The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-14
THE MADONNA in ART.
Second Lecture of the Art Course De-
livered Before a Large Audience
in st. Luke's Parish Hall.

The second lecture In the Van Laer
art course was largely attended at St.
Luke's Parish hall last evening
The subject last night was The
Madonna in Art" and as many OF the
pictures being altar pieces are of panel
shape, their extreme height caused
their upper portion to frequently as
sumo grotesque forms when commn-
gled with the chaste but somewhat Or
nate decorations Of the prosccnium
arch at the Parish hall. However, so
beautiful were some of the representa-
tions that the audience would gald!y
have beheld the lovely familiar Crea-
tions danging from the end of a string
rather than not to have looked upon
them at all.
Professor Van Laer began his talk
by speaking of the influences which
grew into Madonna worship, inciden-
tally stating that in some Of these
rresentiments of the Mother ana Child
there is something deeper than the
love OF the beautiful which is felt by
the beholder of whatever religious faith
he NAV be.
There was a desire in the middle
ages to interpose the Virgins benefi-
cence and purity between an offended
Deity and the poor sinner.
In the early days women offered to
the Virgin meal and honey, as had been
offered by the Pagans to Ceres. Leo
III destroyed the images and forbade
votive offerings, hence no good exam
pie of the art of that day exists. In
the ninth century the custom of w0r-
ship was resumed and ii was doubt
less spread by the crusaders.
Throughout his talk the speaker
quoted effective bits from Vasari aad
Mrs. Jameson, relating several OF the
pictures shown. These were given as
illustra ting the life of Mary. 1t could
have been desired that a Cimabue Ma
donna, the Mater Dolorosa of Gudo
Eeni, the beautiful Burgomaster Ma
donna of Holbein, or perhaps the ra-
diant Madonna of the Star might have
been added to the list. as no one was
anxious to leave the hall. so deep was
the interest In the lecture. but so many
exquisite reproductions were given
that but few could have been well
spared, unless. perhaps, the imperfect
photographs of some of the Louvre
Murrillos or the Gozzoli.
1t was a pleasure to see represented
the Pre- -Raphaelite School In Dante
Gabriel Rossettis two Madonnas and
the exquisite reproduction of the
Burne-Jones "Annunciation"
Giotto was represented by "The
Flight Into Egypt" Corregio's "Buona
Notte" in the Dresden gallery. Al.
brecht Durer's Alteration OF the Magi.'
in the Ufiizi, where Balthasar is mos,
prominent, were among those shown
a Madonna by Martin Schongauer il.
lustrated early German art.
There were OF course, the famous
Madonnas of Raphael the Sistine with
her wistful, tender face, the lovely Ma
donna Della Sedia, the Madonna az
Gran Duca," The Madonna of the
Gold Finch" and LA Belle Jardiniere. -
The Pearl of the Prado." etc.
OF MurillO there were several exam
pies, notably the Immaculate Concep.
tion in the Louvre, and THE Holy
Family" and the Madonna of the
Fish" Duccio, Perugino, Bellini, Lit.
ian, Rubens. Georgione and Veroness
were represented. There was an ex.
quisite specimen of Botticellrs work. :
sumptuous one of Filippo Lippi, an.
other by Del Sarto and two beautiful
Leonardos with golden hair and gen,
tie faces. Modern pictures were. given
by the representations of Gabriel Max
lovely Bougereau and also one BY
George De Forest Brush, of this coun-
try.