Part 3

Then Apollo told Phaëthon of the journey. “The first part of the way,” he said, “is so very steep that, although the horses start out in the best possible condition, they can hardly climb it; the next part is so high up in the heavens that I dare not look down upon the earth and sea below, lest I grow dizzy and fall; the last part of the journey is the most difficult of all, because the road descends rapidly and it is hard to guide the horses. And all this time,” Apollo went on, “the heavens are turning around and carrying the stars with them.”

But even as he spoke, Aurora threw open the cloud curtains which hid the earth, and there appeared the road upon which she cast her roses while beckoning to the eager boy. Hardly listening to his father’s anxious warnings, Phaëthon jumped into the golden chariot, grasped the reins of the four fiery steeds, and off they started.

At first he remembered what Apollo had said, and was careful, but he soon grew reckless, driving at full speed. The horses, knowing it was not their master’s hand, took the bits between their teeth and were soon out of his control. For a time they followed the road, but when that was lost they began to descend toward the earth so rapidly it seemed as if they would be dashed to pieces. Then up again they started in reckless, dizzy flight. At times they came so close to fields and woods as to scorch and blacken them. Other fields they did not pass, and these were frostbitten.

Then a great wail of complaint went up from the earth. This cry was heard by Jupiter, the most powerful of the gods, who, looking earth-ward and discovering the cause of all this trouble, was very angry. With his terrible right arm he drove a thunderbolt at the reckless youth, and in an instant Phaëthon fell from the chariot headlong into the sea. The horses, finding themselves free, returned to Apollo, and never since then has any hand but his been permitted to guide them.

The Greeks declared that the great desert of Sahara in Africa is the place where the sun’s chariot scorched the earth, and that it was then that the African negroes were burned black. Phaëthon’s boy friend, who was constantly diving down into the water trying to recover his body, was turned into a swan, and Phaëthon’s weeping sisters were changed into poplar trees.

In our picture we see Apollo holding the reins, accompanied by the Hours and preceded by Aurora and the cherub torch-bearer or morning star. They seem to be moving rapidly on their way, borne up by the clouds. The sky is a brilliant, golden yellow, and its fleecy clouds are tinged with purple. The graceful figures of the Hours are each represented in pale or brighter-colored draperies according to the time of day to which they belong. Aurora herself is clothed in rainbow hues, her draperies flying with her swift progress. Far below we see the land and sea, wrapped in slumber, awaiting the coming of the dawn.

=Questions to help the pupil understand the picture.= Where is the original painting of the “Aurora”? What goddess does it represent? What is the Greek myth concerning her? What part has Apollo in this picture? How many horses does he drive? How are the Hours represented? What does the cherub carrying a torch represent? In what direction does the flame of the torch blow? Why is Apollo’s journey so difficult? Who was Phaëthon? What did he ask of Apollo? Why did he wish to do this? Why was Apollo alarmed? Tell about Phaëthon’s journey, and what happened to him. Upon what does the chariot seem to rest? Over what are they passing? What colors did the artist use in this painting?

=To the Teacher=:

SUBJECTS FOR COMPOSITIONS

Aurora, Goddess of the Morning. Apollo, the Sun God. The Story of Phaëthon, Apollo’s Son.

=The story of the artist.= Guido Reni was born in the little village of Bologna, Italy. As a small child he gave every promise of becoming an accomplished musician. His father, himself a gifted performer, began to teach him to play the flute and harpsichord as soon as he was old enough to handle the instruments. Guido had a beautiful voice, and the father hoped to make a fine musician of him. But the boy also had a beautiful, sunshiny face which attracted the attention of an artist, who asked permission to paint him as an angel in several pictures. After watching this artist at work, Guido began to wish to paint pictures, too, and was permitted to take a few lessons.

His first picture was a surprise to the artist, causing him to urge Guido’s father to allow the boy to develop his talent. About this time, too, Guido began to make all kinds of interesting figures in clay, and his fingers were always busy.

At thirteen years of age he so excelled the other pupils of the artist that he was allowed to teach some of them.

Later Guido went to Rome, where he remained for twenty years in great favor. He then moved to Bologna and there opened a large school for art students. He made his home in Bologna during the rest of his life. Guido Reni might have lived all his life in splendor and ease, for he earned great sums of money; but as his fame grew he became more and more extravagant in his habits, and so was always in debt. He was obliged to paint hurriedly, and to the utmost of his genius, that he might have more pictures to sell.

However, his keen sense of beauty did not desert him, and his popularity continued to the end. He was especially skillful in representing beautiful upraised faces of women and children. One day a young nobleman met Guido Reni and asked him where he found such lovely models for his paintings. He said the other artists were wondering about it and thought him very selfish to keep them to himself. Guido replied in a mysterious voice, “Come to my studio, signor, and I will show you my beautiful model.” So, filled with delight and eager anticipation, the nobleman tiptoed after the artist up the stairs to the studio. You can imagine how he must have felt when Guido Reni called his color-grinder, who has been described as “a great greasy fellow, with a brutal look,” and posed him.

As the color-grinder sat quietly looking up through the skylight, Guido took a pencil and after sketching very rapidly for a few minutes, showed his guest a sketch of a beautiful Magdalen gazing upward. Then turning to his visitor, he said earnestly, “Dear Count, say to your ‘other artists’ that a beautiful idea must be in the imagination, and in that case any model will serve.”

Guido Reni had the greatest admiration for the paintings of Raphael and went to Rome just to study them.

As he loved to work with clay himself, he spent much of his time in Rome studying the beautiful pieces of statuary there. He tells us that his favorites were the Venus de Medici and Niobe.

Pleasant and courteous to all, he made friends everywhere and was greatly beloved. Once when he was very ill his friends hired musicians to play just outside his door. This pleased him greatly, as he was always passionately fond of music. He said to them, “And what, then, will be the melodies of Paradise?”

Guido Reni was a great favorite of Pope Paul V and many of his pictures were painted for the Pope. When he returned from Rome to Bologna, he found himself more popular than ever and quite overwhelmed with orders for pictures.

Of all his paintings, the “Aurora” is generally considered his best. The story is told of a little girl who had lived all her life in the country. Upon her first visit to her uncle in the city, she discovered a large and splendid copy of the “Aurora” in his living room. One morning her uncle came into the room and found his little niece gazing at the picture in rapt admiration.

“Well, Mary,” he said, “what do you think of it?”

“Oh, uncle,” she replied, “I like it ‘cause they are in such a hurry.”

So young and old have found one reason or another for liking this picture.

Guido Reni painted many portraits as well as many historical and mythological pictures. Some of the best known of Guido’s paintings are: “Reclining Venus with Cupid,” “St. Michael and the Dragon,” “Beatrice Cenci,” “Little Bacchus Drinking,” and “The Mater Dolorosa of Solimena.”

=Questions about the artist.= Where was the artist born? What two talents had he? How did he happen to study painting? How did he succeed with his first picture? What was his progress? Why was he never rich? What subjects did he choose? What did the young nobleman ask him? Tell of the nobleman’s visit to the artist’s studio. Whose paintings did Guido Reni admire greatly? What statues? How was he able to make so many friends? What was his masterpiece? What did the little country girl say about it? Name some of his paintings.

THE ANGELUS

=Questions to arouse interest.= In what attitude are these peasants standing? What have they been doing? With what have they been working? What can you see in the background? From what direction does the light come? What time of day do you think it is? in what country? Why have they stopped their work? Who of you can tell what the Angelus is? What feeling does this picture give you—one of sadness, peace, quiet, noise prosperity, poverty, or happiness?

=Original Picture=: Collection Chauchard, Paris. =Artist=: Jean François Millet (mē´lĕ). =Birthplace=: Gruchy, France. =Dates=: Born, 1814; died, 1875.

=The story of the picture.= Although our print is only black and white, we are made to feel the brightness of the sunset in this picture. The horizon, veiled in a haze, shows the church tower of the distant village faintly silhouetted against the sky, while the sinking sun casts its long shadows across the field. But our eyes do not dwell long on sky, church, or field, for the two figures draw our gaze. The bright rays from the setting sun fall directly upon the woman, who faces the west; the man, turning toward her, is partly in shadow.

No doubt these two peasants have been working in the fields, the man digging potatoes, as we may judge by those in the basket and the two well-filled bags on the wheelbarrow. As he digs them, the woman gathers them up in her basket and empties them into the sacks. Thus busily engaged, they suddenly hear the church bell; its great tone coming far across the field reminds them that it is the hour of prayer. So putting down the pitchfork and basket, they stand with bowed heads as they repeat the evening prayer.

The artist wished to paint a picture that would make us hear the bell sounding clearly across the deep stillness of the open field. He wished to make us feel, as do these peasants, the quiet solemnity of the hour.