont to call his "second father." An English poet, Samuel Rogers, in his poem "Italy," has these lines which describe it prettily:--

"His heavenly face a mirror of his mind, His mind a temple for all lovely things To flock to and inhabit."

One of his contemporaries, Vasari, wrote a book of "Lives of the Painters," and thus he speaks of Raphael: "All confessed the influence of his sweet and gracious nature, which was so replete with excellence, and so perfect in all the charities, that not only was he honored by men, but even by the very animals, who would constantly follow his steps, and always loved him."

If we think of what was happening to Raphael in the year 1506, when he painted this portrait, perhaps we shall read more truthfully the expression in his face. Seven years before he had entered the studio of Perugino, and had begun to learn from that master and to show something of his own power. Two years before he had made his first visit to Florence, and there he saw some of the great pictures by Leonardo da Vinci and Michael Angelo, and had a new conception of what art could do.

He had already shown the effect upon him in some of his greatest Madonnas, and he stood now on the threshold of a great career. New ambitions awoke within him; new ideals flashed upon his inner vision. Modest and gentle though he was, he felt a growing consciousness of his own power.

So he holds his head high; not haughtily, but with a dignified self-confidence. His eyes seem to see the visions of which he dreams; his mouth is half parted as if in expectancy. Happy and lovable, there is a sweet thoughtfulness in his air which gives promise of his wonderful performance.

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PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY OF PROPER NAMES AND FOREIGN WORDS.

The Diacritical Marks given are those found in the latest edition of Webster's International Dictionary.

EXPLANATION OF DIACRITICAL MARKS.

A Dash ([=]) above the vowel denotes the long sound, as in f[=a]te, [=e]ve, t[=i]me, n[=o]te, [=u]se.

A Curve ([)]) above the vowel denotes the short sound, as in [)a]d [)e]nd, [)i]ll, [)o]dd, [)u]p.

A Dot ([.]) above the vowel a denotes the obscure sound of a in p[.a]st, [.a]b[=a]te, Am[)e]ric[.a].

A Double Dot ([:]) above the vowel a denotes the broad sound of a in faether, aelms.

A Double Dot ([:]) below the vowel a denotes the sound of a in b[a:]ll.

A Wave ([~]) above the vowel e denotes the sound of e in h[~e]r.

A Circumflex Accent ([^]) above the vowel o denotes the sound of o in born.

e sounds like e in d[.=e]p[)e]nd. o sounds like o in pr[.=o]p[=o]se. c sounds like s. [-c] sounds like k. [s=] sounds like Z. [=g] is hard as in [=g]et. [.g] is soft as in [.g]em.

Aeneas (e n[=ee]' [.a]s). Alcibiades ([)A]lc[)i]b[=i]' [.a]d[=e]z). Anchises ([)a]n k[=i]' s[=ee]z). Apocrypha ([.a] p[)o]k' r[)i] f[.a]). Apollo ([.A]p[)o]l' l[=o]). Arras (Aerraes'). Augustine ([a:]' [=g][)u]s t[=ee]n).

Barnabas (Baer' n[.a]b[.a]s). Borgo (Bor' [=g][=o]).

Calliope ([-C][)a]ll[=i]' [=o]p[.=e]). Costis ([-C][)o]s' t[)i]s). Creusa ([-C]r[=e][=u]' s[.a]).

Dante (D[)a]n' t[.=e]).

Elias ([.=E]l[=i]' [.a]s). Elijah ([.=E]l[=i]' jah).

Galilee ([=G][)a]l' [)i]l[=ee]). Gennesaret ([=G][)e]nn[)e]s]' [.a]r[)e]t). Gentiles ([=G][)e]n' t[=i]les=]).

Heliodorus (H[=e]l[)i][=o]d[=o]' r[)u]s). Hercules (H[~e]r' [-c][=u]l[=e][s=]). Herod (H[)e]r' [)o]d). Hippocrene (H[)i]pp[=o][-c]r[=e]' n[.=e]).

Iulus (I[=u]' l[)u]s).

Josephus (j[=o] s[=ee]' f[)u]s).

Leonardo da Vinci (l[=a] [=o] naer' d[=o] dae v[)i]n' ch[=ee]). Loggia (l[)o]d' j[.a]). Louvre (l[=oo]' vr). Lycaonia (l[=i]k [.a] [=o]' n[)i] [.a]). Lystra (L[)y]s' tr[.a]).

Maccabees (m[)a]k' [.a] b[=ee]z). Madame (M[)a]daeme'). Magdalene (M[)a]g' d[.=a]l[)e]n). Mamre (M[)a]m' r[=e]). Maximin (M[)a]x' [)i]m[)i]n). Melchisedec (m[)e]l k[)i]z' [.=e] d[)e]k). Mercurius (M[~e]r[-c][=u]' r[)i][)u]s). Minerva (M[)i]n[~e]r' v[.a]).

Onias ([=O]n[=i]' [.a]s).

Parnassus (Paern[)a]s' s[)u]s). Pericles (P[)e]r' [)i][-c]le[s=]). Perugino (p[=a] r[=oo] j[=ee]' n[=o]). Piacenza (p[=e] ae ch[)e]n' dzae). Pindar (P[)i]n' daer). Plato (Pl[=a]' t[=o]). Plautus (pl[a:]' t[)u]s). Polymnia (P[.=o]l[)y]m' n[)i][.a]).

Raphael (rae' f[=a] [)e]l).

Sabinella (S[)a]b[)i]n[)e]l' l[.a]). Sappho (s[)a]f' f[=o]). Sheba (Sh[=e]' b[.a]). Signora (S[=ee]n y[=o]' r[.a]). Sinai (S[=i]n' [=i]). Sistine (S[)i]s' t[=ee]n). Socrates (S[)o][-c]' r[.a]t[=e][s=]). Sodom (S[)o]d' [)o]m). Stanza d'Eliodoro (staen' dzae d[=a] l[.=e] [.=o] d[=o]' r[=o]).

Urban (Ur' b[.a]n). Urbino ([=oo]r b[=ee]' n[=o]).

Vasari (vae sae' r[=ee]). Vatican (V[)a]t' [)i][-c][)a]n).

Xenophon (z[)e]n' [.=o] f[)o]n).

Zebedee (Z[)e]b' [)e]d[=ee]).

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