Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2002. Vol. 8. Eger Journal of American Studies.(Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 28)
Studies - Judit Borbély: The Writer's Paintings and the Painter's Scenes
[...] the facts of the situation were upright for her round the green cloth and the silver flambeaux; the fact of her father's wife's lover facing his mistress; the fact of her father sitting, all unsounded and unblinking, between them; the fact of Charlotte keeping it up, keeping up verything, across the table, with her husband beside her; the fact of Fanny Assingham, wonderful creature, placed opposite to the three and knowing more about each, probably, [...] than either of them knew of either. Erect above all for her was the sharp-edged fact of the relation of the whole group, individually and collectively, to herself [...]. (The Golden Bowl 382-383) The passage shows the same combination of artistic detail and hidden tension that we found in the Bronzino. The 'high decorum' (383) of the room and the characters' elegance cannot mask the underlying truth of cheating, lies and adultery. The effect of the mute scene becomes even stronger when Maggie goes out to the terrace, and like the painter who takes a step back to have a better view of the developing picture, she is watching the players from a little distance: Several of the long windows of the occupied rooms stood open to it, and the light came out in vague shafts and fell upon the old smooth stones. The hour was moonless and starless and the air heavy and still [...J. [... ] her companions, watched by her through one of the windows [...] charming as they showed in the beautiful room [...] might have been figures rehearsing some play of which she herself was the author [.„1. (384-385) Framed by the French window, the scene in front of Maggie's eyes is like a picture the beautiful impression of which hides hideousness and falsity —as if we were looking at a painting that appears magnificent at first sight but a closer look reveals a number of ugly details. As usual, Henry James is communicating his message through a central consciousness, this time through Maggie's perception, which being a sensitive mind works as that of a painter, identifying the separate elements but at the same time being aware of what is behind them. In my opinion, the given ekphrastic scene which presents a living picture is a splendid example of James's pictorial talent that can create wonderful paitings even without a brush and a canvas. Although he works with words, the resulting work of art has a visual effect (as well), which, in his view, is more than natural, for, as he 132
