Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-02
SPANISH ART.

' ble Course at Yale Art School.
 Prof. Hoppin's third lecture upon Spanish Tt was best of all to the lovers of Murillo, nd their name is legion, because such large nd wisely discriminating praise was be- lowed upon that favorite Spanish artist.
 The lecture began, however, with finishing | mention of Velasquez, after @ few appropri- 1 .te words of welcome to the friends of the ! Yale Art school, who "assisted" by their ! presence at each lecture. large and cul- sured audience was present as is usual, ! which appreciated the kindly words of the urbane professor.
 In continuing the subject of VelasqueZ, graphic descriptions ofhis historical pictures were given, some of which, as described, were seen to be fine examples of the second style of the author, who dares to be simple and narrate facts. In the year 1648 Velas- quez went to Italy the second time to collect pictures and statues for the king. While in Rome Velasquez painted the portrait of Pope Innocent X, producing such representation of that coarse, strong face, so admirable in it's artistic qualities that it has been praised by artists and pronounced one of the best portraits in the world.
 "The Maids of Honor'' has been termed the greatest picture painted by Velasquez; one of that kind of pictures which illustrates what is aptly called "the theology of paint ing; pictures which possess light and life, freedom yet reality. A clear description of the painting followed. In it there are nine figures less than life size. In this latest pro- duction Velasquez exhibits the full sweep of his capacity. The air, light and space of a real apartment is given. One feels as if he was in the corner of the room looking on the scene. The painters own portrait in this picture is the best we have. It was at the kings request that he painted himself in this picture of the royal family. When the pic- ture was finished he showed it to the king, who warmly approved of it. The story of the king painting the cross on the artists heart may or may not be true.
 "Se,' said Velasquez, as an author tells us, your majesty finds nothing wanting to the picture?"
 s'Have said soa" asked the king smiling.
 'No, sire; but your majesty has deigned to praise my work in such @ manner, that, if did not know the indulgence of the king, I should aatter myself that was leaving an inaproaehable picture to prosterity."
 f'Be assured, Friend Velasquez, that am not indulgent, but just. Therefore, at the risk of somewhat humiliating your pride as an artist, beg you to pass me your pallet and brushes that may remedy what is want ing in your work.'
 Velasquez was unable to dissemble a cer- tain apprehension. Although the king paint ed tolerably well, he felt that it would be a great pity to spoil his magnificent portraits. Philip easily imagined what was passing in Diego's mind, but he took no notice of it and advancing toward the picture he painted the cross of St. James near those of the other or ders with which the breast of the artist was already decorated. Velasques, penetrated with gratitude, fell on his knees before him Philip, raising him, embraced him and said \ GTa poko O hnnnr for he Ripy of n | to have added the finishing stroke to the painting of Velasquezr"
 This great Spanish artist died in 1860 and \ was inferred, it is said, in the church of San Juan, but his place of burial is unknown. One of these pictures, The Spinners, must ! Hot be omitted. It was painted in 1856, and 1 represented the interior of the royal tapestry | works in realistic style. AS colorist, he is here at his best. He painted vast number of portraits, strong in character and not al ! ways fine, that are scattered through all the galleries of Europe. But Velasauez was not religious painter. He had not the absorp- ton of soul and mystic vision of Murillo, but was painter of common life: great in com position, which means power of combination. In The Spinners there is much delicate arti- flee of composition. While it is Spanish, and something like Ribsria, it is finer in quality. His rule is, "Nothing in excess ' His hand is rapid and unerring. There is
 
 reserve force.
 Reference was then made to the bronze statue of Murillo in Seville. Murillo was born at Seville in 1917. He was of more humble percentage than Velasquez, and had poverty as his hard teacher. His mothers brother, handel Castillo, was his first mas- ter; when he removed to Cadiz, Murillo struggled along alone, and painted roughly great quantities of pictures of the Virgin which ha s01d t0 fla frs in m or. ica, for sale in Mexico, Peru and Gusda- loupe. With these daubs of the Madonna he saved himself from starving. But the desire | to improve as an artist led him to go to Mad rid There he sought Velasquez, who be. friended him. He grew right up out of Span
 ish soil, and there was no foreign art 1T \ him. He soon struck out from \ conventional paths to a quaint and homely | realism, as in kitchen scene where the saints | are beheld cooking the Pope's dinner. Mu | rilio has three styles, but they are unlike ths | three styles of Velasquez. With the latter they marked three epochs of his life, whil' | Murillo used his styles at will.
 The speaker then gave 8 delineation O | those styles and said that it was probably il
 the early part of Murillo's career that hi
 beggsr boys were painted and that he mus
 have loved these boys to have painted then l as he did. Fine descriptions then followed | of Murillos paintings, "The Alteration of th ' \ eiD," now in the Madrid gallery There is picture of the vir ! gin studying Hebrew, to which tn | Catholic doctors have objected because the
 believed her to have been inspired with al
 knowledge. Descriptive mention was als
 made of Murillo's "Annuncistion," est. An
 thony," "Infant Jesus" and others. Tn great picture of ''St. Anthony of Padua
 painted in 1856, is now in the Baptistery o
 Seville cathedral. Some of his pictures wer
 SO true to nature that it is said the bird
 picked at the flowers represented therein
 He was regarded as the painter of heaven
 His cherubs were remarkable. There wa
 never such a painter of cherubs es Murillo
 In the church of Santa Maria are four larg
 pictures, and here the professor made pleas
 ing reference to his thought of Murillo as h
 visited some magnificent church in Rome las l winter, and awoke the desire to travel as h had travelled, with such art cultivation a
 would ensure correct perception of the archi l lecture and other works of art to be seen il
 foreign lands.
 In 1860 Murrillo opened an academy O painting in Seville, which did not surviv,
 him. He was the painter of the Catholi ] doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, O l which there are at least twenty representa- tions. Murrillo painted the loveliest pictur ! in the world of children: That of Jesus anl
 St. John, where the infant Savior is giving St. John water to drink from shell. Child like loveliness could go no father.
 Trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home."
 ! A vivid picture was then given of the pic | ture, "St. Francis embracing Christ on tn. | cross. The saint was devoted lover of tn, Savior, and it required painter of like faith and enthusiasm to represent that love. | To the lecturer this was the most profound I ly moving of all MurrilIo's pictures
 1 Are not Murillo and Leonardo de Vine | our helpers to Christian faith as they thus l represent the holy fire of devotioni Murillo'f l work from 1871 to 1874 enabled him to reach ! the height of his reputation as the greatest painter of Seville and the greatest of Spain l and of the world.
 The eleven paintings in the hospital al Seville attest to Murillo's excellence as an artist. Five paintings were stolen and taken to France, the evidence of an innate vandal ism which all the cultivation of France can- not excuse.
 A fine description of the picture of "St. Elizabeth of Hungary Washing Poor Pa tients'' followed. This is in the Madrid gal lery, and exhibits the united excellence of Murillo's three styles. It does not mince matters. It deals with loathesome poverty and disease. The contrasts are perfect. IL