Common Hour Quotes

The Painter

by Bernard Palmer

There is an old story which tells of the experiences of a great artist who was engaged to paint a mural for the great cathedral in an old Sicilian town. The subject was to be the life of Christ. For many years the artist labored diligently, and finally the painting was finished except for the most important figures. The Christ Child and Judas Iscariot. He searched far and wide for models for these two figures.

One day while walking in an old part of the city, he came upon some children playing in the street. Among them was a twelve year old boy whose face stirred the painter's heart. It was the face of an angel - a very dirty one, perhaps, but the face he needed.

The artist took the child with him, and day after day the boy sat patiently until the face of the Christ Child was finished.

But the painter failed to find a model for Judas. For years, haunted by the fear that his masterpiece would remain unfinished, he continued to search. One afternoon in a tavern, the painter saw a gaunt and tattered figure stagger across the threshold and fall on the floor, begging for a glass of wine. The painter lifted his head and looked into a face that startled him. It seemed to bear the mark of every sin of man.

"Come with me," the painter said, "I will give you wine, food and clothing." Here at last was his model for Judas! For many days and parts of many nights, the painter worked feverishly to complete his masterpiece.

As the work went on, a change came over the model. A strange tension replaced the spurious languor, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed with horror on the painted likeness of himself. One day, perceiving is agitation, the painter paused saying, "My son, I'd like to help you. What troubles you so?"

The model sobbed and buried his face in his hands. After a long moment he lifted pleading eyes to the old painters face. "Do you not remember me? Years ago I was your model for the Christ Child!"