Chapter D: G. ROSSETTI: Early Italian Poets (4)

_Velazquez_ (Spanish: 1599-1660). _See 197._

Note that some of the figures in the foreground closely resemble the group in "The Boar Hunt" (No. 197).

1377. THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS.

_Venetian School_ (16th Century).

Formerly ascribed to Savoldo (see 1031). "In its deep and striking chiaroscuro it reminds one of a greater and later artist, Bassano, and even of the earlier works of Velazquez. It is a very interesting picture, full of imagination, especially in its landscape, and generally in fine condition. For light and effective painting, look at the pigeons in the basket on the right" (Monkhouse: _In the National Gallery_, p. 261). This picture was bequeathed by the late Sir William Gregory, one of the Trustees of the Gallery, who secured it for the paltry sum of £12: 10s., and was (as we know from his "Autobiography") justly proud of his bargain.[248]

1378. AN INTERIOR WITH FIGURES.

_Jan Steen_ (Dutch: 1626-1679). _See 856._

Another of Sir William's bequests, and, like the preceding, "a bargain." "A French dealer," he wrote, "offered me £250 the day after I had bought it for £2: 3s." An itinerant musician enters the kitchen in a village inn or country farmhouse, and salutes the buxom lady of the house with a fantastic gesture of courtesy. A flute sticks out of his pocket.

1380. FRUIT AND FLOWER PIECE.

_Jan van Os_ (Dutch: 1744-1808). _See 1015._

1381. THE HOLY WOMEN AT THE SEPULCHRE.

_Francesco Mantegna_ (Paduan: about 1470-1517.)
_See 639._

For the subject, see 576. Notice the pool in the foreground on which are two water-fowl, while a tortoise crawls towards it. This picture is the same size as 639 and 1106, and the three beautiful little panels doubtless formed a series--now at last brought together again, having been long separated in three different collections.

1383. "LA JEUNE FEMME AU CLAVECIN."

_Jan Vermeer of Delft_ (Dutch: 1632-1675).

This picture formerly belonged to the celebrated French critic
Thoré (who wrote under the name of "W. Bürger"), to whom
belongs the credit of having rescued Vermeer from oblivion.
He was famous in his own day, being one of the chiefs of the
Delft Guild of Artists. But after his death his works were
dispersed or destroyed or ascribed to Pieter de Hooch, and
his very existence was forgotten till "Bürger's" researches
rehabilitated him (see _Gazette des Beaux Arts_, 1866, pp.
297, 458, 542). He was born in Delft, and was for a short time
a pupil of Carel Fabritius, a painter who was deeply imbued
with the spirit and manner of Rembrandt. Vermeer obtained good
prices for his pictures, but his circumstances cannot have
been flourishing, for his widow had to apply to the court of
insolvency to be placed under a curator. His works are now
rare and costly: for the present picture £2400 was paid. The
artist with whom Vermeer has the closest affinity is De Hooch.
At an auction in Amsterdam in the middle of the 17th century a
De Hooch is praised as being "nearly equal to the famous Van
der Meer of Delft," and there is often some confusion between
the works of the two painters. Substitute red for blue, it has
been said, and a Vermeer becomes a De Hooch. Both painters
are remarkable for the quality of light displayed in their
interiors, and Vermeer has never been surpassed in the cool
general effect which he produced. "Though in perfection of
execution," says M. Havard, "the one rivals the other, they
differ singularly in their use of the brush. Whilst Hooch
has a vigorous and supple touch, Vermeer on the other hand,
proceeding by short steps, paints in small patches, and then
connects the whole by glazing in a manner peculiar to himself,
which produces a vibrating effect, a characteristic of this
original painter which we cannot forget" (_The Dutch School_,
p. 186). Beauty of tone and perfect harmony are conspicuous
in all his works, which in some other respects exhibit marked
differences, for "the Sphinx of Delft" (as Bürger calls him)
had several manners. It is supposed that he worked for a time
under Rembrandt. The picture of four life-sized figures in
the Dresden Gallery called "Les Courtisanes," and dated 1656,
suggests the influence of that master. During the last ten or
twelve years of his life he adopted a second manner, of greater
delicacy and subtlety. In all his works there is a singular
completeness and charm. He is a master in rendering momentary
expression, and his pictures attract by the successful
delineation of character, as well as by the skill with which he
makes his figures move in light and air. He has also a complete
mastery of perspective, and in his effects of light upon flat
surfaces he is unsurpassed.

This picture is a good example of the qualities described above.[249] "The head, however, has unfortunately suffered from over-cleaning, showing the gray under-painting which gives the picture a colder aspect than it would otherwise have" (Official Catalogue). The picture has a very good "pedigree," Bürger, to whom it once belonged, having traced it back, through the Solly and Danser-Nyman Collections, to an anonymous sale catalogue of 1714.

1386. SOLDIERS QUARRELLING OVER THEIR BOOTY.

1387. PLAYERS AT TRIC-TRAC.

_W. C. Duyster_ (Dutch: 1599-1635).

These pictures are by one of the rarest of the Dutch masters--William Cornells Duyster, a painter of Amsterdam. They were acquired from a family in whose possession they have been ever since they were brought over to this country by an officer in the army of William III. The fine execution and brilliant condition of the pictures make them decidedly attractive. They are both signed; 1386, on a box in the foreground; 1387, on the border of the beautifully-painted tablecloth.

1390. A SEA-PIECE.

_Ruysdael_ (Dutch: 1628-1682). _See 627._

An excellent example of Ruysdael's sea-pieces, in which he was not surpassed by any painter of the time. The view represented is the shore at Scheveningen. This picture, for which the sum of £3045 was paid by the nation, changed hands in 1872 for £68 as one of a pair!

1393. A MEDITERRANEAN SEAPORT.

_Claude Joseph Vernet_ (French: 1714-1789). _See 236._

The frigate is flying the Dutch tricolor flag. At the foot of the fortified wall is a party of Turkish or Albanian merchants.

1397. AN OLD WOMAN SEWING.

_Unknown_ (Dutch School: 17th Century).

On the wall behind is an engraved portrait of a gentleman, with an inscription in which the name, Jan van Aach, and the date 1655 occur. The name is possibly that of the unknown painter.

1399. PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN.

_Gerard Terburg_ (Dutch: 1617-1681). _See 864._

This and the following picture were in the collection of the late Sir Charles Eastlake. By the provisions of his will, they were to be offered to the National Gallery at the prices he paid for them, viz. £25 and £75.

1400. CHRIST BEFORE PILATE.

_Rembrandt_ (Dutch: 1606-1669). _See 45._

This sketch is the original study for the etching of the same subject done in 1636. It is signed with the artist's name underneath the clock which is above the arched entrance on the right.

1401. A FRUIT-PIECE.

_Pieter Snyers_ (Flemish: 1681-1752).

A painter of fruit and flower pieces, landscapes, portraits,
and figure subjects of low life; was Director of the Royal
Academy of Antwerp.

Fowls, cray-fish, artichokes, lobsters, peaches, plums, strawberries, asparagus, radishes, and peonies--"all represented of natural size and distributed in picturesque confusion." The artist's signature is included, as if embroidered on the corner of the tablecloth.

1406. THE ANNUNCIATION.

_School of Fra Angelico_ (Florentine: 1387-1455). _See 663._

"Through an arched opening behind the Virgin we see a sort of cloister garth. There are daisies on the sward, and in a pot stands a tall lily. A similar opening behind the Archangel reveals another part of the garth, enclosed on all sides by a rose trellis. Beyond the trellis are visible a hill and a convent resembling that of San Miniato, rows of cypresses, and more distinct peaks in fuller light. The embroideries, the angel's plumage, and both the _nimbi_, are represented in real gold, while the last are incised in radial lines, so that, like the wings, their brilliance is distinct, and they shimmer in the light. On the capitals of two of the columns of the cloister the red annulets upon a silver shield of the Albizzi family are seen" (_Athenæum_). The composition of this not very attractive picture recalls the Annunciations by Fra Angelico, at Cortona and in the Madrid Gallery respectively.

1409. THE MARRIAGE OF ST. CATHERINE.

_Andrea Cordelle Agii_ (Venetian: School of Bellini).

This picture is a repetition of one by Andrea Previtali in the
sacristy of the Church of San Giobbe at Venice, and the painter
has been supposed to be the same as Previtali. This, however,
is probably not the case. The present picture is signed (on a
cartellino) "1504: Andreas Cordelli Agy dissipulus Jovannis
Bellini pinxit." He similarly describes himself as a pupil
of John Bellini on a picture in the Poldi Pezzoli Gallery at
Milan. Judging from his name, "twists and needles," he or his
father was probably a pedlar (Layard's edition of "Kugler," i.
334).

"The conjecture that Andrea Previtali is identical with Andrea Cordelle Agii seems to me," says Morelli, "untenable. Both were fellow-scholars in the workshop of Giovanni Bellini, and it is undeniable that in some of their works they closely resemble each other; but this may be explained by the fact that the one probably copied the cartoons or even the pictures of the other. The few signed works which I have met with by Cordelle Agii appear to me, however, to be more refined and lifelike in expression, and his landscapes are warmer and less vividly green in tone, than those of Previtali" (_Roman Galleries_, p. 237 _n._). As a picture by Previtali hangs close by (No. 695), the reader is in a position to consider the justness of the critic's remarks for himself.

1410. VIRGIN AND CHILD

_Borgognone_ (Lombard: about 1455-1523). _See 298._

The nimbus which surrounds the Virgin's head is inscribed in gold with the words AVE. MARIA. GRATIA. PLENA. DOM. The background is interesting. On the right is no doubt a faithful view of part of the old façade of the Certosa of Pavia before it was completed. On the left are other buildings which appear to be part of a convent, with Carthusian friars walking in front. This picture is earlier in date than Borgognone's "Two St. Catherines" (298); it is "more rigid in style and a capital example of the painter's less ambitious work" (Catalogue of the Burlington Fine Arts Club's Exhibition, 1898, p. xxxvii.).

1411. A DIPTYCH.

_Ercole Roberti de' Grandi_ (Ferrarese: 1450-1496). _See 1127._

On the left the Adoration of the Shepherds. There is much natural charm in the figure of the Virgin bending over the manger. On the right the dead figure of Christ, with St. Jerome and St. Francis in the middle distance receiving the stigmata. Very delicately finished.

1412. VIRGIN AND CHILD, WITH ST. JOHN.

_Filippino Lippi_ (Florentine: 1457-1504). _See 293._
_See also_ (p. xxi)

Formerly ascribed to Botticelli.[250] Notice the beautifully painted white eglantine and jasmine blossoms in the vase on the balcony. The youthful St. John is an attractive figure, very characteristic of this group of painters.

1415. PORTRAIT OF A LADY.

_Gerard Dou_ (Dutch; 1613-1675). _See 192._

"An old inscription on the back of the panel states that this picture is a portrait of Anna Maria van Schurmann; but it will be observed that the portrait by Jan Lievens (1095), supposed to represent the same lady, differs in the colour of the hair, and has other points of variation, which preclude the possibility of both having been painted from the same person" (Official Catalogue).

1416. VIRGIN AND CHILD, WITH SAINTS.

_Filippo Mazzola_ (Parmese: died 1505).

The Mazzola family affords one of the many instances in the
history of painting of artistic heredity. Filippo's two
brothers were also painters, and his son was the more famous
Parmigiano (see under 33). The Mazzoli were much employed
in Parma, but their work seldom rose above mediocrity.
By Filippo--called _delle erbette_ from the plants which
he was fond of introducing into his pictures--there are
religious-subject pictures to be seen at Parma. But he is best
known for his portraits, in which the influence of Antonello da
Messina is to be traced (see Morelli's _German Galleries_, p.
418). An excellent one in the Brera bears his signature.

This picture is in its original frame, of early _cinque-cento_ pattern, richly carved, gilt, and painted. A somewhat similar frame has recently been given to the "Vision of St. Eustace" (1436).

1417. CHRIST'S AGONY IN THE GARDEN.

_Andrea Mantegna_ (Paduan: 1431-1506). _See 274._

A celebrated picture (painted in 1459 for Giacomo Marcello, Podestà of Padua), and a specially interesting acquisition to our Gallery--first, as belonging to an earlier period of the master than his other important works here; and secondly, for its strong family likeness to the picture of the same subject by his brother-in-law, Giovanni Bellini, which, hangs in an adjoining room (No. 726). At the time when these pictures were painted Giovanni and Andrea were working at Padua under the influence of Giovanni's father, Jacopo Bellini (Vasari has some family gossip on this subject, ii. 265); and the original suggestion for the treatment of the subject in both pictures appears in Jacopo's sketch-book, now in the British Museum. A prominent object in the distance (an Italian version of Jerusalem) is a little gilt equestrian statue, which was evidently suggested by Donatello's equestrian statue of Gattamelata, still to be seen at Padua. The foreshortening of the apostles suggests the work of Uccello (see 583), who is known to have painted in that city. The picture has been described as "a marvellous combination of the fantastic and the realistic"; note for curious details the rabbits and storks, and the cormorant on the withered tree. This picture is more quaint than Bellini's; but Bellini's is the more original. "Mantegna's," says Mr. Monkhouse, "exhibits only a strong personal treatment of old conventions: Bellini's proclaims the dawn of a new world of art. What was old in the pictures--the Christ kneeling on a little hill, with the sleepy apostles in foreshortened attitudes in the foreground, the angelic vision on a cloud, and the suggestion of a neighbouring city--are common to both pictures. What was new--the fresh observation of nature for its own sake--is found only in Bellini's. We see this in the smouldering clouds of sunset, the light thrown on the distant buildings, the half-shade on the cliffs, the bringing-out of the figures into something like the real open, sun-illumined air, the attempt at solution of the problem of the tone of a face and figure relieved right against the sky" (_In the National Gallery_, 1895, p. 192).

1417a. ILLUMINATED INITIAL LETTER.

The letter D: enclosed within it is painted "The Agony in the Garden," copied from the preceding picture by Mantegna. The picture and this letter were both in the collection of Lord Northbrook.

1418. ST. JEROME IN HIS STUDY.

_Antonello da Messina_ (Venetian: 1444-1493).

A celebrated little picture, with a long critical history, for as early as 1529 the writer known as the "_anonimo_ of Morelli" mentions it as being variously attributed to Van Eyck, to Memlinc, and to Antonello, while he himself ascribed it tentatively to "Jacometto" (Jacopo de' Barbari). The influence of the Flemish School is obvious, says Sir Edward Poynter, "in the Gothic character of the architecture, the general arrangement of the picture, and the finish of the details. But the head of the saint has an energy of character highly characteristic of Antonello, and the buildings in the glimpse of landscape seen through the window on the left are distinctly Italian in character" (_The National Gallery_, i. 14). It is interesting to compare this picture with the version of the same subject commonly ascribed to Bellini (694). Observe, here, "the lion walking along the cloister, holding up a suffering paw, and the puss curled up on a platform at the saint's feet. Evidently this St. Jerome was a lover of animals, and, like Canon Liddon, more especially of cats" ("The Beasts of the National Gallery," by Sophia Beale, in _Good Words_, July 1895).

1419. THE LEGEND OF ST. GILES.

_Unknown_ (Flemish School: 15th Century).
_See also_ (p. xxi)

"St. Giles, patron saint of Edinburgh, and of woods, cripples,
lepers, and beggars, was an Athenian prince, revered for his
miraculous gifts. Having healed a sick man whom he found in a
church by laying his cloak over him, and fearing danger to his
soul from the fame which this event obtained him, he withdrew
to a solitary cave, where he lived as a hermit, nourished only
by wild herbs and the milk of a doe which had followed him. One
day the King of France, hunting near this retreat, shot the
doe, and, pursuing it, came upon the aged hermit holding in his
arms the doe, which was pierced by the arrow through his hand.
The King, seeing he was a man of God, begged forgiveness, and
wished to persuade St. Giles to return with him; but he refused
to quit his solitude, and remained in the cave till his death"
(_Saints and their Symbols_, by E. A. G., 1881, p. 95).

Here we see the saint, clad in hermit's robes, protecting the doe, which has fled from the hunting party towards him; his right hand is transfixed by an arrow, intended for the animal. The King kneels to implore forgiveness. He is attended by a companion, who is supposed to represent the painter of the picture. Notice the irises in the foreground, and to the right a plant of mullein, finished with great delicacy. "Remarkable as an example of extraordinary finish and enamel-like splendour of colour. Remarkable also for the flood of even, gay daylight diffused over it, such as makes us think of the more moderate among recent _plein air_ transcripts from nature. But the painter shows more of that intense humanity, of that command over delicate shades of character and facial expression which are the highest characteristic of the great Netherlandish masters of his time" (Claude Phillips, in _National Review_, Dec. 1894).

1420. A VIEW IN HAARLEM.

_Gerrit Berck-Heyde_ (Dutch: 1638-1698).

Gerrit, and his elder brother, Job, were the sons of a butcher
at Haarlem. Gerrit was very skilful in lineal perspective,
and reproduced with remarkable fidelity the most complicated
architectural views. The brothers worked together a great deal,
and Job often painted the figures in Gerrit's pictures. "The
pictures of both brothers are remarkable for a broad style of
painting, for brilliant sunlight, and careful, but not over
elaborate, drawing of details, and the figures are invariably
well grouped" (Official Catalogue).

A view of the painter's favourite subject, the market-place of Haarlem. The picture is signed, and dated 1674.

1421. A TERRACE SCENE.

_Jan Steen_ (Dutch: 1626-1679). _See 856._

1422. THE HOLY FAMILY.

_Eustache Le Sueur_ (French: 1616-1655)

Le Sueur, sometimes styled "the French Raphael," was the son of
a wood-carver at Paris, and became one of the original members
of the French Academy. His works, in spite of the early age
at which he died, are very numerous. He was assisted in the
production of them by three brothers and his brothers-in-law.
Several of his most important pictures are to be seen at the
Louvre.

This little picture is a good example of the painter's characteristics--with its somewhat crude colour, but considerable gracefulness, especially in the figure of the Virgin.

1423. PORTRAIT OF A LADY.

_Jan A. Ravesteijn_ (Dutch: 1572-1657).

This artist was born at the Hague, where his most important
works are to be found. He was admitted into the Painters'
Guild there in 1598. He was a pupil of Frans Hals, and was
much employed in painting the large groups of portraits--of
archers, magistrates, etc.--which were in vogue at the time.
Ravesteijn's groups are somewhat more formal than those of
Rembrandt, Hals, and Van der Helst, but are full of life and
character. He knew how to give dignity to his sitters, and his
pictures are inferior only to those of the great masters just
mentioned.

1424. TOBIAS AND THE ANGEL.

_Adam Elsheimer_ (German: 1578-1620). _See 1014._

A favourite subject with this painter. It was etched in 1613 by Count Gondt, who was the painter's chief benefactor; he purchased some of Elsheimer's choicest pictures, and engraved seven of them. The copper-plate of this subject fell into the hands of Rembrandt, and was partly erased and altered by him into another subject.

1425. PORTRAIT GROUP.

_Le Nain_ (French: 1588-1648).

There were three brothers of this name, the sons of a sergeant
at Laon, who all worked together as painters in Paris, and
became members of the Academy in 1648, in which year two of
them died. Mathieu painted historical subjects; he lived
till 1677. The very interesting and pleasing pictures, such
as the present one, most generally known as the works of Le
Nain, were probably painted by the other brothers--Louis and
Antoine--conjointly. Antoine was born in 1588; Louis in 1593.
Their works consist of familiar objects and incidents, such
as the "Peasants" and the "Blacksmith's Forge" in the Louvre;
they have a direct air of truth and realism, which is very
remarkable in contrast to the artificial taste by which other
French painters of the same period were inspired. Another work
by the brothers may be seen at Dulwich.

1427. THE DEAD CHRIST: A PIETÀ.

_Hans Baldung_ (German-Swabian: 1476-1545). _See 245._

Signed and dated "Hans Baldung, 1512." The Virgin's attitude is expressive of intense sorrow. "Her mouth is drawn convulsively down in the manner usual in the pictures of Burgkmair and the school and epoch to which he and Baldung belonged. On our right is St. John. Behind the group is Joseph of Arimathea. Behind, God the Father appears, robed in blue under a red mantle, and holding across His knees the drooping corpse of the Redeemer. Clouds form the background, and among them the Holy Ghost is hovering. The heads of all the figures bear plain nimbi of metallic gold. The draperies, except the loin-cloth of Christ, are somewhat tortured in the manner of the German painters of the fifteenth century. On the front of the balcony in which they are placed are depicted the donor and his family; in one corner is their escutcheon, bearing three money bags and a broad bar" (_Athenæum_, Jan. 11, 1895).

1429. THE ROTUNDA AT RANELAGH.

_Canaletto_ (Venetian: 1697-1768). _See 127._

The interior of the Rotunda in Ranelagh Gardens (at Chelsea), which were opened as a rival to Vauxhall in 1742, and at once became the rage. "Ranelagh has totally beat Vauxhall," wrote Walpole in 1744; "nobody goes anywhere else." "When I first entered Ranelagh," said Dr. Johnson, "it gave me an expansion and gay sensation in my mind such as I never experienced anywhere else." Smollett describes it in his novels as an "enchanted palace." "Ranelagh," said Rogers ("Table-Talk"), "was a very pleasant place of amusement. There persons of inferior rank mingled with the highest nobility of Britain. All was so orderly and still that you could hear the _whisking_ sound of the ladies' trains as the immense assembly walked round and round the room. If you chose, you might have tea, which was served up in the neatest equipage possible." The dining boxes under the arcade on the ground level are shown in the picture, as well as the orchestra, the musicians, and the numerous gaily-dressed promenaders. On the back of the original canvas was an inscription by the artist, recording that the picture was painted in London in 1754.

1430. ARCHITECTURAL SUBJECT WITH FIGURES.

_Domenico Beccafumi_ (Sienese: 1486-1551).

Of this painter there is a very interesting account in Vasari.
His surname was adopted from his patron, on whose estate
Domenico's father was a labourer. Like Giotto, Domenico was
observed one day drawing on the ground, while minding his
father's sheep, and his master sent him to school and made an
artist of him. His style was first formed on that of Perugino,
whose pictures in Siena he copied. In 1510 he went to Rome to
study the works of Michael Angelo and Raphael; but returning
to Siena in 1512, he became a close imitator of Bazzi (1144),
who had recently settled in the city. Unlike Bazzi, Domenico
was (adds Vasari) "most orderly and well conducted, lived as
it beseemed a Christian to do, and passed the greater part
of his time alone." "It will nevertheless sometimes happen,"
adds Vasari, "that such as are called good fellows and merry
companions are more sought after than are the virtuous and
upright." In the matter of artistic commissions, however,
Beccafumi was well employed, in painting both altar-pieces for
churches and frescoes of classical subjects for the houses of
wealthy citizens. Some of the latter still remain _in situ_,
while the Accademia contains Beccafumi's best works in the
other sort. It was he who executed the mosaics of light and
dark marbles which form the pavement of the choir of the Duomo.
He also practised sculpture and did eight angels in bronze for
the Duomo. He hastened his death, says Vasari, "by labouring
day and night at his castings of metal which he would also
finish and polish himself, working entirely alone, and refusing
to accept any assistance whatever." He occupied his leisure
time in cultivating a small property outside the city gates. He
could not work, he told Vasari, removed from the air of Siena.

A picture corresponding in general character to several described by Vasari. It is probably intended as a fantastic treatment of the visit of the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, or of Esther before Ahasuerus.

1431. THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST.

_Ascribed to Perugino_ (Umbrian: 1446-1523). _See 288._

Around this little picture of the Umbrian School, bought by Sir Edward Poynter at Rome in 1894, a fierce battle of the critics has raged. Sir Edward's own description may first be cited:--"A perfectly genuine work by a scholar of Perugino, probably done in his studio, and, in my opinion, possibly by the young Raphael. The most characteristic point, besides the beautiful painting of the figure of the Saviour, is the drawing of the hands, which is precisely Raphael's. On the other hand, the heads are not specially Raphaelesque, nor is the colour as pure and transparent as is usual even in his early work; at the same time, such characteristics as do not agree with what we know of his work might possibly be due to its being a youthful performance. The painting of the trees is quite peculiar, and different from the treatment to be found in the works of Perugino, or, indeed, of any work of the school that I had seen. Some two or three years afterwards I saw the predella painting of 'St. John Preaching' by Raphael, belonging to the Marquis of Lansdowne, and was very interested to find in it the same treatment of the leaves of the trees--that is to say, that, instead of the minute and delicate sprays of foliage, so characteristic of Perugino's own work and of, so far as I know, most of his followers, the trees have only a few sprays of large and freely painted leaves." According to many of Sir Edward's critics, the picture is a "detestable little production"; while one of them ascribes it, as a work of the nineteenth century, to Micheli, "a maker of old masters." (See a copious correspondence in the _Athenæum_ and the _Times_, during March and April, 1907).

1432. THE MARRIAGE OF ST. CATHERINE.

_Gerard David_ (Early Flemish: 1460-1523). _See 1045._

This picture (formerly ascribed to Hugo van der Goes) was, like No. 1045, painted for the Collegiate Church of St. Donatian at Bruges. Until the end of the last century it adorned the altar of St. Catherine in that church. The details of the picture are carried out with marvellous care and finish, and the whole displays the utmost perfection of execution. The expression of the figures, is, however, hardly so animated or idealised as in No. 1045. But "the Canon's intelligent head is admirably modelled and painted, and the figure of St. Catherine is executed with rare perfection. The jewellery, stuff, and draperies are all rendered with David's usual skill; while the background, with its rich vegetation, vigorously coloured trees, and picturesque buildings, is hardly surpassed by that of any of his other pictures." The scene of the mystical marriage (for the subject, see under 249) is laid in the emblematic walled garden ("a garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse"), surrounded by a vineyard (in which is an angel gathering grapes). On the right of the picture are seated St. Barbara, holding an open book, and St. Mary Magdalene with the vase of precious ointment in her lap. In front of St. Catherine kneels the donor of the picture, Richard de Visch van der Capelle, Canon and Cantor of the Church; he is accompanied by his greyhound, on whose collar is a shield bearing the Canon's arms. Before him, on the floor, lie a breviary of blue velvet and his precentor's staff. The workmanship of this staff is a good instance of the painter's minute precision. The staff is surmounted by a group representing the Holy Trinity adored by a monk and a cardinal. It was painted from a staff presented to the church in 1338, and the picture precisely corresponds to a description of the staff, to be found in an old inventory of the church property (see authorities cited in the Official Catalogue from Mr. Weale's description in the _Academy_, xiv. p. 391).

The picture was exhibited at Paris in 1881 under the name of Hugo van der Goes, and was sold for 54,100 francs. It ultimately passed into the possession of Mr. Lyne Stephens, by whom in 1895 it was bequeathed to the National Gallery.

1433. PORTRAIT OF A LADY.

_Unknown_ (Flemish School: 15th Century).

Notice the transparent starched muslin head-dress which, coming down as low as the eyebrows and covering the ears, yet allows the forehead and ears, and a high cap of gold and white brocade, to be seen through its thin texture.

1434. A BETROTHAL.

_Velazquez_ (Spanish: 1599-1660). _See 197._
_See also_ (p. xxi)

An unfinished picture once in the possession of Sir Edwin Landseer, and presented to the Gallery by Lord Savile, who has given a very interesting surmise of the subject: "It is evidently the representation of a betrothal in a private family, probably that of Velazquez himself. If this surmise be correct, the principal male figure would be Velazquez as a Knight of the Order of Santiago, the red cross of which, though half concealed, is seen on his cloak; the mother presenting her child would be his daughter, the wife of the artist Del Mazo, his pupil and son-in-law, and the girl, their daughter, the grandchild of Velazquez. The foreground is occupied on the right by a half-length figure of the poet Quevedo, with a huge pair of horn spectacles, as he is represented in his portrait by Velazquez at Apsley House, though here he is a much older man. He was a great friend of Velazquez, and in this picture may represent the witness to the betrothal of the artist's grandchild. On the right is a negro, probably Juan Pareja, the favourite slave of Velazquez, who is conveying a basket of fruit to his young mistress. Velazquez himself is waiting, pen in hand, for the 'promesso sposo,' who, though not shown in the picture, may be entering the room by the portière which an attendant is raising; but he is seen by the little bride elect, who waves a salute to him with the flower in her hand. [Contrast, as a pretty little incident, the dog who is running towards the door and barking at the stranger.] It is not surprising that a painting of this unusual character should give rise to doubt as to the correctness of its attribution, and it has been suggested that it is the work of Del Mazo, the pupil of Velazquez; but if that artist had been commissioned to paint the portrait of a knight of Santiago, his sitter would scarcely have been satisfied with the scanty indication of that celebrated order shown in this picture. If, however, as I believe, the knight of Santiago represents Velazquez himself, the half-hidden cross of that order assumes an aspect that may have an important bearing on the questions of the authorship of the picture, the date of the work, and the cause of its being unfinished. Stirling-Maxwell, in his admirable and exhaustive _Annals of the Artists of Spain_, relates that Philip IV. in 1658 conferred on Velazquez the habit of the Order of Santiago; but it was not for many months later that the artist was invested with its insignia, owing to the formalities required by the Order to prove his pedigree. The King, impatient at this delay, sent for the President of the Order and the documents connected with the case, and having looked at them his Majesty said to the President, 'Place on record that the evidence satisfies me.' The half-concealed red cross of Santiago in the picture was sufficient for Velazquez to show that he was entitled to the Order, but, with the modesty and conscientiousness that distinguished him, he did not design the insignia on his breast, where it is worn, apparently not feeling justified in so doing until after his investiture. This, however, did not occur till November 1659. It is evident, therefore, that the picture must have been painted in 1658, after he had received the habit, but not the insignia, of the Order. That the picture was left unfinished was doubtless due to the onerous duties with which Velazquez was charged by the King in preparing the meeting on the Bidassoa, in 1660, of the French and Spanish Courts, to celebrate the nuptials of Louis XIV. and the Infanta Maria Teresa. These duties doubled the official fatigues and shortened the life of Velazquez, who died shortly after his return to Madrid in August of the same year. There is, therefore, good reason to believe that the picture in the National Gallery is the last ever painted by Velazquez" (letter to the _Times_, May 11, 1895).

1436. THE VISION OF ST. EUSTACE.

_Vittore Pisano_ (Veronese: 1380-1452). _See 776._

"The minute but unobtrusive finish of the picture is," says the Official Catalogue, "astonishing. Of the coats of the horse, dogs, stag, and other wild animals introduced every hair is drawn; and of the wild birds, every feather; nor are they less remarkable for the beauty of the drawing and the admirable character displayed, in which it may be truly said this painter has never been excelled. Numerous studies of animals of the highest beauty are to be found in collections of drawings throughout Europe, some of them evidently done in preparation for this picture." St. Eustace, whose name before his conversion was Placidus, was a Roman soldier, a captain of the guards in the reign of the Emperor Trajan. He was a great lover of the chase, and "one day, while hunting in the forest, he saw before him a stag of marvellous beauty. He pursued it eagerly, and the stag fled before him, and ascended a high rock. Then Placidus, looking up, beheld, between the horns of the stag, a cross of radiant light, and on it the image of the crucified Redeemer; and being astonished and dazzled by this vision, he fell on his knees, and a voice, which seemed to come from the crucifix, cried to him, and said, 'Placidus! why dost thou pursue me? I am Christ, whom thou hast hitherto served without knowing me. Dost thou now believe?' And Placidus fell with his face to the earth, and said, 'Lord, I believe!' And when he looked up again the wondrous vision had departed. And he returned to his house and was baptized with his wife and children" (Mrs. Jameson: _Sacred and Legendary Art_, 1850, p. 466). For a representation of the very similar legend of St. Hubert, see No. 783. This beautiful picture (from Lord Ashburnham's Collection) has been placed in a very elaborate frame in the Italian style: compare No. 1416.

1437. THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST.

_Barnaba da Modena_ (painted about 1365).

A specimen, very well preserved, of the Giottesque period of Italian art. The painter, a native of Modena, appears to have worked chiefly in Piedmont and Pisa. Examples of his work may be seen in the Galleries of Pisa, Turin, Frankfort, and Berlin. It is pointed out as noticeable, in the Official Catalogue, that the drapery of the Virgin Mary is treated in the hieratic or Byzantine manner, while that of the Apostles is in the naturalistic manner of Giotto. For a similar instance of transitional treatment, see Duccio's "Transfiguration," No. 1330.

1438. HEAD OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST.

_Unknown_ (Lombard School: 16th Century).

A head of great beauty and much pathos of expression. An inscription on the background gives the date of the picture, 1511.

1439. FISHING IN THE RIVER.

_Salomon Ruysdael_ (Dutch: 1600-1670). _See 1344._

An early work. Signed, and dated 1631. "The sky is partly covered with soft, gray clouds, and the whole scene gives the impression of a still and peaceful summer's day."

1440. ST. DOMINIC.

_Giovanni Bellini_ (Venetian: 1427-1516). _See 189._
_See also_ (p. xxi)

The portrait of a monk (on the parapet is an inscription recording that it is a likeness of Brother Theodore of Urbino) in the character of St. Dominic. He wears the Dominican robe, and the name of the saint is inscribed on the label of the book which he holds, and carries the usual attributes of the saint, the lily and a book (on the label of which are the words "Sanctus Dominicus"). The inscription is dated 1515, so that if genuine this must be one of the painter's last works. No. 808 is another portrait of a monk ascribed to the same painter--in character as one of the saints (St. Peter Martyr). Signor Frizzoni attributes both of them to Gentile Bellini.

1441. THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS.

_Perugino_ (Umbrian: 1446-1523). _See 288._

This fresco from the church at Fontignano, near Castello della Pieve, was left unfinished when the painter died there in 1523, in his 77th year; it is believed to be his last work (_see_ Vasari, ii. 323). The fresco was transferred to canvas and removed in 1843. It was purchased in 1862 from Mr. Spence of Florence, by the South Kensington Museum. "The hand had not lost its cunning, and there is much of the early sweetness in this huge fresco. There is the charm of its faded blues and purples, the haze of its shimmering sunshine, and the tender reverence of the kneeling figures" (G. C. Williamson: _Perugino_, o, p. 110).

1442. SHIPS IN A GALE.

_Bakhuizen_ (Dutch: 1631-1708). _See 204._

1443. INTERIOR OF A CHURCH.

_H. Steenwyck_ (Flemish: 1580-1649). _See 1132._

A funeral service is being celebrated in the nave, while in the foreground is a christening procession.

1444. PEASANTS WARMING THEMSELVES.

_Gerard von Honthorst_ (Dutch: 1590-1656).

This artist went early in life to Rome, where he acquired the
style of Caravaggio (see 172). "His rude contrasts of opaque
shade and brilliant light, his luminous effects produced by
the light of a torch or flambeau, and the naturalism of his
works, caused him to be much sought after in Italy, where
this style was in fashion," and acquired for him the name of
"Gherardo della Notte." He returned to Utrecht, his birthplace,
in 1623, and in 1628 was commissioned by Charles I. to decorate
the palace of Whitehall. While in England he also painted the
portraits of the Court and many of the nobility. Several of his
portraits are to be seen in the National Portrait Gallery.

1445, 1446. STUDIES OF FLOWERS.

_Rachel Ruysch_ (Dutch: 1664-1750).

One of the few female painters represented in the Gallery.
Rachel Ruysch was the daughter of a professor of anatomy, and
began to study art at an early age. She married Julian Pool,
a portrait-painter, and had a large family. She continued the
practice of her art until she reached an advanced age, always
signing her pictures with her maiden name. Notwithstanding
her industry, the number of her pictures is somewhat small,
and it was jokingly said in her time that "she produced more
children than pictures." The labour she devoted to her work was
astonishing; two pictures alone are said to have occupied her
for seven years; and these she bestowed on one of her daughters
as a marriage portion. She was admirable in her manner of
grouping as well as in pencilling; each flower is relieved by
its neighbour, and all are kept in perfect harmony. She was
fond of introducing among her flowers the insects peculiar to
them (notice the butterfly in 1446); and these she depicted
with microscopic accuracy. "Had her colouring been less cold,
she would certainly have equalled her illustrious rival, Van
Huysum" (Bryan's _Dictionary of Painters_, and Havard's _Dutch
School_, p. 268).

1447. A HUNTING PARTY.

_Adam Frans van der Meulen_ (Flemish: 1632-1694).

This painter, a native of Brussels, had a great facility
in battlepieces. Some of these found their way to France,
and attracted the notice of the painter Le Brun. On his
recommendation Van der Meulen was invited to the French
Court, and was at first employed on designs for the Gobelins
tapestries. Afterwards he accompanied Louis XIV. on his
campaigns, and, brush in hand, was present at all the principal
sieges and battles of that monarch. These he afterwards
painted for the King; he also depicted many hunting scenes
and cavalcades. His works are to be seen at the Louvre and
Versailles.

The present picture (signed, and dated 1662) shows us some such scene in the life of the Court. The suite is bareheaded, and it is clearly some personage of importance--possibly Louis XIV. himself--who is seated at the window of the carriage. The background of open country with blue distance is very pleasantly rendered.

1448. A VILLAGE GREEN IN FRANCE.

_François S. Bonvin_ (French: 1817-1888).

A painter of still life and interiors as well as of landscape;
for thirty years a constant exhibitor at the Salon; given the
Order of the Legion of Honour in 1870.

Signed, and dated 1869, at Verberie--a pleasantly-situated spot in the department of the Oise, eleven miles north-east of Senlis.

1449. CARDINAL RICHELIEU.

_Philippe de Champaigne_ (French: 1602-1674). _See 798._

"The central head in No. 798 was evidently used as a study for this portrait. The Cardinal, in the crimson silk robes of his office, with the cross of the Order of St. Louis hung by a blue ribbon round his neck, stands as if just risen from the chair of state behind him."

1450. THE HOLY FAMILY.

_Sebastiano del Piombo_ (Venetian: 1485-1547). _See 1._

"In the mixture of the Venetian element," it has been said, "with the severe forms and masses of the Michelangelesque feeling consists the charm of Sebastiano's best works" (Layard, ii. 562). The "superb composition" before us, says Sir Edward Poynter, "shows the influence of Michelangelo in every line." It was formerly in the collection of the late Mr. Thomas Baring, and was purchased from the Earl of Northbrook in 1895. It was Mr. Baring's favourite picture in his collection.

1451. INTERIOR OF A CHURCH.

_Gerrit Berck-Heyde_ (Dutch: 1638-1698). _See 1420._

The nave of a Gothic church in Holland, during sermon-time (the preacher is in the pulpit against one of the columns on the right). The women sit on chairs; the men in seats raised in tiers. Some stand listening to the sermon, and an elderly man on the left is warning two children to be quiet. In the centre a boy is playing with a dog, to which a woman directs the attention of the child with her. On the pavement is the artist's signature, dated 1673.

1454. A GONDOLA.

_Francesco Guardi_ (Venetian: 1712-1793). _See 210._

1455. THE CIRCUMCISION.

_Giovanni Bellini_ (Venetian: 1426-1516). _See 189._

A picture of Bellini's earlier period, the original of numerous versions and copies in private and public galleries, presented to the National Gallery by one of the trustees, the Earl of Carlisle. The Virgin is "one of those magnificent Venetian women whose _morbidezza_ profoundly moved the painters of their country, marked by a grave, suave, and restful expression, instinct with unconscious dignity; this is the countenance of a Venetian woman to the life, not over refined, but full of repose, the repose of vigour and conscious strength, not the languor of debility" (_Athenæum_). The diaper of the High Priest's robe contains figures of antelopes, a curious instance of the straightforward mode of the artist, who, no doubt, employed as a model a veritable robe, and one of Oriental or Sicilian origin. Embroideries of this category were frequently used in Venice of old. The same Oriental embroidery is to be seen in pictures by other Venetian artists in which the High Priest is introduced.

1456. VIRGIN AND CHILD, WITH ANGELS.

_Unknown_ (Italian School: 15th Century).

Below is a portion of the original frame with three small quatrefoil medallions in which are half-length figures of the Saviour, the Virgin, and St. John. The picture, which was presented to the Gallery by one of the trustees, Mr. J.P. Heseltine, is ascribed to the school of Gentile da Fabriano (about 1360-1440), "the Umbrian Fra Angelico," whose delight in splendour and gold ornaments is so naïve.

1457. CHRIST DRIVING THE TRADERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE.

_Domenico Theotocopuli_ (Spanish: 1548-1625). _See 1122._

1459. THE WINE CONTRACT.

_Gerhard van den Eeckhout_ (Dutch: 1621-1674).

This painter, the son of a goldsmith at Amsterdam, was one
of the first to enter Rembrandt's school. He was a favourite
pupil, and lived in close intimacy with the master. His
biblical subjects--examples of which are at the Louvre, the
Hague, and Amsterdam--were painted in close imitation of
Rembrandt. He owed to his master not only his subjects, but
their figures, costumes, and attitudes; he could not, however,
borrow Rembrandt's warmth and intensity. His portraits are more
successful.

A group of the four chiefs of the Wine Guild of Amsterdam seated in conversation over some deeds. The picture is signed, and dated 1657.

1461. ST. SEBASTIAN.

_Matteo di Giovanni_ (Sienese: 1435-1495). _See 1155._

This and No. 247 by the same artist are, says Sir Edward Poynter, "excellent examples of _tempera_ painting of the fifteenth century, in good preservation and unvarnished." The panel is surrounded by the original gilt mouldings.

1462. SEA-PIECE WITH SHIPPING.

_Hendrik Dubbels_ (Dutch: 1620-1676).

This painter, "the master of Bakhuizen (see under 204), was one
of the first, after the success of his pupil was confirmed, to
adopt his subjects and to copy his manner" (Havard: _The Dutch
School_, p. 256). His works, however, bear little resemblance
to Bakhuizen's: they are more like Van de Cappelle. Many of his
pictures are to be found in private collections. The present
picture, with its luminous atmospheric effects, is an excellent
example. Observe on the leeboard of one of the barges the
signature, I. H. D., possibly Jan Hendrik Dubbels. There were
three painters of the name, Hendrik, Dirk, and Jan.

1465. CHRIST RISING FROM THE TOMB.

_Gaudenzio Ferrari_ (Lombard: 1481-1549).

A welcome addition to the Gallery, as being the work
(though not a specially important work) of a great and most
indefatigable painter not previously represented. Gaudenzio
was a native of Valduggia (in the Val Sesia); his father was
a painter; his mother's surname was Vinzio, and in his early
work he often signed his pictures after her, "Gaudentius
Vincius." He passed his life exclusively in Piedmont and
Lombardy, where nearly all his works are still to be found--at
Vercelli, Novara, Saronno, and Milan. The most important of
them are at Varallo, on the Sacro Monte and in the church at
its foot. In some of the chapels on the Sacro Monte he not only
painted the frescoes in the background but also executed the
terra-cotta figures, thus carrying out the scheme of uniting
painting and sculpture in a single design. His "Crucifixion
Chapel," the most important of his works in this kind, has on
this account been described as "the most daring among Italian
works of art." Gaudenzio, who was nearly contemporary with
Luini, first studied at Milan in the school of Stefano Scotto
(whose portrait he is believed to have introduced more than
once in his work at Varallo). The story that he visited Rome
and made the acquaintance of Raphael rests on no authority,
and probably arose from a certain similarity in his works to
the charm of Raphael. But this is a similarity, not of what is
called "influence," but of age and temperament. "The influence
of Perugino or of Raphael," says Morelli, "is not more and
not less perceptible in Ferrari's paintings than in those of
nearly all the great masters of that happy period, generally
called the golden age of Italian art, during which Gaudenzio
and Luini held much the same place in their own school as
Raphael does in the Umbrian, Cavazzola (Morando) and Carotto
in the Veronese, Garofalo and Dosso in the Ferrarese, and Fra
Bartolommeo and Andrea del Sarto in the Florentine. Gaudenzio,
it is true, has not the grace of Luini, neither are his works
so perfect in execution as those of his rival; but take him
for all in all, as regards inventive genius, dramatic life,
and picturesqueness, he stands far above Luini. In his hot
haste Ferrari often loses his balance, and becomes quaint and
affected; many of his larger compositions, too, are overcrowded
with figures; but in his best works he is inferior to very few
of his contemporaries, and occasionally, as in some of those
groups of men and women in the great 'Crucifixion' at Varallo,
he might challenge a comparison with Raphael himself" (_German
Galleries_, p. 441). The best and fullest account of Gaudenzio,
in English, is to be found in Mr. Samuel Butler's interesting
work on Varallo, entitled _Ex Voto_ (Trübner, 1888).

Christ, holding the resurrection banner in His hand, rises from a marble tomb. The painter, who was a child of the mountains, gives us a background of blue hills. The picture was the centre compartment of an altar-piece in a church at Magianico, near Lecco, on the Lake of Como. This composition was copied with variations by Gaudenzio's follower Giuseppe Giovenone in a picture now at Turin.

1466. THE WALK TO EMMAUS.

_Lelio Orsi_ (Parmese: 1511-1586).

This painter, highly esteemed in his own day and of
considerable talent, has remained less known than many others
of inferior merit--a fact which is due, as Lanzi observes
(ii. 357), to his having divided his time between Reggio and
Novellara, comparatively obscure towns in the Emilia. He was
born at Reggio, and was much employed there by the Gonzagi. He
is supposed to have been a pupil of Correggio, whose works he
is known to have copied, and of whom he was a personal friend.
In 1546 he was banished for some unknown offence, and was not
permitted to return to Reggio till 1552. During these years
he settled at Novellara, where again he was employed by the
Gonzagas. He must also have visited Rome, and studied the works
of Michael Angelo. Most of Orsi's frescoes have perished. Some
of his pictures are in the Gallery at Modena. He was celebrated
in his day no less as an architect than as a painter.

There is an element of picturesqueness and almost modern romanticism in this picture. Christ and the disciples wear broad-brimmed hats and the dress of Italian peasants (_cf._ No. 753).

1468. THE CRUCIFIXION.

_Spinello Aretino_ (Tuscan: about 1333-1410). _See 581._
_See also_ (p. xxi)

A picture, some 500 years old, in excellent preservation, retaining its bright colours and the varied expressions of the faces. It is in its original frame, surmounted by a Gothic canopy. Two upright panels on each side contain figures of St. John the Baptist and St. Paul (left), St. James the Greater and St. Bartholomew (right). In circular medallions below are the Virgin and Child, with saints.

1469. STILL LIFE.

_W. K. Heda_ (Dutch: 1594-1678)

One of the painters "of the kitchen and dining-room--painters
who devoted themselves to painting copper and silver vessels,
pottery, and porcelain, modest saucepans, crystal cups, glass
bowls, and goblets of chased silver. The first to cultivate
this new style of still life was Willem Klaasz Heda. He was
born at Haarlem. He was a clever and careful painter, and must
have left behind him a considerable number of works; but,
nevertheless, his pictures are excessively rare. They generally
consist of a carved silver cup, a plate, and a cut lemon--three
subjects which the painter rendered with marvellous
truthfulness, the whole surrounded by a few accessories rising
out of a brown background" (Havard: _The Dutch School_, p. 272).

1470. A BATTLE SCENE.

_J. Weier_ (German: 17th Century).

This picture is signed I. Weier, and dated 1645. It may be
either by Jacob Weier, of Hamburg, who died in 1670; or by
Johann Matthias Weier, of the same town, who was a pupil of
Wouwerman, and died, a very old man, in 1690.

1471. THE PICNIC ("MARIENDA CAMPESTRE").

_Francisco Goya_ (Spanish: 1746-1828).