The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-04-06
THE SUN, SUNDAY, ArklL o, lce4.

Belsm" in the cathedral Of Seville. Stirling.
Maxwell thought that This Madonna. In
SERENE celestial beauty. isexcolled BY NO image
Of the blessed Mary ever devised In SPAIN" OF
CAno many stories are told BY the anecdotical
biographers II appears that In 1644 his wife
was murdered. and suspicion fell on the artist
who was known to DO man Of violent pas
sions. He was accordingly seized and put to
the torture with extreme rigor. but happily by
the Kings orders. his right hand was spared.
As he passed through the ordeal unhlnchingy.
the artist was declared innocent. Cano's
favorlte work. we learn. was sculpture. When
wearied with painting he would lay aside
his brush and. calling for o chisei. chip oct
O statue. and 30 rest himself. A pupil one day
remarked that to lay down the brush to take
up mallet was . strange mode Of rspose.
!" Dunderhead!" exclaimed Cano. do you not
know that to create form and relief on . fiat
surface 10 u greater labor than to transform o
solid block from one shape into anotherp"
Cano must be also credited with tho ingenious
argument for high fees which many lawyer
In our own and earlier times has syly appro-
priated. Somebody had ordered We are told.
statue about yard in height, and. when tho
work was completed. inquired its cost Cano
replied. Ono hundred doubloons." After an
astonlshed pause his patron inquired how
many days he had spout on IT, Twenty fvo."
answered tho artist. Then" said the patron.
You reckon your work ut four doubloons o
dayf" Your lordship reckons wrong" re-
joined Cano. for have spent fifty years learn
ing to make this statue In twenty-five days."
We pass over velasquez and Murillo. together
with their numerous pupils and imitators.
whose highest praise 1t was that their handi-
work WIS sometimes mistaken for their mas
.t,a Vail -tpv,N
the death OF Murllo in 1852 left the strongest
painter in Seville. for he was man OF unaucs-
tionabe originality. displaying q bold touch
that recalled Ribsra's. and preferrng. like
that master. to astonish and revolt rather than
charm. 1t was 20 picture by yaldes that Mu-
riilo paid the equivocal compliment that 1t was
30 forcibly painted that 1t was necessary to
hold ones nose when looking at 1t. What
valdes was to Andalusia Coello was at Madrid.
tho last Spaniard to illustrate the noble tradi-
tions OF the golden age OF art, His most re-
marknble work was the altar piece In the great
sacristy Of the Escuriul. According to the au-
thor Of this volume Coello sought to combine
Cano's graceful design. Murillo's color. and
velasquez's magic eiYect;' and II he failed 1t
was at least o splendid failure. like that Of the
Caracci. He Is said to have literally died OF a
broken henri when the King proclaimed to the
world the decadence Of Spanish art by sum
moning the italian Giordano to Madrid.
The rapid decline OF Spanish art In the
eighteenth century may BIO measured by the
fact that for q considerable period the pattern
of excellence was the Bohemian painter.
Raphael Mengs who. whatever his technical
dexterity and familiarity with academical ira
ditions. was In thought essentially common
place. As the century drew to close. how
ever. Goya did great deal to redeem the
reputation OF his country. He has left some
important religious and historical pictures.
and his portraits are admirable. His work
with the graver. also. was very famous. and
from this point Of view lie has been called the
Spanish Hogarth. His "Caprichos." q series
OF eighty prints. holds up to ridicule the shams
and foibles OF all classes. For the Villa Alameda
he executed q set OF twenty-seven paintings
representing common incidents OF social life.
and constituting precious contribution to the
history of Madrid and Of CASTLE. On his can
vas we see the Madridlenians az they wore just
before the invasion Of French influence. while
their costumes. manners. and usages were still
national. With Goya the author Of this intor-
esting volume naturally ends his survey Of
Spanish masters. for this painter. as he says
gives US the last and fading view Of tho old
Spain Of romance and art"