The Restored Picture
IN later years, veiling its unblest face
In a most loathsome place,
The cheap adornment of a house of shame,
It hung, till, gnawed away
By tooth of slow decay,
It fell, and parted from its mouldering frame.
In a most loathsome place,
The cheap adornment of a house of shame,
It hung, till, gnawed away
By tooth of slow decay,
It fell, and parted from its mouldering frame.
The rotted canvas, faintly smiling still,
From worldly puff and frill,
Its ghastly smile of coquetry and pride,
Crumpling its faded charms
And yellow jewelled arms,
Mere rubbish now, was rudely cast aside.
From worldly puff and frill,
Its ghastly smile of coquetry and pride,
Crumpling its faded charms
And yellow jewelled arms,
Mere rubbish now, was rudely cast aside.
The shadow of a Genius crossed the gate :
He, skilled to re-create
In old and ruined paintings their lost soul
And beauty, — one who knew
The Master’s touch by true,
Swift instinct, as the needle knows the pole, —
He, skilled to re-create
In old and ruined paintings their lost soul
And beauty, — one who knew
The Master’s touch by true,
Swift instinct, as the needle knows the pole, —
Looked on it, and straightway his searching eyes
Saw through its coarse disguise
Of vulgar paint and grime and varnish stain
The Art that slept beneath,—
A chrysalis in its sheath,
That waited to be waked to life again.
Saw through its coarse disguise
Of vulgar paint and grime and varnish stain
The Art that slept beneath,—
A chrysalis in its sheath,
That waited to be waked to life again.
Upon enduring canvas to renew
Each wondrous trait and hue, —
This is the miracle, his chosen task !
He bears it to his house,
And there from lips and brows
With loving touch removes their alien mask.
Each wondrous trait and hue, —
This is the miracle, his chosen task !
He bears it to his house,
And there from lips and brows
With loving touch removes their alien mask.
For so on its perfection time had laid
An early mellowing shade ;
Then hands unskilled, each seeking to impart
Fresh tints to form a face,
With some more modern grace,
Had buried quite the mighty Master’s Art.
An early mellowing shade ;
Then hands unskilled, each seeking to impart
Fresh tints to form a face,
With some more modern grace,
Had buried quite the mighty Master’s Art.
First, razed from the divine original,
Brow, cheek, and lid, went all
That outer shape of worldliness ; when, lo !
Beneath the varnished crust
Of long imbedded dust
A fairer face appears, emerging slow, —
Brow, cheek, and lid, went all
That outer shape of worldliness ; when, lo !
Beneath the varnished crust
Of long imbedded dust
A fairer face appears, emerging slow, —
The features of a simple shepherdess !
Pure eyes, and golden tress,
And, lastly, crook in hand, But deeper still
The Master’s work lies hid;
And still through lip and lid
Works the Restorer with unsparing skill.
Pure eyes, and golden tress,
And, lastly, crook in hand, But deeper still
The Master’s work lies hid;
And still through lip and lid
Works the Restorer with unsparing skill.
Behold at length, in tender light revealed,
The soul so long concealed!
All heavenly faint at first, then softly bright,
As smiles the young-eyed Dawn
When darkness is withdrawn,
A shining angel breaks upon the sight!
The soul so long concealed!
All heavenly faint at first, then softly bright,
As smiles the young-eyed Dawn
When darkness is withdrawn,
A shining angel breaks upon the sight!
Restored, perfected, after the divine
Imperishable design,
Lo now! that once despised and outcast thing
Holds its true place among
The fairest pictures hung
In the high palace of our Lord the King!
Imperishable design,
Lo now! that once despised and outcast thing
Holds its true place among
The fairest pictures hung
In the high palace of our Lord the King!