It represents two
figures, one unmistakably himself when in the prime of life, his brow
and cheeks unfurrowed, and his hair still thick, shining brown, but
with the same grave earnestness of the dark eye that came with the
early sense of responsibility, and with the first sorrow of his
youth. The other figure, one on which the painter evidently loved to
dwell, is of a lady, so young that she might almost pass for his
daughter, except for the peculiar, tender sweetness that could only
become the wife and mother. Fair she is as snow, with scarce a
deepening of the rose on cheek, or even lip, fragile and transparent
as a spiritual form, and with a light in the blue eyes, and a grace
in the soft fugitive smile, that scarce seems to belong to earth; a
beauty not exactly of feature, but rather the pathetic loveliness of
calm fading away--as if she were already melting into the clear blue
sky with the horizon of golden light, that the wondrous power of art
has made to harmonize with, but not efface, her blue dress, golden
hair, white coif, and fair skin.
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