Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

By Andrea Mantegna. Contributed by G. Vivian. Esq., to the Manchester Exhibition. No. 10% of the Catalogue

66

Doctors in the Temple," was contributed by the Liverpool Royal Institution. A primitive attempt of one of the Venetian painters who rose to such glory in the days of Titian deserves remembrance. It was a large square altar-piece, by Carlo Crivelli, crowded with figures, having the Virgin and Child enthroned in the centre with St. Peter as Pope, on his knees receiving the keys from them.

Bellini, also of the Venetian school, was well represented; but Andrea Mantegna, his contemporary, who wrought principally at Padua and Mantua, here deserves especial notice. He painted the celebrated Triumphs of Julius Cæsar for the Duke of Mantua, which are now at Hampton Court, and the long, dingy but less mutilated picture, of the Triumph of Scipio, seen at Manchester, and the property of Mr. Vivian, which afforded altogether the most perfect epitome of the merits and peculiarities of the painter.

Perugino, the master of Raphael, was to be seen in a large and characteristic picture,§ contributed by Lord Northwick from Thirlestane House; but much more favourably in four exquisite little pictures (from the predella or step of some large altar-piece), belonging to Mr. Alexander Barker. They represent the Nativity, the Baptism, Christ and the Samaritan woman, and “Noli me tangere." Of all the ancient pictures in the Exhibi tion, the Holy Family (unfinished), attended by four angels, attributed to Michael Angelo, excited most interest among connoisseurs. It was sold as the work of Ghirlandajo (the master of Michael Angelo) to the Rt. Hon. Hy Labouchere; but the well-known critic Von Rumohr had already pronounced it to be an emanation of the far greater pupil, an opinion which has since been promulgated by Dr. Waagen, and in consequence of his high authority, the name of Michael Angelo seems now to have been very generally adopted.

Of works by that most eminent of all painters, Raphael Sanzio d'Urbino, the Manchester Exhibition contained a few genuine examples; but none, in fact, sufficient to afford a fair evidence of his transcendant power either in largeness of style, expression, drawing or richness of composition. The Crucifixion, from the gallery of Cardinal Fesch,¶ belonging to Lord Ward, and the Agony in the Garden, from the Gabrielli palace at Rome, and now the property of Mr. Fuller Maitland,2 served to show Raphael when under

• No. 37.

See the accompanying wood-cut drawn by G. Scharf, Jun., and contributed by Mr. Murray. Scharf, Jun., and contributed *2 No. 134.

+ No. 80. No. 102. See the illustration drawn by G. by Mr. Murray. § No. 117. No. 107. No. 123.

the influence of his master Perugino. The pictures of the Three Graces* from Lord Ward and the two Madonnast from Earl Cowper indicated his first efforts towards a freer style: this emancipation was shown in the glassobscured Madonna and Child contributed by Mr. R. J. Mackintosh, who had purchased it from the collections of Henry Hope and Rogers the poet. Two fine examples of Raphael's more developed period were afforded by the Earl of Warwick-one on a large scale, the Assumption of the Virgin,§ when he was studying with, and no doubt aided by, his friend Fra Bartolommeo-and, the other, a striking portrait, in peculiar costume, of the beautiful Joanna of Arragon. This is a well-known and often-referred to duplicate of the picture in the gallery of the Louvre. Fra Bartolommeo's own work, evincing an astonishing power of colour, might be seen in a Riposo contributed by Earl Cowper from Panshanger. A picture also of the Saviour bearing his Cross** hanging near it, and attributed by Mr. Brett, the owner, to Raphael, left too deep an impression on the minds of spectators to be omitted from this list. The remaining pictures which had Raphael's name were either of a minor class or fabrications and old school copies. A portrait of Copernicus, by a contemporary of Raphael, was naturally regarded with much interest; but a truly fine. work of art, a Holy Family, by Sebastiano del Piombo, was for the most part passed over on account of the dullness of surface and want of attractive colours. One Francia alone held a high place: it represented the Baptism of our Saviour,§ and was contributed by Her Majesty from Hampton Court Palace. From the same source also proceeded a large picture powerfully illustrative of the Michael Angelo school-Venus and Cupid coloured by Pontormo upon the outlines prepared by Buonarroti. Michael Angelo, as is well known, frequently bestowed this help upon his favourite scholars; and the great picture of the Raising of Lazarus, now in the National Gallery of London, is a remarkable instance, since in that picture the figure of Lazarus appears to be almost entirely his work.

+2

The early Milanese school was marked by a valuable picture, by Ambroggio Borgognone, belonging to the Prince Consort. It is clear and brilliant in colour, and represents the Virgin and Child upon an elevated rocky throne: the Baptist stands on one side and St. Ambrose protects a kneeling donor on the other. It is signed with the artist's name, and dated 1510.

* No. 139. *2 No. 121.

+ Nos. 136 and 141.
+2 No. 160. No. 161.

No. 133. § No. 147. No. 158. No. 118. §2 No. 132. 2 No. 122.

[ocr errors]

A curious specimen of early Ferrarese Art, by Mazzolino di Ferrara, the "Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea," shews the slow progress with which the later refinements penetrated some minds, if not into particular geographical districts. This Chinese-looking picture bears the date of 1521, one year after Raphael had ceased to exist.f

That the school of Milan attained peculiar eminence is seen in the fine picture by Gaudenzio Ferrari,‡ who studied under Raphael, the property of Mr. Holford. A grand picture marking another epoch of art was the allegorical portrait of Charles V, painted by Parmigianino in 1530. As a work especially mentioned by Vasari, it merits particular attention.§ It is now the property of Mr. Angerstein. Titian, the greatest of Venetian colourists, was nobly represented. Among the vast number it will suffice to particularize Lord Darnley's Europa, and the portrait of Ariosto; a portrait called Alessandro de' Medici,*2 from Hampton Court, and a comparatively small picture of a Riposo, with back ground of rich trees, and a glowing sunlight penetrating them. This, the property of Mr. Holford, and a composition frequently repeated, is a veritable chef d'œuvre. Tintoretto was seen to the fullest advantage, with all his excellence and peculiarities, in the two large pictures from Hampton Court, the Esther, Ahasuerus and the nine Muses, and the large Leda,§ formerly in the Orleans collection. Paul Veronese, however, was not seen at Manchester to equal advantage. The grand ceiling pictures which Lord Darnley acquired from the Orleans gallery 2 were not adequate to the display of all his powers, nor did the sketch¶ from Miss Burdett Coutts, and once belonging to Mr. Rogers, suffice even to afford a type. Annibal Caracci was seen in great force. The fine Lucca picture*3 contributed by Speaker Denison, and the great St. Roch, formerly an Orleans picture, and now Mr. Wadmore's, fully sufficed to manifiest his power. A work of the same artist, from Castle Howard, on a smaller scale, and by no means, equally ex

* No. 178. It was not by oversight or accident, as surmised by the writer of the article in the National Review, page 203, that this picture came jarringly upon the spectator, after he had been enjoying the power and delicacy of Raphael and Correggio. I desired especially to shew the slowness of some masters in adopting a larger and freer style, and with the same object also I introduced the little Greek picture of St. George, No. 189 on the east wall of saloon C. See note on page 25 of the Exhibition Catalogue.-G. S.

No. 235. § No. 210. || No. 259. ¶ No. 257. *2 No. 256. + No. 301.
§2 No. 302. * Nos. 285-288.
¶ 306.
** No. 329. + No. 327.

2 Nos. 314 and 274.

pressive of the painter's remarkable peculiarities and excellencies, was the so-called "Three Maries." This picture obtained from the first a most remarkable amount of popularity with the visitors to the exhibition, although I am afraid it is but a proof of the gregariousness of large assemblies and the readiness with which the general mass of people follow that which a few bold mouths praise. Had they been previou-ly acquainted with the admirable engraving which Sharpe executed from it, and which really is a first-rate work of art, their eagerness to see the original might have been understood. The picture, although heavily painted, is powerfully dramatic.

The inspired features of the upturned countenance of St John,+ also from Castle Howard, and the figure of St. Agnes with folded hands,; from Windsor Castle, were fine examples of Domenichino the pupil of Annibal Caracci. When once seen, they excited universal interest; but they are not like the little picture I have previously offered remarks upon.

The number of pictures of excellent quality belonging to the Spanish school, especially by Murillo, was a remarkable feature of the Manchester Exhibition. The vestibule between saloons B and C was almost entirely filled with the works of Murillo alone. In this recess the two pictures belonging to Sir Culling Eardley,§ and the Madonna and Child,,, which Lord Overstone acquired from the Santiago and Berwick collections, shone brilliantly; nor can we forget the Good Shepherd, ¶ contributed by Baron Rothschild, and originally the pendant to the lovely St. John and the Lamb, now in the London National Gallery. Velasquez also was seen to great advantage, even in close proximity to Van Dyck, at the extreme end of the gallery, and the combination was in many respects a happy one, since it afforded a rare opportunity for an immediate comparison of the style, subject, and treatment adopted by each great master. The Olivarez, *2 and Philip IV and his Queen were superlatively fine examples of portraiture.

The contributions of Colonel Hugh Baillie, Mr. T. P. Smyth, and Mr. Farrer, of Bond street, rendered especial service in maintaining the reputation of this great painter, the forerunner and patron of Murillo.

We now glance back to the upper end of the north wall, where the series of German art commenced, facing Italian works of the corresponding

.No. 310. + No. 341. No. 334. § Nos. 041 and 643. No. 642. ¶ No. 647. ** No. 737. +2 No. 738.

« AnteriorContinuar »