Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-07
DELIGHTS OF DRESDEN.
GEMS OF THE FAMOUS PICTURE
GALLERY.
The SistIne madOnna-R RaphaeI,s
Masterptece-marVe of the Meyer
Family, HOlbein and Van Eyek-
A Triumph OF TItIan,s.

But il is hardly disputa5Ie, think, that in
DresdeR the famous Picture Gallery possesse.
q superior charm, not only for artists, art stu.
dents and lovers OF art, but for all lovers Of the
beautiful, wherever manifested
This was, az least, the effect upon US OF that
marvellous colieetiOn OF paintings -eckoned
one OF the most complete in the world, and
ooaStng OF gems OF unapprOac liable merit
Therefore, though l might write PAGES upon
the wonders OF the Green Y ault. upon rare col
,ectlons oI armor and vestments, and pOree-
La n and glass, and Dresden china and might
l Cllate upon drives ard walks in glorious marks
| and gardens. and excellent renditiOns Of opera
IN that beautiful aud most comfortable, Of
buildings. the Dresden Opera House. I shall
give these entieing subjects the go-br and
SHALL conh1e mF self exclusively N this letter
| 70 the gallery OF paintings.
| Alr, though we shall Restrict ourselves 60 q
elected few Of its treasures. will ft be eass 70
keep within reasonable limits
! II have said the Dresden Gallery is fore
most ia the attractions Of that city, il goes
without saying. that among its works OF art
one is JGeiIe prineeps.
From the salon. dedicated exclusively to
tho oisune Madonna, this creation wields a
scepLre Of sovereignty over the civilized world
and the world IS proud 70 do Obeisance 10 it.
Speaking Of the general attributes and
Where shall We seek the highest bOliesG fmper-
sonatOn: Where mas il been attained or even
approached! Nor, certainly. in the mere
| woman, nor yet in the mere idol: not in those
| lovely creations which awaken a symparhetie
| thrOb OF tenderness, nor in those stern, motion
| less types. which embOdy a cogma; rot in 4 e
classic features OF marble gOddeSses, borrowed
| as models; nor IN the painted i'm zges which
/ stare upon Us from taWdry altars in q axeu
/ wigs ana embroidered petticoats. But wheFes''
Il have seen my own IDEAL" adds this gifted
! writer. once, and only once attained: there
| where Raphael-inspired, IL ever painter was
I inspired-prcjected in the space before him
I that won 1ert0l creation which we style the
/ Madonna a. san Stsfo; for there she stands,
I the transfgured woman. at once completely
/ human ana completely divine, and abstraction
/ OF power, purity and love. poised on the EN-
! purpien air, and requiring no other support;
/ looking out, with her melancholy loving
mouth. her slightly dilated. sibyiline eyes
/ quite through the universe, 20 the end and
! conSummaLlon OF all thlngs-Sad as If she be-
| held afar OF the visionary sword that was 70
I reach her heart through Him, now resting as
/ enthroned on that heart; yet already exalted
| through the homage OF the redeemed genera
/ tions who were 70 salute her as Blessed
Magnificent is h. word-painting Of this de-
scrption: more admirable in the absolute lit
| eral truth OF IL. as all v III acknowledge who
/ are fami lar with its subject.
mud another interes- Ing comment on this
| painting in BaedeEer, his extract being from
| Springer's Raphael
Tine Madonna al san Sisso-the Virgin and
the Child in clouds. with st. Six .us on the
right. St. Barbara on the left snd two cherubs
oeneatn-is lndisputaoiy work Of the great
master 8 own hand throughout, painted proba-
bly, about 1915 The compositioa most rssem-
bles that Of the Madonna di Foligno A cur-
tain has just been drawn back and the Virgin
issues as II were from the depths OF Heaven.
awe-inspiring, solemn aud serene. her large
eyes embracing the world in their gazs The
idea Of the sudden revelation Of a hitherto
concealed mystery could not be more effective
" expressed. The attention is usually concen-
trated upon the Madonna and the two cherubs
below. pictures OF naive Innocence. The Saints.
however, should not be overlooked. Contrast
ed IN age and sex. expression and movement
they supplement each other with admirable
effect Both must Dc thought OF in connection
h. -fTraFcz
reverent and pious Sixtus commends himself
70 the Virgins mercy, the beaming face Of ST.
Barbara represents the joyful enthusiasm Of
the redeemed "
II were perhaps more Just TO have ssid not
merely that the attention is usually coneen-
trated upon the Madonna and the two
cneruos DIT that the attention can hardly be /
diverted from them; certainly not without an
EFFORT. and then Il speedily reverts.
Doubtless the yvT.t7791 Il / cor eraI effect 4
close or continuous attention TO them when I
$1,000 before the painting, 50 shall not dwell I
lorg ger upon them here.
On the other hand the cherubs in tlis fore.
ground can certainly no. be dismissed with the (
reflection that they are pictures OF naive in
Speaking Of the cherub in the Madonna
de Foligno. Mrs. Jameson cbsracterizes il as be-
childish grace which strikes US in th6se aZTFI1l |
angel boys in the Madonna di san Sisto.
les; tnat Il, perhaps, the term which near /
est approaches accuracy for tn sc divine con- /
cepuons- They are, in the most serious use
OF the phrase, awful angel BOYS The vision /
OF what mus be has cast its shallow upon /
their infant spirits ami they are withaI vraDt /
in the solemn reTerie OF a child Tninx Of il |
cnld-angeIs contemplation OF the earthly
course OF the Christ-chiid, taking upon Him 70
deliver man.
l think one. the more youthful. mora child
IKE OF these cherubs, is Ike that ia the F5ligno
Madonna With this marked difference, how
ever: IN tnelr respective action: In that paint
ing the cheruO holds in his hand a scroll or
tablet, and therefore his mind Is EMPLOYED I
more or less directly with it. In the lesser |
eheruo OF the Slsilne Madonna no action what |
ever interrupts the trsin of thought which en- |
cages the sEeetSouled angrL We feel that |
that gentle mind cannot dwell verT long unon ]
sne sorrow that shan stFew the path Of the /
SAVIOUR OF men: ne tender heart will overflow !
and unT0nted tears viii spriug to those bright
oaoy y-eyes Wnen the perception comes Of the I
record that SHAH have 70 be, Jesus Eept"
OT the other cherub. with finger pressed |
upon the hp, have been reminaed once ia |
another work, and then have bean only p
minded In Raphaels Holy Family in the (
Louvre the head Of the Eneeling John the RaI,- I
tist, IN It's earnest beauty and the far.awav Z
look OF the eyes has recalled the larger angsi- I
COY OF the Dresden picture; and this, dosot- q
with prophetic vision. u
Naturally, Of the two. the portraysi Of the 8
child Is more awe inspiring shan that :
1f the infant St. John. I thing his cherub 6,
unlike the sweet companion BY its eide would -
-ollow IN mind even 70 the cross ami passion p,
u the beloved Master 5nt could nos weep. II =.
q sngeI could q 81 nis life The angels VII "a
ol1 rhniinisrered'' on earth % Him, the p
cane elaf5IeaTer- brought every token Cf the y
~1,1Jathy in His sUfferings that must rave PEI q
-.1ed the utmost limit Of His kingdom on nlgn.
have said it was in the nature Of the genuer z
.herlb then to weep; believe it 10 BE- in the 8
lature sf this grander cheru0 then 70 minister. L
.ibe Cbrist-chiid in His mothers arms Is i,
.rsafion as far beyond approach ia art, IN my Y
,Jomenf as il the Transfgured Reieemer in ii
he LAST work OF this primes OF painters Il
The expression upon this face Is that oL an r
ufaut startled from peaceful slumoeri nay, \
7 is more, for The attributes OF the Godhee1 D
; blended here with those Of the human II .
rat were the dreams Of the Cdrist-child, i
tsmPtion Of his lot on earth in the CHOSEN
pa a.. o,,edemption for sinful man
| ~, ns s.ons 10 slumber. perchance, we're OF
~ His n:e99ss,Iy Kingdom, thai kingdom male up
/ ot sgIII1s e ire as children, and through tne :
. nlelluin& & u arthly sleep. doubtless, he ever
piSSs i ar lat blessed eountrg wnsre i b,5 -
/ dreams on fres5rS "a
But this pressS waxing. wherein, enthroned
ILLS ~ nls ~ Ii95neL ryl rms he Is no rs the eLs
/ Of all hearts. With lair slightly rufied. as
/ though in fact the wasny hsd been sudden
F.. land believe Raphael signed il with that
/ thought; the solemnity gaze that belongs
only TO baoybood, combiif with a troubled
/ look, tinged with a sentir@nt OF sorrow; all
crowned with a celestial loveliness: thus
/ the child in this wondrous poTrayaI
One thing Is absolutely certsn. and BY it is
illustrated the exquisite InStlnCive powers OF I
/ this great master Of art. Beauiful as are the
| two angel boys below, you cQld no more
1 think OF an interchange Of plsees between /
either Of them and the Christ cliId than you /
I could Of placing pleasant -. Barbra herself I
/ in the Virgins arms. OF how maly produc- /
/ tons by other painters caa this equalIy be /
/ saidf
Trevert once more 20 the fgare Of tAs Ma
I donna
/ In copy Of the news. Issued about two
/ months ago, came across an exquisite poem.
/ entitled In Lent" Il was net written i'm
I agine, with aUy reference TO he Sistfne Ma
/ donna; tn ugh its author might have been in
I spired directly from her preSenc- so approprf
I ate Is the graphic beauty OF the Lines.
IquOte the last four verses Of this posm-ir
| Is ali q gem that nv readers may Judge whst
privilege It was 70 read il over and over
| again before the greatest Of all Msdonuas:
"Yes. God IS very good to tender mothers,
They see no thoFns upon the golden head
OF him who plays amid hfe's earliest roses
That bloom heeting hour, and then are
dead
But she. the model Of all earthly mothers.
Was never spared the pain Of knowing this:
That though her Christchl.d played eIth
blooming roses.
The cross must come, for all her prayerful
bliss.
TO look-He slept-upon His snowy eyelids.
And know that they should close upon the
tree,
To gaze upon His smooth and stainless fore
head,
Aud know that there great drops of blood
should be.