Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 2 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First CollectedJameson, Mrs. (Anna)
History
Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 2 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected
Jameson, Mrs. (Anna)
Germany -- Description and travel
One of the most interesting monuments in Munich, is the tomb of Eugene
Beauharnais, in the church of St. Michael. It is by Thorwaldson, and one
of his most celebrated works. It is finely placed, and all the parts are
admirable: but I think it wants completeness and entireness of effect,
and does not tell its story well. Upon a lofty pedestal, there is first,
in the centre, the colossal figure of the duke stepping forward; one hand
is pressed upon his heart, and the other presents the civic crown--(but
to whom?)--his military accoutrements lie at his feet. The drapery is
admirably managed, and the attitude simple and full of dignity. On his
left is the beautiful and well-known group of the two genii, Love and
Life, looking disconsolate. On the right, the seated muse of History
is inscribing the virtues and exploits of the hero; and as, of all the
satellites of Napoleon, Eugene has left behind the fairest name, I
looked at her, and her occupation, with complacency. The statue is,
moreover, exceedingly beautiful and expressive--so are the genii; and
the figure of Eugene is magnificent; and yet the combination of the
whole is not effective. Another fault is, the colour of the marble,
which has a grey tinge, and ought at least to have been relieved by
constructing the pedestal and accompaniments of black marble; whereas
they are of a reddish hue.
The widow of Eugene, the eldest sister of the king of Bavaria, raised
this monument to her husband, at an expense of eighty thousand florins.
As the whole design is classical, and otherwise in the purest taste and
grandest style of art, I exclaimed with horror at the sight of a vile
heraldic crown, which is lying at the feet of the muse of History.
I was sure that Thorwaldson would never voluntarily have committed
such a solecism. I was informed that the princess-widow insisted on
the introduction of this piece of barbarity as emblematical of the
vice-royalty of Italy; any royalty being apparently better than none.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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