丘吉尔英语散文: MyAdventureswithaPaintBrush
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时间：2024-03-02 23:48
丘吉尔英语散文：MyAdventureswithaPaintBrush
Tohavereachedtheageof40withouteverhandlingabrush,tohaveregardedthepaintingofpicturesasamystery,andthensuddenlytofindoneselfplungedinthemiddleofanewinterestwithpaintsandpalettesandcanvases,andnottobediscouragedbyresults,isanastonishingandenrichingexperience.Ihopeitmaybesharedbyothers.
Fortobereallyhappyandtoavoidworryandmentaloverstrainweoughtalltohavehobbies,andtheymustallbereal.Bestofall,andeasiesttotakeup,aresketchingandpainting.Theycametomyrescueatamosttryingtime.WhenIlefttheAdmiraltyattheendofMay1915,IstillremainedamemberoftheCabiandoftheWarCouncil.InthispositionIkneweverythingandcoulddonothing;Ihavevehementconvictionsandnopowertogiveeffecttothem;Ihadenforcedleisureatamomentwheneveryfiberofmybeingwasinflamedtoaction.
Andthenitwas,oneSundayinthecountry,thatthechildren'spaintboxcametomyaid.Myfirstexperimentswiththeirboywatercolorsledmetosecure,nextmorning,apleteoutfitforpaintinginoils.Thenextstepwastobegin.Thepalettegleamedwithbeadsofcolor;fairandwhiterosethecanvas;theemptybrushhungpoised,heavywithdestiny,irresoluteintheair.VerygingerlyImixedalittlebluepaintwithaverysmallbrush,andthenwithinfiniteprecautionmadeamarkaboutasbigasasmallbeanupontheaffrontedsnow-whiteshield.AtthatmomentamotorcarwasheardonthedriveandfromittheresteppednoneotherthanthegiftedwifeofSirJohnLavery,thedistinguishedportraitpainter."Painting!Butwhatareyouhesitatingabout?Letmehaveabrush,abigone."Splashintotheturpentine,wallopintotheblueandwhite,franticflourishonmypalette,andthenseverallarge,fiercestrokesofblueontheabsolutelycoweringcanvas.Thespellwasbroken.Mysicklyinhibitionsrolledaway.Iseizedthelargestbrushandfelluponmyvictimwithberserkfury.Ihaveneverfeltanyaweofacanvassince.
ThisbeginningwithAudacityisaverygreatpartoftheartofpainting.Wemustnotbetooambitious.Wecannotaspiretomasterpieces.Wemaycontentourselveswithajoyrideinapaintbox.Andforthis,Audacityistheonlyticket.
Iwritenowordindisparagementofwatercolors.Butthereisreallynothinglikeoils.Firstofall,youcancorrectmistakesmoreeasily.Onesweepofthepalette-knife"lifts"thebloodandtearsofamorningfromthecanvas;thecanvasisallthebetterforpastimpressions.Secondly,youcanapproachyourproblemfromanydirection,beginningifyouwillwithamoderatecentralarrangementofmiddletones,andthenhurlingintheextremeswhenthepsychologicalmomentes.Lastly,thepigmentsaresonicetohandle.Youcanbuildthemonlayerafterlayerifyoulikeandcanchangeyourplantomeettheexigenciesoftimeandweather.Matchingthemwithwhatyouseeisfascinating.Tryit,ifyouhavenotdoneso--beforeyoudie.
Asoneslowlybeginstoescapefromthedifficultiesofchoosingtherightcoloursandlayingthemonintherightplacesandintherightway,widerconsiderationseintoview.Oneisastonishedtofindouthowmanythingsthereareinthelandscapeonenevernoticedbefore.Andthereisatremendousnewpleasurethatinvestseverywalkordrivewithanaddedobject.Somanycoloursonthehillside,eachdifferentinshadowandinsunlight;suchbrilliantreflectionsinthepool,eachakeylowerthanwhattheyrepeat;suchlovelylightsgildingorsilveringsurfaceoroutline.IfoundmyselfinstinctivelyasIwalkednotingthetintandcharacterofaleaf,thedreamypurpleshadesofmountains,theexquisitelaceryofwinterbranches,thedim,palesilhouettesoffarhorizons.AndIhadlivedforover40yearswithoutevernoticinganyofthemexceptinageneralway,asonemightlookatacrowdandsay,"Whatalotofpeople!"
Ithinkthisheightenedsenseofobservationofnatureisoneofthechiefdelightsthathaveetomethroughtryingtopaint.Andifyoudoobserveaccuratelyandwithrefinement,andrecordwhatyouhaveseenwithtolerablecorrespondence,theresultfollowsonthecanvaswithstartlingobedience.
Then,theartgalleriestakeonanewand--tomeatleast--aseverelypracticalinterest.Youseethedifficultythatbaffledyouyesterday;andyouseehoweasilyithasbeenoverebyagreatpainter.Youlookatthemasterpiecesofartwithananalyzingandaprehendingeye.
ChanceonedayledmetoasecludednooknearMarseilleswhereIfellinwithtwodisciplesofCezanne.Theyviewednatureasamassofshimmeringlightinwhichformsandsurfacesareparativelyunimportant,indeedhardlyvisible,butwhichgleamsandglowswithbeautifulharmoniesandcontrastsofcolour.Eachoftheselittlepointsofcoloursetsupastrongradiationofwhichtheeyeisconsciouswithoutdetectingthecause.Lookattheblueofthesea.Howcanyoudepictit?Certainlynotbyanysinglecolourthatwasevermanufactured.Theonlywayinwhichthatluminousintensityofbluecanbesimulatedisbythismultitudeoftinypointsofvariedcolourallintruerelationtotherestofthescheme,Difficult?Fascinating!
IwasshownapicturebyCezanneofablankwallofahouse,whichhehadmadeinstinctwiththemostdelicatelightsandcolours.NowIoftenamusemyselfwhenIamlookingatawalloraflatsurfaceofanykindbytryingtodistinguishallthedifferenttintswhichcanbediscerneponit,andconsideringwhetherthesearisefromreflectionsorfromnaturalhue.Youwouldbeastonishedthefirsttimeyoutriedthistoseehowmanyandwhatbeautifulcoloursthereareeveninthemostmonplaceobjects.
Obviously,then,armedwithapaintbox,onecannotbeboredorleftatalooseend.Howmuchthereistoadmireandhowlittletimethereistoseeitin!ForthefirsttimeonebeginstoenvyMethuselah.
Itisinterestingtonotethepartmemoryplaysinpainting.WhenWhistlerguidedaschoolinParishemadehispupilsobservetheirmodelonthegroundfloor,andthenrunupstairsandpainttheirpictureonthefloorabove.Astheybecamemoreproficientheputtheireaselsupastoryhigher,tillatlasttheelitewerescamperingupsixflightsintoattic.
Allthegreatestlandscapeshavebeenpaintedindoors,andoftenlongafterthefirstimpressionsweregathered.InadimcellartheDutchorItalianmasterrecreatedthegleamingiceofaNetherlandscarnivalorthelustroussunshineofVenice.Here,then,isrequiredaformidablememoryofthevisualkind.Sopaintingmaybeaveryusefulexerciseforthedevelopmentofatrained,accurate,retentivememory.
Again,thereisreallynothinglikepaintingasaspurtotravel.Everydayisprovidedwithitsexpeditionanditsoccupation--cheap,attainable,absorbing,recuperative.Thevainracketofthetouristgivesplacetothecalmenjoymentofthephilosopher.Everycountryyouvisithasathemeofitsownandevenifyoucannotportrayitasyouseeit,youknowit,youfeelit,andyouadmireitforever.Butafterall,ifonlythesunwillshine,onedoesnotneedtogobeyondone'sowncountry.Theamateurpainterwandersandloiterscontentedlyfromplacetoplace,alwaysonthelookoutforsomebrightbutterflyofapicturewhichcanbecaughtandcarriedsafelyhome.
Paintingispleteasadistraction!Iknowofnothingwhich,withoutexhaustingthebody,moreentirelyabsorbsthemind.Whatevertheworriesofthehourorthethreatsofthefuture,oncethepicturehasbeguntoflowthereisnoroomforthemonthementalscreen.Theypassoutintoshadowanddarkness.Allone'smentallightbeesconcentratedonthetask.WhenIhavestooponparade,oreven,Iregrettosay,inchurch,forhalfanhouratatime,Ihavealwaysfeltthattheerectpositionisnotnaturaltomanandisonlywithfatigueanddifficultymaintained.Butnoonewhoisfondofpaintingfindstheslightestinconvenienceinstandingtopaintforthreeorfourhoursatastretch.
Buyapaintboxandhaveatry.Itwouldbeasadpitytoshufflealongthroughone'splaytimewithgolfandbridge,whenallthewhile,ifyouonlyknew,thereiswaitingforyoucloseathandthewonderfulnewworldofthoughtandcraft,asunlitgardengleamingwithcolour.Inexpensiveindependence,newmentalfoodandexercise,anaddedinterestineverymonscene,anoccupationforeveryidlehour,anunceasingvoyageofentrancingdiscovery--thesearehighprizes.Ihopetheymaybeyours.
