Though as an artist he is now held in little regard, his
reputation was great in his own day,[34] and he had a reflected glory
in being the friend of Winckelmann, who was reputed to have profited
by his teaching in art. Under the inspiration of Oeser Goethe's
interest in the plastic arts in general, which had received its first
impulse at home, became a permanent preoccupation for the remainder of
his life. He took regular lessons in drawing from Oeser, made
acquaintance with all the collections, public and private, to be found
in Leipzig, and even made a secret visit to the galleries in Dresden,
where, he tells us, he gave his exclusive attention to the works of
the great Dutch masters. As was always his habit, Goethe generously
acknowledged his obligations to Oeser. "Who among all my teachers,
except yourself," he afterwards wrote on his return to Frankfort,
"ever thought me worthy of encouragement? They either heaped all blame
or all praise upon me, and nothing can be so destructive of talent....
You know what I was when I came to you, and what when I left you: the
difference is your work ... you have taught me to be modest without
self-depreciation, and to be proud without presumption.
Pages:
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72