Study Guide by Arpita Karwa

Andrea del Sarto by Robert Browning

However, they spent all of the money on buying a house

for themselves in Italy. He says he became less inspired
as an artist but he also feels that these circumstances
were destined as he was fated to be with Lucrezia. He
hopes that future generations forgive him for his deci-
sions.

As they are sitting at the window, Andrea is reminded

m
"Andrea del Sarto" (also sometimes called "The Faultless
Painter") is a poem by Robert Browning. The poem’s
inspiration was Andrea del Sarto, a renaissance artist. This
of the time when Michelangelo complimented his work
to Rafael but he soon forgets about it as he starts think-
ing about the faults in the painting in front of him and
his own failures. He then begs his wife to spend more

co
poem is a monologue narrated by Andrea to his wife time with him as he is sure that it will make him reach
Lucrezia. greater heights; he would be able to earn more and give
her more.
The poem begins with its pivotal character - Andrea del
Sarto who lives and works in Florence. He is begging his In the next part, Lucrezia’s cousin calls her outside.
wife Lucrezia to stop the argument about whether a
a.
painter can give his painting to his wife’s friend. Andrea
Andrea asks her to stay. Andrea says that the cousin has
debts to pay off and if Lucrezia stays back, he will pay
tells Lucrezia that he will give her all the money if she his loans. Lucrezia denies the offer and leaves.
would hold his hand and sit with him to look at Florence
w
from their window. In the last part, Andrea regrets a few things, he wants to
change a few things. He pacifies himself by justifying his
In the next stanza, Andrea feels melancholic and tells decision to leave France and losing his artistic integrity.
r

Lucrezia to smile for him because if she did, his sadness He also praises himself for his flawless paintings. He
would go away. Andrea thinks of himself as a failed artist notes that his wife was the reason for his failure but
ka

firstly because his wife has lost her pride in him and thinks that she was also his own choice.
because he thinks he only has one talent - that of creating
flawless paintings. Andrea’s work is appreciated by many
but he feels his work lacks soul — something which is
present in the works of Rafael and Michel Agnolo. He says
ta

those men could observe the heavens whereas he is only

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stuck with earthly inspirations.

In the next part, Andrea looks at a faulty painting and feels

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he can correct it but still won’t be able to add soul to it.

He blames his wife for his lack of soul. He credits and
forgives her for bringing beauty but says that if she would
have got brains, he would have got the soul. Andrea
ar

ponders if it was the absence of a wife that made the great

artists what they were.

He now reminisces of the time he was appointed by the

King of France - Francis. Andrea got influenced by his
wife Lucrezia and left the French court with a promise that
he would return back. They headed to Italy with some
money which Francis gave Andrea to buy Italian artworks
for the French court as well as the money he had got as an
advance for his commissioned paintings.

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