The Anatomy Lesson, by Manuel Machado, translated by Julie Steiner

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp, by Rembrandt (Netherlands) 1632

The Anatomy Lesson, by Manuel Machado (Spain, 1874-1947)

Light’s enemies -- reclusive indentations
and entrails -- take the stage for their premiere,
in lurid, horrible hallucinations
of dreadful truth and bonfire-flaring fear.

Candescent ochres; carmines, hot as flame;
soft ivory- and rose-tinged subtleties:
these left the gold-rich chapels, and became
death-pallor, blood, and pustulent disease.

Rembrandt it was, whose name earned worldwide kudos --
that awesome, venerated artist -- he
was paintbrush-poniard of these sinews’ luster…

Rembrandt. Conqueror of light and shadows.
Thus, pain had its first portrait, misery
its painter worthy of the title master.

Manuel Machado, translated by Julie Steiner

**

La Lección de anatomía

Los enemigos de la luz -- rincones
y entrañas -- surgen por la vez primera,
en tremendas y fúlgidas visiones,
de atroz verdad, y resplandor de hoguera.

Lumineos ocres, cálidos carmines,
ebúrneas y rosadas morbideces,
dejaron los dorados camarines,
para ser sangre, podre y livideces.

Fué Rembrandt, cuyo nombre al mundo asombra,
artista poderoso é insensato,
pincel-puñal de palpitante nervio…

Fué Rembrandt, vencedor de luz y sombra.
Y el dolor tuvo su primer retrato,
y la miseria su pintor soberbio.

Manuel Machado

Author's Note: Manuel Machado (1874-1947) and his brother Antonio (1875-1939) were leading figures in the Spanish literary movement known as the Generation of ’98. Manuel published this poem in his 1911 ekphrastic collection Apolo, teatro pictórico (Apollo, Pictorial Drama). For a high-resolution version of “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicholaes Tulp,” the 1632 oil painting by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) whose tiny areas of intense colour inspired this poem, visit:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Rembrandt_-_The_Anatomy_Lesson_of_Dr_Nicolaes_Tulp.jpg

Julie Steiner is a pseudonym in San Diego, California. Her poetry has appeared in Literary Matters, The New Verse News, Light, and Snakeskin, among other venues. She has been an active participant in the Eratosphere online poetry workshop (www.ablemuse.com/erato) for more than twenty years.