New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-19


works Of classical antiquity were sought for and
again admired; other subjects than those belonging
10 the Bible and Catholic tradition were permitted,
and the perfection Of form acknowledged as one
Of the principal aims Of art This tendency can
best be remarked in the works Of the different Pc
rods of Rafarles artistic career. At frst be mi
tated his master, Perugino, ard painted what one
might call images Of saints: then he adopted his
own method, mixing the philosophical with the bib
heal element, method which has 10 the present
day been considered as the highest expression Of
artistic power
Ii would he well nigh impossible 10 give an adc-
ouate idea of the beauty and value of the pictures
belonging to that period exhibited in the great
Manchester Museum. This wonderful series begins
with head Of CHRIST by Fiesole, who is also rep
resented BY another work. "'Thc Burial Of the
Virgin" which was formerly attributed 10 GiOtto
and engraved, such, by d'AgincOurt. OF PERM
eno we find. beside FIVE pictures OF moderate size
magnificent aEar-pIece, representing the Virgin
and the child Jesus upon throne, surrounded by
81. Hierome and 81. Peter Rafaele is glorifed by
CrucifxOn, two A COMES Of the Savior, and sey
eral MadOnDas. Bartoemeo is introduced by
Hoy Family at Rest" one of the masterpieces
Of that illustrious painter: and Michele Angelo by
his Christ and the Samaritan and bis halt-tn-
ished - Holy Family"
Even during the lifetime of the great painters of
whom We are speaking. Italy witnessed the birth ct
awboe generation Of artists, whom we might call
.specialties," that is, who concentrated their
thoughts and their talent peculiar branch OF
their art Rafaee had perhaps given the first I'M
pulse in that direction, and Inclined to regret
the absence, in the Art-Palace of Manchester, OF
some of bis later productions. Ii cannot be denied,
unless BY his systematic followers, that the biblical
element and exclusively religious subjects may be
regarded as shackles on his immortal genius aud that
his more philosophical compositions show more
graceful simplicity. q more esthetica feeling Bru-
loft said with much reason: 1.-The School of Ath-
ems by Rafaele teaches the philosophy OF art bet
ter than all the academies of the world united to.
gether.'
If we examine the works of those who came az
ter him. we see that they all fouoded schools, the
pupils of which slavshy initiated their masters,
lust as the Greek disciples acknowledged no rule
but the words Of the leading philosophers Titan,
Veronese Tin,OrettO at Venice; Corregglo at Par
ma; Angelo and Leonardo ia Ninci at Florence;
Carocchio at Bologna. were the brilliant suns which
drew so many luminous planets into their ORBITS.
These painters all represented by master pieces.
If We 90 further soon find that serve imitation
and methodica tradition proved fatal 70 artists who
disdaned To unite the study of nature with judi
cious copying of models. A race or d family which
refuses Ia seek fresh strength IN alliances with
strangers will rapidly degenerate; and this mlS0r-
tune happened to the Italian school OF painting
whose decline began far back as the middle oil
the seventeenth century.
The painters Of the Spanish school are repre-
scented to perfection by Nelasquez and Murilo.
Near the latter there are exhibited admirable tresco
paintings taken from a palace at Milan They de-
pict the fight between Centaurs and Laplth&,
By Gan bara, and belong to Prince Albert Then
comes the series of Italian painters whom We might
call "the Naturalists," terminating with several
vigorous sketches by Salvador Rosa.
The Flemish school has for representatives the
master works of Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, Ma
buse, Quentin Metzys, the blacksmith of whom, ac-
cording 10 hexamcter in his honor, love made an
Apelles, the great Rubens, Snyders, etc. The Van
Dycks form one Of the principal parts OF the collec
flor and constitute one OF the brightest gems IN this
plitteIng crown. The two best portraits by mat
master are those Of the painter Snyders and his WIFE,
Each picture is owned by different amateur
Lord Warwick possesses the one, Lord Carlisle
the other. As contemporary remarks, the htls-
band and his partner now for the hrst time SIDE
by side, and will, in all probability, be separated
again for ever Admirable specimens OF Rem
brandt. KOning, Jan Steen, Tenlers q. kneller
complete this collection. Rubens may be ad.
mired here in some of the most splendid
creations of his pallet; the Queen has furnished
"St Martin" aud Mr.. Wyatt n Juno, and sew
eral other cOnnolsseurs his =" Iomyrls ana por-
traits of the artist himself and his wife. Rubens 10
which 90 by bis name were genuine the great man
must have sat day and night, during whole cen
fury before his easel But, even II 1t may be granted
that many of the paintings are the works OF clever
pupils and imtatOrs, there remain enough authentic
pieces to make us admire the gigantic industry ana
almost magic facility of the celebrated Netherlander.
The French Claude lie LOrran, lie Guaspre and
Poussin have been cassed III the Roman school, to
which they belong il is true, by their manner; the
IL e, NOT
,nffnte c0rdiaie or faithful alliance" 1.-THE same
| thing we're done for all the schools, We would by
| no means object TO it, since nothing can DO
| more ridiculous aud paltry than the disputes
| about the birthplace OF great men who belong
| to mankind at large. Because Shakespeare was an
Epglishman il does not follow that every English
| man il A poet 10 more than Rafaele will make an
artist of every ltalisn, or Beethoven musician oil
| every German. The emphasis with which the two
syllables English are pronounced on the banks OF
| the Thames and the afiectatlOn with which true
Partisan will throw cut his EraHeais as If the word
were written with half dozen rs, are by no means
gratifying In artistic matters especially, cosn0po-
litism is bat natural. But why this only exception
for Claude and Poussin1 lie bout de forehe perez,
as the French say and this Is only ne" indication
of that renowned British se,f.cOncelt which mpels
the English nowadays to proclaim that they are
the most artistic people on earth.
The northern gallery of the palace is devoted to
modern painters, and divided into three pars two for
the artists who are dead one for the living. AT the
beginning of the eighteenth century Art was generally
in state of decline, especially in England, where
portraits were almost exclusively executed. SIR
James Thornhll, who painted the cupoa Of ST.
Paul's and the Hospitals of Greenwich and Chelsea,
il perhaps the only exception; Wcotton and Hoare
are the most renowned of these portralt-painters
but Hogarth is the first great maine in the artlscal
annals of England Here We have truly ma
bold and open-whose pencil is as supple as his
mind is sharp He is the first Of thinking and