GHL Journal, Antwerp, 10 June 1866
Title
GHL Journal, Antwerp, 10 June 1866
Title
GHL Journal, Antwerp, 10 June 1866
Sender
Ghl Journal
Recipient
U
Date(s)
- 1866-06-10
Place
Antwerp
Letter Content
GHL Journal, Antwerp, 10 June 1866
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
Sunday 10th.
Up at 8. After breakfast changed our room to a large and cool salon, donnant sur la rue. In our ramble last night we saw an affiche announcing that the Mystery of the Birth and Death of our Saviour was to be performed by the Oberammergau people. As we have long wished for such a chance, our first visit this morning was to the bureau to secure stalls. The man kindly took us into the theatre and there we chose our seats. High Mass at Cathedral. Effect of the music dreamy and delightful. Rubens's Descent was uncovered during service. Called at Post Office and found three [Pall Mall Gazettes] awaiting me. Home and read them. -- Went to the Museum. Rubens glorious: especially the Crucifixion and Adoration. Vandyke feeble and false in his religious pictures and wonderful in his portraits -- they are as individual and forcible, as his historical heads are general and feeble. Same remark applies to De Vos whose portrait of the Custode of the Royal Academy is singularly effective. Van Eyck's Adoration of the Lamb now reunited and restored -- or else there is a copy of the scattered parts presented to the Academy. Smoked a cigarette in the garden of the Museum, under the branching shade and walked leisurely home, to read Kugler, and potter till dinner. Dined alone once more. Coffee and cigar in our room.
At 8 went to theatre. The performance surpassed our expectations. It was all pantomime, but that of the Christ both expressive and noble. A handsome tall man with fine sensitive nostril straight brow, black hair, and good figure. Action fluent and unconventional or at any rate unstagey. Nothing uneasy or seeking for effect. Nor did he once drop the mask. The others were all as bad as bad actors can be. The dresses those of a small provincial theatre. The stage was arranged with black baize on wings and centre forming a dark background for the pictures, a tree or seat occasionally occupying the foreground. The Adoration of the Shepherds with a doll lamb that baa'd when its head was moved was followed by the Flight into Egypt: a pretty picture of Virgin on a pasteboard donkey, and well taught infant who kissed her and comforted her: Joseph handsome. The entry into Jerusalem showed Jesus on the pasteboard donkey addressing the palmbearers. The adieu to friends and mother at Bethanie a good piece of acting -- really touching. Same with the weeping over Jerusalem and Judas conceiving the idea of betrayal. The Supper was a poor representation of Da Vinci. The agony in the garden good acting -- Before the high priest more of dramatic effort but as Christ has little to do the effect feeble; a murmur of horror ran through the audience at seeing Christ smitten by the soldier. Judas conventional in his remorse. Peter denying Christ well managed. The flagellation very effective. Pilate asking for his release and the people demanding that of Barrabas bad -- especially the Barrabas who tried to give a comic turn to his release. The bearing the cross and meeting with Veronica very powerful; so also the nailing on the cross which had a horrible reality about it. The death on the cross not so good. The Descent imitated (badly) from Rubens. The entombment and Resurrection old pictures.
The performance lasted till 'bd past 10. An organ accompanied the scenes and greatly aided the effect. The audience hushed and intent during each scene, but the effect purely momentary, for they were gabbling, laughing, and jesting noisily directly each scene was over.
MS: Yale. Hitherto unpublished.
Sunday 10th.
Up at 8. After breakfast changed our room to a large and cool salon, donnant sur la rue. In our ramble last night we saw an affiche announcing that the Mystery of the Birth and Death of our Saviour was to be performed by the Oberammergau people. As we have long wished for such a chance, our first visit this morning was to the bureau to secure stalls. The man kindly took us into the theatre and there we chose our seats. High Mass at Cathedral. Effect of the music dreamy and delightful. Rubens's Descent was uncovered during service. Called at Post Office and found three [Pall Mall Gazettes] awaiting me. Home and read them. -- Went to the Museum. Rubens glorious: especially the Crucifixion and Adoration. Vandyke feeble and false in his religious pictures and wonderful in his portraits -- they are as individual and forcible, as his historical heads are general and feeble. Same remark applies to De Vos whose portrait of the Custode of the Royal Academy is singularly effective. Van Eyck's Adoration of the Lamb now reunited and restored -- or else there is a copy of the scattered parts presented to the Academy. Smoked a cigarette in the garden of the Museum, under the branching shade and walked leisurely home, to read Kugler, and potter till dinner. Dined alone once more. Coffee and cigar in our room.
At 8 went to theatre. The performance surpassed our expectations. It was all pantomime, but that of the Christ both expressive and noble. A handsome tall man with fine sensitive nostril straight brow, black hair, and good figure. Action fluent and unconventional or at any rate unstagey. Nothing uneasy or seeking for effect. Nor did he once drop the mask. The others were all as bad as bad actors can be. The dresses those of a small provincial theatre. The stage was arranged with black baize on wings and centre forming a dark background for the pictures, a tree or seat occasionally occupying the foreground. The Adoration of the Shepherds with a doll lamb that baa'd when its head was moved was followed by the Flight into Egypt: a pretty picture of Virgin on a pasteboard donkey, and well taught infant who kissed her and comforted her: Joseph handsome. The entry into Jerusalem showed Jesus on the pasteboard donkey addressing the palmbearers. The adieu to friends and mother at Bethanie a good piece of acting -- really touching. Same with the weeping over Jerusalem and Judas conceiving the idea of betrayal. The Supper was a poor representation of Da Vinci. The agony in the garden good acting -- Before the high priest more of dramatic effort but as Christ has little to do the effect feeble; a murmur of horror ran through the audience at seeing Christ smitten by the soldier. Judas conventional in his remorse. Peter denying Christ well managed. The flagellation very effective. Pilate asking for his release and the people demanding that of Barrabas bad -- especially the Barrabas who tried to give a comic turn to his release. The bearing the cross and meeting with Veronica very powerful; so also the nailing on the cross which had a horrible reality about it. The death on the cross not so good. The Descent imitated (badly) from Rubens. The entombment and Resurrection old pictures.
The performance lasted till 'bd past 10. An organ accompanied the scenes and greatly aided the effect. The audience hushed and intent during each scene, but the effect purely momentary, for they were gabbling, laughing, and jesting noisily directly each scene was over.
Citation
Ghl Journal, GHL Journal, Antwerp, 10 June 1866, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/94297