El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-29

THE last and most beautiful OF all
Raphaefs 1iadonnas Is the one In
the Dresden gallery. The sistlne
Madonna" one OF his masterpieces u
was originally painted as an altar
piece IN the cloister OF san sisto. IN
Piancsnza. Italy. There It remained
until King Augustus III OF saNony
purchased Il FOR forty or fifty thou
sand dollars TO adorn its present
Mace IN justice 20 its own merits
| and in kindness TO the other pictures
In the gallery. the sistine Madonna
has A room entirely 20 itselt- the
subject is so profound that It con-
sumes the entire attention and draw
from the observer the NJ oi cS5,-f.'.5--,
formulation From earliest tnflstlal
times the Virgin Mary has stood q
tfntercessor between suffering human
lily and glorious com eils - ~ y,
l whether we care TO recognize lIls
] tf,eoloeicallv or not. the dominant
/ ides iSi1r behind the blissful virgin
and child shows certain elemental
truths and so the subject has WoTAeo
7 itself into the lives OF men II IS
aDuea1Iur- because IL is vital the
Z virgin Is the feminine impersonalloh
] Of beueffceuce. purity and power
The largest and most beautiful poE-
I tion Of art has reference 10 ths ~
I donna. her character, person ana DIS
I tory. and in the hands OF EreAl AZ ti7ts
I il became one Of the uobiest and love
I lest subjects. The ethics OF Madonna
worship mieht be likened to the etnics
OF human love So long as the ap-
neal was to the best OF our faculties
/ and affections. so long was the liila5 {
! Grand and refined. radiating az once
/ a love that aWakeus a sense or KIN
& t. heart and EnnuE
CLEAN Of light into the divine mystery
and its Influence may be ranged with
I those which have helped to humanl1e
/ and civilize our race The Nlrsln anu
Z Child brought the sacred nless'--s :. ~
Heaven on Earth, and II was a cease
I less source OF consolation TO the
l weary 70 have the Divine Word ever
! before them visualized IN art
Daute's Influence.
IN the fourteenth century Dante =
writing had the greatest inference on
Italian art The painters OF that day
had TO deal with imperfect knowlea &c
and imperfect means. and yet OWN =
I to Dante, that early conception o.
/ son1e Of the most beautiful OF tne
madonna subjects has never as a re-
ilfcious and poetic conception ceen
/ SURPASSED BY later artists Here was
I Raphael. who although he had tod
the story. on canvas ~ many adlllt7
Z and enriched the world wtth many
=
I unfold q larger, nurer truth one cay
the heavens opened TO his gaze re
saw something different from his
olden dreams OF bTi7s. so-7ethinE more
lofty ultimate. His vision was the
I "Sfs-fns Madonna
As we turn TO this wonderful pic
ture we seem 20 be looking throu@n
q window into heaven. Faint in TIE
y back ground. yet filing the whole
Z soace. Is cloud Of innumerable
I crerubs: ont Of this cloud. and envel-
oped by GO appear the Mother anf
Child. They are making their way
=eeminEiy from heaven to earth
green curtain has been parted thai
we may see them. and two figures
are on either side. as II TO await theii
Passing. one gazing into their tac e'
as he points outward. the other also
kneeIfnE fra DEVOTION vet looking IN
tentlr down The mothers robes are
blown back by the wind as she moves
forward Underneath IS p uzrapet. as
II this were indeed a window ard two
beautiful bow ANGELS lean upon % as
r they were everiastingly pr7i7tnE
\ The mother seems as IL sire were l'ftef
above the ordinary plane OF human
life
A Critics View.
Lubke SAYS OF e. "a veil flows
Down from her head. which seems as