History of art . Lucca (xi Century). The cathedral. human material from the north in the Greco-Latincrucible. We know it well. We must tell it. The greatestmen have confessed it to us. Montaigne will ask Italyto approve his wisdom, Shakespeare invokes her namedaily to justify his passion. Goethe lives through her, THE MISSION OF FRANCIS OF ASSISI 381 and Stendhal, and Nietzsche. Byron dies through the days of Rembrandts affluence, Giorgione reignsover his studio, and when he becomes poor there isalways something of the Italian flame at the center ofthe ray of light which follows his des
History of art . Lucca (xi Century). The cathedral. human material from the north in the Greco-Latincrucible. We know it well. We must tell it. The greatestmen have confessed it to us. Montaigne will ask Italyto approve his wisdom, Shakespeare invokes her namedaily to justify his passion. Goethe lives through her, THE MISSION OF FRANCIS OF ASSISI 381 and Stendhal, and Nietzsche. Byron dies through the days of Rembrandts affluence, Giorgione reignsover his studio, and when he becomes poor there isalways something of the Italian flame at the center ofthe ray of light which follows his descent into theshadows of the mind. It is Italy that organizes the. Siena (xii and xiii Centuries). Fonte Branda. tumult of Rubens, that reveals space to Velasquez, toPoussin the architecture of the earth, to Claude Lor-rain the architecture of the sky. As soon as one touchesItaly, one feels oneself overwhelmed by the intoxica-tion that comes of understanding. Intelligence andinstinct merge, the scientist agrees that the artist shalltake possession of mechanics and of geometry, theartist willingly grinds the colors and mixes the most atrocious voluptuousness is only a step fromsainthood; chastity burns like an orgy. Here love isas funereal as death; death has the attraction and the 382 MEDIAEVAL ART mystery of love. The ambition to dominate increasesthe thirst for conquest and knowledge, and yet knowl-edge and conquest are never definitive enough to makehim who desires them worthy to command. Herepride is so strong that it will invariably abase itselfbefore the things it still must learn in order that, withthem, it may affirm itself before
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectart, bookyear1921
