Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Young Artist's Roles in Goethe's Time

In Goethe's Italienische Reise - Erster Teil (Italian Journey, Part One), he had such entry:
Den 18. November.

Es ist wieder schön Wetter, ein heller, freundlicher, warmer Tag.

Ich sah in der Farnesina die Geschichte der Psyche, deren farbige Nachbildungen so lange meine Zimmer erheitern, dann zu St. Peter in Montorio die »Verklärung« von Raffael. Alles alte Bekannte, wie Freunde, die man sich in der Ferne durch Briefwechsel gemacht hat, und die man nun von Angesicht sieht. Das Mitleben ist doch ganz was anders, jedes wahre Verhältnis und Mißverhältnis spricht sich sogleich aus.

Auch finden sich aller Orten und Enden herrliche Sachen, von denen nicht so viel Redens ist, die nicht so oft durch Kupfer und Nachbildungen in die Welt gestreut sind. Hievon bringe ich manches mit, gezeichnet von guten jungen Künstlern.

The translation is:

It is again beautiful weather, a bright, friendly, warm day.

I saw in the Farnesina, the story of Psyche, whose colorful replicas as long as my room, then to St. Peter in Montorio, the "Transfiguration" by Raphael. All these old acquaintances, like friends that have been made in the distance through correspondence, and you can now see face to face. The communal life is something quite different, every true relationship and incongruity express themselves immediately.

There are also beautiful things of all places and ends, of which is not so much talked about , not so often scattered in the world through engraving and replicas. I bring some of these things, drawn by good young artists.

Young artists at the time of Goethe could earn some living by doing copying of masters' works and learn their craft. Alas, that time is not with us anymore. When they have iPhone, who needs an apprentice artist?

Matthew Felix Sun's Live Drawing_1367

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