The Fortnightly Review: No. CCCCLXIII, New Series [‎589r] (68/239)

A MORNING IN THE GALLERIES.
37
“Ho? ho?’’, laughed Visto,—“truth, fact, realism! How
does Lycidas stand? You know, dear boy, that it is only a doll,
a wax model, with wooden supports inside. Lycidas could not be
executed in marble, or even in bronze, or any permanent material.
It is only that it is a patchwork of wood and wax, that he can stand
steady on his big feet. I suppose that is why they are made so
long and ugly. Show me a work of Phidias, Polyclitus, Lysippus,
Praxiteles, or Agasias—marble or bronze—where a whole figure
stands unsupported on its feet alone. Look at any Apollo,
Aphrodite, Hermes, the Diadumenos, Doryphoros, Apoxyomenos,
Niobid, Artemis, Satyr, Antinous, Heracles—they all have leg
supports, or they would not stand. Why, even the ‘ Borghese
warrior ’ of the Louvre, with its outstretched legs apart, has to rest
upon a tree stump. Your Lycidas may look more natural, just
because it is a doll—a toy. Talk about truth. It is a fraud; a
thing stuck together to look like bronze, when we all know T it could
not be really made in bronze at all.”
But here I thought the discussion was getting rather warm, for
this sally had knocked Van Dyke out of time. So I proposed
that we should all walk round to Piccadilly and see what the
R.A.’s had to show us.
“We have got rid of all these antiquated conventions about
Greek types,” muttered Van Dyke doggedly ; “ what matters what
Lysippus and Praxiteles did? Art is free, and makes its own
laws as it grows with new ideas and younger men.”
“Stay for five minutes,” cried Visto, “and have a look at a
bit of real Art, in that group named Venus at her Toilette, with
Cupid. Now there is beauty, grace, symmetry, truth all together.
It has the subtle secret of the Renascence, the joy of life, ideal
charm ! ’ ’
“ Ah ! ”, I said, “ by the Grand Old Man of Italian art, who
has done more to keep alive the flame of Tuscan glory than any
living amateur. It is a wonderful tour de force ; but Michael Angelo
and Titian continued to work to an even greater age. Art is the
most vivifying force in Nature, and makes the healthy and the
happy old ever young ! ’ ’
“Yes! ”, said Visto, “my old friend, Wemyss, I remember,
was the contemporary of John Ruskin at Christ Church, and he is
still carrying on some of the best traditions of art judgment, which
Ruskin has long ceased to inspire. But let me tell you that the
Venus here is not only an astonishing tour de force, but is in itself
a fine, pure, and original composition, harmoniously conceived;
lovely in all its parts, and as a whole.”
“ Oh ! I grant you it is pretty, refined, well—say, beautiful, if
you like,” grumbled Van Dyke, “ for those who care for beauty in