Chapter XV: Preface

This paper has been prepared with the understanding that while much has been printed concerning a few individual art poems of Browning, such as _Abt Vogler_, _Andrea del Sarto_ and _Fra Lippo Lippi_, no complete, systematic survey of the place of Italian art in Browning’s text has appeared; and in the belief that such a survey might be worth while.

Much of Browning’s treatment of art is of course omitted in the discussion; for he introduces art data from other countries than Italy, and has much to say of the nature and purpose of art in general.

Within the limits chosen, the purpose has been to make a practically complete survey for each of the five fine arts, sculpture, music, poetry, architecture and painting, in the order here given. The attempt has also been made, based on data from letters and biographies, to trace to some extent the chronological perspective of Browning’s interest in the individual arts, and to indicate the apparent sources of that interest. Chapter VII deals with “comparative aesthetics” (within the limits of our title), the poetic values Browning finds in the arts, the causes determining the relative emphasis upon each art, and the relations of these data to Browning’s dominant concern as a poet--human personality.

That the study has been brought to its present form is due, in part, to help and encouragement given by Professor S. L. Whitcomb. The manuscript has been carefully read by Professor D. L. Patterson and Professor Margaret Lynn. The former has given valuable suggestions concerning the historical aspects of the paper, and the latter, helpful criticism based on her special knowledge of Browning’s text. To these three instructors in the University of Kansas, and to all others who have given assistance, including fellow students, a grateful acknowledgement of indebtedness is here made.

PEARL HOGREFE.
Mansfield, Louisiana,
May 1, 1914.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
Browning’s General Interest in Art.

I. Subject Matter of Browning’s Poems 9
II. Interest in Music 10
III. Relation to Painting 10
IV. Relation to Sculpture 12
V. Significance of the Preceding Sections 12
VI. Time Spent in Italy 13
VII. English Knowledge of Italian Art in Browning’s Time 13
VIII. Non-English Themes and Settings in General 14
IX. A Quantitative Statement 14

CHAPTER II
Italian Sculpture in the Poems of Browning.

I. General Statement 15
II. Historical Scope 16
III. Poetic Functions of the References to Sculpture 17
IV. Source of Browning’s Knowledge 22

CHAPTER III
Italian Music in the Poems of Browning.

I. General Statement 23
II. Catholic Hymns 23
III. Poetic Functions of the References to Music 24
IV. Lack of Modern Italian References 26
V. Conformity to Facts 27
VI. Source of Browning’s Knowledge 27

CHAPTER IV
Italian Poetry in the Poems of Browning.

I. General Statement 29
II. Predominance in Early Poems 29
III. Sordello 30
IV. The Imaginary Poets 30
V. The Italian as the Type of Failure 31
VI. Italian Men of Letters: Dante 32
VII. Other Real Writers 33
VIII. Browning’s Knowledge of Italian Literature 33
IX. Browning’s Interest in Italian Literature 34

CHAPTER V
Italian Architecture in the Poems of Browning.

I. General Statement 35
II. Source of Browning’s Knowledge 36
III. Importance of Architecture in the Poems 37
IV. Comparison with Other Writers 38
V. Architecture and Personality 39

CHAPTER VI
Italian Painting in the Poems of Browning.

I. General Statement 40
II. Extent of Browning’s Knowledge 40
III. Irregular Distribution of References 41
IV. Sources of the Poems 42
V. Poetic Functions of the References to Painting 44
VI. Conformity to History 47

CHAPTER VII
General Comparisons: Browning and the Fine Arts of Italy.

I. Poetic Function and Method 48
II. Amount of Material Used from Each of the Fine Arts 49
III. Personality and the Arts 52
IV. Browning as the Poet of Humanity 54

APPENDIX

I. Poems Containing Reference to Italian Art 55
II. Tabulation of References to Individual Arts:
Sculpture 56
Music 58
Poetry 60
Architecture 61
Painting 66

Index 75