The Wilmingtonian., 1884-10-18
SATURDAY, OCTOBER is, 1854.
ALEFTER FROM ITALY.
Cortona's Muse and the Cleopatra.

My DEAR SIR: write you as promised,
and it happens from the ancient city of Cor
tona, perched on lofty hill, and still in
closed in great part by the original wall built
by the Etrurians, of prodigious stones laid on
each other in courses without cement. From
this commanding eminence we overlook, as
from
"An eagles nest upon the crest
OF purple Appennine,n
the lake Thrasymene, and the comparatively |
level ground were Hannibal and his Cartha-
genians vanquished the hardy Romans. This
place is exceedingly interesting on many ac-
counts, and, besides being one of the twelve
confederated cities of ancient Etruria you
will remember that it was the birth place of
the celebrated artist, Peter Berretini,in 1896,
better known as Pietro di Cortona, and this
mention leads me naturally to the business
that brought me here,
This was the examination of an ancient
picture in encaustic preserved in the Museum
of the Municipality. 1t is the head and bust
of young female, her face viewed nearly in
front, her right breast bare, and her left par
TALLY covered with drapery. Her head is
crowned with wreath, which appears to be
of laurel, but it is only family seen, amidst
her dark hair. Her left arm supports Tyre,
but there is only portion of this seen be-
cause the picture is but fragment. 1t was
the presence Of this musical instrument that
caused her to be called the Muse Polyhymnia,
and the work is known as the "Muse of Cor
tona." 1t is painted in encaustic on oriental
slate, and iscne of the only two known pic
lures of tbe kind called by the ancients tablet
pictures, as distinguished from mural works
painted on walls.
There is, it is true, a small work in en-
caustic on slate in the Pinacothek of Munich,
representing a dance Of nymphs and satyrs,
but it is only fragment Of little account,
decorative in its character, and apparently
part of a border. 1t was bought by King
Ludwig of Bavaria from an anti quarry Of
Florence.
The other more important picture is at Sor.
rento, in possession of the Baron de Ben,
neyal, and represents Cleopatra receiving hel
death from the bite of an asp. This, like the
Muse, is also in encaustic and on oriental
slate. Both we've discovered beneath the
present surface of the earth; one near Ceutoia
between Chiusi and Monte pulciano, in 1851
nd the other amid the ruins of Hadrian's
Villa, near Rome, 1918. The latter was
found in sixteen fragments, but is complete
The Muse was in one piece, but is obviousl.
only part of picture.
The only other example known Of the an
Gent tablet painting is one of much greater
Importance, and is preserved in the villa of
the Baron de Benneval at the Piano di Scr
rento. This also is in good hands, but it, too
ought to find permanent resting place in
some national collection, where it should be
forever safe. 1t represents Cleopatra receiy-
ing her death from the bite of an asp. II
was discovered by Michel, the well known
antiquary, under the cellar Of the temple Of
Ser apis OF the former nothing is even sur
missed as to its origin, except that it is evil
IDENTIFY Greek, but of the latter there exist
data that furnish reasonable approach to a
connected history. When found it was in
sixteen fragments; which, on being laid to
gether, show that no part was missing. The
disjoiued pieces were taken to Flore nee ant
submitted to critical examination of the
BDlblenL duNOChlSY plON. I1dlI. 1duuCCl, u
the Royal Academy of P lisa, who wrote a
elaborate report on the subject, showing hoy
pro foundry he was impressed with the valu
of the discovery. This report was printed j.
the "Autulogia di Firenze,' vol. vii.
August, 1922 the Marquis Cosimo Ridolf
the distinguished scientist and chemist, as
sisted by TaTgiani Tozzetti, submitted til
oil If |, 30 In nho inr
analysis, and in this way arrived at exaC
knowledge of the vehicles employed, alon
with the coloring pigments. These wer
two-thirds resin and one third wax. Thes
experiments are recounted in report tina
was also printed in the ''Autologia' in 1922
The original manuscripts of both reports ar
deposited with the public archives of Flol
ence. Finally the broken pieces were titte,
to gether and united in a bed of cement
Both pictures are on oriental slate of
grayish tint,
In 1869 the Emperor Louis Napoleon mad
an offer to purchase, which was reluctant
agreed to, and the picture was transported
Paris, with the view to the fulfilment of til
arrangement, but the war with Germany be
gan, and just on the arrival Of the picture il
Paris there occurred the battle of Forbach
which caused them to hesitate about riskin
its delivery. During the German siege {
Paris and the commune following, the paint
ing continued under the protection of til
Prince Czartoryski, and after the liberatio
Of thecity, the picture was returned to 81
rento, where it has remained ever since,
have now only to relate what appears
have been the origin Of the picture, and ho'
it came to the place where it was found
Augustus Caesar, being deprived of the pre-
ence of Cleopatra in person to adorn his tr
umph, the Queen having evaded that humi
itating exposure by suicide decided on hay
ing at least representation of her in til
form of picture. 1t is on record that
picture was painted for his purpose and wa
borne on car near his own, along wit
other OBJ jects of Egyptian interest, and O
great value, taken from the monument i
which she died; and since it was thus carrie
on the attendant car, it was obviously a tai
let picture. After it had answ cred this us,
he placed it as an offering in the temple {
Saturn at Rome.
This Sorrento painting has given rise
vOluminous literary research, and som
writers claim that it is the work of the fl
nous byzantine artist, Timomakos, who wa
the author of two pictures purchased b
Julius Caesar at the enormous price of eight
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