The sun., 1884-04-27

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burn. NO made only the most cursory references
10 the chapters treating Of the two great paint
ers In whose works wo behold tho acme Of
Spanish art. Their names occupy too large
and eminont place In the history OF not only
the Spanish. but tho European Renaissance CO.
70 DO grouped with those OF their loss dlstin-
gulshsd follow countrymen In brioi sketch OF
the masterpieces whioh must 10 credited to
the Iberian peninsula. Volumes have bsen
Wrltton on their processes and their achieve.
ments. and It is happy onon for the progress
OF enlightened connolssourship In this country
that caroful apprecintive. and approxi-
mAtlngly exhaustive account OF their produce
lions has recently issued from the American
press. Wo rotor to the elaborate dcscrlptive
catalogue to which Mr.. CHARLES B. CURTIS has
devoted tho patient and vigiant labor Of many
years. and which is now published under tho
tito OF Veiasques and MU'iHo by J. W. Bouton.
BY recourse to this extensive r"pertory Of in
formation gathered Mt first hand and subjected
TO rigorous vsYincntlon. we shall bo able TO set
forth tho main facts discovcrablc WITH regard
TO tho careers OF these famous m"n OF genius
and to indicate the circumstances often cnri-
Gus and interesting. under which some OF
their chef d'rupres wero executed.
Mr.. Curtis's book Is modesly termed catn-
loguo. and such In form II Is. Tor tho prclimi-
nary ossay Ia short. and he has everywhere re-
that those would bo supcrnuous In tho case OF
Acknowledged master rpioccs. md would only
excite controversy In tho cnse OF works loss AL
mired. The volume. however. Ia pcrvhdrd with
tho unosteutatious but valuable results OF crit
ical study. In the classified list OF painters tho
reasons nre always given for tho admission OF
some and tho rejection Of others whose authcn-
ticity has boon disputed. Tho author has placed
collectors under heavy obligations by his effort
to trace tho history OF every picture DOWN from
It's earliest owner. and to thus supply the muni-
ments OF Its pedigree. Tho notes. moreover.
which abound on every page. nro packed with
descriptive and anecdotcal materials. which
throw not little light on tho biographical out
limos to which the compiler has thought 1t best
to restrict himself. In other words. this cata.
logue. without protesting to assist tho student
in either direction. is not only precious manual
for tho picture buyer. but embraces all tho ex-
tant materials for biography. and provides the
apparatus OF Intelligent and exact criticism.
Before following these consummate masters
OF Spanish art through tho paths that led them
into widely different spheres OF life and OF artis-
tic purpose 1t may bo we'll to look at some sug-
gestive points OF likeness and OF contrast Each
was born at Sovillc. and each passed his youth In
tho studios Of that city which already possess
Cd celebrated school OF painting. They are
oOm0tiHoS ToBhEueu 10 CohtompoIok'ob' out
Murillo was born eighteen years later than
Velazquez and when he first attained high
honor. the productive part Of the elder artists
career was almost over. Both treated their
fellow craftsmen with generosity and loyalty
that nre unfortunately rare In the history OF
Spanish painters Each could 10 with no orui-
nary felicity tho kind OF work Tor which the
other was. however. pre- 'minently distinguish
Cd; thoro arc landscapes. reii.lous compost
tions. ana portraits by Doth. Each knew tho
sweetness OF unstinteu homage IN MS liietime.
Out II came TO Muri!lo from the clergy ana the
people OF his native Andalusia. While 1t brought
titles. rank. and opu'ence to the courtier
Veiazduez VINO lived ana died IN the light that
peats upon throhe. IN respect OF Dlrth.
education. substantial proofs OF iaVor, ana thc
ADVANTAGES derived by an artist from foreign
travel. Volaz1ucz was lar more fortunate; ne
was enabled to make TWO Journeys TO Italy. ana.
on each occasion, to reside Tor some Two years In
that country. whereas the utmost bound OF Alu-
rillos voya@ng was Madrid. In which he seems
70 nave made out ono prlel soIourn' pelore nc
had accomplished any OF the WORK py wnich ne
Is best known. WHO they poth iiVed there
ID no DOUBT that n portrait by tho mana OF the
royal favorito commanded much higher price
than tho exquisite visions conjurcd by Muril-
los brush. and there has never been time from
that day to this when the formers merits
would not DO rated higher BY jury OF artists.
But Mr.. Curtis Justly says that works ofart are
not created for any such narrow audience. and
that II thcir aim Is to please the world at lnrge.
and especially the great body OF men OF taste
and judgment. by whose patronage art exists.
then Murio measured by that standard. must
stand before velazQuez. Mr.. Curtis. OF course.
would not aver that even In tho long run tho
money tost is absolutely conclusive; but no
entcrs Into number OF striking details with
view OF showing how cmphaticnlly tho contem-
porary estimate OF the pecuniary value OF tho
pictures painted by these artists has been re-
vorsed b. postcrity. UnIuestionaby the best
pictures OF Muriilo have been sold. and could
On tho other hand. until about forty years
ago. no work by Velnzluez had over brought
5000. Yet 1t Ia nearly half century since the
Marquis OF Stafford bought two paintings by
Murillo from Marshal Soult for 100000 each.
and At the Soult sale OF 1852 tho Conception"
by Muril!o now in tho Louvre. brought 1923. 900.
II npnaars from, M rp n lists ~ tho biuh-