Анализ рассказа Олдоса Хаксли "Портрет"

       Aldous Huxley was an English novelist best known both for humorous and ironical novels as well as for serious works dedicated to art and human’s history. Many of Huxley's novels depict British aristocracy and high society, which he satirizes. In addition, he wrote short stories on art, literature, science and culture which are praised by readers for their cleverness, stylistic elegance, and ability to entertain.

       His story “The portrait” deals with two amazing stories dedicated to the role of art and money in people’s lives. Thus the composition of the whole story is unusual: it is a story within another story. The situation of the outside story could have taken place during the lifetime of the author hence the scene is laid somewhere at the twentieth century. The outside story is a prosaic affair of art-dealer’s tricking his client by selling him the reproduction of the picture of one of the eighteenth-century Venetian Masters, made by young painter. For making this trick and convincing the client to buy this picture another story is included and presented by the seller as the story of the picture. This one is a romantic love story with a traditional triangle of the old and ugly husband, the young and handsome lover (who is said to be Venetian Master Giangolini) and the young and flirtatious wife.

       So the whole story turns out very involving and fascinating because of this two-in-one character and some common features of the inside and outside stories. The matter is both of them somehow are connected with art and money. The old rich husband named Earl Hutmore is probably a real connoisseur of art as his chief interests in life are music and Roman antiquities. It is also he who decides to enlarge his art collection by having his wife’s portrait painted. His decision partly becomes the reason of his wife’s love affair with the painter and only his jewelleries make the woman decide otherwise. Because of the money he gets both the picture and his wife home.

       Mr. Bigger in the outside story is also a connoisseur of art and successful art-dealer. The ironical name of this character can suggest us what kind of person he is. Mr. Bigger makes his money successfully not only due to his knowledge in art but also thanks to the ability to find individual approach to every client. In our story only one example of his tricking the clients is shown but it is clear how mean and sharp this art-dealer is because he not only tricks the client but also deceives the poor young master who painted the picture. Mr. Bigger himself admits that he tells people that he would put all his capital into these or those pieces of art depending on the interests of the clients.

       On the other hand, it must be symbolic that the Lord of the Manor is not given any name. He is just a typical representative of upper-middle class and so-called “right sort of the customer” for art-dealing.  He has never gone into the subject of art very deeply and he is confident that having the pictures of Old Masters is the symbol of social superiority. Lord of the Manor also turns out to appreciate pieces of art more for the story behind them because for him the presence of it is the criterion of the real artistic value. So, this character is also the part of the message of the story concerning the role of art and money in people’s lives. He is the one who is inclined to demonstrate his social status and wealth through collecting the pieces of art, he is ignorant of.

       The story seems convincing and makes us admit the correctness of the proverb: “An ass loaded with gold climbs to the top of the castle.”

       So, the story leads to the typical conclusion that those who possess money and the power to make them successfully are always the fittest.