《圣阿格尼丝之夜》

译/爱艺

《圣阿格尼丝之夜》

译/爱艺

The Eve of St Agnes

此画（布面油画，底板：71厘米×124.5厘米，画框：101厘米×154.5厘米×10厘米，1856。图见本期封底）的创作灵感来自约翰·济慈出版于1820年的长诗《圣阿格尼丝之夜》。阿瑟·休斯的这幅三联画选取的是诗中描绘的三个场景：波尔菲罗来到城堡，那里正在举行盛大的宴会（左）；他把马德琳从梦中唤醒（中）；这对恋人从醉倒的守门人身边偷偷逃走（右）。

[2]以下诗行就用油彩写在原配黄金画框的底部：

乳媪说，在圣亚尼节的前夕，

姑娘们都能看到恋人的影相，

只要她们遵守正确的仪式，

在甜蜜的午夜，她们的情郎

就会在梦中对她们情话绵绵；

她们必须不吃晚餐就上床，

将百合似的玉体仰卧朝天，

不准斜视或后顾，只面对天堂，

只对上天默念她们的一切愿望。1此段译文选自穆旦译《圣亚尼节前夕》第6节。圣亚尼节即圣阿格尼丝节，为1月21日。圣阿格尼丝，也作圣艾格尼丝，是基督教敬奉的童贞女和殉道者。Agnes一词源自希腊语，意为“纯洁”。

[3]虽然三幅场景画在一张画布上，但每一幅都有签名和日期。此画还有一版未标日期的小幅油画版本，单独的三部分以三联画形式装裱，藏于牛津大学阿什莫尔博物馆。阿什莫尔版与泰特美术馆收藏的这版画作构图相似，唯一不同的是左边那幅。与泰特版相比，阿什莫尔三联画版描绘的是稍后的一个场景——波尔菲罗在门口遇见年迈的安吉拉。

[4]此画于1856年在皇家美术学院展出，休斯的另一幅画《四月之恋》同年首展。评论家约翰·拉斯金将此画描述为“一幅卓越的画作……惊醒的马德琳面容精致，显得神思恍惚又震惊不已”。罗塞蒂认为，这幅画会“让休斯功成名就”。 □

This work (oil on canvas, support:71cm×124.5cm, frame: 101cm×154.5cm×10cm, 1856) was inspired by John Keats’s poemThe Eve of St Agneswhich was published in 1820. Arthur Hughes’s triptych depicts three scenes from the poem: Porphyro’s approach to the castle, where a lavish banquet is in progress (left); his awakening of Madeline from her dreams (centre);and the lovers’ stealthy escape over the drunken porter (right).

[2] The following lines from the poem are written in paint at the bottom of the original gold frame:

They told her how, upon St Agnes’Eve,

Young virgins might have visions of delight,

And soft adorings from their loves receive

Upon the honey’d middle of the night.

If ceremonies due they did aright,

As, supperless to bed they must retire,

And couch supine their beauties lilywhite,

Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require

Of heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire.

[3] Although painted on one canvas,each of the three scenes has been signed and dated. A small, undated oil version of the composition exists in three sections, mounted as a triptych(Ashmolean Museum, Oxford). The Ashmolean version is similar in composition to the Tate’s painting, with the exception of the left scene. The Ashmolean triptych portrays a later incident, that of Porphyro’s meeting with the aged Angela2济慈叙事长诗中小姐马德琳的奶娘。at the portal doors.

[4] The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1856, the same year as Hughes’sApril Love.The critic John Ruskin described it as“a noble picture... the half-entranced,half-startled, face of the awakening Madeline is exquisite”. Rossetti felt that the picture would “make [Hughes’s]fortune”. ■