Lot Essay
THE PICTURE HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE SLEEP OF DUNCAN, A PAINTING INSPIRED BY MACBETH (ACT II, SCENE 2) THAT MACLISE EXHIBITED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY IN 1868 AND WHICH APPEARED IN HIS STUDIO SALE AT CHRISTIE'S ON 24 JUNE 1870, LOT 217. THIS, HOWEVER, CANNOT BE THE CASE. THE TREATMENT HARDLY SEEMS APPROPRIATE, AND INDEED REVIEWS OF THE R.A. EXHIBITION PROVE THAT THE SLEEP OF DUNCAN REPRESENTED THE KING ASLEEP ON A COUCH WHILE LADY MACBETH LEANT OVER HIM 'WITH ANXIOUS EYES AND HARD-SET FEATURES' (ATHENAEUM, NO. 2114, 2 MAY 1868, P. 631).
WHAT, THEREFORE, IS THE SUBJECT OF OUR PICTURE? THE FIGURE'S VENERABLE MIEN, HIS UNSHEATHED SWORD, READY FOR BATTLE, AND THE CROSSES ON HIS CROWN AND ORB, ALL SUGGEST THAT HE IS CHARLAMAGNE (742-814), THE FIRST HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR AND THE GREAT CHAMPION OF EARLY MEDIEVAL CHRISTENDOM. HE SEEMS TO BE EXPERIENCING A NIGHTMARISH VISION OF THE POWERS OF DARKNESS DISMEMBERING HIS CROWN, THE SYMBOL OF HIS AUTHORITY; AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ARTIST WAS THINKING OF THE CLOSING LINES OF THE SONG OF ROLAND ITSELF. BASED ON AN EVENT WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE ON 15 AUGUST 778 AS THE EMPEROR WAS RETURNING FROM HIS SPANISH CAMPAIGN, THIS CELEBRATED ELEVENTH-CENTURY EPIC DESCRIBES A HEROIC BATTLE IN THE PASS OF RONCEVAUX IN THE PYRENEES, IN WHICH HIS NEPHEW ROLAND, ROLAND'S GREAT FRIEND OLIVER, AND THE TEN PEERS, THE FLOWER OF FRENCH CHIVALRY, WERE ALL SLAIN IN COMBAT WITH THE SARACENS. THE POEM ENDS WITH AN IMAGE OF THE OLD EMPEROR ASLEEP AFTER HIS EXERTIONS. REST, HOWEVER, IS NOT TO BE HIS LOT. THE ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARS AND SUMMONS HIM ONCE AGAIN TO DO BATTLE ON BEHALF OF CHRISTIANS AGAINST PAGAN HORDES. CHARLAMAGNE RESPONDS WITH WEARY RELUCTANCE:
'AH, GOD', HE CRIETH, 'HOW BURDENED IS MY LIFE WITH TRAVAIL AND PAIN.'
HIS HOARY BEARD HE TEARETH, FROM HIS EYES THE HOT TEARS RAIN.
PROFESSOR JOHN TURPIN FROM THE NATIONAL COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, DUBLIN, HAS KINDLY CONFIRMED THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS WORK.
WHAT, THEREFORE, IS THE SUBJECT OF OUR PICTURE? THE FIGURE'S VENERABLE MIEN, HIS UNSHEATHED SWORD, READY FOR BATTLE, AND THE CROSSES ON HIS CROWN AND ORB, ALL SUGGEST THAT HE IS CHARLAMAGNE (742-814), THE FIRST HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR AND THE GREAT CHAMPION OF EARLY MEDIEVAL CHRISTENDOM. HE SEEMS TO BE EXPERIENCING A NIGHTMARISH VISION OF THE POWERS OF DARKNESS DISMEMBERING HIS CROWN, THE SYMBOL OF HIS AUTHORITY; AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ARTIST WAS THINKING OF THE CLOSING LINES OF THE SONG OF ROLAND ITSELF. BASED ON AN EVENT WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE ON 15 AUGUST 778 AS THE EMPEROR WAS RETURNING FROM HIS SPANISH CAMPAIGN, THIS CELEBRATED ELEVENTH-CENTURY EPIC DESCRIBES A HEROIC BATTLE IN THE PASS OF RONCEVAUX IN THE PYRENEES, IN WHICH HIS NEPHEW ROLAND, ROLAND'S GREAT FRIEND OLIVER, AND THE TEN PEERS, THE FLOWER OF FRENCH CHIVALRY, WERE ALL SLAIN IN COMBAT WITH THE SARACENS. THE POEM ENDS WITH AN IMAGE OF THE OLD EMPEROR ASLEEP AFTER HIS EXERTIONS. REST, HOWEVER, IS NOT TO BE HIS LOT. THE ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARS AND SUMMONS HIM ONCE AGAIN TO DO BATTLE ON BEHALF OF CHRISTIANS AGAINST PAGAN HORDES. CHARLAMAGNE RESPONDS WITH WEARY RELUCTANCE:
'AH, GOD', HE CRIETH, 'HOW BURDENED IS MY LIFE WITH TRAVAIL AND PAIN.'
HIS HOARY BEARD HE TEARETH, FROM HIS EYES THE HOT TEARS RAIN.
PROFESSOR JOHN TURPIN FROM THE NATIONAL COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, DUBLIN, HAS KINDLY CONFIRMED THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS WORK.