Cihlar & Egeler - The Saint and her Fool

„You must stop, Harro, the painting is becoming dark and gloomy.“

„Leave me alone, you know well enough not to disturb me.“

„But you have got to stop! My poor, poor father! It is enough!”

„Rose, you dare such an outburst? Why are you spoiling my pleasure of painting? Is that allowed?”

„But look what you have painted! Why have you painted such a woman for my poor father? See… the dress, just like blood, and the strange poisonous flowers… the smile on her face; as if knowing that whomever she offers the flowers to must die.”

„You are talking sheer nonsense today… poisonous flowers! Orchids are not poisonous ,“ he mutters, irritated.

Harro puts down his palette and sits onto the chair where the Duchess had sat before. Almost at once – as if a black cloud is passing across the sky - it has turned dark. Harro reaches for the orchid stems and keeps them in his hand.

„Put them away, these poison flowers!“ She tries to snatch them away from him.

„Rosemarie, you are a naughty, violent little lady today and you have spoiled my enjoyment of painting. If you had not disturbed me so, I could have achieved something wonderful. Such an atmosphere will not come back, it has been hard enough to find the appropriate mood; I have been painting the dress for such a long time, waiting for the right inspiration“.

„But it is finished, your painting.“

„Finished! I was at my best and a minute is then worth more than an hour.”

„Then come and see yourself, it is finished.“ Rosemarie walks over to the niche to turn on the light.

A slight crackling, then golden light from the chandelier on the ceiling brightens the twilight. As she glides down the hall, the bulbs glow on the old Venetian wall sconces, all of them – until the great hall is illuminated in a sea of lights.

„Never mind, Rosemarie…“ but she does not rest until the last shadow, hidden behind the pilasters and niches, is gone. The large hall shines brightly. The knights and ladies of the paintings are presented in the glare as elusive shadows, as if they are not used to the brightness. But the large painting in the middle of the hall seems to soak up the light. The woman with the magical flowers, in her dress of glowing, red silk which resembles a garment weaved by horrid fairies, stained with the blood of slain beings. The woman with a veiled smile, still concealed in secrecy, the gaze of unbounded depth in her brown eyes ...similar to the cruel smile of the Mona Lisa.

Harro stands in front of the painting, torn from the half-gloom of the shadows into the brightest light and he stares - and suddenly strikes his fist on the forehead. „By God, what have I created? From which abyss has this arisen!“

Rosemarie suddenly puts her chilly little hand on his. Wordlessly, he grabs her slender shoulders and embraces her for a moment.

„Darling ... my Saint Rose…”Then he lets her go. „Should we take a cloth of turpentine and destroy this monstrosity?”

„Oh, Harro, no… it is your most beautiful painting.“

The next morning, Rosemarie accompanies her father into the hall, where he wishes to see the portrait. She imagines her father could hear her faint heart fluttering. What will happen ... will he be terribly angry and never want to see Harro again, because he has created such a painting? Her hands are cold and her eyes are dark. But nothing happens.

Father seems amazed. „Do not tell anyone, Rosemarie, but I did not even realize that Mama is so beautiful. I presume that this is a remarkable painting and you may recount this to your friend Harro. But now I know for certain that it should not be hung in the great hall; it would make the other paintings look dull and characterless. Harro was perhaps right when he spoke of stylization. He may not be able to stylize, as appropriate for a portrait in a family collection, but he is indeed an artist of aura.”

The Duchess is very surprised that the sessions have such an abrupt end, just as she had begun to amuse herself. She is speechless upon seeing the painting; she adores it tremendously and spends countless hours admiring it. She feels to be painted in such a manner, is a supreme homage to her beauty and she is more than flattered: this Earl of Thorstein is indeed a dark horse of artistry.

One day, Rosemarie comes timidly to her father and asks: „May Harro send Mama’s portrait to an exhibition in Munich? I heard him tell Frau von Hardenstein that they have asked him, and it would be an honor for him, but he said he has nothing that is good enough.”

The Duke does not have the slightest desire to exhibit his wife, but the Duchess is absolutely thrilled. To be presented in such a fashion to the admiring world of art, this exceeds her wildest dreams. The Earl must paint the official coat of arms into the upper right side: a portrait of Her Highness - Duchess of Brauneck. She also coaxes her husband with the argument that one must help this impoverished, friendly neighbor, who had saved the life of the Princess. What a promotion would this be for his artistic work! One owes this to the man. The Duchess is quite benevolent and she gets her will; the painting is sent on a journey to most exhibitions throughout Germany.

Before their winter departure, the Duke and Duchess ride out to the Thorsteiner ruin, where the landlord is outside, working on the exterior of his dwelling. The Duchess secretly looks at the way his muscles flex on his almost bare chest and says with a smile: „You should not spend the winter in solitude, Count Thorstein, you must come to visit us in Berlin, when your painting is exhibited there. I am certain you would find much inspiration; all artists need to visit Berlin, it is mandatory for their image, I have been told. And how many beautiful women will wish to be painted by you! I will make sure you are known…just let me take care of that. I await your acceptance to our invitation, Sir; we will see you in Berlin!” The restless, fiery horse cannot be held still any longer and the Duchess whisks away in a wild gallop.

The Duke is not able to hold back his stallion and shouts out, tuning back in his saddle; „It would be my pleasure!”

Chapter 11

For this winter, there is no question that Rosemarie will accompany the Duke and Duchess to Berlin. Although the Duchess sighs; „The climate of the city will surely not be good for her… and it will be difficult to accommodate her, as we have planned to renovate the rooms for a winter garden.”

„We will surely find a suitable room for my daughter in this huge mansion,” answers the Duke with an icy undertone, lacking his usual politeness.

Prior to the departure to Berlin, Frau von Hardenstein requests to speak with the Duchess; something she does quite reluctantly: The priest of the surrounding diocese had asked about when the Princess would take part in the confirmation lessons, as she was awaiting to receive this important sacrament in spring.

If the Princess will spend the winter in Berlin, he would like to receive the name of the local minister there, in order to arrange whatever she might need. Rosemarie would attend the final lessons for the confirmation in Brauneck and it would be wise to coordinate the guidance of these lessons. The Duchess had listened to this inquiry with all signs of extreme boredom; braiding the fringes of her chair and yawning covertly through her nose.

Suddenly, she seems to be quite interested. „I must ask you, Frau von Hardenstein; is not Rosemarie confused enough… what two different religious teachers must bring about! One of them is surely orthodox as the other is liberal; that would certainly confuse Rosemarie with her twisted ideas. I consider this method to be wrong. I shall talk to the Duke about this.”