友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
读书室 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第73部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!

Segnatura; found this mode of  artistic thought completely vulgarized and worn out。 The new and final  consecration which he gave to it will remain a wonder to all ages。

The triumphal processions; strictly speaking; of victorious generals;  formed the exception。 But all the festive processions; whether they  celebrated any special event or were mainly held for their own sakes;  assumed more or less the character and nearly always the name of a  'Trionfo。' It is a wonder that funerals were not also treated in the  same way。

It was the practice; both at the Carnival and on other occasions; to  represent the triumphs of ancient Roman commanders; such as that of  Paulus Aemilius under Lorenzo the Magnificent at Florence; and that of  Camillus on the visit of Leo X。 Both were conducted by the painter  Francesco Granacci。 In Rome; the first complete exhibition of this kind  was the triumph of Augustus after the victory over Cleopatra; under  Paul II; where; besides the comic and mythological masks; which; as a  matter of fact; were not wanting in the ancient triumphs; all the other  requisites were to be foundkings in chains; tablets with decrees of  the senate and people; a senate clothed in the ancient costume;  praetors; aediles; and quaestors; four chariots filled with singing  masks; and; doubtless; cars laden with trophies。 Other processions  rather aimed at setting forth; in a general way; the universal empire  of ancient Rome; and in answer to the very real danger which threatened  Europe from the side of the Turks; a cavalcade of camels bearing masks  representing Ottoman prisoners; appeared before the people。 Later; at  the Carnival of the year 1500; Cesare Borgia; with a bold allusion to  himself; celebrated the triumph of Julius Caesar; with a procession of  eleven magnificent chariots; doubtless to the scandal of the pilgrims  who had come fm the Jubilee。 Two 'Trionfi;' famous for their taste and  beauty; were given by rival companies in Florence; on the election of  Leo X to the Papacy。 One of them represented the three Ages of Man; the  other the Ages of the World; ingeniously set forth in five scenes of  Roman history; and in two allegories of the golden age of Saturn and of  its final return。 The imagination displayed in the adornment of the  chariots; when the great Florentine artists undertook the work; made  the scene so impressive that such representations became in time a  permanent element in the popular life。 Hitherto the subject cities had  been satisfied merely to present their symbolical giftscostly stuffs  and wax…candles on the day when they annually did homage。 The guild  of merchants now built ten chariots; to which others were afterwards to  be added; not so much to carry as to symbolize the tribute; and Andrea  del Sarto; who painted some of them; no doubt did his work to  perfection。 These cars; whether used to hold tribute or trophies; now  formed part of all such celebrations; even when there was not much  money to be laid out。 The Sienese announced; in 1477; the alliance  between Ferrante and Sixtus IV; with which they themselves were  associated; by driving a chariot round the city; with 'one clad as the  goddess of peace standing on a hauberk and other arms。'

At the Venetian festivals the processions; not on land but on water;  were marvelous in their fantastic splendor。 The sailing of the  Bucentaur to meet the Princesses of Ferrara in the year 1491 seems to  have been something belonging to fairyland。 Countless vessels with  garlands and hangings; filled with the richly dressed youth of the  city; moved in front; genii with attributes symbolizing the various  gods; floated on machines hung in the air; below stood others grouped  as tritons and nymphs; the air was filled with music; sweet odors; and  the fluttering of embroidered banners。 The Bucentaur was followed by  such a crowd of boats of every sort that for a mile all round _(octo  stadia) _the water could not be seen。 With regard to the rest of the  festivities; besides the pantomime mentioned above; we may notice as  something new a boat…race of fifty powerful girls。 In the sixteenth  century the nobility were divided into corporations with a view to  these festivals; whose most noteworthy feature was some extraordinary  machine placed on a ship。 So; for instance; in the year 1541; at the  festival of the 'Sempiterni;' a round 'universe' floated along the  Grand Canal; and a splendid ball was given inside it。 The Carnival;  too; in this city was famous for its dances; processions; and  exhibitions of every kind。 The Square of St。 Mark was found to give  space enough not only for tournaments; but for 'Trionfi;' similar to  those common on the mainland。 At a festival held on the conclusion of  peace; the pious brotherhoods ('scuole') took each its part in the  procession。 There; among golden chandeliers with red candles; among  crowds of musicians and winged boys with golden bowls and horns of  plenty; was seen a car on which Noah and David sat together enthroned;  then came Abigail; leading a camel laden with treasures; and a second  car with a group of political figures… …Italy sitting be tween Venice  and Liguriaand on a raised step three female symbolical figures with  the arms of the allied princes。 This was followed by a great globe with  the constellations; as it seems; round it。 The princes themselves; or  rather their bodily representatives; appeared on other chariots with  their servants and their coats of arms; if we have rightly interpreted  our author。

The Carnival; properly so called; apart from these great triumphal  marches; had nowhere; perhaps; in the fifteenth century so varied a  character as in Rome。 There were races of every kindof horses; asses;  buffaloes; old men; young men; Jews; and so on。 Paul II entertained the  people in crowds before the Palazzo di Venezia; in which he lived。 The  games in the Piazza Navona; which had probably never altogether ceased  since the classical times; were remarkable for their warlike splendor。  We read of a sham fight of cavalry; and a review of all the citizens in  arms。 The greatest freedom existed with regard to the use of masks;  which were sometimes allowed for several months together。 Sixtus IV  ventured; in the most populous part of the cityat the Campofiore and  near the Banchi to make his way through crowds of masks; though he  declined to receive them as visitors in the Vatican。 Under Innocent  VIII; a discreditable usage; which had already appeared among the  Cardinals; attained its height。 In the Carnival of 1491; they sent one  another chariots full of splendid masks; of singers; and of buffoons;  chanting scandalous verses。 They were accompanied by men on horseback。  Apart from the Carnival; the Romans seem to have been the first to  discover the effect of a great procession by torchlight。 When Pius II  came back from the Congress of Mantua in 1459; the people waited on him  with a squadron of horsemen bearing torches; who rode in shining  circles before his palace。 Sixtus IV; however; thought it better to  decline a nocturnal visit of the people; who proposed to wait on him  with torches and olive…branches。

But the Florentine Carnival surpassed the Roman in a certain class of  processions; which have left their mark even in literature。 Among a  crowd of masks on foot and on horseback appeared some huge; fantastic  chariots; and upon each an allegorical figure or group of figures with  the proper accompaniments; such as Jealousy with four spectacled faces  on one head; the four temperaments with the planets belonging to them;  the three Fates; Prudence enthroned above Hope and Fear; which lay  bound before her; the four Elements; Ages; Winds; Seasons; and so on;  as well as the famous chariot of Death with the coffins; which  presently opened。 Sometimes we meet with a splendid scene from  classical mythologyBacchus and Ariadne; Paris and Helen; and others。  Or else a chorus of figures forming some single class or category; as  the beggars; the hunters and nymphs; the lost souls who in their  lifetime were hardhearted women; the hermits; the astrologers; the  vagabonds; the devils; the sellers of various kinds of wares; and even  on one occasion 'il popolo;' the people as such; who all reviled one  another in their songs。 The songs; which still remain and have been  collected; give the explanation of the masquerade sometimes pathetic;  sometimes in a humorous; and sometimes in an excessively indecent tone。  Some of the worst in this respect are attributed to Lorenzo the  Magnificent; probably because the real author did not venture to  declare himself。 However this may be; we must certainly ascribe to him  the beautiful song which accompanied the masque of Bacchus and Ariadne;  whose refrain still echoes to us from the fifteenth century; like a  regretful presentiment of the brief splendor of the Renaissance itself:

'Quanto ?bella giovinezza; Che si fugge tuttavia! Chi vuol esser lieto; sia: Di doman non c'?certezza。'

Part Six

MORALITY AND RELIGION

Morality and Judgement

The relation of the various peoples of the earth to the supreme  interests of life; to God; virtue; and immortality; may be investigated  up to a certain point; but can never be com
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!