P138 – ARISTOTLE’S JAPONISM, THE PHILOSOPHER UNDER PHYLLIS, THE COURTESAN -2010
Acrylic on canvas 127 x 85 cm – 50 x 33,4 inches - Bent frame.
ART GALLERY / (Text translated by Google) / Aristotle (be the horse of): expression used in some games, to designate a penance of taking the posture of a horse, to get her back on a lady who must walk in a circle, which it is embraced by each player. Here is the origin of this phrase today "japanized" by Philhelm:
Alexander the Great, in love with Phyllis, a beautiful young Indian woman, seemed to have lost the sense of glory. Its general murmur, but no one dared to make the body dissatisfaction of the army. Aristotle took charge. He represented his former disciple does not become a conqueror thus neglecting the care of his brilliant business to indulge in the pleasures of love, who choked back at the bully. Alexander was struck with these observations, and he declined to return the beautiful courtesan. But it soon ran, in tears, to know the cause of his neglect. She then learned what had made the philosopher: "What! she cried, Lord Aristotle condemns sense the most natural and softer! He advises you to exterminate the war people who have done you no harm, and blame you for loving who loves you! It is a claim intolerable impertinence is incredible claiming exemplary punishment, and, if you will permit me, I am responsible for inflicting”. Alexander lent himself laughing in the plot against her tutor, conspiracy treacherous vengeance real woman. The Indian displayed all her coquetry to seduce the philosopher. What is beautiful is written in the heavens say Orientals. Aristotle taught his costs. Seduced by treacherous intrigues, he was madly in love with the beautiful Indian woman he had just called to his aid logic, metaphysics and morality, nothing could cure him of his passion. Vainly he thought he soothed through study and remembering the lessons of Plato was a charming picture ever afford to him and drove away all the meditations which he indulged. He then admitted that the real cure was so compelling inclination to succumb. He appeared to the Indian girl, fell at his feet and sent him a pathetic statement, which the sorceress pretended not to believe. She represented the philosopher that she could not believe in a love so great without receiving the most convincing evidence. "Every woman has her whims, she replied to Aristotle, and mine is to ride on the back of a philosopher. This condition you may seem a folly, but madness is for me the best proof of love”. Aristotle was useless to protest, he had to go through this. The evil god who changes a donkey dancer, as the saying goes, can also transform a philosopher quadruped. That Aristotle saddled, bridled and amiable maiden astride his back. She is trotting from one side to another, while she sings a lay of love happily appropriate to the occasion. Finally, when he was breathless, she leads him to a grove of green where Alexander looked cheerful scene. "Ah Master, "said the conqueror, laughing out loud,”… is it really you that I see in this grotesque crew? Have you forgotten the wonderful things you have said about the dangers of love, and it is you who reduce it to below the brute? "In this joke, which seemed unanswerable, Aristotle answered wit:" Yes, it's me, I agree, you just see in this ridiculous posture. Judge, Lord, excesses which could take you love, since he was able to commit such a folly to an old man so renowned for his wisdom. "This certainly is a hot story, but it is only mischief to the memory of the illustrious philosopher, poet repelled by some of the ten categories. We indeed see that the Lai Aristotle is attributed to Henry Andelys troubadour of the thirteenth century, who shot from scratch a new Arabic entitled: The Vizier saddled and bridled, whose new title alone indicates rather the complete analogy we have just presented. . Script LAROUSSE (IT 1866) Dixit Philalethes.
NOTE: An engraving by Hans Baldung Grien, dated 1503, commemorates the same scene.