Part 9 (2/2)
The marble was procured, and I was already modelling with ardour the statue of Cain. Fortunately the Grand d.u.c.h.ess Maria of Russia, daughter of the Emperor Nicholas, was pa.s.sing through Florence. She had already heard the discussion, _pro_ and _con_, which this statue had raised. She wished to see it, and was so well pleased by it that she did not conceal her delight. She was in company with her husband, the Prince of Leuchtenberg. They went into my private studio and saw the Cain, only just begun. She exchanged some words with the Prince, and he was much pleased, and embraced me. Then the Grand d.u.c.h.ess, pressing my hand, said, ”The Abel and the Cain are mine.” Then they departed. When I went home and told the good news to my wife, it seemed as if she had a little more faith in what I was so convinced of--viz., my future career as an artist.
[Sidenote: PRINCE OF LEUCHTENBERG.]
For the rest of the time that the august Prince and Princess were in Florence, he never omitted to pa.s.s some half-hours of the morning in my studio, because he liked so much to see me at work. He spoke Italian extremely well, and it amused him to talk with my model Antonio Petrai on various subjects; and as he was such a strong and well-made fellow, one day he asked him if he would like to measure his strength at fisticuffs with any one; and Petrai--who knew well enough who it was who asked the question, and was embarra.s.sed about making a proper reply--after much hesitation could only say ”Aho!” upon which the Prince laughed heartily and gave him something.
Who would have thought that such a handsome youth, so tall, squarely built, and so spirited, would have died only a few years later of an insidious disease? He was the son of Prince Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy in the troublous times of Napoleon I. One day he came and carried me away from the studio, because he wished to see with me the statues which ornament our Piazza della Signoria and the Loggia of Orsanmichele; but first he would go to Doney's to breakfast. As soon as we were seated, he ordered _caviale_. ”_Caviale_!” answered the waiter, ”we have none.” ”Bring _caviale_,” said the Prince, sharply; but before the servant could reply he made a sign to the master, who was at the desk, and he knocked loudly on the marble to call the waiter back. After a little while a magnificent plate of _caviale_ was served. I wish to note this anecdote, as it depicts the courteousness, affability, and popularity of this Prince, who, though he had married the daughter of the Emperor of Russia, had not forgotten that he was born and educated in Italy.
[Sidenote: COMMISSION FOR CAIN AND ABEL.]
In the meantime, Mariotti, by order of the Grand d.u.c.h.ess, made the contract for the two statues, Cain and Abel, and the price fixed for the Abel was 1500 _scudi_, and for the Cain 2000 _scudi_. The contract which I had made with Mariotti was torn up, and I gave him out of my first receipts the sum he had given me; but as to the remainder, the 700 _scudi_, which was to be divided between us, he would not receive it, saying that the Grand d.u.c.h.ess had already paid him enough. And this, for Mariotti, whom they call _mangia-russi_, was a good action.
In the meantime the good Count del Benino lent me a considerable sum of money to pay the rent of my studio, for the modelling stands and tools, and for the models, as also the daily sum I carried home for household expenses. This was all registered in a book, with the sums, the dates, and my name signed in receipt. And all this together came to the amount of about 100 _scudi_.
Now that I had two good commissions, and the relative advances on them, I went to Palazzo del Benino, this time to pay rather than receive, and therefore with lighter and freer spirit. I was anxious to cancel this debt, which weighed upon my mind like an incubus, which I had felt was increased and renewed every time I was forced by necessity to ask for more money; and poor Del Benino, who perceived my reluctance, encouraged me, and made me feel that it was indifferent to him whether he gave more or less, trying to distract me while he counted out the money. But this time, as I have said, I was gay and light-hearted, and caused my name to be announced by the servant in a loud voice: in short, I was in bearing and in words slightly proud.
[Sidenote: I OFFER TO REPAY DEL BENINO.]
The Count was seated writing in his usual place. He put down his pen, and staring at me with his blue eyes, said, ”Sor Giovanni, welcome! I am delighted to see you. What charming thing have you to tell me? Yes, what can you tell me that I do not already know? To begin, then, I congratulate you truly--truly. You see, this is for me a new satisfaction: you cannot imagine the pleasure I feel in now seeing certain faces cloudy and sad which a few months ago were bursting with laughter. And I divert myself very much playing the ignoramus with them, saying, 'Then it appears that this youth is going straight ahead, _per Bacco!_' The Abel! that stands for what it is--I mean to say, that if the artist has cast it from life, as you say, the Grand d.u.c.h.ess Maria has caught a fine crab; but the Cain! that is scarcely begun, and they tell me that she has seen it only in the clay, and liked it, and given the order for it, and other like things; for the desire to torment them does not fail me, and they were much teased and molested by my bitter words, which I pretended not to mean and ran on. So I have diverted myself, and so I will divert myself. Now, then, again I congratulate you. And now tell me if I can do anything for you. I am at your service.”
”Signor Conte, I have come to repay the money which you have lent me, with so much generosity and kindness, to enable me to make my new model of Cain, which, G.o.d be thanked, has so much pleased the Grand d.u.c.h.ess.
If I had not already begun this, she could not have seen it; and who knows if she would have taken the risk to order even the Abel? I feel, but cannot express all the importance of your valuable aid. This aid, so timely, has been for me a second life, without which, who knows what would have become of me, discouraged, despised, and probably deserted by those who now cry out, 'Beautiful, beautiful!' Here am I, then, to thank you cordially, and to return the money I have borrowed.” While I was speaking the Count gradually lost that gay and lively expression which was habitual to him, and at my last words looked at me with an expression of seriousness and regret that I knew not how to interpret.
Then he said--
[Sidenote: COUNT DEL BENINO REFUSES REPAYMENT.]
”There is time enough for this; don't be in such a hurry. This is only the beginning; a thousand things may occur, and it will do you no harm to have a little money in the house. On the contrary, it may be convenient. Now think of study and your reputation; and to pay your debt to me there is time enough.”
”Listen, Signor Conte: I have come here on purpose, and have brought the money. I do not need it for the present. Let me pay this material debt; that other great moral substantial debt, the infinite good you have done me, I can never repay, and never should wish to.” The Count grew even more earnest and serious. He held the paper of our accounts mechanically in his hand, and tried to prove to me that there was time enough, and that I should keep the money; but seeing that I insisted, and held out my hand for the papers to see the sum due, drew it back with vivacity, and with flas.h.i.+ng eyes said to me--
”Oh, leave me, dear Sor Giovanni, this satisfaction.”
He tore up the paper and threw it in the basket. I was mortified, and had half a mind to be offended, but the kind expressions of this excellent man prevailed. He took my hand and pressed it between his, saying--
”Don't take it amiss, but leave me the consolation that I have been able to a.s.sist, even in the least degree, in the sale of your work--as you say, opened for you a future which I hope may prove full of honours.
And moreover, you must know that it has always been my firm intention to a.s.sist you until the road was open and easy before you. I did not at once open my mind to you, because then, perhaps, you would not have accepted the offer; therefore I said, you will sign the contract,--and in good time you will pay. Now you have really paid me, because that small sum of money has secured your future and given me a great satisfaction.”
[Sidenote: IDEALISTS AND ACADEMICIANS.]
It is necessary now for me to touch upon a question vital to art, and which was being agitated just at the time I was modelling the Abel. This work served to inflame it, and to encourage as much one side as the other--that is, either the idealists or the academicians in opposition to Bartolini, who, while he was not naturalistic in the strict sense of the word, proposed to introduce this principle into his teaching by bold innovations. It is necessary for me to speak of this, inasmuch as this dispute and my statue served as the target for the shots of one as well as the other parties, and had the effect of estranging Bartolini from me--although, as we shall see later, it was another and less justifiable cause that made the great sculptor indignant with me.
When Stefano Ricci, Master of Sculpture in the Royal Academy, died, it was wisely decided to call Lorenzo Bartolini to his place (this was a little before I modelled the Abel), and Bartolini took possession of the school with the air of a conqueror. Various were the causes for his extremely overbearing conduct. First, the opposition his demands encountered on the part of the President and others of the Academy; then his before-mentioned principles of reform, diametrically opposed to those now taught in the school; also, finally, the heated political and religious opinions, which were discussed with little charity on either side. He altered everything, theories and systems. The position of his a.s.sistant, Professor Costoli, was unpleasant; but he was obliged to remain. He prohibited all study from statues, and restricted the whole system of teaching to an imitation only of nature; and he pushed this principle so far, that he introduced a hunchback into the school and made the young students copy him. This daring novelty raised a shout of indignation: they cried out against the profanation of the school, of the sacred principles of the beautiful, &c.; said that he was ignorant of his duties as master, and that he misled the youths, extinguis.h.i.+ng in them the love of the beautiful by the study of deformity; and many other accusations of this agreeable sort, in a freer and more pointed style than mine.
[Sidenote: IMITATION OF NATURE--THE HUNCHBACK.]
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