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expression。 And here he differed； it is said by great critics；
from the ancients； who thought more of form than of moral
expression；as may be seen in the faces of the Venus de Medici and
the Apollo Belvedere； matchless and inimitable as these statues are
in grace and beauty。 The Laocoon and the Dying Gladiator are
indeed exceptions； for it is character which constitutes their
chief merit；the expression of pain； despair； and agony。 But
there is almost no intellectual or moral expression in the faces of
other famous and remarkable antique statues； only beauty and
variety of form； such as Powers exhibited in his Greek Slave；an
inferior excellence； since it is much easier to copy the beautiful
in the nude statues which people Italy； than to express such
intellectual majesty as Michael Angelo conceivedthat intellectual
expression which Story has succeeded in giving to his African
Sibyl。 Thus while the great artist retained the antique； he
superadded a loftiness such as the ancients rarely produced； and
sculpture became in his hands； not demoralizing and Pagan；
resplendent in sensual charms； but instructive and exalting；
instructive for the marvellous display of anatomical knowledge； and
exalting from grand conceptions of dignity and power。 His
knowledge of anatomy was so remarkable that he could work without
models。 Our artists； in these days； must always have before their
eyes some nude figure to copy。
The same peculiarities which have given him fame as a sculptor he
carried out into painting； in which he is even more remarkable； for
the artists of Italy at this period often combined a skill for all
the fine arts。 In sculpture they were much indebted to the
ancients； but painting seems to have been purely a development。 In
the Middle Ages it was comparatively rude。 No noted painter arose
until Cimabue in the middle of the thirteenth century。 Before him；
painting was a lifeless imitation of models afforded by Greek
workers in mosaics； but Cimabue abandoned this servile copying； and
gave a new expression to heads； and grouped his figures。 Under
Giotto； who was contemporary with Dante； drawing became still more
correct； and coloring softer。 After him； painting was rapidly
advanced。 Pietro della Francesca was the father of perspective；
Domenico painted in oil； discovered by Van Eyck in Flanders； in
1410； Masaccio studied anatomy； gilding disappeared as a background
around pictures。 In the fifteenth century the enthusiasm for
painting became intense； even monks became painters； and every
convent and church and palace was deemed incomplete without
pictures。 But ideal beauty and harmony in coloring were still
wanting； as well as freedom of the pencil。 Then arose Da Vinci and
Michael Angelo； who practised the immutable principles by which art
could be advanced； and rapidly following in their steps； Fra
Bartolommeo； Fra Angelico； Rossi； and Andrea del Sarto made the age
an era in painting； until the art culminated in Raphael and
Corregio and Titian。 And divers cities of ItalyBologna； Milan；
Parma； and Venicedisputed with Rome and Florence for the empire
of art； as also did many other cities which might be mentioned；
each of which has a history； each of which is hallowed by poetic
associations； so that all men who have lived in Italy； or even
visited it； feel a peculiar interest in these cities；an interest
which they can feel in no others； even if they be such capitals as
London and Paris。 I excuse this extravagant admiration for the
wonderful masterpieces produced in that age； making marble and
canvas eloquent with the most inspiring sentiments； because； wrapt
in the joys which they excite； the cultivated and imaginative man
forgetsand rejoices that he can forgetthe untidiness of that
World Capital； the many reminders of ages of unthrift； which stare
ordinary tourists in the face； and all the other disgusting
realities which philanthropists deplore so loudly in that
degenerate but classical and ever…to…be…hallowed land。 For； come
what will； in spite of past turmoils it has been the scene of the
highest glories of antiquity； calling to our minds saints and
martyrs； as well as conquerors and emperors； and revealing at every
turn their tombs and broken monuments； and all the hoary remnants
of unsurpassed magnificence； as well as preserving in churches and
palaces those wonders which were created when Italy once again
lived in the noble aspiration of making herself the centre and the
pride of the new civilization。
Da Vinci； the oldest of the great masters who immortalized that
era； died in 1519； in the arms of Francis I。 of France； and Michael
Angelo received his mantle。 The young sculptor was taken away from
his chisel to paint； for Pope Julius II。； the ceiling of the
Sistine Chapel。 After the death of his patron Lorenzo； he had
studied and done famous work in marble at Bologna； at Rome； and
again at Florence。 He had also painted some； and with such
immediate success that he had been invited to assist Da Vinci in
decorating a hall in the ducal palace at Florence。 But sculpture
was his chosen art； and when called to paint the Sistine Chapel； he
implored the Pope that he might be allowed to finish the mausoleum
which he had begun； and that Raphael； then dazzling the whole city
by his unprecedented talents； might be substituted for him in that
great work。 But the Pope was inflexible； and the great artist
began his task； assisted by other painters； however； he soon got
disgusted with them and sent them away； and worked alone。 For
twenty months he toiled； rarely seen； living abstemiously； absorbed
utterly in his work of creation； and the greater portion of the
compartments in the vast ceiling was finished before any other
voice than his； except the admiring voice of the Pope； pronounced
it good。
It would be useless to attempt to describe those celebrated
frescos。 Their subjects were taken from the Book of Genesis； with
great figures of sibyls and prophets。 They are now half…concealed
by the accumulated dust and smoke of three hundred years； and can
be surveyed only by reclining at full length on the back。 We see
enough； however； to be impressed with the boldness； the majesty；
and the originality of the figures；their fidelity to nature； the
knowledge of anatomy displayed； and the disdain of inferior arts；
especially the noble disdain of appealing to false and perverted
taste； as if he painted from an exalted ideal in his own mind；
which ideal is ever associated with creative power。
It is this creative power which places Michael Angelo at the head
of the artists of his great age； and not merely the power to create
but the power of realizing the most exalted conceptions。 Raphael
was doubtless superior to him in grace and beauty； even as Titian
afterwards surpassed him in coloring。 He delighted； like Dante； in
the awful and the terrible。 This grandeur of conception was
especially seen i