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Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
November
Year
1886
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

GIOVANNI DUPRE. By Henry 8lramns Frieze. Wlth two Dialogues on Art, from the Hallan of Augusto Conti. New York: Scrlbner S Welford. Although bearlng kb Iraprint of a New York house this book was prlnted In London, and is a liandsome specimen of typographic art, Uinugh not superior to the better class of American printed books. The Ímpetus given tlie subject of art in our univerttity hu doubtless called loitn Ui is pleatinjC book from tlie pen of Prof. Fiieze, and the entertaining manner he Lis assuined in ils nurration, wlll have a strong tendency to le;ul in:uiy not lierelofore especially interested to tulerupou tlie Uuring pathos of the author's triumphs In the past, and vpeculate as to the future. There is a no more ent icing Betd thn art, and to look over the handsome UltMtrations of Dupre's masterpieces, in this book, and read how their creator arose from comparative poverty and obscurity to the high position he now holds as one of the foiemost of Itallan artists seems most like n fairy story. Tlie book closes witli two dialogue trom the Italian of Augusto Conti, upon thouglits of Art. From Dialogue second we (jijóte a few passages : Am'co. - I have lookeil agaln and :i;aiii at your Piëta and your CurTét Riseu, iind I could not take uiy eyes trom tli em. How did you learn, my üupiè, to in vent sueli beauülul thlngs? Duprè - How do 1 know 1 Auiico. - And wlio should know, then ? Duprè - Orant tliat they are beantilul, as you say ; and as I desired tliem to be, and hope they are; yet, I assure you, the 8ecretofmy succes I know only ín part; in ppest part I d not iimJeristiiiid i!. Ainici). - How is ChalT JJupiè.- I know perfectly well the principies that guide me, and the methods ut my art; but liow ceitain t and their images atise in my mind, this to me a myslery ; just as nu one can teil, as I tliiiik, the inner virtue tbal causea the flowers of the wild plumto burst fortli In such beauty. I Wlll adil also, that it would l)e imposslble tor me, perhaps, loo, tor you, to draw the proper line between tliat which eoincs from nature and tliat which la mpplied by arfc At my rate it seenis to me that nature without art would remain dry and thorny, like the plum-tree wllhoutprinjílnie. Auiico.- 1 tliink so too. Thus, the water springs wll up t'rom tlie groaitd, but the engiueer innkes tlie cDaU thi'ougli which they Irrígate the lauda. But 1 was BpeMktux of tiio.'e beautiful slatues. Oh! wliat holy soirow In tliat Madonna oí youw, reitlng upon one knie, auil boMitl Dpon tlie othei' the body ofGhrlal just llfted down from tlie [¦m.-; slic cliupï Hiin wlth ii motht'i's lenderneu, resting Ier tace apon II is head, wlnle in Iut 'yes ind üps theie is BU exiiifssion of lol{tfnL, as IC iho woiild tuin bi'iiit; Hiin back to lit'. And tl e Ohrist, ïo puro and naar vel li u-ly braut - tul, I hiere alw:iys before my eyes. L)id you liud any iving model IV r this r.ue uei t'ectlon ? Dup:è - Beiuitifiil, of gentle iiüture, rftrd wit li no nulo inlnd: hu. liad a rellglous feeliny and wbsn I ííhvc hlm :i moment lor reet, he look up ;i book. Uut liy a ttraoge anü lad fortune, jiift wlieii 1 had come to tfae most beaatllal part f the work, bedled. Itwa exUemely dlfflcult lor me to tind any one rewiublliig tilui, and I wal alded more by memoiy.

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News