New-York tribune., 1901-04-28
PETR ARCH
4. DE NOEHAC'S DISCOVERY OF AN Az
TIIENTIC PORTRAIT OF THE POET.
AND CHARACTERISTICS -PEFRAIiCH
IN OLD AGE.
Paris, April II.
IN OLD AGE;

Paris April Il.
~ Pierre de Nolhac keeper Of the Versailles
,-ueeuuI and noted authority on Italian IL
crature. has announced t. the Academic des In
s,Ifpticns ct Bellies Lottres that he has d.s,ov-
,rsd in the old manuscript section Of the Ma
tisnnl Library in the Rue de Echelieu an au-
t,isutic portrait Of Petrarch. which is regarded
90 ,he most truthful likeness Of the inaugurator
a. he Renaissance in Italy that is known TO
exist. IN 1890 a miniature portrait of Petrarch
vas published in the Gazette Ges Beaux-Arts."
It vas taken from the original manuscript Of
lis DE Viris I1Iusuibus." which had been pre-
serteI in 13~O-a few years after the poets
toatk-to Francois de Cauare. Petrarch's last
Protector, by Lombardo della Seta, Who had
been h.s most faithful and devoted disciple. This
portrait represents Petrarch the brilliant poet
of Avignun proud of his juvenile beauty cuIti-
waiting grac. cf manner ard department. and
he5towing careful attention upon his dress II
shows him in his twenty fifth year he ap-
pcaGcd shortly after his memorable meeting with
Laura in the Church of Saint Clara at Avignon.
1t is the portrait that has srce replaced all
others in the later editions of the works of the
pct.
The portrait just discovered at the National
Library by NJ. de Nohac is deemed by experts
II be Of even greater value than that of 1880 1t
We found i'll the original manuscript of a Latin
work of Petrarch entitled "Liber Rerum Memo
lardarum, wherein. contrary to his custom.
the author collected number of personal anec-
dotea and souvenirs Of his contemporaries. The
manuscript is one that formed part of Petrarchs
library. and bears Inscriptions in his own hand
writing, which establish not only the authentic
ity cf The portrait. but show that ii was executed
j. accordance with his orders and completed
under his eyes. Through the courtesy of NJ
I,.UcE,t ian Of
'.onal Library, l have been enabled To examine
tn precious MS The portrait is a culored
miniature. y brick red hood with "A green lining
SSrVes as a sort Of frame for the venerable face
which IS presented in half profile, or, techni-
cally described, lin three-quarters" Two very
deep parallel waving wrinkles extend across
the forehead The eyes fixed in intent gaze
The nostrils slightly dilated and the lines
ct the nose are strongly marked. The upper lip
is OF unusual length. The lips are compressed
ard the lines of the mouth and cleanly shaven
chm are delineated with minute care and scru-
tiny The pupils Of the eyes are clear blue and
their expression is that Of gentleness and benev-
"ience The nose is of unusual length and the
eyebrows are slightly raised and OF remarkable
-tneness- 1t is the mature philosopher as he ap-
peared IN 1870 when, in his sixty sixth year h,.
letred from Padua with his faithful companion
Boccarcio to the little village Of Arqua i'll the
Euganean hills. There, on July Is l;1i the old
poet and scholar found dead among his
books in the library Of the cottage the windows
oil winch looked across the hills and rolling
plains toward the Adriatic. 1t is interesting, to
note that NJ. de NOhac came across this nor
trait of Petrarch while searching for the nor
trait of Laura which Petrarch mentions in one
OF his sonnets having been executed for him
IN miniature by Simone Martini and in regard
to which NJ. de Nolhac now expresses the opin-
ION mat 1t VIII in all probability never he found
6. l. Il.