New-York daily tribune., 1844-07-01

OF busts OF the Roman Emperors from Cesar 10
Constantine is ranged along the walls, and it is
very curious to compare their authentic features
with their wei. known characters and 10 notice
how completely they overthrow the ordinary rules
of physioynomy. The cruel Nero appears as a
mild child with sweet smile and noble fore
head; the vrtuous and intellectual Vespaslan
| looks like a stupid voluotuary and the infamous
CanguIa has face of harmless honesty.
Returning TO the shrine of the Venus. we will
glance al some Of the pictures Raphdel's por-
trait of the F0rndrind" is one Of the most popu
lar, and is exqnstely beautiful, though its round
tulness and rich warmth of tone so unlike
his usual pure simplicity, that many critics doubt
lis authenticity, and attribute it to Giorgione
the Venetian, who has left one very like 1t in the
gallery of the Due Of Modena, and who died OF
love at the age of thirty three, four years younger
than Raphael himself. When we find connois-
scu.s upon the very spot thus differing upon the
genulneness of strongly characterized painting
attributed to the very Prince of Painters, we
may Judge how absurd is the positive certainty
with which amateurs even in America often
pronounce upon the painter of picture which d
skil!ul cleaner has half restored, half created, out
OF a blackened canvass. 1t now seems admitted
that the history Of picture and the possibility Of
tracing it from the original possessor to its latest
owner is the only sure test and is far beyond the
best marked signature or execution. But on the
other hand every painter Of originality has a
lyle of his own, as strongly marked as that of
an author and you soon learn to name their works
in a gallery as readily as you would recognize a
new poem by fayoritc poet. Raphael can no
more be mistaken for Titan than Byron for
Burns, nor Michael Angelo for Carlo Dolce than
Milton for Moore. Others may however initiate
their mere style without approaching their genius,
and they themselves may from whlm occasionally
adopt different manner, and hence arise the
doubts which make the most finished connois.
seurship sometimes uncertain.
Raphaels {" ST. John preaching in the desert"
is also in the Tribana. Lis authenticity has
Likewise been doubted, though perhaps without
reason, as it has remained here since 1889. In
ton of the execution, there is heavy animal
expression in the face, which has been lately cx.
planned by the discovery that the painters model
was handsome negro boy who had found his
way to Italy. Near it hangs 7itian's Venus,
which American prudery (Which find quite
proverbial among the English would cover with
thick veil, as indeed it would half the gems OF
the gallery, though here they are interspcrsed
with the most sacred subjects. Which nation is
in the right, or does the uuest taste lie between
the two extremes
The Tuscan pictures are chiefly contained in
two rooms on the left of the Tribune. Among
Hades," (Which rivals Michael Angelo J his
fascinating portrait of the famous Blanca Cepel
10 Ghulandaio'S Saint ZanObio, and many more
well worthy examination but most beautiful o.
all is the Saint Cecilia" of Carlo Dolce. Most
of the productions Of this master are too cloy
inglv sweet, as his surname imports, but this
gem of beauty has his highest merits without
any Of his defects. A celestial light streams from
wound in the neck of the lovely martyr, but
she looks earnestly upwards in eager rapture as
il her faith conquered her agony. Its charm is
of the highest order-that of expression-and
is of that rare excellence, which increases and
improves at each visit in unceasing progression.
1t is rvalcd only by the "Poesy" Of the same
painter in the Corsini Palace. Carlo Dolce had
wife and five daughters, all beautful-he al.
ways took them for his models, for he could have
found none be.ter-and being very religious
withal, he has repeated their faces again and
again, under the names and with the attributes
of all the saints in the calendar. Saint Cecilia
is said to be portrait Of his youngest daughter
for tradition has remembered the original Of
each, though they lived two hundred years ago
SO affectionate and personal is the attachment to
the arts in this their earthly Paradise; and when
exclaimed to the old ciceronc (who showed me
dozen of these portraits, all resembling and YET
all differently charming) "What a beautiful
family Carlo Dolce must have had 7" he replied
as if they were his own intimate friends, "at
yes, signore; beautiful and coed. !"
The Flemish, German and Dutch pictures arc
on the right OF the Tri5una. The specimens o
Rubens do him great injustice, and he can never
be duly appreciated, except in his native Elan
ders There is a delightful little landscape by
Ruysdael, very simply composed. with an ole
tree, which you almost see wave in the wind
and around which road winds toward the dis
tant groves in the low horizon but, simple as i
is, " man long pent in city walls" might &C
cept it as most welcome and refreshing substi
tute for the rural reality. In an adjoining room
hangs marine view by Claude Lorraine, will
an infinite distance of atmosphere seeming to rur
miles back, into the picture, and with Translucent
waves which the golden light of the setting sur
seems to shine not upon, but into and through
and to interpenetrate their very substance. Mr.
G. L. Brown, one of the very best OF our land
scapc painters, is now copying it most faithfully
for gentleman of New-York, and Its arriva
there will be source of great enjoyment to al