| The Secrets of a Beautiful Life |
Chapter 4 |
Page 4 |
In Florence, one of the treasures of art admired by thousands of visitors is Michael Angelo’s representation in marble of the young David. The shepherd boy stands with firm foothold, the stone grasped tightly in his right hand, ready to be sped on its holy errand. When the statue was inveiled, three hundred and fifty years ago, it caused an unparalleled sensation among all lovers of art. It is, indeed, a marvelous piece of sculpture.
But the strangely winning thing is the story of that statue is, that it was the stone’s second chance. A sculptor began work on a noble piece of marble, but, lacking skill he only hacked and marred the block. It was then abandoned as spoiled and worthless, and cast aside. For years it lay in a back yard, soiled and blackened, half hidden among the rubbish. At last Angelo saw it, and at once perceived its possibilities. Under his skillful hand the stone was cut into the fair and marvelous beauty which appears in the statue of David. Yet it is said that the completed work is not quite perfect; that because of the first cutting of the stone the final result is marred.
This is another form of the parable of the potter. From a spoiled and castaway block was hewn this splendid work of art. Though a life has been spoiled by unskillful hands, so that it seems as if all were lost, there is one, the great Sculptor, who can take the marred, disfigured block, now lying soiled amid the world’s rubbish, and from it carve yet a marvel of beauty, — if not all that it might once have been, at least a very beautiful character.
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