Evening star., 1941-08-31

Completely Natural.
Of central interest in Gallery 6,
likewise given exclusively to sculp-
ture, is the Bust of Little Boy"
in white marble by DeSiderio da
Settignano, pupil and follower of
Donatello, which was thought to
represent the Christ Child. but was
almost certainly a portrait of the
scion of some prominent Florentine
family, done to order for placement
in church. 1t is so very human,
so completely natural, so little
idealized, that it cannot be other
wise than this. Desiderio is one of
the few sculptors who have SO mod
eled or carved that their works seem
enveloped in an atmosphere all their
own. This is the miracle seen in
his Bust of Little Boy" and also
in his white marble reliefs, Ma
donna and Child" and "St. John
the Baptist" both of which are in
Gallery II. Also in this gallery
is his bust portrait in the round,
said to be of Isotta da Rimini, but
by experts thought more likely to
represent a Florentine lady.
Here, with the Desiderios. are the
beautiful figures Faith" and Char
ity," by Nina de Fiesole, which were
formerly in the Dreyfus Collection
from which they passed into the
possession of the late Clarence
Mackay and then to Mr.. Mellon.
Each figure stands in its own niche
and is seen at full length. The
sculptor was a follower of Donatello,
but strongly influenced by Desiderio,
and in such wise the precious torch
of art was handed on from one
to another, each in turn tanning to
greater brightness its flame.
Less well known, but equally
worthy of note, was Giovanni An
tonic Amadeo of the Lombard
School. who is especially we'll rep
resented in this collection by por-
traits in relief of both Lod0vico
Sforze. who married Beatrice d Este
and Clan Galeazzo Sforza, also of
the Duchy of Milan, as well as OF
Filippi Maria ViScorti. who bears a
striking resemblance to the Con
dottiere," painted by Bellini Gin an
adjacent gallery, long thought to
be Colleoni. From the hand OF
Amadeo come also two delightful
kneeling angels. to be seen sepa-
rately, and again together in a
relief, by the same sculptor, Of the
Madonna and Child, in which they
have been placed, as subsidiary, on
the back of q chair throne.
Great Diversity.
The whole transition from the
simple Gothic sculpture, with its
basis of storytelling and teaching
to that of the Renaissance at its
height, which was infinitely more
humanistic and esthetic, Is illustrated
in the National Gallery's collection.
comparatively speaking-as small as
1t is. To comprehend the full sig-
nificance of this transition IS diff
cult unless one follows it step by
step, which, in a single brief article
such as this, is impossible. Despite
the fact that the period covered is
little more than century, the di-
versity in the works created was
very great; therefore, there are un-
told opportunities for exploration
and discovery in this field on the
mart of those who are observant.
When engaging in such pursuit
the student should keep in mino
that dates and data are not as
crucial as seeing eyes and an under
standing heart; for sculpture, like
all the arts, is very personal mat
ter, dealing with that which is spir-
itual rather than material. Obvi-
ously, 1t is not merely the re-crea-
ton of things, which may be seer
and felt with the hand, in stone
wood, clay or wax, but the interpre-
tation of that deeper truth which
lies beneath the surface, revealed
through the artists perception and
original gift. To the medium used
whatever it may be, it is his touch
which gives life-how, no one knows
but the miracle is before us.
It is, moreover, by this touch
loving, sympathetic, skilled, know.
ing-that the individuality of each
artist is manifested.
Take, for example, the difference
in the manner of the sculptors al
ready mentioned and that of the
della Robbias Luca, his two nephews
Andrea and Giovanni, and those OF
their workshop; or of theirs and
that Of sculptors of a later French
school, also represented in this COL
lection, of which, likewise, space
limitations have precluded mention
at this time. 1t is all very inter-
esting and significant.
There is great beauty here with
which to become acquainted, for all
these artists, like their fellow paint
ers. labored with both ardor and
love. 1t is, perhaps, more the latter
than the former which, evidenced
in their works, tends to life the OBJ
servers spirit very high-so high
that, as fellow critic has reminded
us, Blake was once moved to ex-
claim that art Is "a means of con-
versing with Paradise How better
could any one put It!