The Story of Spanish PaintingCaffin, Charles H. (Charles Henry)
History
The Story of Spanish Painting
Caffin, Charles H. (Charles Henry)
Painters -- Spain; Painting, Spanish
Following the _Count Orgaz_ came a series of pictures in which
passionate ecstasy reached its highest intensity. Three of them are in
the Prado: _The Crucifixion_, already alluded to, in which angels are
catching the sacred Blood, a _Resurrection_ and _The Baptism of Christ_.
The last named (p. 81) is not merely a representation of one man pouring
water on the head of another, whose humble mien, coupled with the
introduction of a hovering dove and sometimes a venerable aged man
above, tells one that the picture is meant to represent the baptism of
the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Such is generally the jejune
method of treating the subject. But here we are again in the presence of
a vision, in which the real spiritual significance of the facts of the
incident are made visible to the eye. Heaven joins with earth in a
symphonic burst of devotional enthusiasm. Movement of life abounds, the
soul’s life typified by human forms. There is even the rhythm of
movement in the comparatively static figures of the Christ and S. John;
in the angels that lift the crimson mantle and those who stand by
adoring; while over head the spiritual energy mounts in wave upon wave
of jubilance till it circles about the serene figure of the Most High
God. Once more we note how a sense of far-off isolation is given to this
topmost figure by introduction of taller angels in the front plane; also
that there is nowhere any space unfilled with meaning, even the
grey-green creamy clouds seeming to mount upward with their angelic
burdens. But beyond all possibility of description is the degree to
which the picture kindles and lifts the imagination.
Amazing also is _The Resurrection_, now in the Prado. The figure of the
Lord, long and supple as a reed, is poised above, while down below the
soldiers are in agitated consternation. They have been roused out of
sleep by the shock of the rending tomb and, still dazed, confront the
miracle. One has fallen backward in his fear, some shield their eyes
from the light, while others carve the air with their swords in frantic
efforts. With the exception of one fine young figure that reaches up his
hand, as if in acknowledgment of the miracle, they are all nude, the
bodies wrought to extreme tension of expression.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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