Title (not contemporary): "Der Meister des Pinsels oder Das verhängnisvolle Gewitter." (The Master of the Paintbrush or The Cataclysmic Storm) [frame scan 1] / A painter's studio. The bearded Master takes an art class. A young woman issues a task, the young helper noting down her wishes. / IT: "Die erste Sitzung." (The first sitting). The woman stands upon a pedestal, drapes a veil over herself. [frame scan 2] After the sitting she takes a place on a sofa. The Master hands her a cushion so she can sit more comfortably. He kneels before her, professes his love for her, kisses her hand, her mouth. She laughs. / IT: "Kaum getreut, liebäugelt das junge Weib bereits mit dem Gehilfen." (Barely married, the young woman is already ogling the helper) The Master, his wife and the helper at dinner. The window is wide open. A storm brews, intense bolts of lightning flash. The Master gazes at the storm [frame scan 3], while his wife and the helper smooch behind his back. The Master twitches in time with the lightning. / IT: "Meine Augenlicht, mein Augenlicht, wo ist mein Augenlicht?" (My eyesight, my eyesight! Where is my eyesight?) The Master goes blind. / IT: "Der blinde Gatte schmachtet im Dunkeln, während sich Lisa und der Gehilfe schnöder Liebe widmen." (The blind husband languishes in the dark, while Lisa and the helper consecrate their dirty love) The pair smooch, while the doctor searches for the blind man [frame scan 4]. / IT: "Nur zu ungern verbringt das flatterhafte Weib ihre Jugendtage an der Seite des Blinden." (Only reluctantly had the fickle wife spent her youth alongside the blind man) However, the blind man is surprised by the couple [frame scan 5] – the shock makes him stagger and fall to the floor dead [frame scan 6]. / IT: "Verzweiflung läßt den schweren Körper dumpf zu boden fallen --- er ist tot!!!" (Distress made his large body fall to the floor with a thud --- he is dead!!!) Distress! / IT: "Der Tod setzte den letzten Pinselstrich unter das tragische Gemälde." (Death has placed the last brush stroke upon this tragic picture)
Jeanpaul Goergen, Deutsche Kinemathek, 19.05.2010
The style of the film suggests a French production from the 1910's. The intertitles (in various layouts) are probably not contemporary.
Jeanpaul Goergen, Deutsche Kinemathek, 19.05.2010
