Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-08

resgtO9s Holy Night-Jan Steensi
Hagar-A Paradise of Modern Ara
Luther and Eck's Debate-Hub
ner's Golden Age-Reubens anG
Titan
DRESDEN, August 22.-Editor Morning Neaos
In res9ming the subject of the art treasures o.
the Dresden gallery, l can not refrain from
| quoting an additional passage from Mrs
| Jameson, which had not read when I sent my
last letter. This passage is from her earlier
sketches of art, and is descriptive of her first
visit to the Sistine Madonna:
ION entering the gallery for the first time,
walked straight forward, without pausing, OF
turning to the right or the left, into the Raj
faelle room, and looked around for the
Madonna del Sisto, literally with a kind OF
misgiving Familiar as the form might be tc
| the eye and the fancy from numerous
copies and prints, still the unknown
original held a sanctuary in my imagina-
ton like the mystic Isis behind her veil,
and it seemed that whatever beheld of love-
ly, or perfect or soul-speaking in art. had an
unrevealed rival in my imagination. Some
thing was beYond-there was a criterion of
possible excellence as yet only conjectured-
for L had not seen the Madonna del Sisto.
Now, when was about to lift my ewes to it, |
literally hesitated. l drew a long sigh, as if
resigning myself to disappointment, and
looked. Y es there she was indeed that
diyinest image that ever shaped itself in pal
pable hueS and forms to the living eye What
revelation of ineffable grace and purity and
truth and goodness! After gazing on
it again and again, day after day. 1 feel that to
attempt to describe the impression is like
measuring the infinite and sounding the un-
fathomable. When looked up at it to-day, it
gave me the idea, or rather the feeling, of a
vision descending and floating down upon me;
The head Of the Virgin is quite superhuman.
to say that it is beautiful, gives no idea of it.
Some of Correggios and Guido'S Virgins-the
Virgin of Murillo at the Leuchtenberg Palace
have more beauty in the common meaning
or the word; but every other female face, how.
ever lovely, however majestic, would, am
convinced, appear either trlte or exaggerated
If brought into immediate comparison with
this divine countenance. There is such
blessed calm in every feature, and the eyes,
beaming with a kind of internal light, look
straight out of the picture-not at you or NE
not at anything belonging to this world-but
through and through the universe.
THE unearthly child is a sublime vision of
power and gran0eur, and seems not so much
supported as enthroned in her arms, and what
filter throne for the Divinity than a woman's
bosom full of innocence and love? The ex-
preston in the face of st. barbara, who looks
down, has been differently interpreted. To me
she seems to be giving a last look at the earth,
above which the group is raised as on hover
ing cloud.
''St. Sixtus is evidently pleading in all the
combined feTvor of faith, hope and charity for
the congregation of sinners, who are supposed
to be kneeling before the picture-thaU is, for
uS-to whom he points.
Finally, the cherub5 below, with their up
ward look of RAPTURE and wonder, blending the
most childish innocence with a sublime in
spiratlon, complete the harmonious whole,
uniting heaven with earth.
While stood in contemplation Of this all
perfect work, felt the impression of its love-
liness in my deepest heart, not only without
the power, but without the thought or wish to
give it voice or words, lil some lines of
ohelleY's-lines which were not. but, methinks,
ought to have been, inspired by the Madonna
came uncalled, floating through my memory
" 'seraph of Heaven! too gentle to be human,
Yelling beneath that radiant form of woman
All thai is insupportaOle IN thee
OF light and love and immortality!
Sweet Benediction in the eternal curse!
Veil'd Glory of this lampless universe!
thou Harmony Of Natures Art
measure
The world of fancies, seeking one like thee,
And find, alas mine own intirmityP
ut s ascertaiued that Raffaelle employed
only three months in executing this picture.
II was thrown q9 rpa@6eGd @ eGdRHJaS vas IN nag glow .. Of
am sure those who are familiar with the
writings of the able art critic from whom
have thus quoted, will be glad to be reminded
OF her first impressions of the first painting in
the world; and those to whom as In my case
this passage is unfamiliar, will have grateful
sense Of the interest and instruction it conveys
and will thrill responsive to the touch of its
glowing enthusiasm.
Come with me now out Of the presence of
the most sublime of works Of art, upon which
so many VhOuEands of pages have been written
"a theme eXhauStleSs-and let ME introduce
you to a little picture that is appaI emily un-
known to fame.
1t is not even mentioned in the c0pious selec-
tions given by Beadeker in his admirable guide
book, and we have generally found it to be tr1Ie
that where this diligent and discriminating au-
thor passes painting by in silence, one may
also safely omit its examination. In this case,
however, without care or thought for the |
books, or whether the paintings were deserg.
ing or not of technical criticism l found a |
subject of striking originality, requiring no |
grand or startling effects of any kind and re- |
ceivlng none, but requiring simplicity and |
grace OF treatn ent ana receiving both.
| have Saidit is a little picture: the canvas /
cannot be as large, l judge, as a page of the |
MORNING NEWS. The scene is a rocky cave, |
through whose arching entrance, in the back. |
ground, is seen smiling landscape. On |
.hree childish figures Of about equal
sZe, who advance hand in hand To |
he left and extended on the ground is the
simple figure of a cross, nothing else. Before
hat object the children's steps have been sud
ienly arrested, and the bright halo round their |
sunny hair seems itself to palpitate with the
u.
eaf from the unwritten history of the child
Iesus. Behold its illustrGtionl axe it that
he central figure is the Christ-child, that on
his left St John the Baptist, that on The right
cherub, Full upon the stern outlines of the
ross Is directed the gaze of the child Saviour,
.azing, with every infant faculty divine in-
ent upon the portent. So do we sometimes
ZEE an infant gaze into space with solemn ear
estnesS, as though pondering the deepest
ny ysteries of life in which he is, but Of which
le Is not yet; But never can an infant have
azed with the absorption and Divine percep-
ion of this Infant, in this well-imagined scene
he God of Life Immortal, in the guisa of |
n earthly child, confronted with the instru-
lent of His final agony.
In the countenance of the Inf mt Baptist is |
Mingled disquietude and perpexity. and an
nwonted shadow falls upon the brow of the
adiant cherub.
Henceforth for the Prophet of the Wilder
eSs will miRgle a sorrowful remembrance with |
ne energy of his cry, Behold the Lamb of
od."
And in the hours Of dark Gerthsemane this
herub companion of these childhood's hours |
nall perchance bear the cup that sh all not pass
way.
This painting is by Balen, an artist of whom
have never h. ARD or read anything. Ithangs
one of the smaller cabinets that run between
le rooms of the Holbein and Sistine Madon-
as, and is numbered S67. It possesses far
Geater attraction to me than a thousand
chaste Susannas'' or "Potiphar's Wife, or
ian that oft repeated subject of SO absorbing
lterest, entitled Portrait Of Gentleman or
ortrait OF a Lady"
rbute Money! 929 are foIhd MI Iinan Christ and the
orks by Palma the elder-the Graces and the {
Ladonna and Child, with John the Baptist and
:. Catherine They are accounted early works
this master, and his three daughters are the
riginals of the Graces. If the painting of
le Madonna De an early work, am ready to
lnclude that the artists skill did not improve
ith age. Certainly no work of Palma's so !
ltlrely satisfies and charms me ss this one
has been aptly spoken of as grand embodi- | )
~ 4si~s Of womanhood, childhood, maidenbood
= ~ AteuhG.od lthe Baptist is here represented
1871 90 IL amplihcation of this fine .
loughC, Nave regarded il as striking the rich !
% n%oIu Oi humaH life, for deep and VARYING
ol0Is IKE cnf 1glng harmonies typifv the su1
Il no shadow OF life's revolving seasons, and, |
nc nc % .ises wen We ordered and beautiful, from the
eparture. '0i0 10 HO
The Dresden Gallery is rich in its Corragyios {
amillar to all is his MagdaIene recumbentnpd {
g. saulng. Inc magdalene reading says Mrs
ameson, has given, perhaps, more pleasure
IAN any known picture-it is SO auiet 90 sim. {
le SO touching, in ats heavenly beautyl Those {
no may not perfectly understand what
rtists mean When they dwell with rapture on
orregglo wonderful chidrO scttro. should !
ok close into this little picture: thew will mar
1--WE thaC they can look through the shadows
10 the suostance--as it might he into The
ss9 sa 10 olood-the shadows seem accidental
IL o; sWeen the eye and the colors and nof | {
corporated with them; in this lies The ioimi nj
-ole excellence Of this master )
80 80 very grateful for this bit Of clear in :
al II va,, .i i;s ssaaIerence to a master whom l :
udied, the painting acoIi, ~ oclaOo S anu totis
i, lnIerest and charm that begin to hone that
snalI soon klndle an enthusiasm for f,orres, ! [
y, ~, n men come away open the writings ef Il
loIner critic and find this sentence: | b
The famous little picture of the MaedalenA | =
@ eno DIesoen gallery, must however, be pro- | :
: 'unCou ~ h0tning mere than mastery cOpyn