The Harry Prince by Aldous Huxley Retelling & Summary (Школьные сочинения)

The story I would like to speak about is written by Aldous Huxley and is entitled "The Portrait". The plot is quite simple as it’s built round two main personages: they are Mr. Rigger and the Lord of the Manor.

One day the lord of the manor came at Mr. Rigger's house in order to buy a masterpiece. You see, Mr.

igger gained a reputation of a good businessman, dealing in pictures. Having foreseen a slump, he managed to make his fortune by selling everything he had. Moreover, being very shrewd, he realized that the Lord was an ingenuous man, mildly speaking, who had worked his way up to the lordship.

While talking, the lord mentioned his daughter, taking deep interest in arts and even doing a bit of sketching. You see, he tried to make an impression on Mr. Rigger, showing that members of his family cared for art.

ut, not having answered several questions about art he gave Mr.

Rigger an opportunity to feel his superiority.

ut it was wise of him to praise his natural instinct, because hardly had he said it when he saw the lord's face contorted and stupid smile appeared on his face, in other words he felt proud of himself

By the way, admiring historical things, the Lord wanted to but the picture with it's own story, and when told about it, Mr. Rigger left him waiting in the room and in several minutes he brought in a portrait of a young pretty woman and started telling the story.

The woman turned out to be the wife of the lord Hurtmore, taking deep interest in art and music as well. He used to spend his days travelling, listening to beautiful music and so on and so forth. Despite of the fact, that he was 55 already, all of a sudden determined to find a young girl to marry her. Without doubt, being young she was interested in dances, flirting and many other things.

When in Venice, the lord wanted to have his wife's portrait painted and he applied for the young promising painter Giangolini. You see, he was a handsome young fellow, and of course the lord's wife couldn't resist his beauty and she fall in love with him passionately, they were to have eloped, but unfortunately the lord found them preparing their things and she had to stay with the lord.

The lord of the manor must have been fascinated with the story, as he sat listening to Mr. Rigger attentively. He was ready to buy the picture, but when told about its price he started bargaining, and in the long run he managed to buy it just for 680 dollars.

Felling that he had done well, the lord left the room whistling gaily. Just at the same moment a young fellow, called Mr. Crowley came up to Mr. Rigger and asked his money for the portrait of the young lady to be given to him, and he was awarded just with 25 dollars.

As for the Lord of the Manor, frankly speaking, he didn’t care for art at all, he just came to buy pictures only because people of his status must have definite things in order to belong to a wealthy circle. You see, he turned out to know nothing about the masterpieces at all, that’s why when told a lot of facts about the pictures, he couldn’t but agree with Mr. Rigger, so we can call him ignorant, that’s why, knowing nothing, he was easily deceived by Mr. Rigger having believed in his story, so we can characterize him as a simple-minded credulous man, but at the same time, like any businessman, he was economical, because he didn’t immediately assent to Mr.

igger’s price, he began to bargain

As for Mr. Rigger, I can say that, being shrewd he at first sight understood that the Lord knew nothing about the subject, and it gave him pleasure to show to the lord his superiority. I’d like to say Mr. Rigger, being a businessman as well could be flattering and sly, trying to make the lord feel his importance. Moreover, Mr. Rigger earned his living by all means, and deception was one of them, because he turned out to sell fakes.

Besides, he made a young talented man paint these fakes for him, he used the man for his aims, that’s why, without doubt, he was cruel.