Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1859-03-12

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In the back drawing room Is por-
trait Of /" Beatrice Cenci," copied from
the original in the Barberin Palace
The original was taken by " Guido
in her cell the night before her execu-
ton. Her. head is bound in folds of
white drapery, and her face the very
incarnation Of sentiment and loveliness.
There is no paroxysn Of grief disturbs
the perfect contour of the straight,
clear outline-no overwhelming anguish
at her inevitable destiny mars the
curved mouth or 2isturbs the soft oval
of the colorless cheek. The undalent
linen is bound in knot Of classic Sc
verify around the statuesque head, and
her eyes have not yet taken their calm,
clear look from my imagination
They haunt me still, those calm, pure, holy
eyes,
Their piercing sweetness wanders thro' my
dreams;
The soul Of music that within them lies
Comes DER my soul in soft and sudden
Life, spirit life. immortal and divine,
Is there; and yet how dark death was
thine!
Was it not the contemplation of death
as a deliverer which gave to her face
its spiritual expression? .1og
The statue parlor contains a noble
" original" life-size statue of Mercury,
purchased from the Masini family, one
of the Oldest in Rome; and an exquis-
ite statue of Venus Dc Medici, obtained
from the Princess Lettia Bonaparte,
daughter Of Lucien, TO which we shall
refer at another time; besides many
other beautiful works OF art.
Busts of grim knights in armor and
Judges in ermine, looking solemn and
earnest; old cabinets and marble ta-
bles, stately velvet chair made for q
cardinal to sit in, and a beautiful porce-
lain breakfast service of Napoleon Bo.
naparte's, used in some Of his cam
paigns, with his crown and cipher
upon the saucers. This was presented
by Napoleon's nephew, the Prince of
Canine, son Of Lucien Bonaparte, to
MIR. Lewis Cass, jr., as testimonial OF
regard for services rendered to him
during the troubles at Rome. The
letter Of the Prince accompanies the
case. There is also among this collec.
ton a medallion likeness of Nero
Iantique-which was dug up at Ostia
also Of st. Peter and St. Paul. These
last, together with long marble slab
or antique tabletop, once belonged to
the church Of St. Peter, in Montorio.
This church was built by G Constantine,
over the spot where Peter was cruel.
fed. It was once repaired by Ferdi.
nand and Isabella, and since has been
under the speci,l protection of Spain.
1t was occupied as the headquarters
of the Roman cavalry during the seige
and then lost most. of its ornaments
These articles were bought by Mr..
Cass when returning from visit ia
Gen. Oudinot, the French commander.
in-chief, tc whom Mr.. G. had carried
proposals Of surrender. Among the
paintings is an exquisite Madonna >
by Raphael-so still, so earnest, SC
absorbed in its expression of holy love-
that it realizes our deepest conception
Of the character. What is most re-
markable is, that all this expression i,
given to q countenance with nearly
closed eyes, for the eyelids fall "a
heavily, we should rather say softly
over them. There is also . painting
by Raphael Of St. Cecilia. We were
impressed with the superior characte,
Of repose by which these are distin
guishel from the portraits Of the pres
ent day. We scarcely ever see trace
of this quiet, yet stately sweetness ir
the expression of modern portraits :
they all look so eager, so restless. W.
wonder if this is owing to the feverisl
excitement of the times in which W.
live, for we should suppose that the
world had never been in such hurr,
during the whole course of it's life be
fore.
In the statue parlor there is su
perb bust of Fiayi,aacci0, the Judge il
his judicial robes, who passed sentence
on Beatrice Ge,aci. It was obtained
from the Countess Guiliana Zampe, til,
last representative Of the Cenci family
The government gave her permission
for its expectation very Reluctantly
and offered Mr.. Cass 81 900 for it /,
place it in the Vatican. 1t is a fin,
Roman style of head, the expression
mild and earnest, with high intellec
tual serenity thrown upon it.
The medallion likeness Of Nero is :
fearful face. More Of gloomy gran
deur could not have been throw,
about . funeral pyre. The soul tha
Ipierces that cold, strict, gloomy chis
teling il caget, cruel, unquiet, despoti'
|-nothing divine there; but the un
resting, hasting meteor that ruled ant
flashed aud faded through blood ant
ltears to its rest---ah! where? 1t i