《圣阿格尼絲之夜》

譯/愛藝

《圣阿格尼絲之夜》

譯/愛藝

The Eve of St Agnes

此畫（布面油畫，底板：71厘米×124.5厘米，畫框：101厘米×154.5厘米×10厘米，1856。圖見本期封底）的創(chuàng)作靈感來自約翰·濟慈出版于1820年的長詩《圣阿格尼絲之夜》。阿瑟·休斯的這幅三聯(lián)畫選取的是詩中描繪的三個場景：波爾菲羅來到城堡，那里正在舉行盛大的宴會（左）；他把馬德琳從夢中喚醒（中）；這對戀人從醉倒的守門人身邊偷偷逃走（右）。

[2]以下詩行就用油彩寫在原配黃金畫框的底部：

乳媼說，在圣亞尼節(jié)的前夕，

姑娘們都能看到戀人的影相，

只要她們遵守正確的儀式，

在甜蜜的午夜，她們的情郎

就會在夢中對她們情話綿綿；

她們必須不吃晚餐就上床，

將百合似的玉體仰臥朝天，

不準斜視或后顧，只面對天堂，

只對上天默念她們的一切愿望。1此段譯文選自穆旦譯《圣亞尼節(jié)前夕》第6節(jié)。圣亞尼節(jié)即圣阿格尼絲節(jié)，為1月21日。圣阿格尼絲，也作圣艾格尼絲，是基督教敬奉的童貞女和殉道者。Agnes一詞源自希臘語，意為“純潔”。

[3]雖然三幅場景畫在一張畫布上，但每一幅都有簽名和日期。此畫還有一版未標日期的小幅油畫版本，單獨的三部分以三聯(lián)畫形式裝裱，藏于牛津大學阿什莫爾博物館。阿什莫爾版與泰特美術館收藏的這版畫作構圖相似，唯一不同的是左邊那幅。與泰特版相比，阿什莫爾三聯(lián)畫版描繪的是稍后的一個場景——波爾菲羅在門口遇見年邁的安吉拉。

[4]此畫于1856年在皇家美術學院展出，休斯的另一幅畫《四月之戀》同年首展。評論家約翰·拉斯金將此畫描述為“一幅卓越的畫作……驚醒的馬德琳面容精致，顯得神思恍惚又震驚不已”。羅塞蒂認為，這幅畫會“讓休斯功成名就”。 □

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濟慈敘事長詩中小姐馬德琳的奶娘。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”. ■