Art - The Shadow of a Ghost

A walk down the hall revealed it all. The spectator morbid but in a humble quest to attain the understanding, salvation of art.
‘There are many characters here’, he thought though their eyes fought.
A painting very peculiar was noticed;
A baby held in the engulfing hands of his father, being caressed with the thumb by the cheek;
The baby innocent to the spoken queries of life and process, staring astonished and rapt by the sky, the clouds, who knows what else?
The father guilty, staring at the child with eyes that held unconditional love and amazement as well. The brow spoke of irresponsibility and fear of what is chanced.
The lips had a subtle smile waiting to glide when the ears heard a solid prophecy of greatness.

The spectator consumed with melancholy made it visible with his saturnine appearance.

Then came a gray haired madman. At the sight of this boy consumed with misery he asked him ,’What was your purpose boy?’

Spectator: To realize the meaning of art. I do understand the feelings of both the father and son, and they do sway me. What I do not realize is what it was meant to mean.

Madman: If you empathized with the portrait, then you have understood art. As art is in the eyes of the beholder. To be at the plain of understanding of another, at the same level is salvation, not preaching or sitting beneath a tree.

Now boy what is your purpose?

Spectator: To preach my new learned salvation.

Madman: Naïve youth, I just spoke of ones individual and sole understanding. Life will teach you.