Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 04 - Little Journeys to the Homes of Eminent Painters by Elbert Hubbard
page 123 of 267 (46%)
page 123 of 267 (46%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
|
youth and in every budding artist.
As in the animal kingdom, genius has its prototype. In the National Gallery at London you will see in the Turner Room a "Claude Lorraine" and a "Turner" hung side by side, as provided for in Turner's will. You would swear, were the pictures not labeled, that one hand did them both. When thirty, Turner admired Claude to a slavish degree; but we know there came a time when he bravely set sail on a chartless sea, and left the great Claude Lorraine far astern. Titian loved Giorgione so well that he even imitated his faults. At first this high compliment was pleasing to Giorgione; then he became indifferent, and finally disgusted. The very sight of Titian gave him a pain. He avoided his society. He ceased to speak to him when they met, and forbade his friends to mention the name "Titian" in his presence. It was about this time that Giorgione's ladylove won fame by discarding him in that foolish, fishwife fashion. He called his attendants and instructed them thus: "Do not allow that painter from Cadore--never mind his name--to attend my funeral--you understand?" Then he turned his face to the wall and died. In his studio were various pictures partly completed, for it seems to have been his habit to get rest by turning from one piece of work to another. His executors looked at these unfinished canvases in despair. There was only one man in all Venice who could complete them, and that was Titian. |
|


