Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-01
Of the Dresden Gallery Presented 10
st. Paul's Cathedral.
FACTS ABOUT THE MADONNA
And the Great Artist Who Painted the
Picture for Mr.. Carnegie.
A MASTERPIECE OF CHRISTIAN ART
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.1

ously presented by Mr.. Carnegie to st.
Paul's Cathedral of this city, is command
ing a great deal of interest at the ateller OF
Mr.. Young in Wood street, where the
picture has been on view for some days
past.
There having been some erroneous state
ments made and published regarding the
artist, W. L. Sturm, who is at present
court painter to the royal household of
Saxony, and also some faulty comment
printed in relation to the figures, or charac-
ters, of this world renowned painting, it may
perhaps be we'll at the present time to make
corrections. It was the privilege of the
writer to enjoy a very pleasant personal ac-
quaintance with Mr.. Sturm and his prede-
cessor, Karl Andrea, the art of both OF
whom stands possibly as high as any in the
entire German realm, and as origlnators
and copyists, possessing definite
cacy of execution, in all of their
truly conscientious work, it is questionable
if any artist has excelled them during the
present century in the beautiful Saxon cap
ital, which, as is we'll known, occupies
foremost position in continental Europe as
an art center. The writer has some very In
teresting and pleasant memories of Mr..
Sturm during winter spent in Dresden
some years since, when the latter was then
struggling and unimportant artist, although
at that time showing force and fidelity IN
all of his pictures, which have secured tor
him so much richly deserved merit in late
years.
A VALUABLE GIFT.
It possibly may not be known that the
| Sist1ne Madonna of Raphael is rarely ever
copied. Some ten years have elapsed since
the event took place before, so that Mr..
Andrew Carnegie's gift to the Cathedral OF
our city is of very much more i'm
portance and value than might be
supposed. To secure the consent of
King Albert, the. present ruler, and
then have such q matchless copy prepared
by the court painter himself, is enterprise, and
an expenditure Of American dollars we'll
worthy of the philanthropist.
Regarding the history of this greatest art
treasure of the Dresden gallery (and in some
respects it may be added the greatest in the
world) candor compels me to confess my in
| debtedness to Prof. Hubner for the follow
ing: .......-
| According to Vasari the Madonna San
| Sisto was painted for the high altar of the
cloister of San Sisto, in Piacenza. In this
/ ipQlnrious seclusinn- -remained for 200
I years, almost as unknown to the world as if
| It were entombed in Herculaneum or Pom
peii. In 1711-12 Augustus III. of Saxony,
while Crown Prince, was travelling in Italy;
and seeing this wonder of art, conceived the
resolution, if possible, to obtain possession
of it.
More than 40 years elapsed before he was
able to consummate his cherished scheme;
and it was in the year 1853, and through
the mediation of the distinguished painter
Gioranini, that the jewel of the Dresden
| gallery was purchased for the sum of 40, 900
Roman scudi, which in American money
would be between SAC, 900 and $50, 900. A
few slight injuries in the drapery and some
observations on the body of the child were
found; and these were repaired with re-
ligious care upon the arrival of the picture
at Dresden.
In 1927, when it was cleaned again by
Palmaroli, the opportunity was improved
to restore the upper part of the curtain, and
a portion of the glory, which had been
injured in some unaccountable manner
and now for the first time the picture as
sumed its original size, as it lett the hand
of the artist.
A ROYAL RECEPTION.
In 1853 Giovanni, the agent of the Saxon
King, brought the picture to Dresden
| SAYS LudI aug uHbuS Su
its unpacking in person, and when the ser
wants who were carrying it into the throne
hall fingered to select the most advantage
GUS light, the King impatiently pushed the
attendants aside, and exclaimed: "Room fol
the Great Raphael" Truly" says Prof
Hubner, "a right royal utterance, and &
testimony both to the intellectual greatness
and the princely authority which raised
Augustus and his time to such exalted rank
in history.
For wears dreamed about the SIstine
Madonna, and tried to imagine how it looked
in its own home. was privileged at last
to pass several months in the city of it:
abode on the banks of the Elbe, and proba
blv three or four times in each week made
a pilgrimage to the vast gallery and the
chapel-like apartment where the great orig
inai is on view. The room is in the extreme
northwest OF the stately building, and un.
less one knows the route one might wander
about for some minutes without finding it
AS nearly as possible the story OF its first
creation is preserved in Its new home, and a
richly ornamented altar piece has been con-
structed for it, and there only lack candles
and a gowned prelate to give you complete
and esthetic little Roman sanctuary. A
perfectly transparent plate of glass incloses
| the picture and q special attendant watches
the furnace flues as if some royal life hung
on a degree OF Fahrenheit.
There is a decorous stiffness observed
through all the halls of the gallery; but
here in this little chapel OF genius and faith
there is always q most impressive silence.
1 think gossiping whispers are much oftenel
heard in church or at funeral than they
are in the Raphael room. Everybody who
enters becomes devotee for the time being.
Mrs. Jameson, in her beautiful descrip-
ton of this picture (Which has indeed leTt
almost nothing to be said), describes some
things in it which the writer has failed to
discover She is sure that Raphael intended
the Virgin Mary as prophetically looking
far down the vista of the ages. There is GER
tainly something wonderful in those large
eyes; and yet should be obliged to suborn
fancy to reinforce reason in order to cor
diallv coincide with this gifted art critic.
TRUE WOMAN PICTURED.
The angel faces thronging the air are Just
material enough to be visible. If there is q
natural law by which spirit faces and forms
are delineated upon matter and become visi'
BILE. we should suppose that it had become
operative in this case. The face of Mary i:
a perfect incarnation Of all womsnly graces
Here is the motherly sentiment completely
manifest, all tenderness and solicitude
beaming in her features, as she folds thu
wonderful child to her bosom. Her face il
transcendently beautiful, and the eyes TOT
deep to be fathomed. She has very seriou
and calm expression. Her form floats no
only in attitude, but in the composition
and she seems almost goddess of the olC
time fable.
i The child, however, is human. His hal
disheveled and the flesh stands out from
the canvas as if it were real matter. Th
only unekildlike feature is the eyes, whicl
are large and deep. Perhaps the painte