Evening star., 1944-12-24
By Leila MechHn

Tomorrow will be Christmas, and
III over the world Christian people
ill unite in reverent celebration of
he birth OF Christ. saviour of man
ind. Early in the Christian era
rtists of the East began painting,
Il their own primitive way, pic
ures of the Madonna and Child,
be placed in churches or carried
L professions honoring the Queen
Heaven and her little son. To
ur eyes today some of these seem
rude, but they were very sincere.
Us the Christian religion spread, art
dvanced, and better paintings were
made of this sacred subject: paint
ngs more human and less symbolic
i)ut also more calculated to arouse
-doration.
1t was in Italy over 400 years ago
hat some of the loveliest and most
piritual of the paintings of the
Madonna and Child were made. and
low many of these are, through
he generosity of Mr.. Mellon, Mr..
Widener and Mr.. Kress, here in our
own National Gallery of Art. In
iced the collection of Italian art
n our National Gallery compares
With the best in any museum Of the
world. Beginning with the prini-
tives, 1t finally embraces some OF
the most famous of the works pro-
duced by the masters during the
Renaissance.
Let us take four examples. Here
Is a painting of Madonna and
Child Enthroned," done on wood
during the 18th century, attributed
by some to Giotto but strongly
showing Byzantine influence. Pri-
marily it is symbolical, but it has
the aroma of the east, as mani
tested in richness of color and de-
sign. From this, one turns. per-
haps, to Fra Angelico's most lovely
Madonna of Humility full of holi-
ness, In simplicity sacred. Both of
these paintings are from the Mellon
collection, the former finding its
way there through purchase, after
having been hidden for years in
Spanish convent, possibly brought
from Italy by crusader on his
homeward way.
The "AIba Madonna"
Again more romantic and hu-
manistic than either are two ia
nous paintings by Raphael. the
ALBA Madonna" acquired by Mr.
Mellon at enormous cost from the
Hermitage Museum, Leningrad, and
the small "Cowper Madonna" pur-
chased by Mr.. Widener in England.
The Alba Madonna" is tondo,
while the "Cowper" is an oblong
panel. Both are in perfect preserva-
ton. The former shows not only
Mary and the Child, but also little
st. John. In the latter there are
only the two holy figures. Both
paintings have landscape back
ground-the landscape of Northern
Italy.
In the Kress collection, which is
especially rich in the art of Italy, is
a fourth Madonna and Child
which seems to have all the virtues
of both the early and late Italian
schools. 1t is said to be the work of
Baldovinetti, gifted Florentine art
list of the 14th century. That 1t is
in the great tradition goes without
saying. In it the Madonna is repre-
sented as with drawn, introspective
innocent, young, full of holiness
symbolic but humanistic. To have
these works here to speak to us, as
they spoke to the people of Florence
many years ago, is privilege in
deed.
The National Gallery of Art will
be open as usual this afternoon and
evening. Closed tomorrow it will
reopen on Tuesday. Today a short
talk on Giorgione's Alteration of
the Shepherds" will be given in gall
lery 28th at 2:15 and 6:15 pm. by
a member of the staff. December 26
to 81, 10-minute talks will be given
on Botticelli's Alteration of the
Magi" in gallery 7, at 12:40 and / 40
pm. The italian galleries are To-
Gated on the main floor and west
wing.