The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-24


love, and renounced marriage, To Christine
he made a very singular propo-al for rejected
lover-that OF taking with him to England her
eldest son, promising TO devote himself to his
education and preterment. The offer was too
valuable to be declined by poor widow. whose
pen was her only means OF supporting her
family. That such proof of devotion argued
tenderer feeling than that OF knightly gallantry
must have been apparent to Christine; but for
reasons best understood by herself-and shall
we not believe with heart yet true to her hus-
bands memory ?-she merely acknowledged the
KINDNESS shown to her son; and the Earl and
his adopted boy left France together. When
Richard II was deposed, Henry Bolingbroke
struck Oft the head OF the Earl OF Salisbury.
Among the papers of the murdered man the
lays of Christine we're found by King Henry,
who was so much struck with their purity and
beauty, that he wrote to the fair aUthoress of
her sons safety, under his protection, and in
vited her to his court.
This invitation was at once compliment and
an insult, tor the hand that sent 1t was stained
with the blood of her friend. Christine, now
ever, had worldly wisdom enough 20 send are
specttul though firm refusal 10 q crowned head,
successful soldier, and one, moreover, who
held her son in his power. Feminine tact must
have guided her pen, Tor Henry was not
offended, and twice despatched a herald To renew
the invitation 10 his court She steadily de-
clined to leave France, but managed the affair
so admirably that she at last obtained the re-
turn OF her son from England.
Like her father, Thomas de Plsan Christine
seems to have been sought as an ornament OF
their courts by several rulers. Henry Boiling.
broke could not gain her for England, and the
Duke OF Milan in vain ureed her to RESIDE in that
city. Seldom has u literary lady in any age
received such tempting invitations; yet
Christine refused TO leave France, although
her own fortunes were any thing but certain.
The Duke of Burgundy took her son under
his protection, and urged Christine to write the
history OF her patron, Chol les V of France.
This was work grateful to her feelings, and
she had commenced the memoir when the death
OF the Duke deprived her of his patronage, and
threw her son again upon her care, involving
her in many anXieties. But Christine bore her
self through all her trials with frmness and pru-
denCe, and her latter days were more tranquil.
She took deep interest in the affairs OF her
adopted country, and welcomed in her writings
the appearance OF the Maid of Orleans. We
believe, however, that she was spared the pain
of witnessing the last act in that drama of his
tory. where an innocent victim given up by
French peridy to English cruelty.
The deeds of Joan of Arc need no recital here
| A daughter of France il the nineteenth century
mad soul pure enough TO reflect the image of
| the Maid OF Orleans and with skltul hand
! she embodied the vision IN marble. The statue
| OF Joan OF Arc, modelled by the Princess
| Marie, adorns-or rather sancthes-the halls of
| Versailles.
OF woman's work as an artist in the early
| centuries we have a curious illustration IN
| manuscript belonging 10 the BibliOtheque
| Royale at Paris, which exhibits q female figure
| painting the statue of the Madonna. The artist
| holds in her lett hand a palette which is the
| which antiquarians are acquainted The fashion
| OF painting figures cut in wood was once much
| practised, and we see here the representation of
| female artist OF very ancient DATE Painting,
| music, and dancing come under the designation
OF accomphshn ents; yet to obtain distinction
| in any OF these branches implies vast amount
of work. An illustration OF Lygate's 'Pll-
grim" shows us young ,,s LADY playing SIa
in the other she holds to her lips
mellow horn, through which she ,pours her
breath, if not her soul; lying beside her is a
| stringed instrument called sawtry. Such
| varied musical requirements certainly argue
| both industry and devotion to art. Charlie
magnes daughters were distinguished for their
| skill in dancing; and we read OF many Instances
in the Middle Ages OF women excellng IN these
| fine arts.
The period of time generally denominated
| the Middle Ages commences with the fifth
| century and ends with the fifteenth. We
have in several instances ventured to extend
| the limits as far part of the sixteenth
century, and therefore include among fe-
male artists the name of Soonlsba An
! guiscola, who was born about l540 She was
| noble lady of Cremona. whose fame spread
early throughout Italy. In 1863, Philip II Of
| Spain invited her to his court at Madrid, where
on her arrival she was treated with great dis
| tnction. Her chief study was portraitures, and
her pictures became objects of great value to
| kings and popes.
Her royal patrons of Spain married their
artist to noble Sicilan, giving her dogry of
| thousand ducats, beside rich presents in tapes
tries and Jewels. She went with her husband to
| Palermo, where they resided several years. On
the death of her husband the King and Queen
! OF Spain urged her to return to their court; but
| she excused herself on account OF her wish to
| visit Cremona. Embarking on board galley
for this purpose, bound to Genoa, she was en-
| tertained with such gallantry by the captain,
| Orazio Lomelhni, one of the merchant princes
of that city, that the heart OF the distinguished
artist was won, and she gave him her hand on
| their arrival at Genoa.
History does not tell us whether she ever
revisited Cremona, but she dwelt in Genoa
| during the remainder of her loLg life, pursuing
her art with great success, On her second mar
1iage, her faithful friends in the royal family OF
Spain added four hundred crowns to her pension.
The Empress of Germany visited Sotonisba on
the way to Spain, and accepted from her hand
little picture. Sofonisba became blind in her
old age, but lost no other faculty. Vandyck
was her guest when at Genoa, and said that he
| had learned more of his art from one blind old
| woman than from any other teacher. medal
was struck in her honor at Bologna. The
| Academy of Fine Arts at dinburgh contains
! noble picture by Vandyck painted in his Italian
| manner. 1t represents individuals OF the
Lomellini family, and was probably in progress
| when he visited this lIustrious woman, who
! had become member of that house.
Stirling, in his "Artists OF spain," states that
! few OF Sofonisba's pictures are now known to
exist, and that the beautiful portrait OF herself
probably the one mentioned by Vasari IN the
| wardrobe of the Cardinal dt Monte at Rome, or
that noticed by Soprani in the palace or Glo-
! Spencer at Althorp. The engraving from this
! picture in Dibdins -fdeS AdtboTptdag, lies
| before us We think the better OF kings and
! queens who priced woman with eyes so clear,
! and an expression of such honesty and truth.
! The original is said to be mastery in
! an GnfnnJaho iC