large/803/ghost_stories_001_librivox_64kb_mp3/gs001-schalken_the_painter_lefanu_ge_64kb_178
large/803/ghost_stories_001_librivox_64kb_mp3/gs001-schalken_the_painter_lefanu_ge_64kb
English
803
My great grandfather knew the painter well; and from Schalken himself he learned the fearful story of the painting, and from him too he ultimately received the picture itself as a bequest. The story and the picture have become heir looms in my family, and having described the latter, I shall, if you please, attempt to relate the tradition which has descended with the canvas. MY GREAT GRANDFATHER KNEW THE PAINTER WELL AND FROM SHALKIN HIMSELF HE LEARNED THE FEARFUL STORY OF THE PAINTING AND FROM HIM TOO HE ULTIMATELY RECEIVED THE PICTURE ITSELF AS A BEQUEST STORY AND THE PICTURE HAVE BECOME HEIRLOOMS IN MY FAMILY AND HAVING DESCRIBED THE LATTER I SHALL IF YOU PLEASE ATTEMPT TO RELATE THE TRADITION WHICH HAS DESCENDED WITH THE CANVAS
h roguery; in the background, and, excepting where the dim red light of an expiring fire serves to define the form, in total shadow, stands the figure of a man dressed in the old Flemish fashion, in an attitude of alarm, his hand being placed upon the hilt of his sword, which he appears to be in the act of drawing. There are some pictures, which impress one, I know not how, with a conviction that they represent not the mere ideal shapes and combinations which have floated through the imagination of the artist, but scenes, faces, and situations which have actually existed. There is in that strange picture, something that stamps it as the representation of a reality. And such in truth it is, for it faithfully records a remarkable and mysterious occurrence, and perpetuates, in the face of the female figure, which occupies the most prominent place in the design, an accurate portrait of Rose Velderkaust, the niece of Gerard Douw, the first, and, I believe, the only love of Godfrey Schalken. N WHEN PRACTISING SOME FRANKISH ROGUERY IN THE BACKGROUND AND EXCEPTING WHERE THE DIM RED LIGHT OF AN EXPIRING FIRE SERVES TO DEFINE THE FORM IN TOTAL SHADOW STANDS THE FIGURE OF A MAN DRESSED IN THE OLD FLEMISH FASHION IN AN ATTITUDE OF ALARM HIS HAND BEING PLACED UPON THE HILT OF HIS SWORD WHICH HE APPEARS TO BE IN THE ACT OF DRAWING THERE ARE SOME PICTURES WHICH IMPRESS ONE I KNOW NOT HOW WITH A CONVICTION THAT THEY REPRESENT NOT THE MERE IDEAL SHAPES AND COMBINATIONS WHICH HAVE FLOATED THROUGH THE IMAGINATION OF THE ARTISTS BUT SCENES FACES AND SITUATIONS WHICH HAVE ACTUALLY EXISTED THERE IS IN THAT STNGE PICTURE SOMETHING THAT STAMPS IT AS THE REPRESENTATION OF A REALITY AND SUCH IN TRUTH IT IS FOR IT FAITHFULLY REQUIRES A REMARKABLE AND MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE AND PERPETUATES IN THE FACE OF THE FEMALE FIGURE WHICH OCCUPIES THE MOST PROMINENT PLACE IN THE DESIGN AN ACCURATE PORTRAIT OF ROSE VELDERCHAUST THE NIECE OF GERARD DAL THE FIRST AND I BELIEVE THE ONLY LOVE OF GODFREY SHALKIN
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