The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-01-03

admittedly one of the most finished masters
of style in French literature now living,
believer among believers, q Catholic among
Catholics. Louis Veuillot has evidently
devoted himself to the task of its produc-
tion with peculiar eagerness. Nor can TINS
had such a theme for the display of his
powers as a narratorf Associated with
Louis Veuillot-whO is the author OF the
work as q whole-associated with him as
the writer of a single portion of it, 'une
etude sur Part Chretien," is E. Caster,
skilled critic in regard to that most lovely
department of art, and who has shown him.
self not unworthy of the high privilege OF
participation thus accorded to him. Scat
tered through this splendid volume, which
extends to some GOO pages quarto, are lou
engravings-each in its way master
piece-the work of Huyot Pere ct Fills to-
gother with sixteen inimitable specimens OF
the beautiful new art of chrome -lithography.
AS frontispiece to the volume ls one OF
theloveliest of all these chrome autographs,
smphe Eternel du Christ. The Picture SO
entitled, is in fact, q fragment, the supreme,
cOnsummate portion of one of the most
marvellous works ever pencilled by the
hand of man. 1t is, in other words, the
upper section of the wonderful fresco OF
the Dispute of the holy Sacrament, painted
by the Divine Raphael in one of the grand
loggias of the Vatican. Knowing the origi-
nal perfectly we'll ourselves, having stood
long entrauced before it, as though gazing
less at picture than into the heaven of hea-
vens, we can say, advisedly, that, so Tar
as any mere engraving of a portion of the
general masterpiece can afford any idea of
it's mingled majesty and beauty, the chro-
mo- -lithOgraph prefixed to this volume, by
way of frontispiece, affords anyone who
has never been to the Vatican some notion
of the world of loveliness there enshrined.
t}a mi of ha nil a
of God the Father, bearing in His LETT hand
the orb of the world or of the universe.
In the centre of the picture enthroned is
God the Son, robed in white, crowned with
the nimbus, encircled by belt of cheru-
bin, revealing His pierced hands in bene-
| diction, having on His right the most Bless
| ed Virgin, and on His lett the Angel of the
Lord, St. John the Baptist. Beneath, in
| the torn OF a milk white dove, is God the
Holy Spirit, having on either side, two and
two, angels bearing open the Four Evan
gels. Among the clouds, the thrones, the
nominations, the princedoms, and the
powers melt away into the Infinite. We
have recalled the grouping of this we'll
known portion of an immortal master
piece, because, by SO doing, we may best
| realize to many, by readily-apprecable
reminder, the splendor investing the eaIli.
est establishment in a volume that all
through has a very glory of illustration.
Our words, we wish it to be understood at
once, are in no respect whatever an eXag-
geration for among all these lSO engrav-
ings and sixteen chrome photographs, the
vast majority are carefully exact copies OF
world famous masterpieces. Michael An
gelo reveals to us the Creation of Man.
AIRY Scheffer shows US Christus Consolator
Andrea del Sarto opens to our view the
Baptism of our Lord in the river Jordan.
: Taddeo Gaddi portrays the Ascension.
Giotto displays our Divine Redeemer wash
ing the feet of His Apostles. Fra Angelica
depicts the Angels serving Repast. Mas
accio pencils the Payment of the Tribute.
} Rembrandt, Paulo Veronese, Albert Durer,
; Orcagna, Ghirlandajo, Filippo Lippi, Gui-
} do, Rubens, LIE Sueur, Poussin, Overlook,
are among the throug of other Great Mas
ters here laid under contribution. More
than one of Raphael's Cartoons may be
here found wonderfully represented by the
aid of chrome lithograpby. Inc oook, as
! a mere work of art, is very feast OF color
! within and without. Externally it is a
radiant arabesque of scarlet and gold. In
ternally it is refreshment to the eye, even
in the adorDment of the inner binding with
gilded sprinkling of doves with the olive
branch, around the symbols of our Lords
Name, and of Himself as the Good SheP
| herd. The embellishments squandered
through the volume, it should be added
, are taken, one and all of them, from Monu
3 ments of Christian Art, from the days I"
the Catacombs down to our own tlne-thest
aud all, under the immediate direction I"
t Nj. d. Dumoulin.
In regard to the plan upon which the
whole work has been designed, Lpui:
. Veuillot explains at once in his Preface
} that it is in no way Polemical. Tie author
does not undertake to refnte. He simply
relates-addressing himself not to believers
, alone, but to all men of goodwill. grea
l parsonage as a rule breathes or acts upoI
3 the spirit of his own age. Our Blessed
10 1trya haO hs1or
eighteen times renewed, and will not cease
9 to be continued. From all Eternity HI
= was. To all Eternity He will be. In tht
3 History of the Earth all time is portionet
i out, as Before and After Him-Befor'
8 Christ or Ammo Domini. So also in Holy
:, Writ-the Old Testament was but the re
cord of the preparation for His Coming, al
the New Testament, when He had come
was the Evangelical statement of the Incl
dents of the Incarnation and the Redemp
I.4Ar