Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-27


tion, Probably everyone knows the lead
ing facts in the life OF this prince OF Elem.
ish painters. His father, Johannes Ru-
bens, was an Antwerp Justice. He was
born on SITS. Peter and Psups day hence
the name Peter Paul Rubens. 1t is easy,
it is said, to discern the effects OF his early
training in tire school of the, at that time,
all powerful Jesuits, in the splendor OF his
religious pictures. Rubens was twice mar
| ried. He lived at Antwerp IN style OF
GREAT MAGNIFIcESCE,
Aud nearly a thousand pictures now bear
his name His excellent education, great
amiability Of disposition, combined with
handsome peraon. and his celebrity as an
artist, procured for him the patronage and
friendship of princes and men of distinc-
ton in almost every court in Europe. He
died in the year 1910, at the age of 81
years. Another picture in the same saloon,
called ''Le Coups de Lance, painted by
Rubens III 1920 for the church OF the
Franciscans, is considered by many as the
chef d uuvre of the great master, although
it is not so well known as his Descent
from the Cross" in the cathedral. In
lie Coup de Lance the Savior on the
cross is the Central figure; the penitent
thief at the right is invoking the Savior
for the last time the Roman officer, Lon
gibius, mounted on a gray horse, is pierre
ing the side of the Savior with a lance /;
st. John stands weeping; Mary Magda-
lene, on her knees at the foot of the cross,
imptores LDnginIus to spare the sacred
body of her master; while the virgin
mother in the foreground looks up with
swollen eyes and tear-stained face ex-
pressing the most intense suffering. The
"D4fense OF Antwerp against the Span.
ish in 1876, by De Brackeler, is also much
admired. It Is very large, and represents
portion Of Antwerp in flames. At the
left, the dome of the cathedral looms up
in the lurid light, while in the foreground
the Belgians brsvely resist the furious at
tack of the Spaniards. The terror de-
picted IN the faces of the women Is start.
ling one, with eyeballs starting from
their sockets, looks on while q Spaniafd
runs his sword through her husband !;
another Sights with desperate counteuanee
| for the life of her father. In the center OF
the second and by far the most interest
| ing saloon stands a beautiful
MARBLE STATUE or VICTORY,
AID near it fEely-executed figure of
King Leopold H., showing his perfect form
and handsome face to the very best advan-
tage. This room is lined with paintings
| by all the masters of the Flemish school.
St. Theresa interceding for souls in purga,
| tory is very pleasing. "Carist on the Gross,
| by Van Dyck, is OF CHASTITY but effective
! coloring, with human resignation wonder
| fully depicted. The Dead Savior" by
! Quentin Matsys, is universally regarded as
his masterpiece. This famous painter was
born in 1866 and died in 1881, and is con-
sidered the connecting link between the old
school of Van Dyck and the new school of
| Rubens. The people of Antwerp love to
tell how he came to that city poor black
/ smith from LOuvain, and as a specimen of
his work, executed with his hammer
| beautiful iron canopy, surmounted by a
statue of Salvius Brabo, a mythical hero,
who defeated and cut off the head of the
great Antigonius This canopy stands
over q well near the cathedral, and is
shown as one of the wonders of the city.
In Antwerp, SO the story goes, he became
enamored of the daughter of painter, and
to propitiate him and win his daughter, he
exchanged the anvil for the palette He
both painted and wooed successfully.
There is horrible picture in the Museum
painted by Frans Florins, called "The Fall
OF the Wicked Angels, in which large
| fly, resting on the leg of one of the falling
angels, is said to have been painted by
Matsys, and that Florins, on entering the
room, took ont his handkerchief and tried
to brush it off. This deception 90 pleased
and satisfied him with the skill of Matsys,
that he Immediately gave him his daughter
in marriage, Unfortunately for this pretty
romance, the painter whose daughter
Matsys married is unknown, and Fiorins
was only ten years old when Matsys died.
'tCHRIsT A LA PAILLH,
Or Christ on the Straw" an altar piece,
is most startling representation of the
| REAPER whose name is Death" The
body OF Christ rests upon stone bench
covered with straw, partly supported by
Joseph of Arimath@a, and mourned over
by the Virgin, st. John and Mary Msgda-
lene. These three show the deepest suffer
ing on their tear stained faces, while that Of
the Savior fascinates by its very ghasti-
ness. As We sat with eyes riveted upon
this painting, our attention was suddenly
arrested by a commotion near some artists
materials which stood by an unfinished
picture To our amazement, a tall man
seated himself on stool, slipped his feet
out of his slippers, and with his toea care.
fully arranged his brushes. He then placed
his palette upon the great toe OF the left
foot, elevated mis- foot upon another stool,