Moon and Sixpence

Author: (English) Maomao / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: To be honest, when I first met Charles Strickland, I never noticed anything remarkable about him. But today, few would deny his greatness. The greatness I refer to is not that of a politician who has had good fortune or a soldier who has achieved military glory. Such people may rise to prominence for a time, but it is more due to the reflected glory of their positions than to their own inherent qualities. Once their circumstances change, their greatness fades. People often find that a former prime minister was merely an arrogant orator in his prime, and a retired general is little more than an unremarkable local hero. However, Charles Strickland’s greatness is true greatness. You may not like his art, but you cannot help but be interested in it. His works disturb you, gripping your heart. The era when Strickland was mocked and ridiculed has passed, and defending or even praising him is no longer seen as eccentric behavior. His flaws have become an indispensable part of his virtues in the eyes of the world. Whether he will continue to be debated in art history is another matter. Admiration from his admirers and condemnation from his detractors may both stem from bias and caprice, but one thing is undeniable: he was a genius.
In my view, what makes art interesting is the artist’s personality. If an artist possesses a unique character, I can forgive a thousand of his flaws. I would expect Velázquez to be a greater painter than El Greco, but his works can sometimes feel tedious because he has seen too much. On the other hand, the works of that Cretan painter possess a carnal and tragic beauty, as if he were offering the secrets of his soul as a sacrifice to eternity. An artist—whether painter, poet, or musician—decorates the world with his noble or beautiful works, satisfying human aesthetic sensibilities. Yet this is not unlike human sexual instincts, which also have a crude and violent side. In presenting his works to the world, the artist also reveals his personal greatness to you. Exploring an artist’s secrets is somewhat like reading a detective novel—it is fascinating because the mystery is so elusive, much like the natural world. Strickland’s seemingly insignificant works give you a glimpse of his strange, complex, and tormented personality. Those who dislike his paintings cannot help but be drawn to him for this very reason. It is also this very quality that has filled so many people with curiosity and intense interest in his life and character. P1-2