Chapter XXII: Preface: By John Ruskin (20)

Jan was the son and pupil of Justus van Huysum, a painter
of Amsterdam. By close study Jan attained great fame as a
flower-painter. The principal florists of Holland supplied him
with their choicest productions as subjects, and his reputation
soon spread throughout Europe. "Whilst still young he became
rich and honoured, and reached the summit of fortune. The
prices noted in the sale catalogues of the eighteenth century,
which are altogether out of proportion to those realised by
other works, reveal to us with what infatuation this finished
master, so delicate, erudite, and careful, was regarded"
(Havard: _The Dutch School_, p. 264). He usually arranged his
flowers in elegant vases, of which he finished the ornaments
in the most careful manner. He was fond also of introducing a
bird's nest with eggs. Both of these characteristics may be
seen in the picture before us. The care with which he rendered
every detail is remarkable. "As to you, dear old Jan Van
Huysum," writes an artist of our own day, "you have edified me
beyond expression. You teach me that a man can't be too careful
as to his work, be it what it may. Your pearly dewdrops on
the fresh gathered green things of the earth refresh me. Your
tiny ants on the petals of the pink teach me in their minute
contemplation to be like the star, _Ohne Hast, Ohne Rast_. How
cool, and calm, and cheerful, and confident you are, Jan!"
(_Letters of James Smetham_, p. 173). "The world is so old,"
says Ruskin, "that there is no dearth of things first-rate; and
life so short that there is no excuse for looking at things
second-rate. Let us then go to Rubens for blending, and to
Titian for quality, of colour; to Veronese for daylight, and
Rembrandt for lamplight; to Buonarroti for awfulness, and to
Van Huysum for precision. Any man is worthy of respect, in his
own rank, who has pursued any truth or attainment with all his
heart and strength" (Letter to Liddell in the _Memoir_ of the
Dean, by H. L. Thompson, p. 224). Other pictures by Jan Van
Huysum may be seen in the Wallace Collection and the Dulwich
Gallery.

Signed, and dated 1736-1737. Notice the bird's nest, with the greenfinch's eggs.

797. A MAN'S PORTRAIT.

_Cuyp_ (Dutch: 1620-1691). _See 53._

This excellent portrait serves to remind us that, unlike most of his fellow landscape painters, Cuyp could paint his own figures. Indeed we have seen that he sometimes painted them in other landscapes, see No. 152. The picture is signed "Aetatis suae 56, 1649. A. Cuyp fecit." Cuyp is one of the most various of all the Dutch masters. "What universality in the hand that could paint skies more glowing than those of Both, clouds as vaporous as those of Van de Cappelle, water more luminous than Van de Velde's, cattle as true to nature as Paul Potter's, horses better than Wouverman's, horsemen more distinguished than Vandyck's! Sometimes, too--and there is a noble example in our National Gallery--we find Aelbert Cuyp painting portraits, not in the stiff precise way that the father painted them, but with a freedom of touch and a brilliancy of colour that place him between Van der Helst and Rembrandt" (_Quarterly Review_, October 1891, and Fromentin's' _Les Maitres d'autrefois_, "Hollande," ch. viii.).

798. CARDINAL RICHELIEU.

_Philippe de Champaigne_ (French: 1602-1674).

A painter of historical subjects and portraits, he was born at
Brussels, but went to Paris at the age of 19. He was employed
by Du Chesne, the painter royal, to work at the Luxembourg in
concert with Nicolas Poussin. Du Chesne was of mediocre talent
and jealous disposition, and Champaigne and Poussin soon left
him. The two men were mutually attached, and in after years
Champaigne discoursed at a session of the Academy on the merits
of his friend Poussin. Champaigne returned to Brussels, but was
recalled in 1627 to succeed Du Chesne. He executed many works
for the churches and royal residences and also for Cardinal
Richelieu's palace. He became an original member of the French
Academy in 1648, of which he was also Professor and Rector.
Towards the end of his life, his fame began to pale before
that of Le Brun. His religious and historical works, of which
there are several in the Louvre, are apt to leave the modern
spectator cold; but his portraits are excellent.

This picture was painted for the Roman sculptor Mocchi to make a bust from, hence the two profiles as well as the full face. Over the profile on the right are the words (in French), "of the two profiles this is the better." In this profile the compressed lips, the merciless eyes, the iron-gray hair and prominent nose, bespeak the great Cardinal Minister of Louis XIII., and the maker of France, who summed up his policy and his character in the words, "I venture on nothing without first thinking it out; but once decided, I go straight to my point, overthrow or cut down whatever stands in my way, and finally cover it all up with my cardinal's red robes." In the full face one sees rather the man who was also a princely patron of the arts and artists (of De Champaigne amongst their number), and the founder of the French Academy.[184] The central head here was clearly used as a study for the full-length portrait, No. 1449.

802. VIRGIN AND CHILD.

_Bartolommeo Montagna_ (Venetian: about 1450-1523).

Montagna was born near Brescia, and worked at Vicenza, but must
have studied at Venice.[185] "He is entitled," says Kugler,
"to a much higher place among the painters of the last part of
the fifteenth century than that hitherto accorded to him. His
art is distinct in character, with a firm outline and a bold,
sure hand; his colour is low but rich, bright, and gem-like. He
gives a grand, dignified expression and pose to his figures;
his draperies are generally arranged in broad folds, and his
landscape backgrounds, although minute, frequently denote
an original and poetical fancy." His best work is the great
altar-piece now in the Brera at Milan, a picture worthy to
rank with those of the same kind by Bellini and Carpaccio.
Other important works by Montagna are in the Public Gallery of
Bergamo, in the Museo Civico at Vicenza, and in the Pilgrimage
Church on Monte Berico, near Vicenza.

This picture is ascribed by some critics to Giovanni Speranza, a painter of Vicenza contemporary with Montagna.

803. THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.

_Marco Marziale_ (Venetian: painted 1499-1507).

Marco was one of the assistants engaged to work under Giovanni
Bellini in the decoration of the Ducal Palace. Whilst Bellini
received sixty ducats a year, Marco received only twenty-four.
Nothing else is known about his career. Of his works, which are
very rare, the best are in our Gallery.

An example which shows what wealth of interest there is in the National Collection. It is only by a second-rate painter of the Venetian school; but no picture in the Gallery is richer than this in decorative design. Note first the varied and beautifully-designed patterns in the mosaics of the church--recalling one of the domes of St. Mark's. Then the lectern, covered with a cloth, and the delicately-embroidered border, wrought in sampler stitch, deserve close examination. The cushion above this, and the tassels, formed of three pendent tufts of silk hung on to a gold embroidered ball, offer good decorative suggestions to the trimming manufacturer. Attached to the front of the lectern is a label or "cartellino," setting forth that "Marco Marziale the Venetian, by command of that magnificent knight and jurisconsult, the learned Thomaseo R., made this picture in the year 1500." As it is probable that this was the first important commission Marco ever obtained on his own account, there is little wonder that he wrought the record so elaborately. This "Thomaseo R." was Raimondi, a knight of the order of Jerusalem--a man of considerable note in Cremona as a lawyer and poet. His portrait occupies the forefront of the right-hand corner of the picture, his set features recalling the lawyer rather than the poet. It is his mantle, however, which best repays notice--a sumptuous robe of raised red velvet, such a fabric as Venice was then winning industrial renown by weaving. The very pretty pattern is of the so-called "pomegranate form," and occurs also on the mantle of the donor's wife, who occupies a corresponding position on the left-hand side of the picture. In the South Kensington Museum there is a remnant of Italian silk brocade of this pattern (in the Bock collection). The robe of the High Priest is also evidently taken by the painter from a silk robe, and is very rich. The design, in which the wild pink is largely introduced, is unique. Ruskin had a wall-paper made for him in 1872 copied from this robe: it has ever since been used for the walls of the drawing-room and study at Brantwood. "It will thus be seen that this one picture brings before us a great number of suggestions in design for various technic arts; at least half a dozen patterns exist in the ornaments of the mosaic work of the vaults; five or six patterns of embroidered or woven borders will be found in it, as many designs for diapered or other surface decoration, examples of beaten metal-work and of bookbinding, besides the carved wood lectern." For notice of other points, see further the interesting article by G. T. Robinson in the _Art Journal_, June 1886, and cp. Vacher's _Italian Ornament_, No. 24.

804. MADONNA AND CHILD ENTHRONED.

_Marco Marziale_ (Venetian: painted 1499-1507). _See 803._

This picture was painted seven years later (1507) than 803, which it resembles in the bright mosaics of the vault and the interesting design on the robe of the bishop on the left. Notice the little angel playing the mandoline on the steps of the throne, characteristic of the earlier Venetian painters.

805. PEELING PEARS.

_Teniers_ (Flemish: 1600-1694). _See 154._

806. THE PROCESSION TO CALVARY.

_Boccaccio Boccaccino_ (Cremonese: about 1460-1525).

Boccaccino was a native of Cremona, where many of his works are
still preserved. "All that is best in his art," says Morelli,
"he derived from the school of the Bellini." In the Venetian
Academy is a beautiful "mystic marriage of St. Catherine"
which is signed by him. He is a painter, says Kugler, "of very
distinct individuality, and may be easily recognised by the
peculiar type and expression of his figures, and especially by
his women, who generally have much grace and beauty. One of
his characteristics is a light-grey eye with a dark rim." This
picture is "not characteristic of Boccaccino's manner, and is
probably by another hand" (ii. 389).

For some remarks on the subject of this picture see under 1143.

807. MADONNA AND CHILD ENTHRONED.

_Carlo Crivelli_ (Venetian: painted 1468-1493). _See 602._

This picture (like 724) is signed by "_Sir_ Charles": it is dated 1491. It bears the painter's sign-manual also in the fruits and the vase of flowers. The giver of the picture (which was dedicated to the Virgin, and which, as recorded in a Latin inscription below, cost no inconsiderable sum) is kneeling, in the habit of a Dominican nun, at the foot of the throne. On the Madonna's left is St. Sebastian, pierced with arrows and tied to a pillar, but with the happy look of "sorrow ended" on his face. On her right is St. Francis. Near his feet are some flowers and a snail--typical of the kindness and humbleness of the saint, of whom it is recorded that "he spoke never to bird nor to cicala, nor even to wolf and beast of prey, but as his brother," and who thus taught the lesson "Never to blend our pleasure, or our pride, With sorrow of the meanest thing that feels" (_Wordsworth_).

808. ST. PETER MARTYR.

_Giovanni Bellini_[186] (Venetian: 1426-1516). _See 189._
_See also_ (p. xx)

A fancy portrait of a jolly comfortable-looking Dominican monk--a faithful portrait doubtless. His face is painted as it really was, "wart and all," but it has pleased him to be represented in the character of Peter, a famous member of his order (see under 812).

809. THE HOLY FAMILY.

_Michael Angelo_ (Florentine: 1475-1564). _See 790._

The Virgin mother is seen withholding from the child Saviour the prophetic writings in which His sufferings are foretold. Angelic figures beside them examine a scroll--

Turn not the prophet's page, O Son! He knew
All that Thou hast to suffer and hath writ.
Not yet Thine hour of knowledge. Infinite
The sorrows that thy manhood's lot must rue
And dire acquaintance of Thy grief. That clue
The spirits of Thy mournful ministerings,
Seek through yon scroll in silence. For these things
The angels have desired to look into.

Still before Eden waves the fiery sword,--
Her Tree of Life unransomed: whose sad tree
Of Knowledge yet to growth of Calvary
Must yield its Tempter,--Hell the earliest dead
Of Earth resign,--and yet, O Son and Lord,
The Seed o' the woman bruise the serpent's head.