书中说：“Power of Art features eight of these moments of self-dramatization, when the artist, under extreme pressure, undertakes a work of supremely ambitious scope in which his own most essential beliefs are embodied. All of them are directly presonal testimonies; all of them make claims for art that go well beyond the pleasure principle. They are works that seek to change the world."
他说：“Van Gogh, the manically enraptured painter of burgeoning nature throttled by his own creations"
他说：“Turner,the meditative poet of the comings and goings of life"
他说：“Caravaggio, the devout Christian and criminal, who understands the redemption of blood because he has direct experience of spilling it."
对照着艺术家的画作和SIMON精辟的文字，这本书就如同Bolt of Illumination。我一面如同攻读GRE阅读一般啃食着大片大片陌生的词汇，一面打着摆子似的惊骇于一个又一个艺术家不为人知的故事，从此我心中所谓的艺术的世界发生了颠覆，不再仅仅是美丽和祥和，不再仅仅是高雅和宽恕，而是交织着不安和摇摆，交织着暴力和扭曲，交织着血腥和仇恨，交织着狂妄和邪恶。
就如同Bernini在St Peter大教堂建造的金色祭坛，一边是他奉教皇之命奉献给圣徒的伟大作品，一边却是他母亲的抱怨：“He thinks he’s Lord of the World"。
(Golden Altar by Bernini in St Peter’s)
(Golden Altar by Bernini in St Peter’s)
就如同德国有史以来最畅销的 Patrick Süskind 的小说香水，主人公杀死了一个又一个美丽的少女，从而酿制成了举世无双的香水，让世人神魂颠倒，象拜倒在上帝脚下一样拜倒在他的面前。邪恶泥淖中生长的恶之花，因为这一种真实迫切的欲望，而显示出非凡的诱魅。
我不知道这种认知对于普罗大众的我来说是否幸或不幸。又何必去想这许多？只要继续神魂颠倒地去读这本书，即使是生活就此多了几分妖艳的魅惑。
