DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53068#0351
AFTER-ECHOES OF RAPHAEL
heavenly light before our eyes?”1 The fact that Pergolesi’s “Ostendo Jesum”
brought before him a vision of one of Raphael’s Madonnas is in harmony
with this frank sense for the mystical in art.
Such estimates do not lack the charm of contrast. Heinse’s nature, strong and
rich in inner antagonisms, does not lose itself in unconditional surrender; it
traces out with exalted pretensions of its own the limitations to be found even
in this sublime art: “Raphael’s was the best of hearts, he was the kindliest of
souls, pious and free from guilt. The vitality of the heads apparent in his
works is therefore to be found chiefly in the faces of Apostles and philosophers,
of which he carried his conception and feeling to the level of the ideal. His
women are of an entirely simple nature, but the more intellectual and refined-
heads that might captivate the heart of an Alcibiades, were foreign to him.” 2
“His failing is his agreeableness, everywhere, even where it is out of place
■—for instance, Attila and Heliodorus with virtuous expressions on their faces.”
“It seems as if he would never have been able to create an unpleasant face.”
The discordant peculiarities of the later works, due to pupils, did not escape
this eye, with its keenness of intellectual and sensual vision. In the Farnesina
ceiling “his nudes have not a pleasing effect; they have not become again that
second nature, down to the arms and legs and hands and feet, which is within
his power.”3 “In the Psyche there is much naivety, as she takes the cup of
nectar; but the nude is somewhat unfelt and undigested, more as if copied, even to
the gracefulness in the back. The background, blue throughout, makes every-
thing hard and quite unartistic.”4 In the Donna Velata he notes the “divine,
large, serene eyes, the joyously sweet, chaste expression in the whole”—yet—
“the drapery seems not to belong to her”.
In all this the share of the workshop detaches itself clearly for Heinse from
the highest poetry and mastery. In a hundred years style-criticism has out-
stripped him only in losing sight of the master dominating all the work of his
pupils. It was precisely Heinse who began to see the sublime ethos of Raphael’s
personality in all his creative work: “With Raphael, there is not a single work
in which his life did not come into play; his highest achievements are like
tutors—in them he shows himself as a noble young man who readily
associates with his people.”5 “We rightly observe in the Vatican that Raphael
associated with the most distinguished persons of his generation—in order to form
so true a conception of high intellects, an intimate association with great men
is certainly requisite.”6 “His self-portrait, although still almost childish, has
the penetrating look of a genius exalted above everything, full of intelligence and
1 Ibid., p. 121.
2 Ibid., p. 199.
3 Italienische Reise, Werke, ed. Schuddekopf, Vol. VIII, p. 39g.
4 Ibid., p. 15; this relates to the part done by Giulio Romano and the restoration of Maratta.
6 Ibid., p. 475.
6 Ibid., p. 410.
333
heavenly light before our eyes?”1 The fact that Pergolesi’s “Ostendo Jesum”
brought before him a vision of one of Raphael’s Madonnas is in harmony
with this frank sense for the mystical in art.
Such estimates do not lack the charm of contrast. Heinse’s nature, strong and
rich in inner antagonisms, does not lose itself in unconditional surrender; it
traces out with exalted pretensions of its own the limitations to be found even
in this sublime art: “Raphael’s was the best of hearts, he was the kindliest of
souls, pious and free from guilt. The vitality of the heads apparent in his
works is therefore to be found chiefly in the faces of Apostles and philosophers,
of which he carried his conception and feeling to the level of the ideal. His
women are of an entirely simple nature, but the more intellectual and refined-
heads that might captivate the heart of an Alcibiades, were foreign to him.” 2
“His failing is his agreeableness, everywhere, even where it is out of place
■—for instance, Attila and Heliodorus with virtuous expressions on their faces.”
“It seems as if he would never have been able to create an unpleasant face.”
The discordant peculiarities of the later works, due to pupils, did not escape
this eye, with its keenness of intellectual and sensual vision. In the Farnesina
ceiling “his nudes have not a pleasing effect; they have not become again that
second nature, down to the arms and legs and hands and feet, which is within
his power.”3 “In the Psyche there is much naivety, as she takes the cup of
nectar; but the nude is somewhat unfelt and undigested, more as if copied, even to
the gracefulness in the back. The background, blue throughout, makes every-
thing hard and quite unartistic.”4 In the Donna Velata he notes the “divine,
large, serene eyes, the joyously sweet, chaste expression in the whole”—yet—
“the drapery seems not to belong to her”.
In all this the share of the workshop detaches itself clearly for Heinse from
the highest poetry and mastery. In a hundred years style-criticism has out-
stripped him only in losing sight of the master dominating all the work of his
pupils. It was precisely Heinse who began to see the sublime ethos of Raphael’s
personality in all his creative work: “With Raphael, there is not a single work
in which his life did not come into play; his highest achievements are like
tutors—in them he shows himself as a noble young man who readily
associates with his people.”5 “We rightly observe in the Vatican that Raphael
associated with the most distinguished persons of his generation—in order to form
so true a conception of high intellects, an intimate association with great men
is certainly requisite.”6 “His self-portrait, although still almost childish, has
the penetrating look of a genius exalted above everything, full of intelligence and
1 Ibid., p. 121.
2 Ibid., p. 199.
3 Italienische Reise, Werke, ed. Schuddekopf, Vol. VIII, p. 39g.
4 Ibid., p. 15; this relates to the part done by Giulio Romano and the restoration of Maratta.
6 Ibid., p. 475.
6 Ibid., p. 410.
333