Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/411

 being flatly taxed with the habit, by a spiteful rival, in presence of the Pope; and the fact that Cellini was imprisoned on direct charges of the sort, by a cabal, in 1556.

One of the renowned sculptors in the Seventeenth Century, the Fleming Jérôme Duquesnoy, was not only homosexual but came to his tragic death by a pederastic charge. Jérôme's great brother François (commonly mentioned in Flemish art as "Le Flameng", or "Le Flamand") has somewhat overshadowed Jérôme in fame, but was of no finer talent. In fact in Flemish art, Jérôme Duquesnoy is without superior. He lived and studied in Rome, at the same time that his brother François, with Antony Van Dyck and many other brilliant young artists of the North were students in Italy. Jérôme and François were not harmonious in temperaments, and their quarrels have led biographers even to accuse Jérôme of having tried to poison François—a groundless charge. Some time earlier, Van Dyck also had come to Rome, to reside for a time. The two brothers Duquesnoy awhile were wholly separated; though Van Dyck maintained a close intimacy with both. In fact, Italian pederasty was strongly influential on the Northern colony in Rome at this time—as ever; for not only Jérôme Duquesnoy but François and Van Dyck became sensibly affected by its æsthetie elements. Jérôme Duquesnoy left Italy and went to Spain for a time; and after halts in Italian and French cities, he set out for Flanders along with his brother, who died suddenly at Leghorn. A brilliant professional career in Flanders began for the sculptor, once back in his own land. He executed commissions for the most important art-patronage of Belgium, and became official Court-sculptor. He went to Ghent, to complete the magnificent tomb of the Bishop of St. Bavon. In Ghent, ruin overtook the unfortunate Uranian. He was accused of sodomy with two young lads, acolytes of St. Bavon's Church,