The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-03-09
aApnAEL.s MASTERPIECES.
England and Germany contsnding for the
Purchase Of Raphael.


miniature painting. THE Three
Graces." by the Due d'Aumale. for the
unprecedented sum of $l25,000. has
naturally given a boom to the other
works of the famous master. But un-
fortunately for this class of spectators.
there are very few of Raphaers paint
ings in the possession of private indi-
vidusls. They have been gradually
gathered into public museums and art
galleries, and not even the extravsgant
sum Of ~. 500 to the square inch will
tempt their possessors to part with
them. Prof. Louis Piccolo. of Lsu-
same, at present offers for sale to the
Royal Museum of Berlin o Madonna,
the authenticity of which is doubtful,
however, and which he recently dis
covered at public sale. At Turin .
still more recent discovery has brought
to light curious portrait Of Raphael.
painted by himself. and which has
been hitherto unknown. The author
was in his sixteenth year when he
transmitted his own features to the
canvas, and was following the course
of Vanucci at Perugia at that time.
This curious miniature exhibits the
features of Raphael in profile. The
head is turued to the right; and on the
left side stands q palace in plain style,
on the fronton of which is the word
Orb, and the number 1897 in Roman
figures. Toward the center is grace
full little temple, closely resembling
that at the base of the Sposalizio, or
Marriage of the Virgin" so greatly
admired by every amateur who visits
Milan. This very youthful work is
signed: 10 Raph. Sa" The sigma
ture is quite plain. The discovery has
produced a great sensation in the art
circles of Italy, as all the early paint
ings of the great master have been lost
or destroyed, and this is the only one
that has escaped the ravsges of time
and men.
But the most important of all the
works of Raphael that has not as yet
found its way into public collections is
undoubtedly the great picture known
as the Madonna della Regia di Ma
poll" at present deposited in the Ma
tional Gallery of London, and which the
Prussian Government IS making every
effort to secure. The negotiations have
not thus far been brought to success
full issue, as the sum demanded is ex-
orbitant, and the eyes of the artistic
world are turned on this great art treas
ure, which belonged to the court of
Naples. 1t was purchased at Rome
about the close of the last century by
the King of the Two Sicilies. 1t was
at that time in the Colonna palace, and
it so aroused the Kings admiration
that he purchased it on the spot. Since
then it has graced the Royal palace at
Naples, where on one occasion it SUI
fored some damage by fire, and mar
rOwlv escaped destruction. The few
cracks in the canvas were repaired by
the best artists, and few traces of the
damage now remain. This Madonna
was painted by Raphael in 1905 by
order of the religious st. Anthony, of
Perugia, who laid down the rules the
artist was to follow. The Madonna is
seated on throne and enveloped in a
blue flowing mantle, studded With
golden stars. The infant Jesus reposes
on her bosom; with his tiny hand raised
in benediction over the child st. John.
who is before him in alteration. Sts.
Peter and Paul are standing at the
sides of the throng, the former
with his keys and the latter
with his sword pointing toward
the ground. SITS. Catherine and
Dorothy, with the martyrs palm in
their hands, appear at little distance.
The perspective ends in a landscape.
These figures are all life-size, and the
painting itself is nearly seven feet
square. 1t is one of Raphaels master
pieces, and was executed when the art
list was in the full flush of his genius.
1t exhibits more strikingly than any of
his other works the union of the old
style with the new development of
art. The disposition of the figures
is that of the ancient masters, but the
types are not so ascetic and are more
human. SITS. Peter and Paul represent
the ideal apostle, whose most perfect
incarnation is found in the great mas
ter's st. Cecilia The general effect is
trifle somber, notwithstanding the
warmth of the tones and the clearness
of the skin. The semicircle directly
above the group is occupied by the
Eternal Father, holding a globe in the
left hand, with the right raised in ben
ediction. A number of adoring an.
gels are around him. The FIRE at Ma
Piles injured only the two figures, SITS.
Catherine and Dorothy; all the others
are as perfect as when in 1905 they re-
ceived the final touches from the i'm
mortal master. The two infants are
described as ravishingly beautiful.
This great work, which is the last of
Raphaels large paintings that is not
already national property, is the sub
ject of eager competition between the
Germans and the English. The Ger
man press with unanimous insistancs
calls on the Government to purchase it
before the English will have secured it.
1t is certainly the last chance of its