DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62133#0078
62
AN ART-STUDENT IN MUNICH.
actors themselves; to them, indeed, the second part was
the most intensely interesting of all, eine herzriihrende,
angreifende Gescldchte,—whilst to us it became truly re-
volting and painful. There was no sparing of agony, and
blood, and horror ; it was our Lord’s passion stripped of all
its spiritual suffering,—it was the anguish of the flesh,—
it was the material side of Catholicism. It was a painful,
heart-rending, hurrying to and fro amid brutal soldiery
and an enraged mob, of that pale, emaciated, violet-robed
figure then there was his fainting under the cross• the
crowning him with thorns; the scourging, the buffeting,
the spitting upon him : and the soldiers laughed, and
scoffed, and derided with fierce brutality, and the people
and the high priest jeered and shouted, and ever he was
meek and gentle. Then came the crucifixion ; and as the
chorus sang of the great agony, you heard from behind the
curtain the strokes of the hammer as the huge nails were
driven into the cross, and, as your imagination believed,
through his poor pale hands and feet; and then, as the
curtain slowly rose to the dying tones of the chorus, you
beheld him hanging on the cross between the two crucified
thieves.
Both myself and my companion turned away from this
spectacle sick with horror. They divided his garment at
the foot of the cross; they pierced his side, and blood
flowed apparently from the wound and from his martyred
hands and feet. The Virgin and Mary Magdalene, and
the disciples, lamented round the foot of the cross, in groups
and attitudes such as we see in the old pictures. Then
came Joseph of Arimathea; the body was taken down and
laid upon white linen, and quietly, solemnly, and mourn-
fully, followed by the weeping women, was borne to the
grave. Next came the visit of the women to the sepulchre ;
the vision of the angels; the surprise and joy of the women;
and lastly, as the grand finale, the Resurrection.
AN ART-STUDENT IN MUNICH.
actors themselves; to them, indeed, the second part was
the most intensely interesting of all, eine herzriihrende,
angreifende Gescldchte,—whilst to us it became truly re-
volting and painful. There was no sparing of agony, and
blood, and horror ; it was our Lord’s passion stripped of all
its spiritual suffering,—it was the anguish of the flesh,—
it was the material side of Catholicism. It was a painful,
heart-rending, hurrying to and fro amid brutal soldiery
and an enraged mob, of that pale, emaciated, violet-robed
figure then there was his fainting under the cross• the
crowning him with thorns; the scourging, the buffeting,
the spitting upon him : and the soldiers laughed, and
scoffed, and derided with fierce brutality, and the people
and the high priest jeered and shouted, and ever he was
meek and gentle. Then came the crucifixion ; and as the
chorus sang of the great agony, you heard from behind the
curtain the strokes of the hammer as the huge nails were
driven into the cross, and, as your imagination believed,
through his poor pale hands and feet; and then, as the
curtain slowly rose to the dying tones of the chorus, you
beheld him hanging on the cross between the two crucified
thieves.
Both myself and my companion turned away from this
spectacle sick with horror. They divided his garment at
the foot of the cross; they pierced his side, and blood
flowed apparently from the wound and from his martyred
hands and feet. The Virgin and Mary Magdalene, and
the disciples, lamented round the foot of the cross, in groups
and attitudes such as we see in the old pictures. Then
came Joseph of Arimathea; the body was taken down and
laid upon white linen, and quietly, solemnly, and mourn-
fully, followed by the weeping women, was borne to the
grave. Next came the visit of the women to the sepulchre ;
the vision of the angels; the surprise and joy of the women;
and lastly, as the grand finale, the Resurrection.