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| SPIRIDON'S PICTURES - The galleries of Italy
in the Art Palace were situated in the West
Pavilion, and if we entered that annex from the south on the way from
the buildings of the lake States, we came at once on the oil
paintings which are here portrayed. Over the doorway into the next
gallery was the black figure at the left called "Sappho," and on the
same west wall next in order, was "Follette," seen on our right.
They were painted by I. Spiridon, of Rome. In their essence they are
Parisian. They deify folly; they celebrate the so-called Parisienne,
the woman of no virtue, the companion of Bohemians and students, the
philosophic saint of materialism, the poor girl who is supposed to
"live while she lives." The world, in the masterpiece of "Sappho,"
by Alphonse Daudet, has a perfect description of this Parisienne, old
in sin, but capable of throwing a spell on the young Provencal who
goes to the masked ball. We see her in Spiridon's picture descending
the staircase, but we cannot imagine that such a costume would
enchant an honest youth; nor does it seem that an artist is truly
great who, with however earnest fidelity, publishes, rather than with
artifice idealizes, the follies of his friends. "Sappho" is leaving
the ball. She has ensnared a new lover. As for "Follette," she is
even more ridiculously a creature of the hour. |
