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March 1998, Week 2

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From:
Donald Larsson <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Thu, 12 Mar 1998 09:38:59 -0600
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Harvey Roy Greenberg requests:
 
i'm doing a review of GOOD WILL HUNTING, focusing on the vicissitudes of
youthful genius. Overviewing myths about intellectual and artistic
prodigies, I want to say something about the recurrent theme of genius
discovered in childhood or adolescence in mean/humble circumstances. As
a prime example, I seem to recall that a Renaissance painter -- at
least one -- was discovered as a child by his future teacher drawing
amazing pictures in the dust of his peasant farmyard. I believe this
was Caravaggio. Can anyone confirm or deny this or otherwise trace the
source of the tale to its reality, if such there be?
 
 
 
I can't find a specific reference to this story offhand, but as you
suggest such stories are not uncommon.  I'd suggest looking at Vasari's
LIVES THE MOST EMMINENT ITALIAN PAINTERS . . . , which was among the
first works to try to chronicle the lives of Michelangelo, etc.
(Giorgioni might be a possibility.)
 
Although he wasn't of "humble" origins (nothing about him was humble!),
Orson Welles is the subject of such myth.  There's the famous story
that his guardian-to-be, Dr. Bernstein, met him when he was about three
and still had not spoken, only to be greeted with the line (trying to
reconstruct from memory here) "The willingness to take medicine is a
fundamental aspect of humans" or something like that.
 
Don Larsson
 
----------------------
Donald Larsson, Mankato State U (MN)
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