The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-06
FIVE WEEKS ABROAD.


This article is wholly devoted to pic
lures and those who are not interested
in the subject and those who have ex-
tensive knowledge of works of art may
both find it Of profit to spend their time
otherwise than reading what follows.
Te return in the narrative to London
to the National Gallery. a noted Ra-
phael is the Knights VISION a youth
under a tree, dreaming of life, its am
billions and joys, represented by two
figures appearing to him. one offering
glory, the other pleasure.
A portrait of himself by Andrea del
Sarto: This picture in the guide book
was referred to as master piece of
chiaroscuro. At the first opportunity. I
referred to a dictionary and found that
the word meant the fine art of arrang
ing light and dark parts to produce
harmonious effects. That is certainly
what this portrait depicts. The face
looking over the shoulder. is strong.
There are several framed works by
the noted Titan. his Holy Family
Venus and Adonis' and 'Baccfus and
Ariadne." This latter is a picture of
which it is said, "Once seen, never for
gotten,'' and Ruskin is quoted as saying
it is one of the two out of the more
than one thousand pictures in this gal
lery which he would last part with. The
other one of the two is Correggio's
Mercury and Cupid"
A painting of mammoth size, THE
Family of Darius Before Alexander The
Great" by Paolo Vereonese, is descrip-
ed by high authorities to be the most
precious painting by this artist in the
world. This theory is borne out by the
cost of the picture to the gallery,
$4,000.
1t would take a long time to even
count the Madonnas in this place. A
famous one is THE Madonna and Child"
by Leonardo da Vinci. 1t Is also called
THE Virgin of The Rocks, - and, though
several hundred years old, brought $45,
900 in cold cash
Another Madonna which especially at
tracted our attention is Baroccio's Ma
donna of the Cat" OF course, this was
not the original name. but it was given
this popular appellation because 1t rep
resents the infant. John the Baptist"
teasing cat by holding a bird beyond
its reach.
John Paul Rubens, the artist who
often uses so much red paint and strong
colors, has some fine examples here.
His Triumph of Julius Caesar is of
large proportions showing a parade
which excels the professions of the late
Karnival knights of Topeka. His FAM
Gus picture, THE Judgment Of Paris"
with its marvellous flesh tents. is also
here in the original.
There are numerous illustrations of
the art of Gainsborough, who certainly
knew how to paint portrait and whose
Duchess made the Gainsborough
hat famous and also took from J. Pier
pont Morgan many thousands of dollars.
For this is the picture which Morgan
recently brought to this country and
had trouble over the duty. Gains
borough painted several portraits of
women. This gallery contains several of
them, although doubtless Morgan has
the best one. n $3.50
Gainsborough also tried his hand at
landscapes and while more competent
authority may declare them beautiful
and wonderful, there are other exam
pies in this class which appealed to the
Kansans as being far more interesting
and valuable. as for example, the land
scapes of Van Ruisdael, the Dutch art
list, who has many and fine ones in
these rooms. We would say the same
thing of the landscapes of John Consta-
BILE, especially his rural scenes. If there
are any finer landscapes than the works
of these two artists, and those of Pat
rick Nasmyth here also, we did not hap
pen to see them anywhere.
Sir John Millais, who got the re-
nowned Ruskin into domestic difficulty,
appears to better advantage in this gall
lery than he did it Ruskin's home. Mil
lais' famous portrait of Gladstone
stands out on these walls. a familiar
work of art.
Here is the original of Sir Joshua
Reynolds celebrated picture, Heads
of Angels" some times called "Cupid's
Heads printed copies of which are
seen everywhere.
On neighboring nails hang a well