,transcriber's ,notes ,obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected4 ,variations in hyphenation and accents have been standardised but all other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged4 ,the woodcut number #dh1 ,the ,symbol of ,st4 ,matthew4 ,mosaic41 does not exist4 ,on page #aia1 in the section on ,st4 ,peter and ,st4,paul1 ,c4 ,x,c4 is an near approximation of the actual symbol4 ,italics are represented thus italic1 bold thus bold and superscripts thus yen4 ,sacred ,,and ,legendary ,art4 ,,vol4 ,i4 ,,the ,,latest ,,editions ,,of ,,mrs4 ,,jameson',s ,,works ,,on ,,sacred ,,and ,,legendary ,,christian ,,art4 ,the ,fifth ,edition1 in #b vols4 square crown #hvo4 with #ai ,etchings on ,copper and #ahg ,woodcuts1 price #cas4 #f;d4 ,,legends of the ,,saints and ,,martyrs as represented in the ,fine ,arts1 forming the ,,first ,,series of #8,sacred and ,legendary ,art4' ,by ,mrs4 ,,jameson4 ,,ii4 ,,legends of the ,,monastic ,,orders4 ,third ,edition1 with #aa ,etchings and #hh ,woodcuts4 #a vol4 #bas4 ,,iii4 ,,legends of the ,,madonna4 ,third ,edition1 with #bg ,etchings and #afe ,woodcuts4 #a vol4 #bas4 ,,iv4 ,,history of ,,our ,,lord as exemplified in ,works of ,art4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,jameson and ,lady ,,eastlake4 ,second ,edition1 with #ca ,etchings and #bha ,woodcuts4 #b vols4 #dbs4 ,of these #cab ,illustrations1 all prepared specially for the #8,history of ,our ,lord1' nearly one-third of the whole number have now been engraved for the first time4 #8,we have in these volumes1 penned in a truth-seeking spirit and illustrated with a copious generosity which at once elucidates and adorns each section of the subject1 contributions to the literature of ,,christian ,,art1 for which every artist and every student of theology will confess debt of private gratitude4 ,to thoughtful inquirers1 richest mines are here opened for meditation4 ,to minds prepared for deeper draughts to quench the thirst for knowledge1 wells are dug and fountains are made to flow even in the desert tracks of time where pilgrim's foot seldom attempts to tread4 ,we think that ,lady ,,eastlake has done special service in bringing into popular view recondite stores which have hitherto been sealed for public use4 ,she has1 by appeal to the early heads of ,christ in the ,catacombs1 by reference to ,christian sarcophagi of the fourth century1 to ivories as old as the sixth century1 and ,greek ,,mss4 and ,byzantine miniatures of the ninth century1 enabled the art-student to tract the history of types and antetypes1 and to analyse the rudimentary germs which1 from age to age accumulating strength and growing in comeliness1 at length issued forth in perfected pictorial form4 ,it is to this1 the infancy of art1 that at the present moment peculiar interest attaches4' ,,blackwood',s ,,magazine4 ,illustration3 ,the ,assumption of the ,magdalena4 ,sacred ,,and ,legendary ,art4 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,jameson4 ,,volume ,i4 ,,containing ,,legends ,,of ,,the ,,angels ,,and ,,archangels1 ,,the ,,evangelists1 ,,the ,,apostles1 ,,the ,,doctors ,,of ,,the ,,church1 ,,and ,,st4 ,,mary ,,magdalene1 ,,as ,,represented ,,in ,,the ,,fine ,,arts4 ,,sixth ,,edition4 ,,london3 ,,longmans1 ,,green1 ,,and ,,co4 #ahgj4 ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode ,,and ,,co41 ,,new-,,street ,,square ,,and ,,parliament ,,street ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,third ,,edition4 ,the ,author ventures to hope that1 on comparing this ,third ,edition of #8,sacred and ,legendary ,art' with the two preceding1 it will be found greatly improved1 and rendered more worthy of the kind approbation and sympathy with which it has been received4 ,the whole has been carefully revised2 the references to the pictures and other works of ,art corrected from the latest authorities1 and many new examples have been added4 ,all the ,illustrations1 which were formerly etched on copper1 have been newly etched on steel2 two have been omitted1 and three others1 as more interesting and appropriate1 have been substituted2 and twelve new woodcuts have been introduced4 ,in a work so multifarious in its nature1 and comprising so many hundred subjects and references1 there may remain some errors and omissions1 but they have not occurred from want of care2 and ,i must not omit to express due thanks for the observations and corrections which have been forwarded to me from time to time1 and which have been in this ,edition carefully attended to4 ,a4 ,j4 ,january #aheg4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,first ,,edition4 7#ahdh47 ,this book was begun six years ago1 in #ahdb4 ,it has since been often laid aside1 and again resumed4 ,in this long interval1 many useful and delightful works have been written on the same subject1 but still the particular ground ,i had chosen remained unoccupied2 and1 amid many difficulties1 and the consciousness of many deficiencies1 ,i was encouraged to proceed1 partly by the pleasure ,i took in a task so congenial--partly by the conviction that such a work has long been wanted by those who are not contented with a mere manual of reference1 or a mere catalogue of names4 ,this book is intended not only to be consulted1 but to be read--if it be found worth reading4 ,it has been written for those who are1 like myself1 unlearned2 yet less1 certainly1 with the idea of instructing1 than from a wish to share with others those pleasurable associations1 those ever new and ever various aspects of character and sentiment1 as exhibited in ,art1 which have been a source of such vivid enjoyment to myself4 ,this is the utmost limit of my ambition2 and1 knowing that ,i cannot escape criticism1 ,i am at least anxious that there should be no mistake as to purpose and intention4 ,i hope it will be clearly understood that ,i have taken throughout the sthetic and not the religious view of those productions of ,art which1 in as far as they are informed with a true and earnest feeling1 and steeped in that beauty which emanates from genius inspired by faith1 may cease to be ,religion1 but cannot cease to be ,poetry2 and as poetry only ,i have considered them4 ,the difficulty of selection and compression has been the greatest of all my difficulties2 there is not a chapter in this book which might not have been more easily extended to a volume than compressed into a few pages4 ,every reader1 however1 who is interested in the subject1 may supply the omissions1 follow out the suggestions1 and enjoy the pleasure of discovering new exceptions1 new analogies1 for himself4 ,with regard to the arrangement1 ,i am afraid it will be found liable to objections2 but it is the best that1 after long consideration and many changes1 ,i could fix upon4 ,it is not formal1 nor technical1 like that of a catalogue or a calendar1 but intended to lead the fancy naturally from subject to subject as one opened upon another1 with just sufficient order to keep the mind unperplexed and the attention unfatigued amid a great diversity of objects1 scenes1 stories1 and characters4 ,the authorities for the legends have been the ,legenda ,aurea of ,voragine1 in the old ,french and ,english translations2 the ,flos ,sanctorum of ,ribadeneira1 in the old ,french translation2 the ,perfetto ,legendario1 editions of ,rome and ,venice2 the ,legende delle ,sante ,vergini1 ,florence and ,venice2 the large work of ,baillet1 ,les ,vies des ,saints1 in thirty-two volumes1 most useful for the historical authorities2 and ,alban ,butler's ,lives of the ,saints4 ,all these have been consulted for such particulars of circumstance and character as might illustrate the various representations1 and then compressed into a narrative as clear as ,i could render it4 ,where one authority only has been followed1 it is usually placed in the margin4 ,the ,first ,part contains the legends of the scriptural personages and the primitive fathers4 ,the ,second ,part contains those sainted personages who lived1 or are supposed to have lived1 in the first ages of ,christianity1 and whose real history1 founded on fact or tradition1 has been so disguised by poetical embroidery1 that they have in some sort the air of ideal beings4 ,as ,i could not undertake to go through the whole calendar1 nor yet to make my book a catalogue of pictures and statues1 ,i have confined myself to the saints most interesting and important1 and 7with very few exceptions7 to those works of ,art of which ,i could speak from my own knowledge4 ,the legends of the monastic orders1 and the history of the ,franciscans and ,dominicans1 considered merely in their connexion with the revival and development of the ,fine ,arts in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries1 open so wide a range of speculation1--the characteristics of these religious enthusiasts of both sexes are so full of interest and beauty as artistic conceptions1 and as psychological and philosophical studies so extraordinary1 that ,i could not1 in conscience1 compress them into a few pages3 they form a volume complete in itself1 entitled #8,legends of the ,monastic ,orders4' ,the little sketches and woodcuts are trifling as illustrations1 and can only assist the memory and the fancy of the reader but ,i regret this the less1 inasmuch as those who take an interest in the subject can easily illustrate the book for themselves4 ,to collect a portfolio of prints1 including those works of art which are cited under each head as examples1 with a selection from the hundreds of others which are not cited1 and arrange them in the same order--with reference1 not to schools1 or styles1 or dates1 but to subject merely--would be an amusing1 and ,i think not a profitless1 occupation4 ,it could not be done in the right spirit without leading the mind far beyond the mere pleasure of comparison and criticism1 to #8thoughts more elevate and reasonings high' of things celestial and terrestrial1 as shadowed forth in form by the wit and the hand of man4 ,illustration3 ,an ,angel ,,contents ,,of ,,the ,,first ,,volume4 ,,page ,,preface v ,,introduction3 ,i4 ,of the ,origin and general ,significance of the ,legends represented in ,art #a ,,ii4 ,of the ,distinction to be drawn between ,devotional and ,historical ,subjects #aa ,,iii4 ,of the ,patron ,saints of particular ,countries1 ,cities1 and ,localities #ah ,,iv4 ,of certain ,emblems and ,attributes of general ,application #bc ,v4 ,of the ,significance of ,colours4 ,conclusion #ce ,,of ,,angels ,,and ,,archangels4 ,,of ,,angels4 ,antiquity of the ,belief in ,angels4 ,early ,notions respecting them4 ,how represented in the ,old ,testament4 ,in the ,new ,testament4 ,angelic ,hierarchies4 ,the ,nine ,choirs4 ,seraphim1 ,cherubim4 ,general ,characteristics in ,painting4 ,infant ,angels4 ,wings4 ,angels of ,dante4 ,angels as ,messengers1 ,choristers1 ,guardians4 ,as ,ministers of ,wrath4 ,as ,agents in the ,creation4 ,manner in which the principal ,painters have set forth the ,angelic ,forms and ,attributes #da ,,the ,,archangels4 ,the ,seven ,archangels4 ,the ,four ,archangels4 ,the ,three ,archangels #hg ,,st4 ,,michael #id ,,st4 ,,gabriel #aah ,,st4 ,,raphael #abf ,additional ,notes on ,angels #aca ,,the ,,four ,,evangelists4 ,the earliest ,types3 as ,four ,books2 as ,four ,rivers2 as the ,four ,mysterious ,animals2 the ,human and ,animal ,forms combined2 with ,wings2 as ,men #acb ,,st4 ,,matthew4 ,his ,legend4 ,his ,attributes4 ,pictures from his ,life not common #adc ,,st4 ,,mark4 ,his ,legend4 ,devotional ,pictures3 as ,evangelist2 as the ,disciple of ,peter2 as the ,patron ,saint of ,venice4 ,the ,legend of the ,fisherman4 ,the ,legend of the ,christian ,slave4 ,the ,translation of the ,body of ,st4 ,mark #adg ,,st4 ,,luke4 ,his ,legend4 ,devotional ,figures4 ,attributes3 as ,evangelist and ,painter4 ,st4 ,luke painting the ,virgin #aed ,,st4 ,,john4 ,his ,legend4 ,devotional ,pictures3 as ,evangelist2 as ,apostle2 as ,prophet4 ,subjects from his ,life2 ,legend of ,st4 ,john and the ,robber2 of the two ,young ,men2 of ,drusiana2 of the ,huntsman and the ,partridge4 ,the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,john4 ,legend of the ,death of ,st4 ,john4 ,legend of ,galla ,placidia4 ,of ,king ,edward the ,confessor #aeg ,the ,six ,writers of the ,canonical ,epistles1 as a series #agb ,,the ,,twelve ,,apostles4 ,ancient ,types3 as ,twelve ,sheep2 as ,twelve ,doves2 as ,twelve ,men4 ,how grouped in ,ecclesiastical ,decoration4 ,in the ,old ,mosaics2 their proper place4 ,examples from various ,painters4 ,historical ,subjects relating to the ,twelve ,apostles3 the ,pentecost2 the ,separation of the ,twelve ,apostles to preach the ,gospel2 the ,twelve ,baptisms2 the ,twelve ,martyrdoms #agc ,,st4 ,,peter and ,,st4 ,,paul4 ,the ,ancient ,greek ,types4 ,examples of the early ,treatment of these two ,apostles3 in the old ,mosaics2 in early ,sculpture2 in ,pictures #ahe ,,st4 ,,peter4 ,his peculiar ,attributes3 as ,apostle and ,patron ,saint2 as the ,head and ,founder of the ,roman ,church2 ,st4 ,peter as ,pope4 ,subjects from the ,scriptural ,life of ,st4 ,peter4 ,legendary ,stories connected with ,st4 ,peter4 ,the ,legend of ,simon ,magus2 of the #8,domine1 quo vadis8' of ,processus and ,martinian4 ,the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,peter4 ,st4 ,peter as ,keeper of the ,gates of ,paradise4 ,the ,legend of ,st4 ,petronilla4 ,the ,life of ,st4 ,peter in a ,series of ,subjects #aic ,,st4 ,,paul4 ,earliest ,type4 ,attributes of ,st4 ,paul3 the ,sword4 ,subjects from his ,life4 ,stoning of ,stephen4 ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul4 ,the ,vision of ,st4 ,paul4 ,miracles of ,st4 ,paul4 ,his ,martyrdom4 ,the ,legend of ,plautilla4 ,the ,life of ,st4 ,paul in a ,series of ,subjects #bab ,,st4 ,,andrew4 ,the ,legend4 ,attributes4 ,historical ,subjects from the ,life of ,st4 ,andrew4 ,flagellation4 ,adoration of the ,cross4 ,martyrdom as represented by ,guido1 ,domenichino1 and ,murillo #bbf ,,st4 ,,james ,,major4 ,story and ,character as represented in ,scripture4 ,st4 ,james as ,patron of ,spain4 ,the ,legend of ,santiago4 ,the ,battle of ,clavijo4 ,the ,pilgrims of ,compostella4 ,the ,devotional ,figures and ,attributes of ,st4 ,james the ,apostle4 ,as ,tutelar ,saint of ,spain4 ,pictures from his ,legend #bcj ,,st4 ,,philip4 ,the ,legend of the ,idol and the ,serpent4 ,devotional ,pictures and ,attributes4 ,subjects from his ,legend4 ,distinction between ,st4 ,philip the ,apostle and ,st4 ,philip the ,deacon #bda ,,st4 ,,bartholomew4 ,the ,legend4 ,the ,attributes4 ,martyrdom #bdd ,,st4 ,,thomas4 ,origin of his peculiar ,attribute4 ,the ,legend of ,king ,gondoforus4 ,the ,incredulity of ,st4 ,thomas4 ,the ,legend of the #8,madonna della ,cintola4' ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,thomas #bde ,,st4 ,,james ,,minor4 ,first ,bishop of ,jerusalem4 ,attributes4 ,resemblance to ,christ4 ,subjects from his ,life4 ,martyrdom4 ,frescoes at ,padua #bej ,,st4 ,,simon ,,and ,,st4 ,,jude4 ,legend and ,attributes4 ,represented as ,children #beb ,,st4 ,,matthias4 ,attributes #bed ,,judas ,,iscariot4 ,scriptural ,character4 ,legends relating to him2 how represented in various ,subjects #bee ,,the ,,last ,,supper4 ,its importance as a ,sacred ,subject4 ,devotional when it represents the ,institution of the ,eucharist4 ,historical when it represents the ,detection of ,judas4 ,various ,examples4 ,giotto4 ,duccio of ,siena4 ,angelico da ,fiesole4 ,luca ,signorelli4 ,ghirlandajo4 ,albert ,drer4 ,leonardo da ,vinci4 ,raphael4 ,andrea del ,sarto4 ,titian4 ,poussin4 #bfa ,faults and ,mistakes committed by ,painters in representing the ,last ,supper #bgc ,,st4 ,,barnabas4 ,his ,legend4 ,popular at ,venice as ,kinsman of ,st4 ,mark4 ,represented with the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew #bgh ,,the ,,doctors ,,of ,,the ,,church4 ,,the ,,four ,,latin ,,fathers4 ,their ,particular ,attributes4 ,their proper place in ,ecclesiastical ,decoration4 ,subjects in which they are introduced together #bhj ,,st4 ,,jerome4 ,history and ,character4 ,influence over the ,roman ,women4 ,origin of his ,attributes4 ,legend of the ,wounded ,lion4 ,devotional ,figures of ,st4 ,jerome3 as ,patron ,saint2 as ,translator of the ,scriptures2 as ,penitent4 ,subjects from the ,life of ,st4 ,jerome4 ,the ,communion of ,st4 ,jerome #bhe ,,st4 ,,ambrose4 ,story and ,character of ,st4 ,ambrose4 ,the ,emperor ,theodosius4 ,the ,discovery of the ,martyrs ,st4 ,protasius and ,st4 ,gervasius4 ,legends relating to ,st4 ,ambrose4 ,the ,prefect ,macedonius4 ,the ,nobleman of ,tuscany4 ,devotional ,figures of ,st4 ,ambrose4 ,his peculiar ,attributes4 ,his ,church at ,milan2 his ,life as represented on the ,altar4 ,statue of ,st4 ,ambrose #cjj ,,st4 ,,augustine4 ,character of ,st4 ,augustine4 ,his ,shrine at ,pavia1 and ,bassorelievos representing his ,life4 ,devotional ,figures of ,st4 ,augustine4 ,represented with his ,mother1 ,monica4 ,various ,subjects from his ,life4 ,the ,vision of ,st4 ,augustine #cjh ,,st4 ,,gregory4 ,his ,story and ,character4 ,his ,popularity4 ,legends connected with his ,life4 ,origin of his ,attribute1 the ,dove4 ,the ,supper of ,st4 ,gregory4 ,the ,mass of ,st4 ,gregory4 ,the ,miracle of the ,brandeum4 ,st4 ,gregory releases the ,soul of the ,emperor ,trajan4 ,the ,legend as represented in ,pictures4 ,the ,legend of the ,monk4 ,st4 ,gregory's ,doctrine of ,purgatory4 ,how represented #cae ,,the ,,four ,,greek ,,fathers4 ,how represented in the ,greek ,pictures1 and by the ,latin ,artists #cbd ,,st4 ,,john ,,chrysostom4 ,singular ,legends with regard to him4 ,the ,penance of ,st4 ,chrysostom4 ,as represented in the ,german ,prints4 ,by ,lucas ,cranach4 ,by ,beham4 ,by ,albert ,drer #cbe ,,st4 ,,basil ,,the ,,great4 ,his ,character4 ,how represented4 ,story of the ,emperor ,valens4 ,legends which refer to ,st4 ,basil #cce ,,st4 ,,athanasius4 ,how represented4 ,unpopular as a ,subject of ,art #cci ,,st4 ,,gregory ,,nazianzen4 ,his ,history and ,character4 ,his celebrity as a ,poet4 ,beautiful ,miniatures relative to his ,life #cdj ,,st4 ,,cyril4 ,how represented #cdb ,,st4 ,,mary ,,magdalene1 ,,st4 ,,martha1 ,,st4 ,,lazarus1 ,,st4 ,,maximin1 ,,st4 ,,marcella1 ,,st4 ,,mary ,,of ,,egypt1 ,,and ,,the ,,beatified ,,penitents4 ,character of ,mary ,magdalene4 ,disputes concerning her ,identity4 ,the ,popular and ,scriptural ,legend4 ,the old ,provenal ,legend4 ,the ,devotional ,representations3 as ,patron ,saint2 as ,penitent4 ,sacred ,subjects in which she is introduced4 ,legendary ,subjects4 ,la ,danse de la ,madeleine4 ,the ,assumption of the ,magdalene4 ,the ,legend of the ,mother and ,child4 ,her ,life in a ,series of ,subjects4 ,legends of ,mary ,magdalene and ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist #cdc ,,st4 ,,martha4 ,her ,character4 ,legends of ,st4 ,martha4 ,how represented4 ,where introduced #cha ,,st4 ,,lazarus #chc ,,st4 ,,mary ,,of ,,egypt4 ,the ,legend4 ,distinction between ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt and ,mary ,magdalene4 ,proper ,attributes of ,mary of ,egypt4 ,stories and ,pictures from her ,life #che ,,mary ,,the ,,penitent1 not to be confounded with ,mary of ,egypt4 ,her ,story4 ,landscapes of ,philippe de ,champagne #cij ,,st4 ,,thais4 ,,st4 ,,pelagia #cic ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,in ,,the ,,first ,,volume4 ,woodcuts4 #a4 ,laus ,deo4 ,liberale di ,verona4 #b4 ,angel4 ,gaudenzio ,ferrari4 #c4 ,angels singing #8,gloria in ,excelsis ,deo4' ,perugino4 #d4 ,seraph4 ,greek ,emblem1 #ith ,century4 #e4 ,cherubim4 ,italian1 #adth ,century4 #f4 ,cherubim4 ,pinturicchio4 #g4 ,cherubim4 ,liberale di ,verona4 #h4 ,part of a ,glory of ,angels4 ,ambrogio ,borgognone4 #i4 ,winged ,genius4 ,egyptian4 #aj4 ,winged ,figure4 ,nineveh ,marbles4 #aa4 ,seraph4 ,ancient ,greek ,mosaic4 #ab4 ,angels4 ,orcagna4 #ac4 ,fiery ,cherub4 ,raphael4 #ad4 ,angel1 hymning the ,virgin4 ,francia4 #ae4 ,piping ,angel4 ,gian ,bellini4 #af4 ,greek ,angel bearing the ,moon4 #ag4 ,angels on ,horseback4 ,cathedral of ,auxerre4 #ah4 ,angels expelling ,adam and ,eve4 ,n4 ,pisano4 #ai4 ,angels who visit ,abraham4 ,raphael4 #bj4 ,plan of the ,riccardi ,chapel4 ,florence4 #ba4 ,lamenting ,angel4 ,campo ,santo4 #bb4 ,the ,angel wrestles with ,jacob4 ,greek ,miniature4 #bc4 ,greek ,angel4 ,miniature4 #bd4 ,greek ,angels4 ,mosaic4 #be4 ,angels4 ,f4 ,granacci4 #bf4 ,angel in a ,crucifixion4 ,albert ,drer4 #bg4 ,angels of the #agth ,century4 #bh4 ,angel4 ,poussin4 #bi4 ,angels rejoicing4 ,w4 ,blake4 #cj4 ,two ,archangels4 ,cimabue4 #ca4 ,the ,archangels ,michael and ,raphael4 ,campo ,santo4 #cb4 ,angels bearing the ,instruments of the ,passion4 ,campo ,santo4 #cc4 ,the ,three ,archangels bear the ,infant ,christ4 #cd4 ,st4 ,michael as ,patron ,saint4 ,angelico da ,fiesole4 #ce4 ,early ,symbol of ,st4 ,michael and the ,dragon4 ,bas-relief4 #cf4 ,st4 ,michael overcomes the ,demon4 ,martin ,schoen4 #cg4 ,the same subject4 ,raphael4 #ch4 ,st4 ,michael as ,patron ,saint4 ,mabuse4 #ci4 ,st4 ,michael as ,angel of ,judgment and ,lord of ,souls4 ,justus of ,ghent4 #dj4 ,st4 ,michael as ,lord of ,souls4 ,luca ,signorelli4 #da4 ,egyptian ,symbol4 #db4 ,st4 ,gabriel4 ,lorenzo of ,monaco4 #dc4 ,st4 ,gabriel4 ,wilhelm of ,cologne4 #dd4 ,angel announcing the ,death of the ,virgin4 ,filippo ,lippi4 #de4 ,st4 ,gabriel4 ,van ,eyck4 #df4 ,st4 ,raphael4 ,murillo4 #dg4 ,st4 ,raphael4 ,rembrandt4 #dh4 ,the ,symbol of ,st4 ,matthew4 ,mosaic4 #di4 ,the ,tetramorph4 ,greek4 #ej4 ,symbol of ,st4 ,luke4 ,mosaic4 #ea4 ,symbol of ,st4 ,luke4 ,mosaic4 #eb4 ,symbol of ,st4 ,john4 ,mosaic4 #ec4 ,symbol of ,st4 ,mark4 ,mosaic4 #ed4 ,symbol of ,st4 ,john4 ,miniature4 #ee4 ,symbol of ,st4 ,mark4 ,sculpture4 #ef4 ,mystical ,figures of the ,four ,evangelists4 ,angelico da ,fiesole4 #eg4 ,figure from ,nineveh4 ,british ,museum4 #eh4 ,winged ,st4 ,mark4 ,hans ,beham4 #ei4 ,st4 ,matthew4 ,raphael4 #fj4 ,st4 ,john4 ,hans ,hemling4 #fa4 ,st4 ,john with the ,eagle4 ,raphael4 #fb4 ,st4 ,john as ,prophet4 ,raphael4 #fc4 ,st4 ,john in the ,island of ,patmos4 ,lucas van ,leyden4 #fd4 ,the ,twelve ,apostles1 as ,sheep4 ,mosaic4 #fe4 ,st4 ,philip4 ,orcagna4 #ff4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,carlo ,crivelli4 #fg4 ,st4 ,peter4 ,greek ,type4 #fh4 ,st4 ,peter with one ,key4 ,taddeo ,gaddi4 #fi4 ,st4 ,paul4 ,greek ,type4 #gj4 ,st4 ,peter as ,pope4 ,cola dell' ,amatrice4 #ga4 ,repentance of ,peter4 ,bas-relief1 #crd ,century4 #gb4 ,crucifixion of ,peter4 ,giotto4 #gc4 ,st4 ,peter1 as ,keeper of the ,gates of ,paradise4 ,simone ,memmi4 #gd4 ,st4 ,andrew4 ,peter ,vischer4 #ge4 ,st4 ,james ,major4 ,giovanni ,santi4 #gf4 ,santiago slaying the ,moors4 ,carreo de ,miranda4 #gg4 ,st4 ,james ,major as ,patron4 ,andrea del ,sarto4 #gh4 ,the ,miracle of the ,fowls4 ,lo ,spagna4 #gi4 ,st4 ,philip4 ,albert ,drer4 #hj4 ,st4 ,bartholomew4 ,giotto4 #ha4 ,st4 ,thomas4 ,raphael4 #hb4 ,st4 ,james ,minor4 ,l4 van ,leyden4 #hc4 ,st4 ,matthias4 ,raphael4 #hd4 ,angel swinging the ,censer4 ,albert ,drer4 #he4 ,st4 ,jerome doing ,penance4 ,titian4 #hf4 ,st4 ,jerome4 ,raphael4 #hg4 ,st4 ,jerome healing the ,lion4 ,coll' ,antonio da ,fiore4 #hh4 ,venetian ,st4 ,jerome4 #hi4 ,the ,vision of ,st4 ,augustine4 ,murillo4 #ij4 #8,la ,pnitence de ,st4 ,jean ,chrysostome4' ,albert ,drer4 #ia4 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,statue4 ,donatello4 #ib4 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,l4 van ,leyden4 #ic4 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,timoteo della ,vite4 #id4 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,murillo4 #ie4 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,annibale ,caracci4 #if4 ,the ,assumption of the ,magdalene4 ,albert ,drer4 #ig4 ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt dying4 ,pietro da ,cortona4 #ih4 ,angel4 ,raphael4 ,etchings4 ,,page ,i4 ,the ,assumption of the ,magdalene4 ,after ,giulio ,romano4 ,the ,original ,fresco1 which is in our ,national ,gallery1 was cut from the wall of the ,church of the ,trinit de' ,monti1 at ,rome ,title ,,ii4 ,a ,venetian ,votive ,picture in commemoration of a ,pestilence 7probably the pestilence of #aeab1 in which ,giorgione perished74 ,st4 ,mark1 enthroned as the ,patron ,saint of ,venice1 holds his ,gospel2 on the right ,st4 ,sebastian and ,st4 ,roch1 ,protectors against the ,plague2 on the left1 ,st4 ,cosmo and ,st4 ,damian1 ,patron ,saints of the ,healing ,art4 ,sketch after ,titian4 ,the ,original ,picture1 remarkable for beauty of expression1 and splendour and harmony of colour1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,maria della ,salute1 at ,venice #bb ,,iii4 ,angels of the ,planets4 ,raphael4 ,from the fine set of ,engravings by ,l4 ,gruner1 after the ,frescoes in the ,cappella ,chigiana at ,rome #hj ,,iv4 #a4 ,st4 ,luke painting the ,virgin4 ,after the ,picture in the ,academy of ,st4 ,luke attributed to ,raphael4 #b4 ,st4 ,mark attended by ,st4 ,gregory4 ,after ,correggio #aef ,v4 ,the ,madonna della ,cintola4 ,the ,virgin1 as she ascends to heaven1 presents her girdle to ,st4 ,thomas2 who kneels by the tomb1 which is full of roses4 ,on the other side1 the ,archangel ,michael1 in reference to the ,legend4 ,from a ,picture by ,francesco ,granacci in the ,florence ,gallery #bdh ,,vi4 ,the ,last ,supper4 #a4 ,after ,giotto4 #b4 ,after ,leonardo da ,vinci4 #c4 ,after ,raphael4 7,for this etching ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,george ,scharf47 #bfa ,,vii4 ,the ,four ,latin ,fathers4 ,from a ,picture by ,antonio ,vivarini1 in the ,academy at ,venice #bhj ,,viii4 ,the ,five ,greek ,fathers4 ,drawing from an ,ancient ,greek ,picture in the ,vatican #cbd ,,ix4 ,martha conducts her ,sister ,mary ,magdalene to the ,presence of our ,lord4 ,from the ,engraving by ,marc' ,antonio1 after ,raphael #cha ,illustration3 #a ,laus ,deo6 ,introduction4 ,i4 ,,of ,,the ,,origin ,,and ,,general ,,significance ,,of ,,the ,,legends ,,represented ,,in ,,art4 ,we cannot look round a picture gallery--we cannot turn over a portfolio of prints after the old masters1 nor even the modern engravings which pour upon us daily1 from ,paris1 ,munich1 or ,berlin--without perceiving how many of the most celebrated productions of ,art1 more particularly those which have descended to us from the early ,italian and ,german schools1 represent incidents and characters taken from the once popular legends of the ,catholic ,church4 ,this form of #8,hero-,worship' has become1 since the ,reformation1 strange to us--as far removed from our sympathies and associations as if it were antecedent to the fall of ,babylon and related to the religion of ,zoroaster1 instead of being left but two or three centuries behind us and closely connected with the faith of our forefathers and the history of civilisation and ,christianity4 ,of late years1 with a growing passion for the works of ,art of the ,middle ,ages1 there has arisen among us a desire to comprehend the state of feeling which produced them1 and the legends and traditions on which they are founded2--a desire to understand1 and to bring to some surer critical test1 representations which have become familiar without being intelligible4 ,to enable us to do this1 we must pause for a moment at the outset2 and1 before we plunge into the midst of things1 ascend to higher ground1 and command a far wider range of illustration than has yet been attempted1 in order to take cognizance of principles and results which1 if not new1 must be contemplated in a new relation to each other4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,legendary ,art of the ,middle ,ages sprang out of the legendary literature of the preceding ages4 ,for three centuries at least1 this literature1 the only literature which existed at the time1 formed the sole mental and moral nourishment of the people of ,europe4 ,the romances of ,chivalry1 which long afterwards succeeded1 were confined to particular classes1 and left no impress on ,art1 beyond the miniature illuminations of a few manuscripts4 ,this legendary literature1 on the contrary1 which had worked itself into the life of the people1 became1 like the antique mythology1 as a living soul diffused through the loveliest forms of ,art1 still vivid and vivifying1 even when the old faith in its mystical significance was lost or forgotten4 ,and it is a mistake to suppose that these legends had their sole origin in the brains of dreaming monks4 ,the wildest of them had some basis of truth to rest on1 and the forms which they gradually assumed were but the necessary result of the age which produced them4 ,they became the intense expression of that inner life1 which revolted against the desolation and emptiness of the outward existence2 of those crushed and outraged sympathies which cried aloud for rest1 and refuge1 and solace1 and could nowhere find them4 ,it will be said1 #8,in the purer doctrine of the ,,gospel4' ,but where was that to be found8 ,the ,gospel was not then the heritage of the poor3 ,christ1 as a comforter1 walked not among men4 ,his own blessed teaching was inaccessible except to the learned3 it was shut up in rare manuscripts2 it was perverted and sophisticated by the passions and the blindness of those few to whom it was accessible4 ,the bitter disputes in the early ,church relative to the nature of the ,godhead1 the subtle distinctions and incomprehensible arguments of the theologians1 the dread entertained by the predominant church of any heterodox opinions concerning the divinity of the ,redeemer1 had all conspired to remove ,him1 in his personal character of ,teacher and ,saviour1 far away from the hearts of the benighted and miserable people--far1 far away into regions speculative1 mysterious1 spiritual1 whither they could not1 dared not follow ,him4 ,in this state of things1 as it has been remarked by a distinguished writer1 #8,christ became the object of a remoter1 a more awful adoration4 ,the mind began1 therefore1 to seek out1 or eagerly to seize1 some other more material beings in closer alliance with human sympathies4' ,and the same author1 after tracing in vivid and beautiful language the dangerous but natural consequences of this feeling1 thus sums up the result3 #8,during the perilous and gloomy days of persecution1 the reverence for those who endured martyrdom for the religion of ,christ had grown up out of the best feelings of man's improved nature4 ,reverence gradually grew into veneration1 worship1 adoration3 and although the more rigid theology maintained a marked distinction between the honour shown to the martyrs1 and that addressed to the ,redeemer and the ,supreme ,being1 the line was too fine and invisible not to be transgressed by excited popular feeling4'#a 99 99 99 99 99 #8,we live1' says the poet1 #8through admiration1 hope1 and love4' ,out of these vital aspirations--not indeed always #8well or wisely placed1' but never1 as in the heathen mythology1 degraded to vicious and contemptible objects--arose and spread the universal passion for the traditional histories of the saints and martyrs1--personages endeared and sanctified in all hearts1 partly as examples of the loftiest virtue1 partly as benign intercessors between suffering humanity and that ,deity who1 in every other light than as a ,god of ,vengeance1 had been veiled from their eyes by the perversities of schoolmen and fanatics1 till ,he had receded beyond their reach1 almost beyond their comprehension4 ,of the prevalence and of the incalculable influence of this legendary literature from the seventh to the tenth century1 that is1 just about the period when ,modern ,art was struggling into existence1 we have a most striking picture in ,guizot's #8,histoire de la ,civilisation4' #8,as after the siege of ,troy 7says this philosophical and eloquent writer7 there were found1 in every city of ,greece1 men who collected the traditions and adventures of heroes1 and sung them for the recreation of the people1 till these recitals became a national passion1 a national poetry1 so1 at the time of which we speak1 the traditions of what may be called the heroic ages of ,christianity had the same interest for the nations of ,europe4 ,there were men who made it their business to collect them1 to transcribe them1 to read or recite them aloud1 for the edification and delight of the people4 ,and this was the only literature1 properly so called1 of that time4#8 ,now1 if we go back to the authentic histories of the sufferings and heroism of the early martyrs1 we shall find enough there1 both of the wonderful and the affecting1 to justify the credulity and enthusiasm of the unlettered people1 who saw no reason why they should not believe in one miracle as well as in another4 ,in these universally diffused legends1 we may recognise the means1 at least one of the means1 by which a merciful ,providence1 working through its own immutable laws1 had provided against the utter depravation1 almost extinction1 of society4 ,of the #8,dark ,ages1' emphatically so called1 the period to which ,i allude was perhaps the darkest2 it was #8of ,night's black arch the key-stone4' ,at a time when men were given over to the direst evils that can afflict humanity1--ignorance1 idleness1 wickedness1 misery2 at a time when the every-day incidents of life were a violation of all the moral instincts of mankind2 at a time when all things seemed abandoned to a blind chance1 or the brutal law of force2 when there was no repose1 no refuge1 no safety anywhere2 when the powerful inflicted1 and the weak endured1 whatever we can conceive of most revolting and intolerable2 when slavery was recognised by law throughout ,europe2 when men fled to cloisters1 to shut themselves from oppression1 and women to shield themselves from outrage2 when the manners were harsh1 the language gross2 when all the softer social sentiments1 as pity1 reverence1 tenderness1 found no resting-place in the actual relations of life2 when for the higher ranks there was only the fierce excitement of war1 and on the humbler classes lay the weary1 dreary monotony of a stagnant existence1 poor in pleasures of every kind1 without aim1 without hope2 then--wondrous reaction of the ineffaceable instincts of good implanted within us6--arose a literature which reversed the outward order of things1 which asserted and kept alive in the hearts of men those pure principles of ,christianity which were outraged in their daily actions2 a literature in which peace was represented as better than war1 and sufferance more dignified than resistance2 which exhibited poverty and toil as honourable1 and charity as the first of virtues2 which held up to imitation and emulation1 self-sacrifice in the cause of good and contempt of death for conscience' sake3 a literature1 in which the tenderness1 the chastity1 the heroism of woman1 played a conspicuous part2 which distinctly protested against slavery1 against violence1 against impurity in word and deed2 which refreshed the fevered and darkened spirit with images of moral beauty and truth2 revealed bright glimpses of a better land1 where #8the wicked cease from troubling1' and brought down the angels of ,god with shining wings and bearing crowns of glory1 to do battle with the demons of darkness1 to catch the fleeting soul of the triumphant martyr1 and carry it at once into a paradise of eternal blessedness and peace6 ,now the ,legendary ,art of the three centuries which comprise the revival of learning1 was1 as ,i have said1 the reflection of this literature1 of this teaching4 ,considered in this point of view1 can we easily overrate its interest and importance8 99 99 99 99 99 ,when1 after the long period of darkness which followed upon the decline of the ,roman ,empire1 the ,fine ,arts began to revive1 the first1 and for several ages the only1 impress they received was that of the religious spirit of the time4 ,painting1 ,sculpture1 ,music1 and ,architecture1 as they emerged one after another from the #8formless void1' were pressed into the service of the ,church4 ,but it is a mistake to suppose that in adroitly adapting the reviving ,arts to her purposes1 in that magnificent spirit of calculation which at all times characterised her1 the ,church from the beginning selected the subjects1 or dictated the use that was to be made of them4 ,we find1 on the contrary1 edicts and councils repressing the popular extravagances in this respect1 and denouncing those apocryphal versions of sacred events and traditions which had become the delight of the people4 ,but vain were councils and edicts2 the tide was too strong to be so checked4 ,the ,church found herself obliged to accept and mould to her own objects the exotic elements she could not eradicate4 ,she absorbed1 so to speak1 the evils and errors she could not expel4 ,there seems to have been at this time a sort of compromise between the popular legends1 with all their wild mixture of northern and classical superstitions1 and the ,church legends properly so called4 ,the first great object to which reviving ,art was destined1 was to render the ,christian places of worship a theatre of instruction and improvement for the people1 to attract and to interest them by representations of scenes1 events1 and personages1 already so familiar as to require no explanation1 appealing2 at once to their intelligence and their sympathies2 embodying in beautiful shapes 7beautiful at least in their eyes7 associations and feelings and memories deep-rooted in their very hearts1 and which had influenced1 in no slight degree1 the progress of civilisation1 the development of mind4 ,upon these creations of ancient ,art we cannot look as those did for whom they were created2 we cannot annihilate the centuries which lie between us and them2 we cannot1 in simplicity of heart1 forget the artist in the image he has placed before us1 nor supply what may be deficient in his work1 through a reverentially excited fancy4 ,we are critical1 not credulous4 ,we no longer accept this polytheistic form of ,christianity2 and there is little danger1 ,i suppose1 of our falling again into the strange excesses of superstition to which it led4 ,but if we have not much sympathy with modern imitations of ,medival ,art1 still less should we sympathise with that narrow puritanical jealousy which holds the monuments of a real and earnest faith in contempt4 ,all that ,god has permitted once to exist in the past should be considered as the possession of the present2 sacred for example or warning1 and held as the foundation on which to build up what is better and purer4 ,it should seem an established fact1 that all revolutions in religion1 in government1 and in art1 which begin in the spirit of scorn1 and in a sweeping destruction of the antecedent condition1 only tend to a reaction4 ,our puritanical ancestors chopped off the heads of ,madonnas and ,saints1 and paid vagabonds to smash the storied windows of our cathedrals2--now1 are these rejected and outraged shapes of beauty coming back to us1 or are we not rather going back to them8 ,as a ,protestant1 ,i might fear lest in doing so we confound the eternal spirit of ,christianity with the mutable forms in which it has deigned to speak to the hearts of men1 forms which must of necessity vary with the degree of social civilisation1 and bear the impress of the feelings and fashions of the age which produced them2 but ,i must also feel that we ought to comprehend1 and to hold in due reverence1 that which has once been consecrated to holiest aims1 which has shown us what a magnificent use has been made of ,art1 and how it may still be adapted to good and glorious purposes1 if1 while we respect these time-consecrated images and types1 we do not allow them to fetter us1 but trust in the progressive spirit of ,christianity to furnish us with new impersonations of the good--new combinations of the beautiful4 ,i hate the destructive as ,i revere the progressive spirit4 ,we must laugh if any one were to try and persuade us that the sun was guided along his blazing path by a #8fair-haired god who touched a golden lyre2' but shall we therefore cease to adore in the ,apollo ,belvedere the majestic symbol of light1 the most divine impersonation of intellectual power and beauty8 ,so of the corresponding ,christian symbols3--may that time never come1 when we shall look up to the effigy of the winged and radiant angel trampling down the brute-fiend1 without a glow of faith in the perpetual supremacy and final triumph of good over evil6 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is about a hundred years since the passion1 or the fashion1 for collecting works of ,art1 began to be generally diffused among the rich and the noble of this land2 and it is amusing to look back and to consider the perversions and affectations of the would-be connoisseurship during this period2--the very small stock of ideas on which people set up a pretension to taste--the false notions1 the mixture of pedantry and ignorance1 which everywhere prevailed4 ,the publication of ,richardson's book1 and ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds's ,discourses1 had this advantage1--that they1 to a certain degree1 diffused a more elevated idea of ,art as ,art1 and that they placed connoisseurship on a better and truer basis4 ,in those days we had ,inquiries into the ,principles of ,taste1 ,treatises on the ,sublime and ,beautiful1 ,anecdotes of ,painting2 and we abounded in ,antiquarian ,essays on disputed ,pictures and mutilated ,statues3 but then1 and up to a late period1 any inquiry into the true spirit and significance of works of ,art1 as connected with the history of ,religion and ,civilisation1 would have appeared ridiculous--or perhaps dangerous3--we should have had another cry of #8,no ,popery1' and acts of parliament forbidding the importation of ,saints and ,madonnas4 ,it was fortunate1 perhaps1 that connoisseurs meddled not with such high matters4 ,they talked volubly and harmlessly of #8hands1' and #8masters1' and #8schools1'--of #8draperies1' of #8tints1' of #8handling1'--of #8fine heads1' #8fine compositions2' of #8the grace of ,raphael1' and of the #8,correggiosity of ,correggio4' ,the very manner in which the names of the painters were pedantically used instead of the name of the subject1 is indicative of this factitious feeling2 the only question at issue was1 whether such a picture was a genuine #8,raphael8' such another a genuine #8,titian8' ,the spirit of the work--whether that was genuine2 how far it was influenced by the faith and the condition of the age which produced it2 whether the conception was properly characteristic1 and of what it was characteristic--of the subject8 or of the school8 or of the time8--whether the treatment corresponded to the idea within our own souls1 or was modified by the individuality of the artist1 or by received conventionalisms of all kinds8--these were questions which had not then occurred to any one2 and ,i am not sure that we are much wiser even now3 yet1 setting aside all higher considerations1 how can we do common justice to the artist1 unless we can bring his work to the test of truth8 and how can we do this1 unless we know what to look for1 what was intended as to incident1 expression1 character8 ,one result of our ignorance has been the admiration wasted on the flimsy mannerists of the later ages of ,art2 men who apparently had no definite intention in anything they did1 except a dashing outline1 or a delicate finish1 or a striking and attractive management of colour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is curious1 this general ignorance with regard to the subjects of ,medival ,art1 more particularly now that it has become a reigning fashion among us4 ,we find no such ignorance with regard to the subjects of ,classical ,art1 because the associations connected with them form a part of every liberal education4 ,do we hear any one say1 in looking at ,annibal ,caracci's picture in the ,national ,gallery1 #8,which is ,silenus1 and which is ,apollo8' ,who ever confounds a ,venus with a ,minerva1 or a ,vestal with an ,amazon2 or would endure an undraped ,juno1 or a beardless ,jupiter8 ,even the gardener in ,zeluco knew ,neptune by his #8fork1' and ,vulcan by his #8lame leg4' ,we are indeed so accustomed1 in visiting the churches and the galleries abroad1 and the collections at home1 to the predominance of sacred subjects1 that it has become a mere matter of course1 and excites no particular interest and attention4 ,we have heard it all accounted for by the fact that the ,church and churchmen were the first1 and for a long time the only1 patrons of ,art4 ,in every sacred edifice1 and in every public or private collection enriched from the plunder of sacred edifices1 we look for the usual proportion of melancholy martyrdoms and fictitious miracles1--for the predominance of ,madonnas and ,magdalenes1 ,st4 ,catherines and ,st4 ,jeromes3 but why these should predominate1 why certain events and characters from the ,old and the ,new ,testament should be continually repeated1 and others comparatively neglected2 whence the predilection for certain legendary personages1 who seemed to be multiplied to infinity1 and the rarity of others2 of this we know nothing4 ,we have learned1 perhaps1 after running through half the galleries and churches in ,europe1 to distinguish a few of the attributes and characteristic figures which meet us at every turn1 yet without any clear idea of their meaning1 derivation1 or relative propriety4 ,the palm of victory1 we know1 designates the martyr triumphant in death4 ,we so far emulate the critical sagacity of the gardener in ,zeluco that we have learned to distinguish ,st4 ,laurence by his gridiron1 and ,st4 ,catherine by her wheel4 ,we are not at a loss to recognise the ,magdalene's #8loose hair and lifted eye1' even when without her skull and her vase of ointment4 ,we learn to know ,st4 ,francis by his brown habit and shaven crown and wasted ardent features2 but do we distinguish him from ,st4 ,anthony1 or ,st4 ,dominick8 ,as for ,st4 ,george and the dragon--from the ,st4 ,george of the ,louvre1--,raphael's1--who sits his horse with the elegant tranquillity of one assured of celestial aid1 down to him #8who swings on a sign post at mine hostess's door1'--he is our familiar acquaintance4 ,but who is that lovely being in the first blush of youth1 who1 bearing aloft the symbolic cross1 stands with one foot on the vanquished dragon8 #8,that is a copy after ,raphael4' ,and who is that majestic creature holding her palm branch1 while the unicorn crouches at her feet8 #8,that is the famous ,moretto at ,vienna4' ,are we satisfied8--not in the least6 but we try to look wiser1 and pass on4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the old times the painters of these legendary scenes and subjects could always reckon securely on certain associations and certain sympathies in the minds of the spectators4 ,we have outgrown these associations1 we repudiate these sympathies4 ,we have taken these works from their consecrated localities1 in which they once held each their dedicated place1 and we have hung them in our drawing-rooms and our dressing-rooms1 over our pianos and our side-boards--and now what do they say to us8 ,that ,magdalene1 weeping amid her hair1 who once spoke comfort to the soul of the fallen sinner--that ,sebastian1 arrow-pierced1 whose upward ardent glance spoke of courage and hope to the tyrant-ridden serf1--that poor tortured slave1 to whose aid ,st4 ,mark comes sweeping down from above1--can they speak to us of nothing save flowing lines and correct drawing and gorgeous colour8 must we be told that one is a ,titian1 the other a ,guido1 the third a ,tintoret1 before we dare to melt in compassion or admiration8--or the moment we refer to their ancient religious signification and influence1 must it be with disdain or with pity8 ,this1 as it appears to me1 is to take not a rational1 but rather a most irrational as well as a most irreverent1 view of the question2 it is to confine the pleasure and improvement to be derived from works of ,art within very narrow bounds2 it is to seal up a fountain of the richest poetry1 and to shut out a thousand ennobling and inspiring thoughts4 ,happily there is a growing appreciation of these larger principles of criticism as applied to the study of ,art4 ,people look at the pictures which hang round their walls1 and have an awakening suspicion that there is more in them than meets the eye--more than mere connoisseurship can interpret2 and that they have another1 a deeper1 significance than has been dreamed of by picture dealers and picture collectors1 or even picture critics4 ,,ii4 ,,of ,,the ,,distinction ,,to ,,be ,,drawn ,,between ,,the ,,devotional ,,and ,,the ,,historical ,,subjects4 ,at first1 when entering on a subject so boundless and so diversified1 we are at a loss for some leading classification which shall be distinct and intelligible1 without being mechanical4 ,it appears to me1 that all sacred representations1 in as far as they appeal to sentiment and imagination1 resolve themselves into two great classes1 which ,i shall call the ,,devotional and the ,,historical4 ,devotional pictures are those which portray the objects of our veneration with reference only to their sacred character1 whether standing singly or in company with others4 ,they place before us no action or event1 real or supposed4 ,they are neither portrait nor history4 ,a group of sacred personages where no action is represented1 is called in ,italian a #8sacra conversazione3' the word conversazione1 which signifies a society in which there is communion1 being here1 as it appears to me1 used with peculiar propriety4 ,all subjects1 then1 which exhibit to us sacred personages1 alone or in groups1 simply in the character of superior beings1 must be considered as devotionally treated4 ,but a sacred subject1 without losing wholly its religious import1 becomes historical the moment it represents any story1 incident1 or action1 real or imagined4 ,all pictures which exhibit the events of ,scripture story1 all those which express the actions1 miracles1 and martyrdoms of saints1 come under this class2 and to this distinction ,i must call the attention of the reader1 requesting that it may be borne in mind throughout this work4 ,we must also recollect that a story1 action1 or fact may be so represented as to become a symbol expressive of an abstract idea3 and some scriptural and some legendary subjects may be devotional1 or historical1 according to the sentiment conveyed3 for example1 the ,crucifixion and the ,last ,supper may be so represented as either to exhibit an event1 or to express a symbol of our ,redemption4 ,the raising of ,lazarus exhibits1 in the catacombs1 a mystical emblem of the general resurrection2 in the grand picture by ,sebastian del ,piombo1 in our ,national ,gallery1 it is a scene from the life of our ,saviour4 ,among the legendary subjects1 the penance of the ,magdalene1 and ,st4 ,martin dividing his cloak1 may be merely incidents1 or they may be symbolical1 the first of penitence1 the latter of charity1 in the general sense4 ,and1 again1 there are some subjects which1 though expressing a scene or an action1 are wholly mystical and devotional in their import2 as the vision of ,st4 ,augustine1 and the marriage of ,st4 ,catherine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the grandest of the devotional subjects1 we may reckon those compositions which represent the whole celestial hierarchy2 the divine personages of the ,trinity1 the angels and archangels1 and the beatified spirits of the just4 ,such is the subject called the #8,paradiso1' so often met with in pictures and ecclesiastical decoration1 where ,christ is enthroned in glory3 such is also the ,coronation of the ,virgin1 that ancient and popular symbol of the triumph of ,religion or the ,church2 the ,adoration of the ,lamb2 and the ,last ,judgment1 from the ,apocalypse4 ,the order of precedence in these sacred assemblages was early settled by ecclesiastical authority1 and was almost as absolute as that of a modern code of honour4 ,first after the ,trinity1 the ,virgin ,mary1 as ,regina ,angelorum1 and ,st4 ,john the ,baptist3 then1 in order1 the ,evangelists2 the ,patriarchs2 the ,prophets2 the ,apostles2 the ,fathers2 the ,bishops2 the ,martyrs2 the ,hermits2 the ,virgins2 the ,monks1 ,nuns1 and ,confessors4 ,as examples1 ,i may cite the ,paradiso of ,angelico1 in the ,florence ,academy2 the ,coronation of the ,virgin by ,hans ,memling1 in the ,wallerstein collection1 which contains not less than fifty-two figures1 all individualised with their proper attributes2 and which1 if it were possible1 should be considered in contrast with the ,coronation by ,angelico4 ,the ,flemish painter seems to have carried his intense impression of earthly and individual life into the regions of heaven2 the ,italian1 through a purer inspiration1 seems to have brought all ,paradise down before us upon earth4 ,in the ,adoration of the ,lamb by ,van ,eyck1 there are not fewer than two hundred figures4 ,for the ,last ,judgment1 the grand compositions of ,orcagna in the ,campo ,santo1--of ,luca ,signorelli and ,angelico at ,orvieto1--and the fresco of ,michael ,angelo in the ,sistine ,chapel1 may be consulted4 ,where the usual order is varied1 there is generally some reason for it2 for instance1 in the exaltation of a favourite saint1 as we sometimes find ,st4 ,dominick and ,st4 ,francis by the side of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul3 and among the miniatures of that extraordinary ,,ms41 the ,hortus ,deliciarum1 now at ,strasbourg1 painted for a virgin abbess1 there is a #8,paradiso' in which the painter1 either by her command or in compliment to her1 has placed the virgins immediately after the angels4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the representation of the ,virgin and ,child with saints grouped around them1 is a devotional subject familiar to us from its constant recurrence4 ,it also frequently happens that the tutelary saint of the locality1 or the patron saint of the votary1 is represented as seated on a raised throne in the centre2 and other saints1 though under every other circumstance taking a superior rank1 become here accessories1 and are placed on each side or lower down in the picture3 for example1 where ,st4 ,augustine is enthroned1 and ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul stand on each side1 as in a picture by ,b4 ,vivarini1#b or where ,st4 ,barbara is enthroned1 and ,mary ,magdalene and ,st4 ,catherine stand on each side1 as in a picture by ,matteo di ,siena4#c ,in such pictures1 the votary or donor is often introduced kneeling at the feet of his patron1 either alone or accompanied by his wife and other members of his family3 and to express the excess of his humility1 he is sometimes so diminutive in proportion to the colossal object of his veneration1 as to be almost lost to sight2 we have frequent examples of this navet of sentiment in the old mosaics and votive altar-pieces2 for instance1 in a beautiful old fresco at ,assisi1 where the ,magdalene1 a majestic figure about six feet high1 holds out her hand in benediction to a little ,franciscan friar about a foot in height3 but it was abandoned as barbarous in the later schools of ,art1 and the votary1 when retained1 appears of the natural size2 as in the ,madonna del ,donatore of ,raphael#d1 where ,sigismond ,conti is almost the finest and most striking part of that inestimable picture3 and in the ,madonna of the ,meyer family by ,holbein4#e ,when a bishop is introduced into a group of saints kneeling1 while all the others are standing1 he may be supposed to be the ,donatore or ,divoto1 the person who presents the picture4 ,when he is standing1 he is one of the bishop-patrons or bishop-martyrs1 of whom there are some hundreds1 and who are more difficult to discriminate than any other pictured saints4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and this leads me to the subject of the so-called anachronisms in devotional subjects1 where personages who lived at different and distant periods of time are found grouped together4 ,it is curious to find the critics of the last century treating with pity and ridicule1 as the result of ignorance or a barbarous unformed taste1 the noblest and most spiritual conceptions of poetic art4 ,even ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds had so little idea of the true object and feeling of such representations1 that he thinks it necessary to apologise for the error of the painter1 or the mistaken piety of his employer4 ,we must remember that the personages here brought together in their sacred character belong no more to our earth1 but to heaven and eternity3 for them there is no longer time or place2 they are here assembled together in the perpetual #8communion of saints1'--immortal contemporaries in that kingdom where the ,angel of the ,apocalypse proclaimed #8that there should be time no longer4' ,such groups are sometimes arranged with an artless solemnity1 all the personages standing and looking straight out of the picture at the worshipper4 ,sometimes there is a touch of dramatic sentiment1 which1 without interfering with the solemn devotional feeling1 lights up the whole with the charm of a purpose3 as in the ,correggio at ,parma1 where ,st4 ,jerome presents his translation of the ,scriptures to the infant ,christ1 while an angel turns the leaves1 and ,mary ,magdalene1 symbol of redemption and reconciliation1 bends to kiss the feet of the ,saviour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,our ancestors of the middle ages were not particular in drawing that strong line of demarcation between the classical1 ,jewish and ,christian periods of history1 that we do4 ,they saw only ,christendom every where2 they regarded the past only in relation to ,christianity4 ,hence we find in the early ecclesiastical monuments and edifices such a strange assemblage of pagan1 scriptural1 and ,christian worthies2 as1 ,hector of ,troy1 ,alexander the ,great1 ,king ,david1 ,judas ,maccabeus1 ,king ,arthur1 ,st4 ,george1 ,godfrey of ,boulogne1 ,lucretia1 ,virginia1 ,judith1 ,st4 ,elizabeth1 ,st4 ,bridget 7as in the ,cross of ,nuremburg74 ,in the curious ,manual of ,greek ,art1 published by ,didron1 we find the ,greek philosophers and poets entering into a scheme of ecclesiastical decoration1 as in the carved stalls in the ,cathedral of ,ulm1 where ,solon1 ,apollonius1 ,plutarch1 ,plato1 ,sophocles1 are represented1 holding each a scroll1 on which is inscribed a passage from their works1 interpreted into an allusion to the coming of ,christ3 and ,i have seen a picture of the ,nativity in which the sibyls are dancing hand-in-hand around the cradle of the new-born ,saviour4 ,this may appear profane to some1 but the comprehension of the whole universe within the pale of ,christianity strikes me as being in the most catholic1 as well as in the most poetical1 spirit4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is in devotional subjects that we commonly find those anthropomorphic representations of the ,divinity which shock devout people2 and which no excuse or argument can render endurable to those who see in them only ignorant irreverence1 or intentional profaneness4 ,it might be pleaded that the profaneness is not intentional2 that emblems and forms are1 in the imitative arts1 what figures of speech are in language2 that only through a figure of speech can any attempt be made to place the idea of ,almighty ,power before us4 ,familiar expressions1 consecrated by ,scripture usage1 represent the ,deity as reposing1 waking1 stretching forth his hand1 sitting on a throne2 as pleased1 angry1 vengeful1 repentant2 and the ancient painters1 speaking the language proper to their art1 appear to have turned these emblematical words into emblematical pictures4 ,i forbear to say more on this point1 because ,i have taken throughout the poetical and not the religious view of ,art1 and this is an objection which must be left1 as a matter of feeling1 to the amount of candour and knowledge in the critical reader4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the sacred subjects1 properly called ,,historical1 we must be careful to distinguish between those which are ,scriptural1 representing scenes from the ,old or ,new ,testament2 and those which are ,legendary4 ,of the first1 for the present2 ,i do not speak1 as they will be fully treated hereafter4 ,the historical subjects from the lives of the saints consist principally of ,miracles and ,martyrdoms4 ,in the first1 it is worth remarking that we have no pictured miracle which is not imitated from the ,old or the ,new ,testament 7unless it be an obvious emblem1 as where the saint carries his own head74 ,there is no act of supernatural power related of any saint which is not recorded of some great scriptural personage4 ,the object was to represent the favourite patron as a copy of the great universal type of beneficence1 ,,christ ,,our ,,redeemer4 ,and they were not satisfied that the resemblance should lie in character only2 but should emulate the power of ,christ in his visible actions4 ,we must remember that the common people of the middle ages did not1 and could not1 distinguish between miracles accredited by the testimony of ,scripture1 and those which were fabrications1 or at least exaggerations4 ,all miracles related as divine interposition were to them equally possible1 equally credible4 ,if a more extended knowledge of the natural laws renders us in these days less credulous1 it also shows us that many things were possible1 under particular conditions1 which were long deemed supernatural4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we find in the legendary pictures1 that the birth of several saints is announced by an angel1 or in a dream1 as in the stories of ,st4 ,catherine1 ,st4 ,roch1 c4 ,they exhibit precocious piety and wisdom1 as in the story of ,st4 ,nicholas1 who also calms a tempest1 and guides the storm-tossed vessel safe to land4 ,they walk on the water1 as in the stories of ,st4 ,raymond and ,st4 ,hyacinth2 or a river divides1 to let them pass1 as in the story of ,st4 ,alban4 ,saints are fed and comforted miraculously1 or delivered from prison by angels2 or resist fire1 like the #8,three ,children4' ,the multiplication of bread1 and the transformation of water into wine1 are standing miracles4 ,but those which most frequently occur in pictures1 are the healing of the sick1 the lame1 the blind2 the casting out of demons1 the restoration of the dead1 or some other manifestation of compassionate and beneficent power4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some of the pictured legends are partly scriptural1 partly historical1 as the story of ,st4 ,peter2 others are clearly religious apologues founded on fact or tradition1 as those of ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt and ,st4 ,christopher2 others are obviously and purely allegorical1 as the ,greek story of ,st4 ,sophia 7i4 e4 ,heavenly ,wisdom1 7 and her celestial progeny1 ,st4 ,faith1 ,st4 ,hope1 and ,st4 ,charity1 all martyred by the blind and cruel ,pagans4 ,the names sound as if borrowed from the #8,pilgrim's ,progress2' and it is curious to find ,bunyan's allegorical legend1 the favourite picture-book of the people1 appearing just at the time when the legends and pictures of the saints became objects of puritanical horror1 and supplying their place in the popular imagination4 ,martyrdoms are only too common3 they present to us ,christianity under its most mystical aspect--the deification of suffering2 but to render these representations effective1 they should be pathetic without being terrible1 they should speak to us ,of melancholy fear subdued by faith1 ,of blessed consolations in distress2 but not of the horrid cruelty of man towards man4 ,it has been well remarked by my friend ,m4 ,rio1 7to whose charming and eloquent exposition of ,christian ,art ,i refer with ever-new delight17 that the early painters of ,western ,christendom avoided these subjects1 and that their prevalence in ecclesiastical decoration marked the decline of religious feeling1 and the degeneracy of ,art4 ,but this remark does not apply to ,byzantine ,art2 for we find from the exact description of a picture of the martyrdom of ,st4 ,euphemia 7both the picture and the description dating from the third century71 that such representations were then common1 and were appealed to in the same manner as now1 to excite the feelings of the people4 ,the martyrdoms generally met with are those of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul1 ,st4 ,stephen ,protomartyr1 ,st4 ,laurence1 ,st4 ,catherine1 and ,st4 ,sebastian4 ,these we find everywhere1 in all countries and localities4 ,where the patron of the church or chapel is a martyr1 his martyrdom holds a conspicuous place1 often over the high altar1 and accompanied by all the moving circumstances which can excite the pity1 or horror1 or enthusiasm of the pious votaries2 but in the best examples we find the saint preparing for his death1 not suffering the torments actually inflicted2 so that the mind is elevated by the sentiment of his courage1 not disturbed and disgusted by the spectacle of his agonies4 ,,iii4 ,,of ,,certain ,,patron ,,saints1 ,,who ,,are ,,commonly ,,grouped ,,together ,,in ,,works ,,of ,,art1 ,,or ,,who ,,belong ,,to ,,particular ,,countries1 ,,cities1 ,,or ,,localities4 ,while such assemblages of holy persons as are found grouped together in devotional pictures are to be considered as quite independent of chronology1 we shall find that the selection has been neither capricious nor arbitrary1 and1 with a little consideration1 we shall discover the leading idea in the mind of the artist that1 at least1 which was intended to be conveyed to the mind of the spectator1 and which was much more intelligible in former times than it is now4 ,sometimes we find certain saints placed in companionship1 because they are the joint patrons and protectors of the city or locality for which the picture was painted4 ,thus in the ,bologna pictures we constantly find the bishop ,st4 ,petronius1 ,st4 ,eloy1 ,st4 ,dominick1 and the warrior ,st4 ,proculus2 while in the ,venetian pictures we have perpetual ,st4 ,marks1 ,st4 ,georges1 and ,st4 ,catherines4 ,or1 secondly1 they are connected by kindred powers and attributes4 ,thus we find ,st4 ,sebastian1 the patron against pestilence1 in company with ,st4 ,roch1 who ministered to the sick of the plague4 ,thus ,st4 ,catherine and ,st4 ,jerome1 the two patrons of school theology1 are often found in companionship4 ,where ,st4 ,catherine and ,st4 ,barbara are found together1 the first figures as patroness of the ecclesiastical1 and the second of the military1 power--or they represent respectively the contemplative and the active life4 ,or1 thirdly1 they are combined in the fancy by some inevitable association2 as ,st4 ,augustine and ,st4 ,stephen are often in the same picture1 because ,st4 ,augustine dedicated some of his most eloquent works to the glory of the martyr4 ,or they were friends on earth1 for which reason ,st4 ,cyprian and ,st4 ,cornelius are placed together4 ,or their relics repose in the same spot2 whence ,st4 ,stephen and ,st4 ,laurence have become almost inseparable4 ,when ,st4 ,vincent and ,st4 ,laurence are placed together1 7as in a lovely composition of ,parmigiana where they sit reading out of the same book17 it is because of the similarity of their fate1 and that the popular tradition supposed them to be brothers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a point of more general importance1 and capable of more definite explanation1 is the predominance of certain sacred personages in particular schools of ,art4 ,st4 ,cosmo and ,st4 ,damian1 for instance1 are perpetually recurring in the ,florentine pictures as the patron saints of the ,medici family4 ,in the ,lombard pictures ,st4 ,ambrose is often found without his compeers--not as doctor of the ,church1 but as bishop of ,milan4 ,in the ,siena pictures1 we may look for the nun ,st4 ,catherine of ,siena1 and ,st4 ,ansano1 the apostle of the ,sienese1 holding his banner and palm4 ,and in the ,augustine chapels and churches1 ,st4 ,augustine figures1 not as doctor of the ,church1 but as patriarch of the ,order4 ,a bishop-martyr1 holding his palm1 and not otherwise designated either by name or attribute1 would be--in one if ,perugino's pictures1 ,st4 ,ercolano or ,st4 ,costanzo2 in a ,florentine picture1 ,st4 ,donato or ,st4 ,romulo2 if the picture were painted in the ,march of ,ancona1 it would probably be ,st4 ,apollinaris of ,ravenna2 at ,naples it would be ,st4 ,januarius2 at ,paris1 or in a picture painted for a ,french church1 of which there are many in ,italy1 it would be ,st4 ,denis2 and in ,german prints1 ,st4 ,boniface or ,st4 ,lambert4 ,i need not further multiply examples4 ,if the locality from which the picture came will sometimes determine the names of the personages1 so the personages represented will often explain the purpose and intended situation of the picture4 ,there is in ,lord ,ashburton's gallery a noble group representing together ,st4 ,peter1 ,st4 ,leonard1 ,st4 ,martha1 and ,mary ,magdalene4 ,such a combination points it out at once as intended for a charitable institution1 and1 on enquiry1 we find that it was painted for the chapel of a brotherhood associated to redeem prisoners1 to ransom slaves1 to work for the poor1 and to convert the sinner to repentance4 ,many such interesting and instructive analogies will be pointed out in the course of the following pages1 and the observer of works of ,art will discover others for himself4 ,i add here1 in alphabetical order1 those countries and localities of which the patron saints are distinguished in works of ,art4#f ,,ancona3 ,st4 ,cyriacus1 ,bishop2 and his mother ,anna1 ,martyr4 ,,arezzo3 ,st4 ,donato1 ,bishop4 ,,asti1 ,,novara1 and all through the cities of ,,piedmont and the north of ,italy1 we find the ,warrior1 ,st4 ,maurice1 and his companions ,st4 ,secundus1 ,st4 ,alexander1 and the other ,martyrs of the ,theban ,legion4 ,,augsburg3 ,st4 ,ulrich1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,afra1 ,martyr4 ,,austria3 ,st4 ,leopold1 ,st4 ,stephen1 ,st4 ,maximilian1 ,st4 ,coloman4 ,,bamberg3 ,st4 ,henry and ,st4 ,cunegunda1 ,emperor and ,empress4 ,,barcelona3 ,st4 ,eulalia1 ,martyr4 7,in ,spanish pictures only47 ,,bavaria3 ,st4 ,george1 ,martyr4 ,,bergamo3 ,st4 ,alexander1 ,warrior2 ,st4 ,grata1 ,widow4 ,,bohemia3 ,st4 ,john ,nepomuck1 ,priest2 ,st4 ,wenceslaus1 ,king2 ,st4 ,ludmilla1 ,queen2 ,st4 ,vitus1 young ,martyr2 ,st4 ,procopius1 ,hermit4 ,,bologna3 ,st4 ,petronius1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,dominick1 ,friar2 ,st4 ,proculus1 ,warrior ,martyr2 ,st4 ,eloy 7,eligio71 ,bishop and ,smith4 ,,brescia3 ,st4 ,faustinus and ,jovita2 ,st4 ,julia1 ,st4 ,afra1 ,martyrs4 ,,bruges3 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist4 ,,burgundy3 ,st4 ,andrew1 ,apostle4 ,,cologne3 ,the ,three ,kings2 ,st4 ,ursula1 ,virgin ,martyr2 ,st4 ,gereon1 ,warrior ,martyr4 ,,como3 ,st4 ,abbondio1 ,bishop4 ,,cortona3 ,st4 ,margaret1 ,nun and ,penitent4 ,,cremona3 ,st4 ,omobuono1 ,secular ,habit4 ,,ferrara3 ,st4 ,geminiano1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,george1 ,martyr2 ,st4 ,barbara1 ,martyr4 ,,fiesole3 ,st4 ,romolo1 ,bishop4 ,,florence3 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist2 ,st4 ,zenobio1 ,st4 ,antonino1 ,bishops2 ,st4 ,reparata1 ,virgin ,martyr2 ,st4 ,cosmo and ,damian 7the ,apothecary ,saints1 especial patrons of the ,medici family72 ,st4 ,verdiana1 ,nun2 ,st4 ,miniato1 ,warrior4 ,,france3 ,st4 ,michael1 ,angel2 ,st4 ,dionysius 7,denis71 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,genevive1 ,virgin2 ,st4 ,martin1 ,bishop4 ,,genoa3 ,st4 ,george1 ,st4 ,laurence1 ,martyrs4 ,,ghent3 ,st4 ,bavon1 ,prince and ,hermit4 ,,grenoble3 ,st4 ,hugh the ,carthusian4 ,,ireland3 ,st4 ,patrick1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,bridget1 ,abbess4 ,,lucca3 ,st4 ,martin1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,frediano1 ,priest2 ,st4 ,zita1 ,virgin4 ,,liege3 ,st4 ,hubert1 ,bishop and ,huntsman2 ,st4 ,lambert1 ,bishop4 ,,madrid3 ,st4 ,isidore1 ,labourer2 ,st4 ,dominick1 ,friar2 7,patron of the ,escurial1 ,st4 ,laurence74 ,,mantua3 ,st4 ,andrew2 ,st4 ,barbara2 ,st4 ,george and ,st4 ,longinus1 ,warrior ,saints4 ,,marseilles and all ,,provence3 ,st4 ,lazarus2 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalen2 ,st4 ,martha2 ,st4 ,marcella4 ,,messina3 ,st4 ,agatha1 ,martyr4 ,,milan3 ,st4 ,ambrose1 ,bishop and ,doctor2 ,st4 ,gervasius and ,st4 ,protasius1 ,martyrs2 ,st4 ,maurice1 ,st4 ,victor1 ,warriors4 ,,modena3 ,st4 ,geminiano1 ,bishop4 7,in ,pictures of the ,correggio ,school47 ,,naples3 ,st4 ,januarius1 ,martyr4 ,,novara3 ,st4 ,gaudenzio1 ,bishop4 ,,nuremburg3 ,st4 ,laurence1 ,martyr2 ,st4 ,sebald1 ,pilgrim and ,hermit4 7,the latter an important person in pictures and prints of the ,albert ,drer school47 ,,padua3 ,st4 ,anthony of ,padua1 ,friar4 ,,paris3 ,st4 ,genevive1 ,virgin2 ,st4 ,germain1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,hippolitus1 ,martyr4 ,,parma3 ,st4 ,john1 ,b42 ,st4 ,thomas the ,apostle2 ,st4 ,bernard1 ,monk2 ,st4 ,hilary 7,ilario71 ,bishop4 ,,perugia3 ,st4 ,ercolano and ,st4 ,costanzo1 ,bishops4 ,,piacenza3 ,st4 ,justina1 ,martyr2 ,st4 ,antoninus1 ,warrior 7,theban ,legion74 ,,piedmont and ,,savoy3 ,st4 ,john1 ,b42 ,st4 ,maurice and ,st4 ,george1 ,warriors2 ,st4 ,amadeus1 ,king4 ,,pisa3 ,st4 ,ranieri1 ,hermit2 ,st4 ,torp1 ,warrior2 ,st4 ,ephesus and ,st4 ,potita1 ,warriors4 7,these only in the ancient ,pisan school47 ,,ravenna3 ,st4 ,appolinaris1 ,bishop4 ,,rimini3 ,st4 ,juliana1 ,martyr4 7,a young saint1 popular all through the north and down the east coast of ,italy47 ,,seville3 ,st4 ,leander1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,justina1 ,st4 ,rufina1 ,sisters and ,martyrs4 7,these are only found in ,spanish pictures47 ,,sicily3 ,st4 ,vitus1 ,martyr2 ,st4 ,rosalia1 ,recluse 7,palermo72 ,st4 ,agatha 7,messina71 ,st4 ,lucia 7,syracuse71 ,martyrs4 ,,siena3 ,st4 ,ansano1 ,martyr2 ,st4 ,catherine of ,siena1 ,nun2 ,st4 ,bernardino1 ,friar4 ,,thuringia and all that part of ,,saxony3 ,st4 ,elizabeth of ,hungary2 ,st4 ,boniface1 ,bishop4 ,,toledo3 ,st4 ,ildefonso1 ,bishop2 and ,st4 ,leocadia1 ,martyr4 7,only in ,spanish pictures47 ,,treviso3 ,st4 ,liberale1 ,warrior4 ,,turin3 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist2 ,st4 ,maurice1 ,warrior4 ,,umbria3 ,all through this region and the eastern coast of ,italy1 very important in respect to ,art1 the favourite saints are--,st4 ,nicholas1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,francis of ,assisi1 ,friar2 ,st4 ,clara1 ,nun2 ,st4 ,julian1 ,martyr2 and ,st4 ,catherine1 ,virgin ,martyr4 ,,valencia3 ,st4 ,vincent1 ,martyr4 ,,venice3 ,st4 ,mark1 ,apostle2 ,st4 ,george1 ,st4 ,theodore1 ,warriors2 ,st4 ,nicholas1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,catherine1 ,st4 ,christina1 ,virgin ,martyrs4 ,,vercelli3 ,st4 ,eusebius1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,thronestus1 ,warrior 7,theban ,legion74 ,,verona3 ,st4 ,zeno1 ,bishop2 ,st4 ,fermo1 ,martyr2 ,st4 ,euphemia1 ,martyr4 ,,votive ,,pictures are those which have been dedicated in certain religious edifices1 in fulfilment of vows2 either as the expression of thanksgiving for blessings which have been vouchsafed1 or propitiative against calamities to be averted4 ,the far greater number of these pictures commemorate an escape from danger1 sickness1 death2 and more especially1 some visitation of the plague1 that terrible and frequent scourge of the middle ages4 ,the significance of such pictures is generally indicated by the presence of ,st4 ,sebastian or ,st4 ,roch1 the patrons against the plague2 or ,st4 ,cosmo and ,st4 ,damian1 the healing and medical saints2 accompanied by the patron saints of the country or locality1 if it be a public act of devotion2 or1 if dedicated by private or individual piety1 the donor kneels1 presented by his own patron saint4 ,in general1 though not always1 this expressive group is arranged in attendance on the enthroned ,madonna and her divine ,son1 as the universal protectors from all evil4 ,such pictures are among the most interesting and remarkable of the works of sacred ,art which remain to us1 and have often a pathetic and poetical beauty1 and an historical significance1 which it is a chief purpose of these volumes to interpret and illustrate4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,damian4 ,st4 ,mark4 ,st4 ,roch4 ,a4 ,j4 fecit ,st4 ,cosmo4 ,st4 ,sebastian4 ,a ,venetian votive picture against the plague4 ,,iv4 ,,of ,,certain ,,emblems ,,and ,,attributes4 ,to know something of the attributes and emblems of general application1 as well as those proper to each saint1 is absolutely necessary2 but it will also greatly assist the fancy and the memory to understand their origin and significance4 ,for this reason ,i will add a few words of explanation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,glory1 ,,nimbus1 or ,,aureole--the ,christian attribute of sanctity1 and used generally to distinguish all holy personages--is of pagan origin4 ,it expressed the luminous nebula 7,homer1 ,il4 xxiii4 #bje71 supposed to emanate from1 and surround1 the ,divine ,essence1 which stood1 #8a shade in midst of its own brightness4' ,images of the gods were decorated with a crown of rays1 or with stars2 and when the ,roman emperors assumed the honours due to divinity1 they appeared in public crowned with golden radii4 ,the colossal statue of ,nero wore a circle of rays1 imitating the glory of the sun4 ,this ornament became customary2 and not only the first ,csars1 but the ,christian emperors1 adopted the same divine insignia2 and it became at length so common that we find it on some medals1 round the heads of the consuls of the later empire4 ,considered in the ,east as the attribute of power only1 whether good or evil1 we find1 wherever early ,art has been developed under ,byzantine influences1 the nimbus thus applied4 ,satan1 in many ,greek1 ,saxon1 and ,french miniatures1 from the ninth to the thirteenth century1 wears a glory4 ,in a psalter of the twelfth century1 the ,beast of the ,apocalypse with seven heads has six heads surrounded by the nimbus2 the seventh1 wounded and drooping1 is without the sign of power4 ,but in ,western ,art the associations with this attribute were not merely those of dignity1 but of something divine and consecrated4 ,it was for a long time avoided in the ,christian representations as being appropriated by false gods or heathen pride2 and when first adopted does not seem clear4#g ,the earliest example cited is a gem of ,st4 ,martin of the early part of the sixth century1 in which the glory round his head seems to represent his apotheosis3 and in all instances it is evidently intended to represent divine glory and beatitude4 ,the glory round the head is properly the nimbus or aureole4 ,the oblong glory surrounding the whole person1 called in ,latin the vesica piscis1 and in ,italian the mandorla 7almond71 from its form1 is confined to figures of ,christ and the ,virgin1 or saints who are in the act of ascending into heaven4 ,when used to distinguish one of the three divine persons of the ,trinity the glory is often cruciform or triangular4 ,the square nimbus designates a person living at the time the work was executed4 ,in the frescoes of ,giotto at ,assisi1 the allegorical personages are in some instances distinguished by the hexagonal nimbus4 ,in other instances it is circular4 ,from the fifth to the twelfth century the nimbus had the form of a disc or plate over the head4#h ,from the twelfth to the fifteenth century1 it was a broad golden band1 round1 or rather behind1 the head1 composed of circle within circle1 often adorned with precious stones1 and sometimes having the name of the saint inscribed within it4 ,from the fifteenth century it was a bright fillet over the head1 and in the seventeenth century it disappeared altogether4 ,in pictures the glory is always golden1 the colour of light2 in miniatures and stained glass ,i have seen glories of various colours1 red1 blue1 or green4#i 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,fish was the earliest1 the most universal1 of the ,christian emblems1 partly as the symbol of water and the rite of baptism1 and also because the five ,greek letters which express the word ,fish form the anagram of the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,in this sense we find the fish as a general symbol of the ,christian faith upon the sarcophagi of the early ,christians2 on the tombs of the martyrs in the catacombs2 on rings1 coins1 lamps1 and other utensils2 and as an ornament in early ,christian architecture4 ,it is usually a dolphin1 which among the ,pagans had also a sacred significance4 ,the passage in the ,gospel1 #8,follow me1 and ,i will make ye fishers of men1' is supposed to have originated the use of this symbol2 and ,i may observe here1 that the fish placed in the hands of ,st4 ,peter has probably a double or treble signification1 alluding to his former occupation as a fisherman1 his conversion to ,christianity1 and his vocation as a ,christian apostle1 i4 e4 a fisher of men1 in the sense used by ,christ2 and in the same sense we find it given as an attribute to bishops who were famous for converting and baptising1 as ,st4 ,zeno of ,verona1 and ,gregory of ,tours4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,cross4--,about the tenth century the ,fish disappeared1 and the ,cross--symbol of our redemption1 from the apostolic times--became the sole and universal emblem of the ,christian faith4 ,the cross placed in the hand of a saint is usually the ,latin cross 7#a71 the form ascribed to the cross on which our ,saviour suffered4 ,other crosses are used as emblems or ornaments1 but still having the same signification2 as the ,greek cross 7#b71 in which the arms are all of the same length2 the transverse cross1 on which ,st4 ,andrew is supposed to have suffered1 in this form 7#c72 the ,egyptian cross1 sometimes placed in the hands of ,st4 ,philip the apostle1 and it was also the form of the crutch of ,st4 ,anthony1 and embroidered on his cope or robe--hence it is called ,st4 ,anthony's cross 7#d74 ,there is also the ,maltese cross1 and various ornamental crosses4 ,the double cross on the top of a staff1 instead of the crosier1 is borne by the ,pope only2 the staff with a single cross1 by the ,greek bishops4 ,illustration3 7#a7 7#b7 7#c7 7#d7 ,at first the cross was a sign only4 ,when formed of gold or silver1 the five wounds of ,christ were signified by a ruby or carbuncle at each extremity1 and one in the centre4 ,it was not till the sixth century that the cross became a ,,crucifix1 no longer an emblem but an image4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,lamb1 in ,christian ,art1 is the peculiar symbol of the ,redeemer as the sacrifice without blemish3 in this sense it is given as an attribute to ,john the ,baptist4 ,the lamb is also the general emblem of innocence1 meekness1 modesty2 in this sense it is given to ,st4 ,agnes1 of whom ,massillon said so beautifully1 #8peu de pudeur1 o il n'y a pas de religion2 peu de religion1 o il n'y a pas de pudeur4' ,the ,,pelican1 tearing open her breast to feed her young with her own blood1 was an early symbol of our redemption through ,christ4 ,one or both of these emblems are frequently found in ancient crosses and crucifixes2 the lamb at the foot1 the pelican at the top1 of the cross4 ,the ,,dragon is the emblem of sin in general1 and of the sin of idolatry in particular2 and the dragon slain or vanquished by the power of the cross1 is the perpetually recurring myth1 which1 varied in a thousand ways1 we find running through all the old ,christian legends3 not subject to misapprehension in the earliest times2 but1 as the cloud of ignorance darkened and deepened1 the symbol was translated into a fact4 ,it has been suggested that the dragon1 which is to us a phantasm and an allegory1 which in the middle ages was the visible shape of the demon adversary of all truth and goodness1 might have been1 as regards form1 originally a fact3 for wherever we have dragon legends1 whether the scene be laid in ,asia1 ,africa1 or ,europe1 the imputed circumstances and the form are little varied4 ,the dragons introduced into early painting and sculpture so invariably represent a gigantic winged crocodile1 that it is presumed there must have been some common origin for the type chosen as if by common consent2 and that this common type may have been some fossil remains of the ,saurian species1 or even some far-off dim tradition of one of these tremendous reptiles surviving in ,heaven knows what vast desolate morass or inland lake1 and spreading horror and devastation along its shores4 ,at ,aix1 a huge fossilised head of one of the ,sauri was for a long time preserved as the head of the identical dragon subdued by ,st4 ,martha2 and ,st4 ,jerome relates that he had himself beheld at ,tyre the bones of the sea monster to which ,andromeda had been exposed--probably some fossil remains which in the popular imagination were thus accounted for4 ,professor ,owen told me that the head of a dragon in one of the legendary pictures he had seen in ,italy closely resembled in form that of the ,deinotherium ,giganteum4 ,these observations have reference only to the type adopted when the old ,scripture allegory took form and shape4 ,the dragon of ,holy ,writ is the same as the serpent1 i4 e41 personified sin1 the spiritual enemy of mankind4 ,the scriptural phrase of the #8jaws of hell' is literally rendered in the ancient works of ,art by the huge jaws of a dragon1 wide open and emitting flames1 into which the souls of sinners are tumbled headlong4 ,in pictures1 sin is also typified by a serpent or snake2 in this form it is placed under the feet of the ,madonna1 sometimes with an apple in its mouth2 sometimes1 but only in late pictures of the seventeenth century1 winding its green scaly length round and round a globe1 significant of the subjugation of the whole earth to the power of sin till delivered by the ,redeemer4 ,on this subject ,i shall have much more to say when treating of the pictures of the ,fall of ,man1 and the subjects taken from the ,apocalypse3 for the present we need only bear in mind the various significations of the popular ,dragon myth1 which may shadow forth the conquest over sin1 as in the legends of ,st4 ,michael and ,st4 ,margaret2 or over paganism1 as in the legends of ,st4 ,sylvester and ,st4 ,george2 or sometimes a destroying flood1 as in the legend of ,st4 ,martha1 where the inundation of the ,rhone is figured by a dragon emerging from the waters and spreading around death and pestilence1--like the ,python of the ,grecian myth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,lion1 as an ancient ,christian symbol1 is of frequent recurrence1 more particularly in architectural decoration4 ,antiquaries are not agreed as to the exact meaning attached to the mystical lions placed in the porches of so many old ,lombard churches2 sometimes with an animal1 sometimes with a man1 in their paws4 ,but we find that the lion was an ancient symbol of the ,redeemer1 #8the ,lion of the tribe of ,judah3' also of the resurrection of the ,redeemer2 because1 according to an oriental fable1 the lion's cub was born dead1 and in three days its sire licked it into life4 ,in this sense it occurs in the windows of the cathedral at ,bourges4 ,in either sense it may probably have been adopted as a frequent ornament in the church utensils1 and in ecclesiastical decoration1 supporting the pillars in front1 or the carved thrones1 c4 ,the lion also typifies solitude--the wilderness2 and1 in this sense1 is placed near ,st4 ,jerome and other saints who did penance1 or lived as hermits in the desert2 as in the legends of ,st4 ,paul the hermit1 ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt1 ,st4 ,onofrio4 ,further1 the lion as an attribute denoted death in the amphitheatre1 and with this signification is placed near certain martyrs1 as ,st4 ,ignatius and ,st4 ,euphemia4 ,the lion1 as the type of fortitude and resolution1 was placed at the feet of those martyrs who had suffered with singular courage1 as ,st4 ,adrian and ,st4 ,natalia4#aj ,when other wild beasts1 as wolves and bears1 are placed at the feet of a saint attired as abbot or bishop1 it signifies that he cleared waste land1 out down forests1 and substituted ,christian culture and civilisation for paganism and the lawless hunter's life3 such is the significance in pictures of ,st4 ,magnus1 ,st4 ,florentius and ,st4 ,germain of ,auxerre4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,hart or ,,hind was also an emblem of double signification4 ,it was a type of solitude and of purity of life1 and was also a type of piety and religious aspiration1 adopted from the forty-second ,psalm1 #8,like as the hart panteth after the water-brooks1 so panteth my soul for thee1 ,o ,god6' ,when the original meaning of the lion1 the hart1 and other emblems1 was no longer present to the popular mind1 legends were invented to account for them2 and that which had been a symbol1 became an incident1 or an historical attribute1--as in the stories of the lion healed by ,st4 ,jerome1 or digging the grave of ,st4 ,paul2 the miraculous stag which appeared to ,st4 ,eustace and ,st4 ,hubert2 the wounded doe in the legend of ,st4 ,giles2 and the hind which spoke to ,st4 ,julian4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,peacock1 the bird of ,juno1 was an ancient pagan symbol1 signifying the apotheosis of an empress1 as we find from many of the old ,roman coins and medals4 ,the early ,christians1 accustomed to this interpretation1 adopted it as a general emblem of the mortal exchanged for the immortal existence2 and1 with this signification1 we find the peacock with outspread train on the walls and ceilings of catacombs1 the tombs of the martyrs1 and many of the sarcophagi1 down to the fourth and fifth centuries4 ,it is only in modern times that the peacock has become the emblem of worldly pride4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,crown1 as introduced in ,christian ,art1 is either an emblem or an attribute4 ,it has been the emblem from all antiquity of victory1 and of recompense due to superior power or virtue4 ,in this sense the word and the image are used in ,scripture in many passages3 for example1 #8,henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of glory4' ,and in this sense1 as the recompense of those who had fought the good fight to the end1 and conquered1 the crown became the especial symbol of the glory of martyrdom4 ,in very ancient pictures1 a hand is seen coming out of heaven holding a wreath or circlet2 afterwards it is an angel who descends with a crown1 which is sometimes a coronet of gold and jewels1 sometimes a wreath of palm or myrtle4 ,in general only the female martyrs wear the symbolical crown of glory2 martyrs of the other sex hold the crown in their hands1 or it is borne by an angel4 ,hence we may presume that the crown1 which among the ,jews was the especial ornament of a bride1 signified the bride or spouse of ,christ--one dedicated to virginity for his sake2 and in this sense1 down to the present time1 the crown is placed on the head of a nun at the moment of consecration4 ,therefore in the old pictures of female martyrs we may interpret the crown in this double sense1 as signifying at once the bride and the martyr4 ,but it is necessary also to distinguish between the symbol and the attribute3 thus1 where ,st4 ,cecilia and ,st4 ,barbara wear the crown1 it is the symbol of their glorious martyrdom2 when ,st4 ,catherine and ,st4 ,ursula wear the crown1 it is at once as the symbol of martyrdom and the attribute of their royal rank as princesses4 ,the crown is also the symbol of sovereignty4 ,when it is placed on the head of the ,virgin1 it is as ,queen of ,heaven1 and also as the #8,spouse' of ,scripture allegory4 ,but the crown is also an attribute1 and frequently1 when worn by a saint or placed at his feet1 signifies that he was royal or of princely birth3 as in the pictures of ,louis of ,france1 ,st4 ,william1 ,st4 ,elizabeth1 ,st4 ,helena1 and many others4 ,illustration3 ,four ,crowns ,the crowns in the ,italian pictures are generally a wreath1 or a simple circle of gold and jewels1 or a coronet radiated with a few points4 ,but in the old ,german pictures the crown is often of most magnificent workmanship1 blazing with jewels4 ,i have seen a real silver crown placed on the figures of certain popular saints1 but as a votive tribute1 not an emblem4 ,the ,,sword is also either a symbol or an attribute4 ,as a symbol it signifies generally martyrdom by any violent death1 and1 in this sense1 is given to many saints who did not die by the sword4 ,as an attribute it signifies the particular death suffered1 and that the martyr in whose hand or at whose feet it is placed was beheaded3 in this sense it is given to ,st4 ,paul1 ,st4 ,catherine1 and many others4 ,it is given also to the warrior-martyrs1 as the attribute of their military profession4 ,other symbols of martyrdom are the ,,axe1 the ,,lance1 and the ,,club4 ,,arrows1 which are attributes1 ,st4 ,ursula1 ,st4 ,christina1 and ,st4 ,sebastian4 ,the ,,poniard1 given to ,st4 ,lucia4 ,the ,,cauldron1 given to ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist and ,st4 ,cecilia4 ,the ,,pincers and ,,shears1 ,st4 ,apollonia and ,st4 ,agatha4 ,the ,,wheels1 ,st4 ,catherine4 ,,fire and ,,flames are sometimes an emblem of martyrdom and punishment1 and sometimes of religious fervour4 ,a ,,bell was supposed to have power to exorcise demons1 and for this reason is given to the haunted ,st4 ,anthony4 ,the ,,shell signifies pilgrimage4 ,the ,,skull1 penance4 ,the ,,anvil1 as an attribute of martyrdom1 belongs to ,st4 ,adrian only4 ,the ,,palm1 the ancient classical symbol of victory and triumph1 was early assumed by the ,christians as the universal symbol of martyrdom1 and for this adaptation of a pagan ornament they found warrant in ,scripture3 ,rev4 vii4 #i1 #8,and after this ,i beheld1 and1 lo1 a great multitude stood before the throne clothed with white robes and with palms in their hands4#8444 #8,and he said to me1 ,these are they which came out of great tribulation4' ,hence in pictures of martyrdoms an angel descends with the palm2 hence it is figured on the tombs of early martyrs1 and placed in the hands of those who suffered in the cause of truth1 as expressing their final victory over the powers of sin and death4 ,the sensual think with reverence of the palm ,which the chaste votary wields4 ,illustration3 ,four palm fronds ,the palm varies in form from a small leaf to the size of a palm branch1 almost a tree4 ,it is very small in the early ,italian pictures1 very large in the ,spanish pictures4 ,in the ,siena pictures it has a bunch of dates depending from it4 ,it is only in late pictures that the palm1 with a total disregard to the sacredness of its original signification1 is placed on the ground1 or under the feet of the saint4 ,the ,,standard1 or banner1 is also the symbol of victory1 the spiritual victory over sin1 death1 and idolatry4 ,it is borne by our ,saviour after his resurrection1 and is placed in the hands of ,st4 ,george1 ,st4 ,maurice1 and other military saints2 in the hands of some victorious martyrs1 as ,st4 ,julian1 ,st4 ,ansano1 and of those who preached the ,gospel among infidels2 also in the hands of ,st4 ,ursula and ,st4 ,reparata1 the only female saints1 ,i believe1 who bear this attribute4 ,the ,,olive1 as the well-known emblem of peace and reconciliation1 is figured on the tombs of the early martyrs2 sometimes with1 sometimes without1 the dove4 ,the olive is borne as the attribute of peace by the angel ,gabriel1 by ,st4 ,agnes1 and by ,st4 ,pantaleon2 sometimes also by the angels in a ,nativity1 who announce #8peace on earth4' ,the ,,dove in ,christian ,art is the emblem of the ,holy ,ghost2 and1 besides its introduction into various subjects from the ,new ,testament1 as the ,annunciation1 the ,baptism1 the ,pentecost1 it is placed near certain saints who are supposed to have been particularly inspired1 as ,st4 ,gregory1 ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 ,st4 ,hilarius1 and others4 ,the dove is also a symbol of simplicity and purity of heart1 and as such it is introduced into pictures of female saints1 and especially of the ,madonna and ,child4 ,it is also the emblem of the soul2 in this sense it is seen issuing from the lips of dying martyrs1 and is found in pictures of ,st4 ,eulalia of ,merida1 and ,st4 ,scholastica the sister of ,st4 ,benedict4 ,the ,,lily is another symbol of purity1 of very general application4 ,we find it in pictures of the ,virgin1 and particularly in pictures of the ,annunciation4 ,it is placed significantly in the hand of ,st4 ,joseph1 the husband of the ,virgin ,mary1 his staff1 according to the legend1 having put forth lilies2 it is given1 as an emblem merely1 to ,st4 ,francis1 ,st4 ,anthony of ,padua1 ,st4 ,dominick1 and ,st4 ,catherine of ,siena1 to express the particular purity of their lives4 ,the ,,unicorn is another ancient symbol of purity1 in allusion to the fable that it could never be captured except by a virgin stainless in mind and life2 it has become in consequence the emblem peculiarly of female chastity1 but in ,christian ,art is appropriate only to the ,virgin ,mary and ,st4 ,justina4 ,the ,,flaming ,,heart expresses fervent piety and love3 in early pictures it is given to ,st4 ,augustine1 merely in allusion to a famous passage in his #8,confessions2' but in the later schools of ,art it has become a general and rather vulgar emblem of spiritual love3 in this sense it is given to ,st4 ,theresa2 ,st4 ,maria ,maddalena de' ,pazzi1 a ,florentine nun2 and some of the ,jesuit saints4 ,the ,,book in the hands of the ,evangelists and the ,apostles is an attribute1 and represents the ,gospel4 ,in the hand of ,st4 ,stephen it is the ,old ,testament2 in the hand of any other saint it may be the ,gospel1 but it may also be an emblem only1 signifying that the saint was famous for his learning or his writings2 it has this sense in pictures of ,st4 ,catherine1 the ,doctors of the ,church1 ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 and ,st4 ,bonaventura4 ,a ,,church placed in the hands of a saint signifies that he was the founder of some particular church3 in this sense ,st4 ,henry bears the cathedral of ,bamberg2 or1 that he was the protector and first bishop of the church1 as ,st4 ,petronius bears the cathedral of ,bologna4 ,i must except the single instance of ,st4 ,jerome2 the church in his hands signifies no particular edifice1 but1 in a general sense1 the ,catholic ,church1 of which he was the great support and one of the primitive fathers2 to render the symbol more expressive1 rays of light are seen proceeding from the portal4 ,the ,,scourge in the hand of a saint1 or at his feet1 signifies the penances he inflicted upon himself2 but in the hand of ,st4 ,ambrose1 it signifies the penance he inflicted upon others4 ,the ,,chalice1 or ,sacramental ,cup1 with the ,host1 signifies ,faith2 it is given to ,st4 ,barbara4 ,the ,cup1 with the ,serpent1 is the attribute of ,st4 ,john4 ,the ,,ship4--,the ,ark of ,noah1 floating safe amid the ,deluge1 in which all things else were overwhelmed1 was an obvious symbol of the ,church of ,christ4 ,subsequently the ,ark became a ship4 ,st4 ,ambrose likens the ,church of ,god to a ship1 and the ,cross to the mast set in the midst of it4 #8,arbor qudam in nari est crux in ecclesia4' ,the ,bark of ,st4 ,peter tossed in the storm1 and by the ,redeemer guided safe to land1 was also considered as symbolical4 ,these mingled associations combined to give to the emblem of the ship a sacred significance4 ,every one who has been at ,rome will remember the famous mosaic of the ship tossed by the storms1 and assailed by demons1 called ,,the ,,navicella1 which was executed by ,giotto for the old ,basilica of ,st4 ,peter's1 and is now under the ,portico1 opposite to the principal door4 ,i believe that in the pictures of ,st4 ,nicholas and ,st4 ,ursula the ship had originally a sacred and symbolical significance1 and that the legends were afterwards invented or modified to explain the emblem1 as in so many other instances4 ,the ,,anchor is the ,christian symbol of immovable firmness1 hope1 and patience2 and in this sense we find it very frequently in the catacombs1 and on the ancient ,christian gems4 ,it was given to several of the early saints as a symbol4 ,subsequently a legend was invented to account for the symbol1 turning it into an attribute1 as was the case with the lion and the stag4 ,for example3 to ,st4 ,clement the anchor was first given as the symbol of his constancy in ,christian hope1 and thence we find1 subsequently invented1 the story of his being thrown into the sea with the anchor round his neck4 ,on the vane of the ,church of ,st4 ,clement in the ,strand1 the anchor1 the parish device1 was anciently placed2 and as in the ,english fancy no anchor can be well separated from a ship1 they have lately placed a ship on the other side1--the original signification of the anchor1 as applied to ,st4 ,clement the martyr1 being unknown or forgotten4 ,the ,,lamp1 ,,lantern1 or ,,taper1 is the old emblem of piety3 #8,let your light so shine before men3'--and it also signifies wisdom4 ,in the first sense we find this attribute in the hand of ,st4 ,gudula1 ,st4 ,genevive of ,paris1 and ,st4 ,bridget2 while the lamp in the hand of ,st4 ,lucia signifies celestial light or wisdom4 ,,flowers and ,,fruits1 often so beautifully introduced into ecclesiastical works of ,art1 may be merely ornamental2 ,crivelli1 and some of the ,venetian and ,lombard painters1 were fond of rich festoons of fruit1 and backgrounds of foliage and roses4 ,but in some instances they have a definite significance4 ,roses are symbolical in pictures of the ,madonna1 who is the #8,rose of ,sharon4'#aa ,the wreath of roses on the brow of ,st4 ,cecilia1 the roses and fruits borne by ,st4 ,dorothea1 are explained by the legends4 ,the apple was the received emblem of the ,fall of ,man and original sin4 ,placed in pictures of the ,madonna and ,child1 either in the hand of the ,infant ,christ1 or presented by an angel1 it signified ,redemption from the consequences of the ,fall4 ,the pomegranate1 bursting open1 and the seeds visible1 was an emblem of the future--of hope in immortality4 ,when an apple1 a pear1 or a pomegranate is placed in the hand of ,st4 ,catherine as the mystical ,sposa of ,christ1 which continually occurs1 particularly in the ,german pictures1 the allusion is to be taken in the scriptural sense3 #8,the fruit of the ,spirit is love1 joy1 peace4' ,v4 ,,of ,,the ,,significance ,,of ,,colours4 ,in very early ,art we find colours used in a symbolical or mystic sense1 and1 until the ancient principles and traditions were wholly worn out of memory or set aside by the later painters1 certain colours were appropriate to certain subjects and personages1 and could not arbitrarily be applied or misapplied4 ,in the old specimens of stained glass we find these significations scrupulously attended to4 ,thus3-- ,,white1 represented by the diamond or silver1 was the emblem of light1 religious purity1 innocence1 virginity1 faith1 joy1 and life4 ,our ,saviour wears white after his resurrection4 ,in the judge it indicated integrity2 in the rich man humility2 in the woman chastity4 ,it was the colour consecrated to the ,virgin1 who1 however1 never wears white except in pictures of the ,assumption4 ,,red1 the ruby1 signified fire1 divine love1 the ,holy ,spirit1 heat1 or the creative power1 and royalty4 ,white and red roses expressed love and innocence1 or love and wisdom1 as in the garland with which the angel crowns ,st4 ,cecilia4 ,in a bad sense1 red signified blood1 war1 hatred1 and punishment4 ,red and black combined were the colours of purgatory and the ,devil4 ,,blue1 or the sapphire1 expressed heaven1 the firmament1 truth1 constancy1 fidelity4 ,christ and the ,virgin wear the red tunic and the blue mantle1 as signifying heavenly love and heavenly truth4#ab ,the same colours were given to ,st4 ,john the evangelist1 with this difference1--that he wore the blue tunic and the red mantle2 in later pictures the colours are sometimes red and green4 ,,yellow1 or gold1 was the symbol of the sun2 of the goodness of ,god2 initiation1 or marriage2 faith1 or fruitfulness4 ,st4 ,joseph1 the husband of the ,virgin1 wears yellow4 ,in pictures of the apostles1 ,st4 ,peter wears a yellow mantle over a blue tunic4 ,in a bad sense1 yellow signifies inconstancy1 jealousy1 deceit2 in this sense it is given to the traitor ,judas1 who is generally habited in dirty yellow4 ,,green1 the emerald1 is the colour of spring2 of hope1 particularly hope in immortality2 and of victory1 as the colour of the palm and the laurel4 ,,violet1 the amethyst1 signified love and truth3 or1 passion and suffering4 ,hence it is the colour often worn by the martyrs4 ,in some instances our ,saviour1 after his resurrection1 is habited in a violet instead of a blue mantle4 ,the ,virgin also wears violet after the crucifixion4 ,mary ,magdalene1 who as patron saint wears the red robe1 as penitent wears violet and blue1 the colours of sorrow and of constancy4 ,in the devotional representation of her by ,timoteo della ,vite1#ac she wears red and green1 the colours of love and hope4 ,,grey1 the colour of ashes1 signified mourning1 humility1 and innocence accused2 hence adopted as the dress of the ,franciscans 7the ,grey ,friars72 but it has since been changed for a dark rusty brown4 ,,black expressed the earth1 darkness1 mourning1 wickedness1 negation1 death2 and was appropriate to the ,prince of ,darkness4 ,in some old illuminated ,,mss41 ,jesus1 in the ,temptation1 wears a black robe4 ,white and black together signified purity of life1 and mourning or humiliation2 hence adopted by the ,dominicans and the ,carmelites4 ,the mystical application of attributes and colours was more particularly attended to in that class of subjects ,i have distinguished as devotional4 ,in the sacred historical pictures we find that the attributes are usually omitted as superfluous1 and characteristic propriety of colour often sacrificed to the general effect4 ,these introductory observations and explanations will be found illustrated in a variety of forms as we proceed2 and readers will be led to make comparisons and discover analogies and exceptions for themselves4 ,i must stop here2--yet one word more4 ,all the productions of ,art1 from the time it has been directed and developed by ,christian influences1 may be regarded under three different aspects4 #a4 ,the purely religious aspect1 which belongs to one mode of faith2 #b4 ,the poetical aspect1 which belongs to all2 #c4 ,the artistic1 which is the individual point of view1 and has reference only to the action of the intellect on the means and material employed4 ,there is pleasure1 intense pleasure1 merely in the consideration of ,art as ,art2 in the faculties of comparison and nice discrimination1 brought to bear on objects of beauty2 in the exercise of a cultivated and refined taste on the productions of mind in any form whatever4 ,but a three-fold1 or rather a thousand-fold1 pleasure is theirs who to a sense of the poetical unite a sympathy with the spiritual in ,art1 and who combine with delicacy of perception1 and technical knowledge1 more elevated sources of pleasure1 more variety of association1 habits of more excursive thought4 ,let none imagine1 however1 that1 in placing before the uninitiated these unpretending volumes1 ,i assume any such superiority as is here implied4 ,like a child that has sprung on a little way before its playmates1 and caught a glimpse through an opening portal of some varied ,eden within1 all gay with flowers1 and musical with birds1 and haunted by divine shapes which beckon onward2 and1 after one rapturous survey1 runs back and catches its companions by the hand and hurries them forwards to share the new-found pleasure1 the yet unexplored region of delight2 even so it is with me3--,i am on the outside1 not the inside1 of the door ,i open4 ,illustration3 #b ,after ,gaudenzio ,ferrari1 at ,saronno ,,part ,i4 ,ye too must fly before a chasing hand1 ,angels and saints in every hamlet mourned6 ,ah6 if the old idolatry be spurn'd1 ,let not your radiant shapes desert the land6 ,her adoration was not your demand1-- ,the fond heart proffer'd it1--the servile heart1 ,and therefore are ye summon'd to depart2 ,michael1 and thou ,st4 ,george1 whose flaming brand ,the ,dragon quell'd2 and valiant ,margaret1 ,whose rival sword a like opponent slew2 ,and rapt ,cecilia1 seraph-haunted queen ,of harmony2 and weeping ,magdalene1 ,who in the penitential desert met ,gales sweet as those that over ,eden blew6 ,,wordsworth4 #8,i can just remember1' says a theologian of the last century1 #8when the women first taught me to say my prayers1 ,i used to have an idea of a venerable old man1 of a composed1 benign countenance1 with his own hair1 clad in a morning gown of a grave-coloured flowered damask1 sitting in an elbow-chair4' ,and he proceeds to say that1 in looking back to these beginnings1 he is in no way disturbed at the grossness of his infant theology4 ,the image thus shaped by the imagination of the child was1 in truth1 merely one example of the various forms and conceptions fitted to divers states and seasons1 and orders and degrees1 of the religious mind1 whether infant or adult1 which represent the several approximations such minds at such seasons can respectively make to the completeness of faith4 ,these imperfect ideas should be held to be reconciled and comprehended in that completeness1 not rejected by it2 and the nearest approximation which the greatest of human minds can accomplish is surely to be regarded as much nearer to the imperfection of an infantine notion than to the fulness of truth4 ,the gown of flowered damask and the elbow-chair may disappear2 the anthropomorphism of childhood may give place to the divine incarnation of the ,second ,person in after-years2 and we may come to conceive of the ,deity as ,milton did when his epithets were most abstract3-- #8,so spake the ,,sovran ,,presence4' ,but after all1 these are but different grades of imperfection in the forms of doctrinal faith2 and if there be a devouter love on the part of the child for what is pictured in his imagination as a venerable old man1 than in the philosophic poet for the #8,sovran ,presence1' the child's faith has more of the efficacy of religious truth in it than the poet's and philosopher's4 7,vide #8,notes on ,life1' by ,,henry ,,taylor1 p4 #acf47 ,illustration3 #c ,gloria in excelsis ,deo6 ,of ,angels and ,archangels4 ,i4 ,,the ,,angels4 ,there is something so very attractive and poetical1 as well as soothing to our helpless finite nature1 in all the superstitions connected with the popular notion of ,angels1 that we cannot wonder at their prevalence in the early ages of the world4 ,those nations who acknowledged one ,almighty ,creator1 and repudiated with horror the idea of a plurality of ,gods1 were the most willing to accept1 the most enthusiastic in accepting1 these objects of an intermediate homage2 and gladly placed between their humanity and the awful supremacy of an unseen ,god1 the ministering spirits who were the agents of his will1 the witnesses of his glory1 the partakers of his bliss1 and who in their preternatural attributes of love and knowledge filled up that vast space in the created universe which intervened between mortal man and the infinite1 omnipotent ,,lord ,,of ,,all4 ,the belief in these superior beings1 dating from immemorial antiquity1 interwoven as it should seem with our very nature1 and authorised by a variety of passages in ,scripture1 has descended to our time4 ,although the bodily forms assigned to them are allowed to be impossible1 and merely allegorical1 although their supposed functions as rulers of the stars and elements have long been set aside by a knowledge of the natural laws1 still the coexistence of many orders of beings superior in nature to ourselves1 benignly interested in our welfare1 and contending for us against the powers of evil1 remains an article of faith4 ,perhaps the belief itself1 and the feeling it excites in the tender and contemplative mind1 were never more beautifully expressed than by our own ,spenser3-- ,and is there care in heaven8 ,and is there love ,in heavenly spirits to these creatures base1 ,that may compassion of their evils move8 ,there is6--else much more wretched were the case ,of men than beasts6 ,but ,o th' exceeding grace ,of highest ,god that loves his creatures so1 ,and all his works with mercy doth embrace1 ,that blessed angels he sends to and fro ,to serve to wicked man1 to serve his wicked foe ,how oft do they their silver bowers leave1 ,and come to succour us that succour want8 ,how oft do they with golden pinions cleave ,the flitting skies1 like flying pursuivant1 ,against foul fiends1 to aid us militant8 ,they for its fight1 they watch1 and duly ward1 ,and their bright squadrons round about us plant1 ,and all for love1 and nothing for reward6 ,oh why should heavenly ,god to men have such regard6 ,it is this feeling1 expressed or unexpressed1 lurking at the very core of all hearts1 which renders the usual representations of angels1 spite of all incongruities of form1 so pleasing to the fancy3 we overlook the anatomical solecisms1 and become mindful only of that emblematical significance which through its humanity connects it with us1 and through its supernatural appendages connects us with heaven4 ,but it is necessary to give a brief summary of the scriptural and theological authorities1 relative to the nature and functions of angels1 before we can judge of the manner in which these ideas have been attended to and carried out in the artistic similitudes4 ,thus angels are represented in the ,old ,testament-- #a4 ,as beings of a higher nature than men1 and gifted with superior intelligence and righteousness4#ad #b4 ,as a host of attendants surrounding the throne of ,god1 and as a kind of celestial court or council4#ae #c4 ,as messengers of his will conveyed from heaven to earth3 or as sent to guide1 to correct1 to instruct1 to reprove1 to console4 #d4 ,as protecting the pious4 #e4 ,as punishing by command of the ,most ,high the wicked and disobedient4#af #f4 ,as having the form of men2 as eating and drinking4 #g4 ,as wielding a sword4 #h4 ,as having power to slay4#ag ,i do not recollect any instance in which angels are represented in ,scripture as instigated by human passions2 they are merely the agents of the mercy or the wrath of the ,almighty4 ,after the period of the ,captivity1 the ,jewish ideas concerning angels were considerably extended and modified by an admixture of the ,chaldaic belief1 and of the doctrines taught by ,zoroaster4#ah ,it is then that we first hear of good and bad angels1 and of a fallen angel or impersonation of evil1 busy in working mischief on earth and counteracting good2 also of archangels1 who are alluded to by name2 and of guardian angels assigned to nations and individuals2 and these foreign ideas concerning the spiritual world1 accepted and promulgated by the ,jewish doctors1 pervade the whole of the ,new ,testament1 in which angels are far more familiar to us as agents1 more frequently alluded to1 and more distinctly brought before us1 than in the ,old ,testament4 ,for example3 they are represented-- #a4 ,as countless4 #b4 ,as superior to all human wants and weaknesses4 #c4 ,as the deputed messengers of ,god4 #d4 ,they rejoice over the repentant sinner4 ,they take deep interest in the mission of ,christ4 #e4 ,they are present with those who pray2 they bear the souls of the just to heaven4 #f4 ,they minister to ,christ on earth1 and will be present at his second coming4#ai ,in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john1 which is usually regarded as the fullest and most correct exposition of the doctrines of ,christ1 angels are only three times mentioned1 and in none of these instances does the word angel fall from the lips of ,christ4 ,on the other hand1 the writings of ,st4 ,paul1 who was deeply versed in all the learning and philosophy of the ,jews1 abound in allusions to angels1 and1 according to the usual interpretation of certain passages1 he shows them divided into several classes4#bj ,st4 ,luke1 who was the friend and disciple of ,st4 ,paul1 some say his convert1 is more direct and explicit on the subject of angels than any of the other ,evangelists1 and his allusions to them much more frequent4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the worship of angels1 which the ,jews brought from ,chaldea1 was early introduced into the ,christian ,church4 ,in the fourth century the council of ,laodicea published a decree against places of worship dedicated to angels under names which the ,church did not recognise4 ,but neither warning nor council seems to have had power to modify the popular creed1 countenanced as it was by high authority4 ,all the ,fathers are unanimous as to the existence of angels good and evil4 ,they hold that it is evermore the allotted task of good angels to defend us against evil angels1 and to carry on a daily and hourly combat against our spiritual foes3 they teach that the good angels are worthy of all reverence as the ministers of ,god and as the protectors of the human race2 that their intercession is to be invoked1 and their perpetual1 invisible presence to be regarded as an incitement to good and a preventive to evil4 ,this1 however1 was not enough4 ,taking for their foundation a few ,scripture texts1 and in particular the classification of ,st4 ,paul1 the imaginative theologians of the middle ages ran into all kinds of extravagant subtleties regarding the being1 the nature1 and the functions of the different orders of angels4 ,except as far as they have been taken as authorities in ,art1 ,i shall set aside these fanciful disquisitions1 of which a mere abstract would fill volumes4 ,for our present purpose it is sufficient to bear in mind that the great theologians divide the angelic host into three hierarchies1 and these again into nine choirs1 three in each hierarchy3 according to ,dionysius the ,areopagite1 in the following order3 #a4 ,seraphim1 ,cherubim1 ,thrones4 #b4 ,dominations1 ,virtues1 ,powers4 #c4 ,princedoms1 ,archangels1 ,angels4 ,the order of these denominations is not the same in all authorities3 according to the ,greek formula1 ,st4 ,bernard1 and the ,legenda ,aurea1 the ,cherubim precede the ,seraphim1 and in the hymn of ,st4 ,ambrose they have also the precedence--,to ,thee1 ,cherubim and ,seraphim continually do cry1 c42 but the authority of ,st4 ,dionysius seems to be admitted as paramount1 for according to the legend he was the convert and intimate friend of ,st4 ,paul1 and ,st4 ,paul1 who had been transported to the seventh heaven1 had made him acquainted with all he had there beheld4 ,desire ,in ,dionysius so intensely wrought ,that he1 as ,i have done1 ranged them1 and named ,their orders1 marshall'd in his thought2 444 ,for he had learn'd ,both this and much beside of these our orbs ,from an eye-witness to ,heaven's mysteries4 ,,dante1 ,par4 #bh4 ,the first three choirs receive their glory immediately from ,god1 and transmit it to the second2 the second illuminate the third2 the third are placed in relation to the created universe and man4 ,the first ,hierarchy are as councillors2 the second as governors2 the third as ministers4 ,the ,seraphim are absorbed in perpetual love and adoration immediately round the throne of ,god4 ,the ,cherubim know and worship4 ,the ,thrones sustain the seat of the ,most ,high4 ,the ,dominations1 ,virtues1 ,powers1 are the ,regents of stars and elements4 ,the three last orders1 ,princedoms1 ,archangels1 and ,angels1 are the protectors of the great ,monarchies on earth1 and the executors of the will of ,god throughout the universe4 ,the term angels is properly applied to all these celestial beings2 but it belongs especially to the two last orders1 who are brought into immediate communication with the human race4 ,the word angel1 ,greek in its origin1 signifies a messenger1 or more literally a bringer of tidings4 ,in this sense the ,greeks entitle ,christ #8,the great ,angel of the will of ,god2' and ,i have seen ,greek representations of ,christ with wings to his shoulders4 ,john the ,baptist is also an angel in this sense2 likewise the ,evangelists2 all of whom1 as ,i shall show hereafter1 bear1 as celestial messengers1 the angel-wings4 ,illustration3 #d ,greek ,seraph2 wings of gold and crimson 7,ninth century7 ,in ancient pictures and illuminations which exhibit the glorification of the ,trinity1 ,christ1 or the ,virgin1 the hierarchies of angels are represented in circles around them1 orb within orb4 ,this is called a glory of angels4 ,in pictures it is seldom complete3 instead of nine circles1 the painters content themselves with one or two circles only4 ,the innermost circles1 the ,seraphim and the ,cherubim1 are in general represented as heads merely1 with two or four or six wings1 and of a bright-red or blue colour2 sometimes with variegated wings1 green1 yellow1 violet1 c4 ,this emblem--intended to shadow forth to human comprehension a pure spirit glowing with love and intelligence1 in which all that is bodily is put away1 and only the head1 the seat of soul1 and wings1 the attribute of spirit and swiftness1 retained--is of ,greek origin4 ,when first adopted ,i do not know1 but ,i have met with it in ,greek ,,mss4 of the ninth century4 ,down to the eleventh century the faces were human1 but not childish2 the infant head was afterwards adopted to express innocence in addition to love and intelligence4 ,illustration3 #e ,cherubim1 ,italian 7,fourteenth century7 ,such was the expressive and poetical symbol which degenerated in the later periods of ,art into those little fat baby heads1 with curly hair and small wings under the chin1 which the more they resemble nature in colour1 feature1 and detail1 the more absurd they become1 the original meaning being wholly lost or perverted4 ,illustration3 #f ,cherub ,heads ,in painting1 where a glory of angels is placed round the ,divine ,being or the glorified ,virgin1 those forming the innermost circles are or ought to be of a glowing red1 the colour of fire1 that is1 of love2 the next circle is painted blue1 the colour of the firmament1 or light1 that is1 of knowledge4 ,now as the word seraph is derived from a ,hebrew root signifying love1 and the word cherub from a ,hebrew root signifying to know1 should not this distinction fix the proper place and name of the first two orders8 ,it is admitted that the spirits which love are nearer to ,god than those which know1 since we cannot know that which we do not first love3 that ,love and ,knowledge1 #8the two halves of a divided world1' constitute in their union the perfection of the angelic nature2 but the ,seraphim1 according to the derivation of their name1 should love most2 their whole being is fused1 as it were1 in a glow of adoration2 therefore they should take the precedence1 and their proper colour is red4 ,the ,cherubim1 #8the lords of those that know1' come next1 and are to be painted blue4 ,thus it should seem that1 in considering the religious pictures of the early ages of ,art1 we have to get rid of certain associations as to colour and form1 derived from the phraseology of later poets and the representations of later painters4 #8,blue-eyed ,seraphim1' and the #8blue depth of ,seraph's eyes1' are not to be thought of any more than smiling ,cherubim4' ,the ,seraphim1 where distinguished by colour1 are red2 the ,cherubim blue3 the proper character1 where character is attended to1 is1 in the ,seraph1 adoration2 in the ,cherub1 contemplation4 ,so ,milton-- ,with thee bring ,him who soars on golden wing1 ,the ,cherub1 ,contemplation4 ,i remember a little ,triptyca1 a genuine work of ,fiesole1 in which one of the lateral compartments represents his favourite subject1 the souls of the blessed received into ,paradise4 ,they are moving from the lower part of the picture towards the top1 along an ascent paved with flowers1 all in white garments and crowned with roses4 ,at one side1 low down1 stands a blue ,cherub robed in drapery spangled with golden stars1 who seems to encourage the blessed group4 ,above are the gates of heaven4 ,christ welcomes to his kingdom the beatified spirits1 and on each side stands a ,seraph1 all of a glowing red1 in spangled drapery4 ,the figures are not here merely heads and wings1 but full length1 having all that soft peculiar grace which belongs to the painter4#ba ,in a ,coronation of the ,virgin1#bb a glory of ,seraphim over-arches the principal group4 ,here the angelic beings are wholly of a bright red colour3 they are human to the waist1 with hands clasped in devotion3 the bodies and arms covered with plumage1 but the forms terminating in wings2 all uniformly red4 ,in the same collection is a small ,greek picture of ,christ receiving the soul of the ,virgin2 over his head hovers a large1 fiery-red1 six-winged ,seraph2 and on each side a ,seraph with hair and face and limbs of glowing red1 and with white draperies4 ,vasari mentions an ,adoration of the ,magi by ,liberale of ,verona1 in which a group of angels1 all of a red colour1 stand as a celestial guard round the ,virgin and her divine ,infant4#bc ,the distinction of hue in the red and blue angels we find wholly omitted towards the end of the fifteenth century4 ,cherubim with blue1 red1 green1 and variegated wings we find in the pictures of ,perugino and other masters in the beginning of the sixteenth century1 also in early pictures of ,raphael4 ,liberale di ,verona has given us1 in a ,madonna picture1 ,cherub heads without wings1 and of a blue colour1 emerging from golden clouds4 ,and in ,raphael's ,madonna di ,san ,sisto the whole background is formed of ,cherubim and ,seraphim of a uniform delicate bluish tinge1 as if composed of air1 and melting away into an abyss of golden glory1 the principal figures standing relieved against this flood of living love and light--beautiful6 ,so are the ,cherubim with many-coloured wings which float in the firmament in ,perugino's ,coronation of the ,virgin2 but none of these can be regarded as so theologically correct as the fiery-red and bright-blue ,seraphim and ,cherubim1 of which are formed the hierarchies and glories which figure in the early pictures1 the stained glass1 the painted sculpture1 and the illuminated ,,mss4 from the tenth to the sixteenth century4 ,illustration3 #g ,cherubim 7,liberale di ,verona7 ,the next five choirs of angels1 the ,thrones1 ,dominations1 ,princedoms1 ,virtues1 ,powers1 though classed and described with great exactitude by the theologians1 have not been very accurately discriminated in ,art4 ,in some examples the ,thrones have green wings1 a fiery aureole1 and bear a throne in their hands4 ,the ,dominations1 ,virtues1 and ,powers sometimes bear a globe and a long sceptre surmounted by a cross4 ,the ,principalities1 according to the ,greek formula1 should bear a branch of lily4 ,the ,archangels are figured as warriors1 and carry a sword with the point upwards4 ,the angels are robed as deacons1 and carry a wand4 ,in one of the ancient frescoes in the ,cathedral at ,orvieto1 there is a complete hierarchy of angels1 so arranged as to symbolise the ,trinity1 each of the nine choirs being composed of three angels1 but the ,seraphim only are distinguished by their red colour and priority of place4 ,in the south porch of the ,cathedral of ,chartres1 each of the nine orders is represented by two angels3 in other instances1 one angel only represents the order to which he belongs1 and nine angels represent the whole hierarchy4#bd ,where1 however1 we meet with groups or rows of angels1 as in the ,greek mosaics and the earliest frescoes all alike1 all with the tiara1 the long sceptre-like wands1 and the orb of sovereignty1 ,i believe these to represent the ,powers and ,princedoms of ,heaven4 ,the ,archangels alone1 as we shall see presently1 have distinct individual names and attributes assigned to them4 ,illustration3 #h ,part of a ,glory of ,angels surrounding the figure of ,christ in a picture by ,ambrogio ,borgognone ,the angels1 generally1 have the human form2 are winged2 and are endowed with immutable happiness and perpetual youth1 because they are ever in the presence of ,him with whom there is no change and no time4 ,they are direct emanations of the beauty of the ,eternal mind1 therefore beautiful2 created1 therefore not eternal1 but created perfect1 and immortal in their perfection3 they are always supposed to be masculine2 perhaps for the reason so beautifully assigned by ,madame de ,stal1 #8because the union of power with purity 7la force avec la puret7 constitutes all that we mortals can imagine of perfection4' ,there is no such thing as an old angel1 and therefore there ought to be no such thing as an infant angel4 ,the introduction of infant angels seems to have arisen from the custom of representing the regenerate souls of men as new-born infants1 and perhaps also from the words of our ,saviour1 when speaking of children3 #8,i say unto you1 their angels do always behold the face of my ,father which is in heaven4' ,such representations1 when religiously and poetically treated as spirits of love1 intelligence1 and innocence1 are of exquisite beauty1 and have a significance which charms and elevates the fancy2 but from this1 the true and religious conception1 the ,italian putti and puttini1 and the rosy chubby babies of the ,flemish school1 are equally remote4 ,illustration3 #i ,egyptian winged genius 7,louvre7 ,in early ,art1 the angels in the bloom of adolescence are always amply draped3 at first1 in the classical tunic and pallium2 afterwards in long linen vestments with the alba and stole1 as levites or deacons2 or as princes1 with embroidered robes and sandals1 and jewelled crowns or fillets4 ,such figures are common in the ,byzantine mosaics and pictures4 ,the expression1 in these early representations1 is usually calm and impassive4 ,angels partially draped in loose1 fluttering1 meretricious attire1 poised in attitudes upon clouds1 or with features animated by human passion1 or limbs strained by human effort1 are the innovations of more modern ,art4 ,white is1 or ought to be1 the prevailing colour in angelic draperies1 but red and blue of various shades are more frequent3 green often occurs2 and in the ,venetian pictures1 yellow1 or rather saffron-coloured1 robes are not unfrequent4 ,in the best examples of ,italian ,art the tints1 though varied1 are tender and delicate3 all dark heavy colours and violent contrasts of colour are avoided4 ,on the contrary1 in the early ,german school1 the angels have rich heavy voluminous draperies of the most intense and vivid colours1 often jewelled and embroidered with gold4 ,flight1 in such garments1 seems as difficult as it would be to swim in coronation robes4 ,illustration3 #aj ,winged figure from ,nineveh ,but1 whatever be the treatment as to character1 lineaments1 or dress1 wings are almost invariably the attribute of the angelic form4 ,as emblematical appendages1 these are not merely significant of the character of celestial messengers1 for1 from time immemorial1 wings have been the ,oriental and ,egyptian symbol of power1 as well as of swiftness2 of the spiritual and aerial1 in contradistinction to the human and the earthly4 ,thus1 with the ,egyptians1 the winged globe signified power and eternity1 that is1 the ,godhead2 a bird1 with a human head1 signified the soul2 and nondescript creatures1 with wings1 abound not only in the ,egyptian paintings and hieroglyphics1 but also in the ,chaldaic and ,babylonian remains1 in the ,lycian and ,nineveh marbles1 and on the gems and other relics of the ,gnostics4 ,i have seen on the ,gnostic gems figures with four wings1 two springing from the shoulders and two from the loins4 ,this portentous figure1 from the ruins of ,nineveh1 is similarly constructed4 7#aj47 ,in ,etruscan ,art all their divinities are winged2 and where ,venus is represented with wings1 as in many of the antique gems 7and by ,correggio in imitation of them71#be these brilliant wings are not1 as some have supposed1 emblematical of the transitoriness1 but of the might1 the majesty1 and the essential divinity of beauty4 ,in ,scripture1 the first mention of ,cherubim with wings is immediately after the departure of the ,israelites from ,egypt 7,exod4 xxxi4 #b74 ,bezaleel1 the first artist whose name is recorded in the world's history1 and who appears to have been1 like the greatest artists of modern times1 at once architect1 sculptor1 and painter1 probably derived his figures of ,cherubim with outstretched wings1 guarding the mercy-seat1 from those ,egyptian works of ,art with which the ,israelites must have been familiarised4 ,clement of ,alexandria is so aware of the relative similitude1 that he supposes the ,egyptians to have borrowed from the ,israelites1 which is obviously the reverse of the truth4 ,how far the ,cherubim1 which figure in the ,biblical pictures of the present day1 resemble the carved ,cherubim of ,bezaleel we cannot tell1 but probably the idea and the leading forms are the same3 for the ark1 we know1 was carried into ,palestine2 these original ,cherubim were the pattern of those which adorned the temple of ,solomon1 and these1 again1 were the prototype after which the imagery of the second temple was fashioned4 ,although in ,scripture the shape under which the celestial ministers appeared to man is nowhere described1 except in the visions of the prophets 7,dan4 x4 #e71 and there with a sort of dreamy incoherent splendour1 rendering it most perilous to clothe the image placed before the fancy in definite forms1 still the idea of wings1 as the angelic appendages1 is conveyed in many places distinctly1 and occasionally with a picturesque vividness which inspires and assists the artist4 ,for instance1 in ,daniel1 ch4 vii41 #8they had wings like a fowl4' ,in ,ezekiel1 ch4i41 #8their wings were stretched upward when they flew2 when they stood1 they let down their wings3' #8,i heard the noise of their wings as the noise of great waters3' and in ,zechariah1 ch4 v41 #8,i looked1 and behold there came out two women1 and the wind was in their wings1 for they had wings like the wings of a stork4' ,and ,isaiah1 ch4 vi41 in the description of the ,seraphim1 #8,each one had six wings2 with twain he covered his face1 and with twain he covered his feet1 and with twain he did fly4' ,by the early artists this description was followed out in a manner more conscientious and reverential than poetical4 ,illustration3 #aa ,seraph 7,greek mosaic1 ,cathedral of ,monreale7 ,they were content with a symbol4 ,but mark how ,milton1 more daring1 could paint from the same original3-- ,a seraph wing'd2 six wings he wore to shade ,his lineaments divine3 the pair that clad ,each shoulder broad1 came mantling o'er his breast ,with regal ornament2 the middle pair ,girt like a starry zone his waist1 and round ,skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold ,and colours dipp'd in heaven2 the third his feet ,shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail1 ,sky-tinctured grain4 ,i have sometimes thought that ,milton1 in his descriptions of angels1 was not indebted merely to the notions of the old theological writers1 interpreted and embellished by his own fancy3 may he not1 in his wanderings through ,italy1 have beheld with kindling sympathy some of those glorious creations of ,italian ,art1 which1 when ,i saw them1 made me break out into his own divine language as the only fit utterance to express those forms in words8--,but1 to return--,is it not a mistake to make the wings1 the feathered appendages of the angelic form1 as like as possible to real wings--the wings of storks1 or the wings of swans1 or herons1 borrowed for the occasion8 ,some modern painters1 anxious to make wings look #8natural1' have done this2 ,delaroche1 for instance1 in his ,st4 ,cecilia4 ,infinitely more beautiful and consistent are the nondescript wings which the early painters gave their angels3--large--so large1 that when the glorious creature is represented as at rest1 they droop from the shoulders to the ground2 with long slender feathers1 eyed sometimes like the peacock's train1 bedropped with gold like the pheasant's breast1 tinted with azure and violet and crimson1 #8colours dipp'd in heaven1'--they are really angel-wings1 not bird-wings4 ,illustration3 #ab ,angels 7,orcagna7 ,illustration3 #ac ,fiery ,cherub 7,raphael7 ,orcagna's angels in the ,campo ,santo are1 in this respect1 peculiarly poetical4 ,their extremities are wings instead of limbs2 and in a few of the old ,italian and ,german painters of the fifteenth century we find angels whose extremities are formed of light waving folds of pale rose-coloured or azure drapery1 or of a sort of vapoury cloud1 or1 in some instances1 of flames4 ,the cherubim and seraphim which surround the similitude of ,jehovah when ,he appears to ,moses in the burning bush1#bf are an example of the sublime and poetical significance which may be given to this kind of treatment4 ,they have heads and human features marvellous for intelligence and beauty2 their hair1 their wings1 their limbs1 end in lambent fires2 they are #8celestial ,ardours bright1' which seem to have being without shape4 ,dante's angels have less of dramatic reality1 less of the aggrandised and idealised human presence1 than ,milton's4 ,they are wondrous creatures4 ,some of them have the quaint fantastic picturesqueness of old ,italian ,art and the ,albert ,drer school2 for instance1 those in the ,purgatorio1 with their wings of a bright green1 and their green draperies1 #8verde come fogliette1' kept in a perpetual state of undulation by the breeze created by the fanning of their wings1 with features too dazzling to be distinguished3 ,ben discerneva in lor la testa bionda1 ,ma nelle facce l' occhio si smarria ,come virt ch' a troppo si confonda4#bg ,and the ,shape1 glowing red as in a furnace1 with an air from the fanning of its wings1 #8fresh as the first breath of wind in a ,may morning1 and fragrant as all its flowers4' ,that these and other passages scattered through the ,purgatorio and the ,paradiso assisted the fancy of the earlier painters1 in portraying their angelic ,glories and winged ,beatitudes1 ,i have little doubt2 but1 on the other hand1 the sublime angel in the ,inferno--he who comes speeding over the waters with vast pinions like sails1 sweeping the evil spirits in heaps before him1 #8like frogs before a serpent1' and with a touch of his wand making the gates of the city of ,dis fly open2 then1 with a countenance solemn and majestic1 and quite unmindful of his worshipper1 as one occupied by higher matters1 turning and soaring away--this is quite in the sentiment of the grand old ,greek and ,italian mosaics1 which preceded ,dante by some centuries4#bh ,but besides being the winged messengers of ,god to man1 the deputed regents of the stars1 the rulers of the elements1 and the dispensers of the fate of nations1 angels have another function in which we love to contemplate them4 ,they are the choristers of heaven4 ,theirs is the privilege to sound that hymn of praise which goes up from this boundless and harmonious universe of suns and stars and worlds and rejoicing creatures1 towards the ,god who created them3 theirs is the music of the spheres-- ,they sing1 and singing in their glory move2 they tune divine instruments1 named after those of earth's harmonies-- ,the harp1 the solemn pipe ,and dulcimer1 all organs of sweet stop1 ,all sounds on fret by string or golden wire1 444 ,and with songs ,and choral symphonies1 day without night1 ,circle his throne rejoicing4 ,there is nothing more beautiful1 more attractive1 in ,art than the representations of angels in this character4 ,sometimes they form a chorus round the glorified ,saviour1 when1 after his sorrow and sacrifice on earth1 he takes his throne in heaven2 or1 when the crown is placed on the head of the ,maternal ,virgin in glory1 pour forth their triumphant song1 and sound their silver clarions on high3 sometimes they stand or kneel before the ,madonna and ,child1 or sit upon the steps of her throne1 singing1--with such sweet earnest faces6 or playing on their golden lutes1 or piping celestial symphonies2 or they bend in a choir from the opening heavens above1 and welcome1 with triumphant songs1 the liberated soul of the saint or martyr2 or join in ,st4 ,cecilia's hymn of praise3 but whatever the scene1 in these and similar representations1 they appear in their natural place and vocation1 and harmonise enchantingly with all our feelings and fancies relative to these angelic beings1 made up of love and music4 ,illustration3 #ad ,angel 7,francia7 ,illustration3 #ae ,piping ,angel 7,gian ,bellini7 ,most beautiful examples of this treatment occur both in early painting and sculpture2 and no one who has wandered through churches and galleries1 with feeling and observation awake1 can fail to remember such4 ,it struck me as characteristic of the ,venetian school1 that the love of music seemed to combine with the sense of harmony in colour2 nowhere have ,i seen musical angels so frequently and so beautifully introduced3 and whereas the angelic choirs of ,fiesole1 ,ghirlandajo1 and ,raphael1 seem to be playing as an act of homage for the delight of the ,divine ,personages1 those of ,vivarini and ,bellini and ,palma appear as if enchanted by their own music2 and both together are united in the grand and beautiful angels of ,melozzo da ,forli1 particularly in one who is bending over a lute1 and another who with a triumphant and ecstatic expression strikes the cymbals4#bi ,compare the cherubic host who are pouring forth their hymns of triumph1 blowing their uplifted trumpets1 and touching immortal harps and viols in ,angelico's #8,coronation1'#cj or in ,signorelli's #8,paradiso1'#ca with those lovely ,venetian choristers1 the piping boys1 myrtle-crowned1 who are hymning ,bellini's ,madonna1#cb or those who are touching the lute to the praise and glory of ,st4 ,ambrose in ,vivarini's most beautiful picture2 you will feel immediately the distinction in point of sentiment4 ,the procession of chanting angels which once surmounted the organ in the ,duomo of ,florence is a perfect example of musical angels applied to the purpose of decoration4 ,perhaps it was well to remove this exquisite work of art to a place of safety1 where it can be admired and studied as a work of art2 but the removal has taken from it the appropriate expression4 ,how they sing6--when the tones of the organ burst forth1 we might have fancied we heard their divine voices through the stream of sound6 ,the exquisite little bronze choristers round the high altar of ,st4 ,antonio in ,padua are another example2 ,florentine in elegance of form1 ,venetian in sentiment1 intent upon their own sweet song6 99 99 99 99 99 ,there is a third function ascribed to these angelic natures1 which brings them even nearer to our sympathies2 they are the deputed guardians of the just and innocent4 ,st4 ,raphael1 whose story ,i shall presently relate1 is the prince of the guardian angels4 ,the ,jews held that the angels deputed to ,lot were his guardian angels4#cc ,the fathers of the ,christian ,church taught that every human being1 from the hour of his birth to that of his death1 is accompanied by an angel appointed to watch over him4 ,the ,mahometans give to each of us a good and an evil angel2 but the early ,christians supposed us to be attended each by a good angel only1 who undertakes that office1 not merely from duty to ,god1 and out of obedience and great humility1 but as inspired by exceeding charity and love towards his human charge4 ,it would require the tongues of angels themselves to recite all that we owe to these benign and vigilant guardians4 ,they watch by the cradle of the new-born babe1 and spread their celestial wings round the tottering steps of infancy4 ,if the path of life be difficult and thorny1 and evil spirits work its shame and woe1 they sustain us2 they bear the voice of our complaining1 of our supplication1 of our repentance1 up to the foot of ,god's throne1 and bring us back in return a pitying benediction1 to strengthen and to cheer4 ,when passion and temptation strive for the mastery1 they encourage us to resist2 when we conquer1 they crown us2 when we falter and fail1 they compassionate and grieve over us2 when we are obstinate in polluting our own souls1 and perverted not only in act but in will1 they leave us--and woe to them that are so left6 ,but the good angel does not quit his charge until his protection is despised1 rejected1 and utterly repudiated4 ,wonderful the fervour of their love--wonderful their meekness and patience-- who endure from day to day the spectacle of the unveiled human heart with all its miserable weaknesses and vanities1 its inordinate desires and selfish purposes6 ,constant to us in death1 they contend against the powers of darkness for the emancipated spirit3 they even visit the suffering sinner in purgatory2 they keep alive in the tormented spirit faith and hope1 and remind him that the term of expiation will end at last4 ,so ,dante#cd represents the souls in purgatory as comforted in their misery2 and 7which has always seemed to me a touch of sublime truth and tenderness7 as rejoicing over those who were on earth conspicuous for the very virtues wherein themselves were deficient4 ,when at length the repentant soul is sufficiently purified1 the guardian angel bears it to the bosom of the ,saviour4 ,the earlier painters and sculptors did not1 apparently1 make the same use of guardian angels that we so often meet with in works of ,modern ,art4 ,poetical allegories of angels guiding the steps of childhood1 extending a shield over innocence1 watching by a sick bed1 do not1 ,i think1 occur before the seventeenth century2 at least ,i have not met with such4 ,the ancient masters1 who really believed in the personal agency of our angelic guardians1 beheld them with awe and reverence1 and reserved their presence for great and solemn occasions4 ,the angel who presents the pious votary to ,christ or the ,virgin1 who crowns ,st4 ,cecilia and ,st4 ,valerian after their conquest over human weakness2 the angel who cleaves the air with flight precipitant' to break the implements of torture1 or to extend the palm to the dying martyr1 victorious over pain2 the angels who assist and carry in their arms the souls of the just2 are1 in these and all similar examples1 representations of guardian angels4 99 99 99 99 99 ,such1 then1 are the three great functions of the angelic host3 they are ,messengers1 ,choristers1 and ,guardians4 ,but angels1 without reference to their individuality or their ministry--with regard only to their species and their form1 as the most beautiful and the most elevated of created essences1 as intermediate between heaven and earth--are introduced into all works of art which have a sacred purpose or character1 and must be considered not merely as decorative accessories1 but as a kind of presence1 as attendant witnesses2 and1 like the chorus in the ,greek tragedies1 looking on where they are not actors4 ,in architectural decoration1 the cherubim with which ,solomon adorned his temple have been the authority and example4#ce #8,within the oracle he made two cherubims1 each ten cubits high1 and with wings five cubits in length' 7the angels in the old ,christian churches on each side of the altar correspond with these cherubim71 #8and he overlaid the cherubims with gold1 and carved all the walls of the house with carved figures of cherubims1 and he made doors of olive tree1 and he carved on them figures of cherubims4' ,so1 in ,christian art and architecture1 angels1 with their beautiful cinctured heads and outstretched wings and flowing draperies1 fill up every space4 ,the instances are so numerous that they will occur to every one who has given a thought to the subject4 ,i may mention the frieze of angels in ,henry the ,seventh's ,chapel1 merely as an example at hand1 and which can be referred to at any moment2 also the angels round the choir of ,lincoln ,cathedral1 of which there are fine casts in the ,crystal ,palace at ,sydenham2 and in some of the old churches in ,saxony which clearly exhibit the influence of ,byzantine ,art--for instance1 at ,freyberg1 ,merseburg1 ,naumburg--angels with outspread wings fill up the spandrils of the arches along the nave4 ,but1 in the best ages of ,art1 angels were not merely employed as decorative accessories2 they had their appropriate place and a solemn significance as a part of that theological system which the edifice1 as a whole1 represented4 ,as a celestial host1 surrounding the throne of the ,trinity2 or of ,christ1 as redeemer or as a judge2 or of the ,virgin in glory2 or the throned ,madonna and ,child2 their place is immediately next to the ,divine ,personages1 and before the ,evangelists4 ,in what is called a ,liturgy of ,angels1 they figure in procession ,on each side of the choir1 so as to have the appearance of approaching the altar3 they wear the stole and alba as deacons1 and bear the implements of the mass4 ,in the ,cathedral of ,rheims there is a range of colossal angels as a grand procession along the vaults of the nave1 who appear as approaching the altar3 these bear not only the gospel1 the missal1 the sacramental cup1 the ewer1 the taper1 the cross1 c41 but also the attributes of sovereignty1 celestial and terrestrial3 one carries the sun1 another the moon1 a third the kingly sceptre1 a fourth the globe1 a fifth the sword2 and all these1 as they approach the sanctuary1 they seem about to place at the feet of ,christ1 who stands there as priest and king in glory4 ,statues of angels in an attitude of worship on each side of the altar1 as if adoring the sacrifice--or bearing in triumph the instruments of ,christ's passion1 the cross1 the nails1 the spear1 the crown of thorns--or carrying tapers--are more common1 and must be regarded not merely as decoration1 but as a presence in the high solemnity4 ,illustration3 #af ,angel bearing the ,moon 7,greek1 #abth century7 ,in the ,cathedral of ,auxerre may be seen angels attending on the triumphant coming of ,christ2 and1 which is most singular1 they1 as well as ,christ1 are on horseback 7#ag74 ,illustration3 #ag ,two angels on horseback ,when1 in subjects from ,scripture history1 angels figure not merely as attendants and spectators1 but as personages necessary to the action1 they are either ministers of the divine wrath1 or of the divine mercy2 agents of destruction1 or agents of help and good counsel4 ,as all these instances belong to the historical scenes of the ,old or the ,new ,testament1 they will be considered separately1 and ,i shall confine myself here to a few remarks on the introduction and treatment of angels in some subjects of peculiar interest4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 #ah ,adam and ,eve expelled 7,n4 ,pisano7 ,in relating #8the expulsion of ,adam and ,eve from ,paradise1' it is not said that an angel was the immediate agent of the divine wrath1 but it is so represented in works of ,art4 ,in the most ancient treatment ,i have met with1#cf a majestic armed angel drives forth the delinquents1 and a cherub with six wings stands as guard before the gate4 ,i found the same motif in the sculptures on the faade of the ,duomo at ,orvieto1 by ,niccol ,pisano4 ,in another instance1 an ancient ,saxon miniature1 the angel is represented not as driving them forth1 but closing the door against them4 ,but these are exceptions to the usual mode of treatment1 which seldom varies2 the angel is not represented in wrath1 but calm1 and stretches forth a sword which is often 7literally rendering the text7 a waving lambent flame4 ,i remember an instance in which the preternatural sword1 #8turning every way1' as the form of a wheel of flames4 ,an angel is expressly introduced as a minister of wrath in the story of ,balaam1 in which ,i have seen no deviation from the obvious prosaic treatment1 rendering the text literally1 #8and the ass saw the angel of the ,lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand4' #8,the destroying angel1 leaning from heaven1 presents to ,david three arrows1 from which to choose--war1 pestilence1 or famine4' ,i have found this subject beautifully executed in several ,,mss41 for instance1 in the #8,heures d',anne de ,bretagne2' also in pictures and in prints4 #8,the destroying angel sent to chastise the arrogance of ,david1 is beheld standing between heaven and earth with his sword stretched over ,jerusalem to destroy it4' ,of this sublime vision ,i have never seen any but the meanest representations2 none of the great masters have treated it2 perhaps ,rembrandt might have given us the terrible and glorious angel standing like a shadow in the midst of his own intense irradiation4 ,david fallen on his face1 and the sons of ,ornan hiding themselves by their rude threshing-floor1 with that wild mixture of the familiar and the unearthly in which he alone has succeeded4 #8,the ,chastisement of ,heliodorus' has given occasion to the sublimest composition in which human genius ever attempted to embody the conception of the supernatural--,raphael's fresco in the ,vatican4 ,st4 ,michael1 the protecting angel of the ,hebrew nation1 is supposed to have been the minister of divine wrath on this occasion2 but ,raphael1 in omitting the wings1 and all exaggeration or alteration of the human figure1 has shown how unnecessary it was for him to have recourse to the prodigious and impossible in form1 in order to give the supernatural in sentiment4 ,the unearthly warrior and his unearthly steed--the weapon in his hand1 which is not a sword to pierce1 nor a club to strike1 but a sort of mace1 of which1 as it seems1 a touch would annihilate2 the two attendant spirits1 who come gliding above the marble floor1 with their hair streaming back with the rapidity of their arial motion--are in the very spirit of ,dante1 and1 as conceptions of superhuman power1 superior to anything in pictured form which ,art has bequeathed to us4 ,in calling to mind the various representations of the angels of the ,apocalypse let loose for destruction1 one is tempted to exclaim1 #8,o for a warning voice6' ,when the ,muse of ,milton quailed1 and fell ten thousand fathom deep into ,bathos1 what could be expected from human invention8 ,in general1 where this subject is attempted in pictures1 we find the angels animated1 like those of ,milton in the war of heaven1 with #8fierce desire of battle1' breathing vengeance1 wrath1 and fury4 ,so ,albert ,drer1 in those wonderful scenes of his #8,apocalypse1' has exhibited them2 but some of the early ,italians show them merely impassive1 conquering almost without effort1 punishing without anger4 ,the immediate instruments of the wrath of ,god in the day of judgment are not angels1 but devils or demons1 generally represented by the old painters with every possible exaggeration of hideousness1 and as taking a horrible and grotesque delight in their task4 ,the demons are fallen angels1 their deformity a consequence of their fall4 ,thus1 in some very ancient representations of the expulsion of ,lucifer and his rebel host1 the degradation of the form increases with their distance from heaven4#cg ,those who are uppermost are still angels2 they bear the aureole1 the wings1 and the tunic2 they have not yet lost all their original brightness3 those below them begin to assume the bestial form3 the fingers become talons1 the heads become horned2 and at last1 as they touch the confines of the gulf of hell1 the transformation is seen complete1 from the luminous angel into the abominable and monstrous devil1 with serpent tail1 claws1 bristles1 and tusks4 ,this gradual transformation1 as they descend into the gulf of sin1 has a striking allegorical significance which cannot escape the reader4 ,in a ,greek ,,ms4 of the ninth century1#ch bearing singular traces of antique classical art in the conception and attributes of the figures1 ,i found both angels and demons treated in a style quite peculiar and poetical4 ,the angels are here gigantic1 majestic1 ,jove-like figures1 with great wings4 ,the demons are also majestic graceful winged figures1 but painted of a dusky grey colour 7it may originally have been black74 ,in one scene1 where ,julian the ,apostate goes to seek the heathen divinities1 they are thus represented1 that is1 as black angels2 showing that the painter had here assumed the devils or demons to be the discrowned and fallen gods of the antique world4 99 99 99 99 99 ,these are a few of the most striking instances of angels employed as ministers of wrath4 ,angels1 as ministers of divine grace and mercy1 ,of all those arts which ,deity supreme ,doth ease its heart of love in4 occur much more frequently4 ,the ancient heresy that ,god made use of the agency of angels in the creation of the world1 and of mankind1 ,i must notice here1 because it has found its way into ,art2 for example1 in an old miniature which represents an angel having before him a lump of clay1 a kind of bauche of humanity1 which he appears to be moulding with his hands1 while the ,almighty stands by directing the work4#ci ,this idea1 absurd as it may appear1 is not perhaps more absurd than the notion of those who would represent the ,great ,first ,cause as always busied in fashioning or altering the forms in his visible creation1 like a potter or any other mechanic4 ,but as we are occupied at present with the scriptural1 not the legendary subjects1 ,i return to the ,old ,testament4 ,the first time that we read of an angel sent as a messenger of mercy1 it is for the comfort of poor ,hagar2 when he found her weeping by the spring of water in the wilderness1 because her mistress had afflicted her3 and again1 when she was cast forth and her boy fainted for thirst4 ,in the representation of these subjects1 ,i do not know a single instance in which the usual angelic form has not been adhered to4 ,in the sacrifice of ,isaac1 #8the angel of the ,lord calls to ,abraham out of heaven4' ,this subject1 as the received type of the sacrifice of the ,son of ,god1 was one of the earliest in ,christian ,art4 ,we find it on the sarcophagi of the third and fourth centuries2 but in one of the latest only have ,i seen a personage introduced as staying the hand of ,abraham1 and this personage is without wings4 ,in painting1 the angel is sometimes in the act of taking the sword out of ,abraham's hand1 which expresses the nature of his message3 or he lays one hand on his arm1 and with the other points to the ram which was to replace the sacrifice1 or brings the ram in his arms to the altar2 but1 whatever the action1 the form of the angelic messenger has never varied from the sixth century4 ,illustration3 #ai ,the ,angels who visit ,abraham 7,raphael7 ,in the visit of the angels to ,abraham1 there has been a variety caused by the wording of the text4 ,it is not said that three angels visited ,abraham1 yet in most of the ancient representations the three celestial guests are1 winged angels4 ,i need hardly observe that these three angels are assumed to be a figure of the ,trinity1 and in some old illuminations the interpretation is not left doubtful1 the angels being characterised as the three persons of the ,trinity1 wearing each the cruciform nimbus3 two of them1 young and beardless1 stand behind2 the third1 representing the ,father1 has a beard1 and1 before ,him1 ,abraham is prostrated4 ,beautiful for grace and simplicity is the winged group by ,ghiberti1 in which the three seem to step and move together as one4 ,more modern artists have given us the celestial visitants merely as men4 ,pre-eminent in this style of conception are the pictures of ,raphael and ,murillo4 ,raphael here1 as elsewhere1 a true poet1 has succeeded in conveying1 with exquisite felicity1 the sentiment of power1 of a heavenly presence1 and of a mysterious significance4 ,the three youths1 who stand linked together hand in hand before the ,patriarch1 with such an air of benign and superior grace1 want no wings to show us that they belong to the courts of heaven1 and have but just descended to earth-- ,so lively shines ,in them divine resemblance1 and such grace ,the hand that form'd them on their shape hath pour'd4 ,murillo1 on the contrary1 gives us merely three young men1 travellers1 and has set aside wholly both the angelic and the mystic character of the visitants4#dj ,the angels who descend and ascend the ladder in ,jacob's dream are in almost every instance represented in the usual form2 sometimes a few#da--sometimes in multitudes#db--sometimes as one only1 who turns to bless the sleeper before he ascends2#dc and the ladder is sometimes a flight1 or a series of flights1 of steps ascending from earth to the empyrean4 ,but here it is ,rembrandt who has shown himself the poet2 the ladder is a slanting stream of light2 the angels are mysterious bird-like luminous forms1 which emerge one after another from a dazzling fount of glory1 and go floating up and down1--so like a dream made visible6--,in ,middle-,age ,art this vision of ,jacob occurs very rarely4 ,i shall have to return to it when treating of the subjects from the ,old ,testament4 ,in the ,new ,testament angels are much more frequently alluded to than in the ,old2 more as a reality1 less as a vision2 in fact1 there is no important event throughout the ,gospels and ,acts in which angels do not appear1 either as immediate agents1 or as visible and present2 and in scenes where they are not distinctly said to be visibly present1 they are assumed to be so invisibly1 ,st4 ,paul having said expressly that #8their ministry is continual4' ,it is therefore with undeniable propriety that1 in works of ,art representing the incidents of the ,gospels1 angels should figure as a perpetual presence1 made visible under such forms as custom and tradition have consecrated4 ,i pass over1 for the present1 the grandest1 the most important mission of an angel1 the announcement brought by ,gabriel to the blessed ,virgin4 ,i shall have to treat it fully hereafter4#dd ,the angel who appears to ,joseph in a dream1 and the angel who commands him to flee into ,egypt1 was in both cases probably the same angel who hailed ,mary as blessed above all women2 but we are not told so2 and according to some commentators it was the guardian angel of ,joseph who appeared to him4 ,in these and other scenes of the ,new ,testament1 in which angels are described as direct agents1 or merely as a chorus of ministering attendants1 they have the usual form1 enhanced by as much beauty1 and benignity1 and arial grace as the fancy of the artist could bestow on them4 ,in the ,nativity they are seen hovering on high1 pouring forth their song of triumph2 they hold a scroll in their hands on which their song is written3 in general there are three angels2 the first sings1 ,gloria in excelsis ,deo6 the second1 ,et in terra pax6 the third1 ,hominibus bon voluntatis6 but in some pictures the three angels are replaced by a numerous choir1 who raise the song of triumph in the skies1 while others are seen kneeling round and adoring the ,divine ,infant4 ,the happiest1 the most beautiful1 instance ,i can remember of this particular treatment is the little chapel in the ,riccardi ,palace at ,florence4 ,this chapel is in the form of a ,greek cross1 and the frescoes are thus disposed3-- ,illustration3 #bj ,altar #d #e #c #a #c #a #c #a #b #b ,door ,the walls #a1 #b1 and #c1 are painted with the journey of the ,wise ,men1 who1 with a long train of attendants mounted on horseback and gorgeously apparelled1 are seen travelling over hill and dale led by the guiding star4 ,over the altar was the ,nativity 7now removed72 on each side 7#d1 #e7 is seen a choir of angels1 perhaps fifty in number1 rejoicing over the birth of the ,redeemer3 some kneel in adoration1 with arms folded over the bosom1 others offer flowers2 some come dancing forward with flowers in their hands or in the lap of their robe2 others sing and make celestial music3 they have glories round their heads1 all inscribed alike1 #8,gloria in excelsis ,deo6' ,the nave grace1 the beautiful devout expression1 the airy movements of these lovely beings1 melt the soul to harmony and joy4 ,the chapel having been long shut up1 and its existence scarcely remembered1 these paintings are in excellent preservation2 and ,i saw nothing in ,italy that more impressed me with admiration of the genuine feeling and piety of the old masters4 ,the choral angels of ,angelico da ,fiesole already described are not more pure in sentiment1 and are far less animated1 than these4#de ,but how different from both is the ministry of the angels in some of the pictures of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries1 both ,german and ,italian6 ,the ,virgin ,mary is washing her ,divine ,infant2 angels dry the clothes1 or pour out water3 ,joseph is planing a board1 and angels assist the ,infant ,saviour in sweeping up the chips4 ,in a beautiful little ,madonna and ,child1 in ,prince ,wallerstein's collection1 an angel is playing with the ,divine ,infant1 is literally his play-fellow2 a very graceful idea1 of which ,i have seen but this one instance4 ,in the ,flight into ,egypt1 an angel often leads the ass4 ,in the ,riposo1 a subject rare before the fifteenth century1 angels offer fruit and flowers1 or bend down the branches of the date tree1 that ,joseph may gather the fruit2 or weave the choral dance1 hand in hand1 for the delight of the ,infant ,christ1 while others make celestial music--as in ,vandyck's beautiful picture in ,lord ,ashburton's collection4 ,after the ,temptation1 they minister to the ,saviour in the wilderness1 and spread for him a table of refreshment-- 444 celestial food divine1 ,ambrosial fruit1 fetch'd from the tree of life1 ,and from the fount of life ambrosial drink4 ,it is not said that angels were visibly present at the baptism of ,christ2 but it appears to me that they ought not therefore to be supposed absent1 and that there is a propriety in making them attendants on this solemn occasion4 ,they are not introduced in the very earliest examples1 those in the catacombs and sarcophagi2 nor yet in the mosaics of ,ravenna2 because angels were then rarely figured1 and instead of the winged angel we have the sedge-crowned river god1 representing the ,jordan4 ,in the ,greek formula1 they are required to be present #8in an attitude of respect3' no mention is made of their holding the garments of our ,saviour2 but it is certain that in ,byzantine ,art1 and generally from the twelfth century1 this has been the usual mode of representing them4 ,according to the ,fathers1 our ,saviour had no guardian angel2 because he did not require one3 notwithstanding the sense usually given to the text1 #8,he shall give his angels charge concerning thee1 lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone1' the angels1 they affirm1 were not the guardians1 but the servants1 of ,christ2 and hence1 ,i presume1 the custom of representing them1 not merely as present1 but as ministering to him during his baptism4 ,the gates of ,san ,paolo 7tenth century7 afford the most ancient example ,i have met with of an angel holding the raiment of the ,saviour3 there is only one angel4 ,giotto introduces two graceful angels kneeling on the bank of the river1 and looking on with attention4 ,the angel in ,raphael's composition bows his head1 as if awe-struck by the divine recognition of the majesty of the ,redeemer2 and the reverent manner in which he holds the vestment is very beautiful4 ,other examples will here suggest themselves to the reader1 and ,i shall resume the subject when treating of the life of our ,saviour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in one account of our ,saviour's agony in the garden of ,gethsemane1 it is expressly said that an angel #8appeared unto him out of heaven1 strengthening him2' therefore1 where this awful and pathetic subject has been attempted in ,art1 there is propriety in introducing a visible angel4 ,notwithstanding the latitude thus allowed to the imagination1 or perhaps for that very reason1 the greatest and the most intelligent painters have here fallen into strange errors1 both in conception and in taste4 ,for instance1 is it not a manifest impropriety to take the ,scripture phrase in a literal sense1 and place a cup in the hand of the angel8 ,is not the word cup here1 as elsewhere1 used as a metaphor1 signifying the destiny awarded by ,divine will1 as ,christ had said before1 #8,ye shall drink of my cup1' and as we say1 #8his cup overfloweth with blessings'8 ,the angel1 therefore1 who does not bend from heaven to announce to him the decree he knew full well1 nor to present the cup of bitterness1 but to strengthen and comfort him1 should not bear the cup2--still less the cross1 the scourge1 the crown of thorns1 as in many pictures4 ,where our ,saviour appears bowed to the earth1 prostrate1 half swooning with the anguish of that dread moment1 and an angel is seen sustaining him1 there is a true feeling of the real meaning of ,scripture2 but even in such examples the effect is often spoiled by an attempt to render the scene at once more mystical and more palpable4 ,thus a painter equally remarkable for the purity of his taste and deep religious feeling1 ,niccol ,poussin1 has represented ,christ1 in his agony1 supported in the arms of an angel1 while a crowd of child-angels1 very much like ,cupids1 appear before him with the instruments of the ,passion2 ten or twelve bear a huge cross2 others hold the scourge1 the crown of thorns1 the nails1 the sponge1 the spear1 and exhibit them before him1 as if these were the images1 these the terrors1 which could overwhelm with fear and anguish even the human nature of such a ,being6#df ,it seems to me also a mistake1 when the angel is introduced1 to make him merely an accessory 7as ,raphael has done in one of his early pictures71 a little figure in the air to help the meaning3 since the occasion was worthy of angelic intervention1 in a visible shape1 bringing divine solace1 divine sympathy1 it should be represented under a form the most mighty and the most benign that ,art could compass2--but has it been so8 ,i can recollect no instance in which the failure has not been complete4 ,if it be said that to render the angelic comforter so superior to the sorrowing and prostrate ,redeemer would be to detract from ,his dignity as the principal personage of the scene1 and thus violate one of the first rules of ,art1 ,i think differently--,i think it could do so only in unskilful hands4 ,represented as it ought to be1 and might be1 it would infinitely enhance the idea of that unimaginable anguish which1 as we are told1 was compounded of the iniquities and sorrows of all humanity laid upon ,him4 ,it was not the pang of the ,mortal1 but the ,immortal1 which required the presence of a ministering spirit sent down from heaven to sustain him4 ,illustration3 #ba ,lamenting ,angel in a ,crucifixion 7,campo ,santo7 ,in the ,crucifixion1 angels are seen lamenting1 wringing their hands1 averting or hiding their faces4 ,in the old ,greek crucifixions1 one angel bears the sun1 another the moon1 on each side of the cross3-- 444 dim sadness did not spare1 ,that time1 celestial visages4 ,michael ,angelo gives us two unwinged colossal-looking angel heads1 which peer out of heaven in the background of his ,crucifixion in a manner truly supernatural1 as if they sympathised in the consummation1 but in awe rather than in grief4 ,angels also receive in golden cups the blood which flows from the wounds of our ,saviour4 ,this is a representation which has the authority of some of the most distinguished and most spiritual among the old painters1 but it is to my taste particularly unpleasing and unpoetical4 ,raphael1 in an early picture1 the only crucifixion he ever painted1 thus introduces the angels2 and this form of the angelic ministry is a mystical version of the sacrifice of the ,redeemer not uncommon in ,italian and ,german pictures of the sixteenth century4 ,as the scriptural and legendary scenes in which angels form the poetical machinery will be discussed hereafter in detail as separate subjects1 ,i shall conclude these general and preliminary remarks with a few words on the characteristic style in which the principal painters have set forth the angelic forms and attributes4 ,it appears that1 previous to the end of the fourth century1 there were religious scruples which forbade the representation of angels1 arising perhaps from the scandal caused in the early ,church by the worship paid to these supernatural beings1 and so strongly opposed by the primitive teachers4 ,we do not find on any of the ,christian relics of the first three centuries1 neither in the catacombs1 nor on the vases or the sarcophagi1 any figure which could be supposed to represent what we call an angel4 ,on one of the latest sarcophagi we find little winged figures1 but evidently the classical winged genii1 used in the classical manner as ornament only4#dg ,in the second council of ,nice1 ,john of ,thessalonica maintained that angels have the human form1 and may be so represented2 and the ,jewish doctors had previously decided that ,god consulted his angels when ,he said1 #8,let us make man after our image1' and that consequently we may suppose the angels to be like men1 or1 in the words of the prophet1 #8like unto the similitude of the sons of men4'#dh 7,dan4 x4 #af47 ,but it is evident that1 in the first attempt at angelic effigy1 it was deemed necessary1 in giving the human shape1 to render it as superhuman1 as imposing1 as possible3 colossal proportions1 mighty overshadowing wings1 kingly attributes1 these we find in the earliest figures of angels which ,i believe exist--the mosaics in the church of ,santa ,agata at ,ravenna 7,a4,d4 #djj74 ,christ is seated on a throne 7as in the early sarcophagi73 he holds the ,gospel in one hand1 and with the left gives the benediction4 ,an angel stands on each side3 they have large wings1 and bear a silver wand1 the long sceptre of the ,grecian kings2 they are robed in classical drapery1 but wear the short pallium 7the #8garb succinct for flight'72 their feet are sandaled1 as prepared for a journey1 and their hair bound by a fillet4 ,except in the wings and short pallium1 they resemble the figures of ,grecian kings and priests in the ancient bas-reliefs4 ,this was the truly majestic idea of an angelic presence 7in contradistinction to the angelic emblem71 which1 well or ill executed1 prevailed during the first ten centuries4 ,in the ,,ms4#di already referred to as containing such magnificent examples of this ,god-like form and bearing1 ,i selected one group less ruined than most of the others2 ,jacob wrestling with the angel4 ,the drawing is wonderful for the period1 that of ,charlemagne2 and see how the mighty ,being grasps the puny mortal1 who was permitted for a while to resist him6--#8,he touched the hollow of ,jacob's thigh1 and it was out of joint'--the action is as significant as possible4 ,in the original1 the drapery of the angel is white2 the fillet binding the hair1 the sandals1 and the wings1 of purple and gold4 ,illustration3 #bb ,angel 7,greek ,,mss41 ninth century7 ,illustration3 #bc ,a4,d4 #ajjj4 ,this lank1 formal angel is from the ,greco-,italian school of the eleventh century4 ,from the eleventh to the thirteenth century the forms of the angels became1 like all things in the then degraded state of ,byzantine ,art1 merely conventional4 ,they are attired either in the imperial or the sacerdotal vestments1 as already described1 and are richly ornamented1 tasteless and stiff1 large without grandeur1 and in general ill drawn3 as in these figures from ,monreale 7#bd74 ,illustration3 #bd ,greek ,angels 7,cathedral of ,monreale4 ,eleventh century7 ,on the revival of ,art1 we find the ,byzantine idea of angels everywhere prevailing4 ,the angels in ,cimabue's famous #8,virgin and ,child enthroned' are grand creatures1 rather stern2 but this arose1 ,i think1 from his inability to express beauty4 ,the colossal angels at ,assisi 7,a4,d4 #abgj71 solemn sceptred kingly forms1 all alike in action and attitude1 appeared to me magnificent 7#cj74 ,in the angels of ,giotto 7,a4,d4 #acaj7 we see the commencement of a softer grace and a purer taste1 further developed by some of his scholars4 ,benozzo ,gozzoli and ,orcagna have left in the ,campo ,santo examples of the most graceful and fanciful treatment4 ,of ,benozzo's angels in the ,riccardi palace ,i have spoken at length4 ,his master ,angelico 7worthy the name67 never reached the same power of expressing the rapturous rejoicing of celestial beings1 but his conception of the angelic nature remains unapproached1 unapproachable 7,a4,d4 #adcj72 it is only his1 for it was the gentle1 passionless1 refined nature of the recluse which stamped itself there4 ,angelico's angels are unearthly1 not so much in form as in sentiment2 and superhuman1 not in power but in purity4 ,in other hands1 any imitation of his soft ethereal grace would become feeble and insipid4 ,with their long robes falling round their feet1 and drooping many-coloured wings1 they seem not to fly or to walk1 but to float along1 #8smooth sliding without step4' ,blessed1 blessed creatures6 love us1 only love us--for we dare not task your soft serene ,beatitude by asking you to help us6 ,there is more sympathy with humanity in ,francia's angels3 they look as if they could weep1 as well as love and sing4 ,illustration3 #be ,angels 7,f4 ,granacci7 ,most beautiful are the groups of adoring angels by ,francesco ,granacci1#ej so serenely tender1 yet with a touch of grave earnestness which gives them a character apart3 they have the air of guardian angels1 who have discharged their trust1 and to whom the ,supreme utterance has voiced forth1 #8,servant of ,god1 well done6' ,the angels of ,botticelli are often stiff1 and those of ,ghirlandajo sometimes fantastic2 but in both ,i have met with angelic countenances and forms which1 for intense and happy expression1 can never be forgotten4 ,one has the feeling1 however1 that they used human models--the portrait face looks through the angel face4 ,this is still more apparent in ,mantegna and ,filippo ,lippi4 ,as we might have expected from the character of ,fra ,filippo1 his angels want refinement3 they have a boyish look1 with their crisp curled hair1 and their bold beauty2 yet some of them are magnificent for that sort of angel-beings supposed to have a volition of their own4 ,andrea del ,sarto's angels have the same fault in a less degree3 they have1 if not a bold1 yet a self-willed boyish expression4 ,perugino's angels convey the idea of an unalterable sweetness3 those of his earlier time have much natural grace1 those of his later time are mannered4 ,in early ,venetian ,art the angels are charming3 they are happy affectionate beings1 with a touch of that voluptuous sentiment1 afterwards the characteristic of the ,venetian school4 ,in the contemporary ,german school1 angels are treated in a very extraordinary and original style 7#bf74 one cannot say that they are earthly1 or commonplace1 still less are they beautiful or divine2 but they have great simplicity1 earnestness1 and energy of action4 ,they appear to me conceived in the ,old ,testament spirit1 with their grand stiff massive draperies1 their jewelled and golden glories1 their wings #8eyed like the peacock1 speckled like the pard1' their intense expression1 and the sort of personal and passionate interest they throw into their ministry4 ,this is the character of ,albert ,drer's angels especially2 those of ,martin ,schoen and ,lucus v4 ,leyden are of a gentler spirit4 ,leonardo da ,vinci's angels do not quite please me1 elegant1 refined1 and lovely as they are3--#8methinks they smile too much4' ,by his scholar ,luini there are some angels in the gallery of the ,brera1 swinging censers and playing on musical instruments1 which1 with the peculiar character of the ,milanese school1 combine all the grace of a purer1 loftier nature4 ,correggio's angels are grand and lovely1 but they are like children enlarged and sublimated1 not like spirits taking the form of children3 where they smile it is truly1 as ,annibal ,caracci expresses it1 #8con una naturalezza e semplicit che innamora e sforza a ridere con loro2' but the smile in many of ,correggio's angel heads has something sublime and spiritual1 as well as simple and natural4 ,illustration3 #bf ,angel4 ,german ,school4 7,albert ,drer7 ,and ,titian's angels impress me in a similar manner--,i mean those in the glorious ,assumption at ,venice--with their childish forms and features1 but with an expression caught from beholding the face of #8our ,father that is in heaven3' it is glorified infancy4 ,i remember standing before this picture1 contemplating those lovely spirits one after another1 until a thrill came over me like that which ,i felt when ,mendelssohn played the organ1 and ,i became music while ,i listened4 ,the face of one of those angels is to the face of a child just what that of the ,virgin in the same picture is compared with the fairest of the daughters of earth3 it is not here superiority of beauty1 but mind and music and love1 kneaded1 as it were1 into form and colour4 ,i have thought it singular and somewhat unaccountable1 that among the earliest examples of undraped boy-angels are those of ,fra ,bartolomeo--he who on one occasion1 at the command of ,savonarola1 made a bonfire of all the undressed figures he could lay his hands on4 ,but ,raphael1 excelling in all things1 is here excellent above all3 his angels combine1 in a higher degree than any other1 the various faculties and attributes in which the fancy loves to clothe these pure1 immortal1 beatified creatures4 ,the angels of ,giotto1 of ,benozzo1 of ,fiesole1 are1 if not female1 feminine2 those of ,lippi1 and of ,a4 ,mantegna1 masculine2 but you cannot say of those of ,raphael that they are masculine or feminine4 ,the idea of sex is wholly lost in the blending of power1 intelligence1 and grace4 ,in his earlier pictures grace is the predominant characteristic1 as in the dancing and singing angels in his ,coronation of the ,virgin4#ea ,in his later pictures the sentiment in his ministering angels is more spiritual1 more dignified4 ,as a perfect example of grand and poetical feeling1 ,i may cite the angels as #8,regents of the ,planets1' in the ,capella ,chigiana4#eb ,the cupola represents in a circle the creation of the solar system1 according to the theological and astronomical 7or rather astrological7 notions which then prevailed--a hundred years before #8the starry ,galileo and his woes4' ,in the centre is the ,creator2 around1 in eight compartments1 we have1 first1 the angel of the celestial sphere1 who seems to be listening to the divine mandate1 #8,let there be lights in the firmament of heaven2' then follow1 in their order1 the ,sun1 the ,moon1 ,mercury1 ,venus1 ,mars1 ,jupiter1 and ,saturn4 ,the name of each planet is expressed by its mythological representative2 the ,sun by ,apollo1 the ,moon by ,diana3 and over each presides a grand colossal winged spirit seated or reclining on a portion of the zodiac as on a throne4 ,i have selected two angels to give an idea of this peculiar and poetical treatment4 ,the union of the theological and the mythological attributes is in the classical taste of the time1 and quite ,miltonic4#ec ,in ,raphael's child-angels1 the expression of power and intelligence1 as well as innocence1 is quite wonderful2 for instance1 look at the two angel-boys in the ,dresden ,madonna di ,san ,sisto1 and the angels1 or celestial genii1 who bear along the ,almighty when ,he appears to ,noah4#ed ,no one has expressed like ,raphael the action of flight1 except perhaps ,rembrandt4 ,the angel who descends to crown ,santa ,felicit cleaves the air with the action of a swallow2#ee and the angel in ,rembrandt's ,tobit soars like a lark with upward motion1 spurning the earth4 ,illustration3 ,angels of the ,planets from the ,capella ,chigi4 ,michael ,angelo rarely gave wings to his angels2 ,i scarcely recollect an instance1 except the angel in the ,annunciation3 and his exaggerated human forms1 his colossal creatures1 in which the idea of power is conveyed through attitude and muscular action1 are1 to my taste1 worse than unpleasing4 ,my admiration for this wonderful man is so profound that ,i can afford to say this4 ,his angels are superhuman1 but hardly angelic3 and while in ,raphael's angels we do not feel the want of wings1 we feel while looking at those of ,michael ,angelo that not even the #8sail-broad vans' with which ,satan laboured through the surging abyss of chaos could suffice to lift those ,titanic forms from earth1 and sustain them in mid-air4 ,the group of angels over the ,last ,judgment1 flinging their mighty limbs about1 and those that surround the descending figure of ,christ in the ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul1 may be referred to here as characteristic examples4 ,the angels1 blowing their trumpets1 puff and strain like so many troopers4 ,surely this is not angelic3 there may be power1 great imaginative and artistic power1 exhibited in the conception of form1 but in the beings themselves there is more of effort than of power3 serenity1 tranquillity1 beatitude1 ethereal purity1 spiritual grace1 are out of the question4 ,the later followers of his school1 in their angelic as in their human forms1 caricatured their great master1 and became1 to an offensive degree1 forced1 extravagant1 and sensual4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when we come to the revival of a better taste under the influence of the ,caracci1 we find the angels of that school as far removed from the early ,christian types as were their apostles and martyrs4 ,they have often great beauty1 consummate elegance1 but bear the same relation to the religious and ethereal types of the early painters that the angels of ,tasso bear to those of ,dante4 ,turn1 for instance1 to the commencement of the ,gerusalemme ,liberata1 where the angel is deputed to carry to ,godfrey the behest of the ,supreme ,being4 ,the picture of the angel is distinctly and poetically brought before us2 he takes to himself a form between boyhood and youth2 his waving curls are crowned with beams of light2 he puts on a pair of wings of silver tipped with gold1 with which he cleaves the air1 the clouds1 the skies2 he alights on ,mount ,lebanon1 and poises himself on his balanced wings-- ,e si libr su l' adeguate penne4 ,this is exactly the angel which figures in the best pictures of the ,caracci and ,guido3 he is supremely elegant1 and nothing more4 ,i must not here venture on minute criticism1 as regards distinctive character in the crowds of painters which sprung out of the eclectic school4 ,it would carry us too far2 but one or two general remarks will lead the reader's fancy along the path ,i would wish him to pursue4 ,i would say1 therefore1 that the angels of ,ludovico have more of sentiment1 those of ,annibal more of power1 those of ,guido more of grace3 and of ,guido it may be said that he excels them all in the expression of adoration and humility2 see1 for instance1 the adoring seraphs in ,lord ,ellesmere's #8,immaculate ,conception4' ,the angels of ,domenichino1 ,guercino1 and ,albano1 are to me less pleasing4 ,domenichino's angels are merely human4 ,i never saw an angel in one of ,guercino's pictures that had not1 with the merely human character1 a touch of vulgarity4 ,as for ,albano1 how are we to discriminate between his angels and his nymphs1 ,apollos1 and ,cupids8 ,but for the occasion and the appellation1 it would be quite impossible to distinguish the ,loves that sport round ,venus and ,adonis1 from the ,cherubim1 so called1 that hover above a ,nativity or a ,riposo2 and the little angels1 in his ,crucifixion1 cry so like naughty little boys1 that one longs to put them in a corner4 ,this merely heathen grace and merely human sentiment is the general tendency of the whole school2 and no beauty of form or colour can1 to the feeling and religious mind1 redeem such gross violations of propriety4 ,as for ,poussin1 of whom ,i think with due reverence1 his angels are often exquisitely beautiful and refined3 they have a chastity and a moral grace which pleases at first view2 but here again the scriptural type is neglected and heathenised in obedience to the fashion of the time4 ,if we compare the ,cupids in his ,rinaldo and ,armida1 with the angels which minister to the ,virgin and ,child2 or the ,cherubim weeping in a ,deposition1 with the ,amorini who are lamenting over ,adonis2 in what respect do they differ8 ,they are evidently painted from the same models1 the beautiful children of ,titian and ,fiamingo4 ,illustration3 #bg ,angels in a ,nativity 7,seventeenth century7 ,illustration3 #bh ,angel3 in a picture of ,christ healing the ,sick 7,n4 ,poussin7 ,rubens gives us strong well-built youths1 with redundant yellow hair2 and chubby naked babies1 as like flesh and blood1 and as natural1 as the life3 and those of ,vandyck are more elegant1 without being more angelic4 ,murillo's child-angels are divine1 through absolute beauty2 the expression of innocence and beatitude was never more perfectly given2 but in grandeur and power they are inferior to ,correggio1 and in all that should characterise a divine nature1 immeasurably below ,raphael4 ,strange to say1 the most poetical painter of angels in the seventeenth century is that inspired ,dutchman1 ,rembrandt2 not that his angels are scriptural2 still less classical2 and beautiful they are not1 certainly--often the reverse2 but if they have not the ,miltonic dignity and grace1 they are at least as unearthly and as poetical as any of the angelic phantasms in ,dante1--unhuman1 unembodied creatures1 compounded of light and darkness1 #8the somewhat between a thought and a thing1' haunting the memory like apparitions4 ,for instance1 look at his ,jacob's ,dream1 at ,dulwich2 or his etching of the ,angels appearing to the ,shepherds1--breaking through the night1 scattering the gloom1 making our eyes ache with excess of glory1--the ,gloria in excelsis ringing through the fancy while we gaze6 99 99 99 99 99 ,i have before observed that angels are supposed to be masculine1 with the feminine attributes of beauty and purity2 but in the seventeenth century the ,florentine painter1 ,giovanni di ,s4 ,giovanni1 scandalised his contemporaries by introducing into a glory round the ,virgin1 female angels 7angelesse74 ,rubens has more than once committed the same fault against ecclesiastical canons and decorum2 for instance1 in his ,madonna #8aux ,anges' in the ,louvre4 ,such aberrations of fancy are mere caprices of the painter1 improprieties inadmissible in high art4 ,of the sprawling1 fluttering1 half-naked angels of the ,pietro da ,cortona and ,bernini school1 and the feeble mannerists of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries1 what shall be said8 that they are worthy to illustrate ,moore's ,loves of the ,angels8 #8non ragioniam di lor2' no1 nor even look at them6 ,i have seen angels of the later ,italian and ,spanish painters more like opera dancers1 with artificial wings and gauze draperies1 dressed to figure in a ballet1 than anything else ,i could compare them to4 ,the most original1 and1 in truth1 the only new and original version of the ,scripture idea of angels which ,i have met with1 is that of ,william ,blake1 a poet painter1 somewhat mad as we are told1 if indeed his madness were not rather #8the telescope of truth1' a sort of poetical clairvoyance1 bringing the unearthly nearer to him than to others4 ,his adoring angels float rather than fly1 and1 with their half-liquid draperies1 seem about to dissolve into light and love3 and his rejoicing angels--behold them--sending up their voices with the morning stars1 that #8singing1 in their glory move6' ,illustration3 #bi #8,all the sons of ,god shouted for joy6' ,as regards the treatment of angels in the more recent productions of art1 the painters and sculptors have generally adhered to received and known types in form and in sentiment4 ,the angels of the old ,italians1 ,giotto and ,frate ,angelico1 have been very well imitated by ,steinle and others of the ,german school3 the ,raffaelesque feeling has been in general aimed at by the ,french and ,english painters4 ,tenerani had the old mosaics in his mind when he conceived that magnificent colossal ,angel of the ,resurrection seated on a tomb1 and waiting for the signal to sound his trumpet1 which ,i saw in his atelier1 prepared ,i believe for the monument of the ,duchess ,lanti4#ef 99 99 99 99 99 ,i pause here1 for ,i have dwelt upon these celestial ,hierarchies1 winged ,splendours1 ,princedoms1 ,virtues1 ,powers1 till my fancy is becoming somewhat mazed and dazzled by the contemplation4 ,i must leave the reader to go into a picture-gallery1 or look over a portfolio of engravings1 and so pursue the theme1 whithersoever it may lead him1 and it may lead him1 in ,hamlet's words1 #8to thoughts beyond the reaches of his soul6'#eg ,illustration3 #cj ,archangels 7,cimabue4 ,in ,san ,francesco d',assisi7 ,,ii4 ,the ,archangels4 ,the ,seven ,who in ,god's presence1 nearest to his throne1 ,stand ready at command4--,,milton4 ,having treated of the celestial ,hierarchy in general1 we have now to consider those angels who in artistic representations have assumed an individual form and character4 ,these belong to the order of ,archangels1 placed by ,dionysius in the third ,hierarchy3 they take rank between the ,princedoms and the ,angels1 and partake of the nature of both1 being1 like the ,princedoms1 ,powers2 and1 like the ,angels1 ,ministers and ,messengers4 ,frequent allusion is made in ,scripture to the seven ,angels who stand in the presence of ,god4 7,rev4 viii4 #b1 xv4 #a1 xvi4 #a1 c42 ,tobit xxii4 #ae47 ,this was in accordance with the popular creed of the ,jews1 who not only acknowledged the supremacy of the ,seven ,spirits1 but assigned to them distinct vocations and distinct appellations1 each terminating with the syllable ,el1 which signifies ,god4 ,thus we have-- ,i4 ,,michael 7i4e4 who is like unto ,god71 captain-general of the host of heaven1 and protector of the ,hebrew nation4 ,,ii4 ,,gabriel 7i4e4 ,god is my strength71 guardian of the celestial treasury1 and preceptor of the patriarch ,joseph4 ,,iii4 ,,raphael 7i4e4 the ,medicine of ,god71 the conductor of ,tobit2 thence the chief guardian angel4 ,,iv4 ,,uriel 7i4e4 the ,light of ,god71 who taught ,esdras4 ,he was also regent of the sun4 ,v4 ,,chamuel 7i4e4 one who sees ,god871 who wrestled with ,jacob1 and who appeared to ,christ at ,gethsemane4 7,but1 according to other authorities1 this was the angel ,gabriel47 ,,vi4 ,,jophiel 7i4e4 the ,beauty of ,god71 who was the preceptor of the sons of ,noah1 and is the protector of all those who1 with an humble heart1 seek after truth1 and the enemy of those who pursue vain knowledge4 ,thus ,jophiel was naturally considered as the guardian of the tree of knowledge and the same who drove ,adam and ,eve from ,paradise4 ,,vii4 ,,zadkiel 7i4e4 the ,righteousness of ,god71 who stayed the hand of ,abraham when about to sacrifice his son4 7,but1 according to other authorities1 this was the archangel ,michael47 ,the ,christian ,church does not acknowledge these ,seven ,angels by name2 neither in the ,east1 where the worship of angels took deep root1 nor yet in the ,west1 where it has been tacitly accepted4 ,nor have ,i met with them as a series1 by name1 in any ecclesiastical work of art1 though ,i have seen a set of old anonymous prints in which they appear with distinct names and attributes3 ,michael bears the sword and scales2 ,gabriel1 the lily2 ,raphael1 the pilgrim's staff and gourd full of water1 as a traveller4 ,uriel has a roll and a book3 he is the interpreter of judgments and prophecies1 and for this purpose was sent to ,esdras3--#8,the angel that was sent unto me1 whose name was ,uriel1 gave me an answer4' 7,esdras1 ii4 #d47 ,and in ,milton-- ,uriel1 for thou of those ,seven ,spirits that stand ,in sight of ,god's high throne1 gloriously bright1 ,the first art wont his great authentic will ,interpreter through highest heaven to bring4 ,illustration3 #ca ,the ,archangels ,michael and ,raphael 7,campo ,santo7 ,according to an early ,christian tradition1 it was this angel1 and not ,christ in person1 who accompanied the two disciples to ,emmaus4 ,chamuel is represented with a cup and a staff2 ,jophiel with a flaming sword4 ,zadkiel bears the sacrificial knife which he took from the hand of ,abraham4 ,but the ,seven ,angels1 without being distinguished by name1 are occasionally introduced into works of art4 ,for example1 over the arch of the choir in ,san ,michele1 at ,ravenna 7,a4,d4 #ede71 on each side of the throned ,saviour are the ,seven ,angels blowing trumpets like cow's horns3--#8,and ,i saw the ,seven ,angels which stand before ,god1 and to them were given seven trumpets4' 7,rev4 viii4 #b1 #f47 ,in representations of the ,crucifixion and in the ,piet1 the ,seven ,angels are often seen in attendance1 bearing the instruments of the ,passion4 ,michael bears the cross1 for he is #8the ,bannerer of heaven2' but ,i do not feel certain of the particular avocations of the others4 ,in the ,last ,judgment of ,orcagna1 in the ,campo ,santo at ,pisa 7#ca71 the ,seven ,angels are active and important personages4 ,the angel who stands in the centre of the picture1 below the throne of ,christ1 extends a scroll in each hand2 on that in the right hand is inscribed #8,come1 ye blessed of my ,father1' and on that in the left hand1 #8,depart from me1 ye accursed3' him ,i suppose to be ,michael1 the angel of judgment4 ,at his feet crouches an angel who seems to shrink from the tremendous spectacle1 and hides his face3 him ,i suppose to be ,raphael1 the guardian angel of humanity4 ,the attitude has always been admired--cowering with horror1 yet sublime4 ,beneath are other five angels1 who are engaged in separating the just from the wicked1 encouraging and sustaining the former1 and driving the latter towards the demons who are ready to snatch them into flames4 ,these ,seven ,angels have the garb of princes and warriors1 with breastplates of gold1 jewelled sword-belts and tiaras1 rich mantles2 while the other angels who figure in the same scene are plumed1 and bird-like1 and hover above bearing the instruments of the ,passion 7#cb74 ,again we may see the ,seven ,angels in quite another character1 attending on ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 in a picture by ,taddeo ,gaddi4#eh ,here1 instead of the instruments of the ,passion1 they bear the allegorical attributes of those virtues for which that famous saint and doctor is to be reverenced3 one bears an olive-branch1 i4e4 ,peace2 the second1 a book1 i4e4 ,knowledge2 the third1 a crown and sceptre1 i4e4 ,power2 the fourth1 a church1 i4e4 ,religion2 the fifth1 a cross and shield1 i4e4 ,faith2 the sixth1 flames of fire in each hand1 i4e4 ,piety and ,charity2 the seventh1 a lily1 i4e4 ,purity4 ,illustration3 #cb ,in general it may be presumed when seven angels figure together1 or are distinguished from among a host of angels by dress1 stature1 or other attributes1 that these represent the #8,seven ,holy ,angels who stand in the presence of ,god4' ,four only of these ,seven ,angels are individualised by name1 ,michael1 ,gabriel1 ,raphael1 and ,uriel4 ,according to the ,jewish tradition1 these four sustain the throne of the ,almighty3 they have the ,greek epithet arch1 or chief1 assigned to them1 from the two texts of ,scripture in which that title is used 7#a ,thess4 iv4 #af2 ,jude ix472 but only the three first1 who in ,scripture have a distinct personality1 are reverenced in the ,catholic ,church as saints2 and their gracious beauty1 and their divine prowess1 and their high behests to mortal man1 have furnished some of the most important and most poetical subjects which appear in ,christian ,art4 ,the earliest instance ,i have met of the ,archangels introduced by name into a work of art is in the old church of ,san ,michele at ,ravenna 7,a4,d4 #ede74 ,the mosaic in the apse exhibits ,christ in the centre1 bearing in one hand the cross as a trophy or sceptre1 and in the other an open book on which are the words #8,qui videt me videt et ,patrem meum4' ,on each side stand ,michael and ,gabriel1 with vast wings and long sceptres2 their names are inscribed above1 but without the ,sanctus and without the ,glory4 ,it appears1 therefore1 that at this time1 the middle of the sixth century1 the title of ,saint1 though in use1 had not been given to the ,archangels4 ,when1 in the ancient churches1 the figure of ,christ or of the ,lamb appears in a circle of glory in the centre of the roof2 and around1 or at the four corners1 four angels who sustain the circle with outspread arms1 or stand as watchers1 with sceptres or lances in their hands1 these ,i presume to be the four ,archangels who sustain the throne of ,god4 ,examples may be seen in ,san ,vitale at ,ravenna2 in the chapel of ,san ,zeno1 in ,santa ,prassede at ,rome2 and on the roof of the choir of ,san ,francesco d',assisi4 ,so the four ,archangels1 stately colossal figures1 winged and armed and sceptred1 stand over the arch of the choir in the ,cathedral of ,monreale1 at ,palermo4#ei ,so the four angels stand at the four corners of the earth and hold the winds1 heads with puffed cheeks and dishevelled hair4#fj 7,rev4 vii4 #a47 ,but ,i have never seen ,uriel represented by name1 or alone1 in any sacred edifice4 ,in the picture of ,uriel painted by ,allston1#fa he is the #8,regent of the ,sun1' as described by ,milton2 not a sacred or scriptural personage4 ,on a shrine of carved ivory#fb ,i have seen the four ,archangels as keeping guard1 two at each end2 the three first are named1 as usual1 ,st4 ,michael1 ,st4 ,gabriel1 ,st4 ,raphael2 the fourth is styled ,st4 ,chrubin2 and ,i have seen the same name inscribed over the head of the angel who expels ,adam and ,eve from ,paradise4 ,there is no authority for such an appellation applied individually2 but ,i find1 in a famous legend of the middle ages1 #8,la ,pnitence d',adam2' that the angel who guards the gates of ,paradise is thus designated3--#8,lorsque l',ange ,chrubin vit arriver ,seth aux portes de ,paradis1' c4 ,the four ,archangels1 however1 seldom occur together1 except in architectural decoration4 ,on the other hand1 devotional pictures of the three ,archangels named in the canonical ,scriptures are of frequent occurrence4 ,they are often grouped together as patron saints or protecting spirits2 or they stand round the throne of ,christ1 or below the glorified ,illustration3 #cc ,the ,three ,archangels 7from an ancient ,greek picture7 ,virgin and ,child1 in an attitude of adoration4 ,according to the ,greek formula1 the three in combination represent the triple power1 military1 civil1 and religious1 of the celestial hierarchy3 ,st4 ,michael being habited as a warrior1 ,gabriel as a prince1 and ,raphael as a priest4 ,in a ,greek picture1 of which ,i give an outline1 the three ,archangels sustain in a kind of throne the figure of the youthful ,christ1 here winged1 as being ,himself the supreme ,angel 771 and with both hands blessing the universe4 ,the ,archangel ,raphael has here the place of dignity as representing the ,priesthood2 but in ,western ,art ,michael takes precedence of the two others1 and is usually placed in the centre as ,prince or ,chief3 with him1 then1 as considered individually1 we begin4 ,,st4 ,,michael4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,michael ,angelus4 ,ital4 ,san ,michele1 ,sammichele4 ,fr4 ,monseigneur ,saint ,michel4 7,sept4 #bi47 #8,michael1 the ,great ,prince that standeth for the children of thy people4'--,dan4 xii4 #a4 ,it is difficult to clothe in adequate language the divine attributes with which painting and poetry have invested this illustrious archangel4 ,jews and ,christians are agreed in giving him the pre-eminence over all created spirits4 ,all the might1 the majesty1 the radiance1 of ,thrones1 ,dominations1 ,princedoms1 ,virtues1 ,powers1 are centred in him4 ,in him ,god put forth his strength when ,he exalted him chief over the celestial host1 when angels warred with angels in heaven2 and in him ,god showed forth his glory when ,he made him conqueror over the power of sin1 and #8over the great dragon that deceived the world4' ,to the origin of the worship paid to this great archangel ,i dare not do more than allude1 lest ,i stray wide from my subject1 and lose myself1 and my readers too1 in labyrinths of ,orientalism4 ,but1 in considering the artistic representations1 it is interesting to call to mind that the glorification of ,st4 ,michael may be traced back to that primitive ,eastern dogma1 the perpetual antagonism between the ,spirit of ,good and the ,spirit of ,evil1 mixed up with the ,chaldaic belief in angels and their influence over the destinies of man4 ,it was subsequent to the ,captivity that the active ,spirit of ,good1 under the name of ,michael1 came to be regarded as the especial protector of the ,hebrew nation3 the veneration paid to him by the ,jews was adopted1 or rather retained1 by the ,oriental ,christians1 and1 though suppressed for a time1 was revived and spread over the ,west1 where we find it popular and almost universal from the eighth century4 ,the legends which have grown out of a few mystical texts of ,scripture1 amplified by the fanciful disquisitions of the theological writers1 place ,st4 ,michael before us in three great characters3--#a4 ,as captain of the heavenly host1 and conqueror of the powers of hell4 #b4 ,as lord of souls1 conductor and guardian of the spirits of the dead4 #c4 ,as patron saint and prince of the ,church ,militant4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when ,lucifer1 possessed by the spirit of pride and ingratitude1 refused to fall down and worship the ,son of man1 ,michael was deputed to punish his insolence1 and to cast him out from heaven4 ,then ,michael chained the revolted angels in middle air1 where they are to remain till the day of judgment1 being in the mean time perpetually tortured by hate1 envy1 and despair3 for they behold man1 whom they had disdained1 exalted as their superior2 above them they see the heaven they have forfeited2 and beneath them the redeemed souls continually rising from earth1 and ascending to the presence of ,god1 whence they are shut out for ever4 #8,now1' says the old ,legend1#fc #8if it be asked wherefore the books of ,moses1 in revealing the disobedience and the fall of man1 are silent as to the revolt and the fall of the angels1 the reason is plain2 and in this ,god acted according to his wisdom4 ,for1 let us suppose that a certain powerful lord hath two vassals1 both guilty of the crime of treason1 and one of these is a nobleman of pure and lofty lineage1 and the other a base-born churl3--what doth this lord8 ,he hangs up the churl in the market-place as a warning and example to others2--but1 for the nobleman1 fearing the scandal that may arise among the people1 and perhaps also some insult to the officers of the law1 the judge causes him to be tried secretly1 and shuts him up in a dungeon2 and when judgment is pronounced against him1 he sends to his prison1 and puts him privily to death2 and when one asketh after him1 the answer is only 8,he is dead30--and nothing more4 ,thus did ,god in respect to the rebel angels of old2 and their fate was not revealed until the redemption of man was accomplished4' ,this passage from the old ,italian legend is so curiously characteristic of the feudal spirit of ,christianity in the middle ages1 that ,i have ventured to insert it verbatim4 ,if religion did1 in some degree1 modify the institutions of chivalry1 in a much greater degree did the ruling prejudices of a barbarian age modify the popular ideas of religion4 ,here1 notwithstanding the primary doctrine of ,christ--the equality of all men before ,god1 we have the distinction between noble and churl carried into the very councils of ,heaven4 ,but1 to return to ,st4 ,michael3 on whom1 as the leader of his triumphant hosts1 ,god bestowed many and great privileges4 ,to him it was given to bid sound th' archangel trumpet1 and exalt the banner of the ,cross in the day of judgment2 and to him likewise was assigned the reception of the immortal spirits when released by death4 ,it was his task to weigh them in a balance 7,dan4 v4 #bg2 ,ps4 lxii4 #i73 those whose good works exceeded their demerits1 he presented before the throne of ,god2 but those who were found wanting he gave up to be tortured in purgatory1 until their souls1 from being #8as crimson1 should become as white as snow4' ,therefore1 in the hour of death1 he is to be invoked by the faithful1 saying1 #8,o ,michael1 militi clestis signifer1 in adjutorium nostrum veni1 princeps et propugnator6' ,lastly1 when it pleased the ,almighty to select from among the nations of the earth one people to become peculiarly his own1 ,he appointed ,st4 ,michael to be president and leader over that chosen people4#fd #8,at that time shall ,michael stand up1 the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people' 7,dan4 x4 #ac1 xii4 #a73 and when the power of the ,synagogue was supposed to cease1 and to be replaced by the power of the ,church1 so that the ,christians became the people of ,god1 then ,michael1 who had been the great prince of the ,hebrew people1 became the prince and leader of the ,church militant in ,christendom1 and the guardian of redeemed souls1 against his old adversary the ,prince of ,hell4 7,rev4 xii4 #f1 #g47 ,the worship paid to ,st4 ,michael1 and which originated in the far ,east1 is supposed to have been adopted by the ,oriental ,christians in consequence of a famous apparition of the ,archangel at ,coloss1 in ,phrygia1 which caused him to be held in especial honour by the people of that city1 and perhaps occasioned the particular warning of ,st4 ,paul addressed to the ,colossians4 ,but although the worship of angels was considered among the heresies of the early ,church1 we find ,constantine no sooner master of the empire1 and a baptized ,christian1 than he dedicates a church to the ,archangel ,michael 7by his ,greek name ,michalion71 and this church1 one of the most magnificent in ,constantinople1 became renowned for its miracles1 and the parent and model of hundreds more throughout the ,east4 ,in the ,west1 the honours paid to ,st4 ,michael are of later date3 that a church dedicated to him must have existed in ,rome long before the year #ejj seems clear1 because at that time it is mentioned as having fallen into ruin4 ,but the ,west had its angelic apparitions as well as the ,east1 and ,st4 ,michael owes his wide-spread popularity in the middle ages to three famous visions which are thus recorded4 ,in the fifth century1 in the city of ,siponte1 in ,apulia 7now ,manfredonia71 dwelt a man named ,galgano or ,garganus1 very rich in cattle1 sheep1 and beasts2 and as they pastured on the sides of the mountain1 it happened that a bull strayed and came not home3 then the rich man took a multitude of servants and sought the bull1 and found him at the entrance of a cave on the very summit of the mountain1 and1 being wroth with the bull1 the master ordered him to be slain2 but when the arrow was sent from the bow it returned to the bosom of him who sent it1 and he fell dead on the ground3 then the master and his servants were troubled1 and they sent to inquire of the bishop what should be done4 ,the bishop1 having fasted and prayed three days1 beheld in a vision the glorious ,archangel ,michael1 who descended on the mountain1 and told him that the servant had been slain because he had violated a spot peculiarly sacred to him1 and he commanded that a church should be erected and sanctified there to his honour4 ,and when they entered the cavern they found there three altars already erected1 one of them covered with a rich embroidered altar-cloth of crimson and gold1 and a stream of limpid water springing from the rock1 which healed all diseases4 ,so the church was built1 and the fame of the vision of ,monte ,galgano1 though for some time confined to the south of ,italy1 spread throughout ,europe1 and many pilgrimages were made to the spot on which the angelic footsteps had alighted4 ,the second vision is much more imposing4 ,when ,rome was nearly depopulated by a pestilence in the sixth century1 ,st4 ,gregory1 afterwards pope1 advised that a procession should be made through the streets of the city1 singing the service since called the ,great ,litanies4 ,he placed himself at the head of the faithful1 and during three days they perambulated the city2 and on the third day1 when they had arrived opposite to the mole of ,hadrian1 ,gregory beheld the ,archangel ,michael alight on the summit of that monument1 and sheathe his sword bedropped with blood4 ,then ,gregory knew that the plague was stayed1 and a church was there dedicated to the honour of the ,archangel3 and the ,tomb of ,hadrian has since been called the ,castle of ,sant' ,angelo to this day4 ,this1 of all the recorded apparitions of ,st4 ,michael1 is the only one which can be called poetical2 it is evidently borrowed from the vision of the destroying angel in ,scripture4 ,as early as the ninth century1 a church or chapel dedicated to ,st4 ,michael was erected on the summit of the huge monument1 which at that time must have preserved much of its antique magnificence4 ,the church was entitled ,ecclesia ,sancti ,angeli usque ad ,clos4 ,the bronze statue1 which in memory of this miracle now surmounts the ,castle of ,st4 ,angelo1 was placed there in recent times by ,benedict ,,xiv41 and is the work of a ,flemish sculptor1 ,verschaffelt4 ,i suppose no one ever looked at this statue critically--at least1 for myself1 ,i never could3 nor can ,i remember now1 whether1 as a work of art1 it is above or below criticism2 perhaps both4 ,with its vast wings1 poised in air1 as seen against the deep blue skies of ,rome1 or lighted up by the golden sunset1 to me it was ever like what it was intended to represent--like a vision4 ,a third apparition was that accorded to ,aubert1 bishop of ,avranches 7,a4,d4 #gjf74 ,this holy man seems to have been desirous to attract to his own diocese a portion of that sanctity 7and perhaps other advantages7 which ,monte ,galgano derived from the worship of ,st4 ,michael4 ,in the ,gulf of ,avranches1 in ,normandy1 stands a lofty isolated rock inaccessible from the land at high water1 and for ages past celebrated as one of the strongest fortresses and state prisons in ,france4 ,in the reign of ,childebert ,,ii41 ,st4 ,aubert1 bishop of ,avranches1 had a vision1 in which the ,archangel ,michael commanded him to repair to this rock1 then the terror of mariners1 and erect a church to his honour on the highest point1 where a bull would be found concealed1 and it was to cover as much space as the bull had trampled with his hoofs3 he also discovered to the bishop a well-spring of pure water1 which had before been unknown4 ,as the bishop treated this command as a dream1 the ,archangel appeared to him a second and a third time2 and at length1 to impress it on his waking memory1 he touched his head with his thumb1 and made a mark or hole in his skull1 which he carried to the grave4 ,this time the bishop obeyed1 and a small church was built on the spot indicated2 afterwards replaced by the magnificent ,abbey ,church1 which was begun by ,richard duke of ,normandy1 in #iff1 and finished by ,william the ,conqueror4 ,the poverty of invention shown in this legend1 which is little more than a repetition of that of ,monte ,galgano1 is very disappointing to the fancy1 considering the celebrity of ,mont-,saint-,michel as a place of pilgrimage1 and as one of the most picturesque objects in ,european scenery1 with its massive towers1 which have braved the tempests of a thousand years1 rising from the summit of the peak1 and the sea weltering round its base4 ,it failed not1 however1 in the effect anticipated4 ,the worship of ,st4 ,michael became popular in ,france from the ninth century2 the ,archangel was selected as patron saint of ,france1 and of the military order instituted in his honour by ,louis ,,xi4 in #adfi4 ,the worship paid to ,st4 ,michael as patron saint of ,normandy naturally extended itself to ,england after the ,norman conquest1 and churches dedicated to this archangel abound in all the towns and cities along the southern and eastern shores of our island2 we also have a ,mount ,st4 ,michael on the coast of ,cornwall1 in situation and in name resembling that on the coast of ,france4 ,at this day there are few cities in ,christendom which do not contain a church or churches dedicated to ,st4 ,michael1 some of them of great antiquity4 ,i must not omit that ,st4 ,michael is considered as the angel of good counsel3--that #8,le vrai office de ,monseigneur ,saint ,michel est de faire grandes revelations aux hommes en bas1 en leur donnant moult saints conseils1' and in particular1 #8sur le bon nourissement que le pre et la mre donnent leurs enfans4'#fe ,it is to be regretted that #8,monseigneur ,saint ,michel' should be found rather remiss in this part of his angelic functions4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we shall now see how far these various traditions and popular notions concerning ,st4 ,michael have been carried out in ,art4 ,in all representations of ,st4 ,michael1 the leading idea1 well or ill expressed1 is the same4 ,he is young and beautiful1 but #8severe in youthful beauty1' as one who carries on a perpetual contest with the powers of evil4 ,in the earlier works of art he is robed in white1 with ample many-coloured wings1 and bears merely the sceptre or the lance surmounted by a cross1 as one who conquered by spiritual might alone4 ,but in the later representations1 those coloured by the spirit of chivalry1 he is the angelic ,paladin1 armed in a dazzling coat of mail1 with sword1 and spear1 and shield4 ,he has a lofty open brow1 long fair hair floating on his shoulders1 sometimes bound by a jewelled tiara2 sometimes1 but not often1 shaded by a helmet4 ,from his shoulders spring two resplendent wings4 ,thus we see him standing by the throne of the ,madonna1 or worshipping at the feet of the ,divine ,infant2 an exquisite allegory of spiritual and intellectual power protecting purity and adoring innocence4 ,there is a most beautiful little figure by ,angelico1 of ,st4 ,michael standing in his character of archangel and patron of the ,church ,militant1 #8as the winged saint2' no demon1 no attribute except the lance and shield4 ,the attitude1 so tranquilly elegant1 may be seen in this sketch 7#cd74 ,in the original the armour is of a dark crimson and gold1 the wings are of rainbow tints1 vivid and delicate2 a flame of lambent fire rests on the brow4 ,but the single devotional figures of ,st4 ,michael usually represent him as combining the two great characters of captain of the heavenly host1 and conqueror of the powers of hell4 ,he stands armed1 setting his foot on ,lucifer1 either in the half-human or the dragon form1 and is about to transfix him with his lance1 or to chain him down in the infernal abyss4 ,such1 however varied in the attitude1 expression1 and accessories1 is the most frequent and popular representation of ,st4 ,michael1 when placed before us1 as the universally received emblem of the final victory of good over evil4 ,illustration3 #cd ,st4 ,michael4 7,angelico1 ,fl4 ,acad47 ,in those churches of ,christendom which have not been defaced by a blind destructive zeal1 this image meets us at every turn3 it salutes us in the porch as we enter1 or it shines upon us in gorgeous colours from the window1 or it is wreathed into the capitals of columns1 or it stands in its holy heroic beauty over the altar4 ,it is so common and so in harmony with our inmost being1 that we rather feel its presence than observe it4 ,it is the visible1 palpable reflection of that great truth stamped into our very souls1 and shadowed forth in every form of ancient belief1--the final triumph of the spiritual over the animal and earthly part of our nature4 ,this is the secret of its perpetual repetition1 and this the secret of the untired complacency with which we regard it2 for even in the most inefficient attempts at expression1 we have always the leading motif distinct and true1 the winged virtue is always victorious above1 and the bestial vice is always prostrate below3 and if to this primal moral significance be added all the charm of poetry1 grace1 animated movement1 which human genius has lavished on this ever blessed1 ever welcome symbol1 then1 as we look up at it1 we are #8not only touched1 but wakened and inspired1' and the whole delighted imagination glows with faith and hope1 and grateful triumphant sympathy1--so at least ,i have felt1 and ,i must believe that others have felt it too4 ,in the earliest representations of this subject1 we see the simplest form of the allegory1 literally rendering the words of ,scripture1 #8,the dragon shalt thou trample under foot' 7,ps4 xci4 #ac74 ,here there is no risk of a divided interest or a misdirected sympathy4 ,the demon1 grovelling under the feet of the victorious spirit1 is not the star-bright apostate who drew after him the third part of heaven2 it is the bestial malignant reptile3--not the emblem of resistance1 but the emblem of sin2 not of the sin that aspires1 which1 in fact1 is a contradiction in terms2--no sin aspires2--but of the sin which degrades and brutifies1 as all sin does4 ,in the later representations1 where the demon takes the half-human shape1 however hideous and deformed1 the allegory may so be brought nearer to us1 and rendered more terrible even by a horrid sympathy with that human face1 grinning in despite and agony2 but much of the beauty of the scriptural metaphor is lost4#ff 99 99 99 99 99 ,the representations of ,st4 ,michael and the dragon are so multifarious that ,i can only select a few among them as examples of the different styles of treatment4 ,the symbol1 as such1 is supposed to have originated with the ,gnostics and ,arians1 and the earliest examples are to be found in the ancient churches on the western coast of ,italy1 and the old ,lombard churches4 ,i have never seen it in the old mosaics of the sixth century1 but in the contemporary sculpture frequently4 ,it would be difficult to point to the most ancient example1 such is the confusion of dates as regards dedications1 restorations1 alterations2 but ,i remember a carving in white marble on the porch of the ,cathedral of ,cortona 7about the seventh century71 which may be regarded as an example of this primitive style of treatment3 the illustration1 from a slight sketch made on the spot1 will be better than any description 7#ce74 ,another instance will be remembered by the traveller in ,italy1 the strange antique bas-relief on the faade of that extraordinary old church the ,san ,michele at ,pavia2 not the figure in the porch1 which is modern1 but that which is above4 ,in the ,menologium ,grecum is a ,st4 ,michael standing with a long sceptre1 a majestic colossal figure1 while kneeling angels adore him1 and the demons crouch under his feet4#fg ,illustration3 #ce ,by ,martin ,schoen3 ,st4 ,michael1 attired in a long loose robe and floating mantle1 tramples on the demon2 he has thrown down the shield1 and with his lance in both hands1 but without effort1 and even with a calm angelic dignity1 prepares to transfix his adversary4 ,the figure is singularly elegant4 ,the demon has not here the usual form of a dragon1 but is a horrible nondescript reptile1 with multitudinous flexile claws1 like those of a crab1 stretched out to seize and entangle the unwary2--for an emblematical figure1 very significant 7#cf74 ,in an old fresco by ,guariente di ,padova#fh the angel is draped as in ,martin ,schoen's figure1 but the attitude is far less elegant4 ,sometimes the dragon has a small head at the end of his tail1 instead of the forked sting4 ,i recollect an instance of ,st4 ,michael transfixing the large head1 while a smaller angel1 also armed1 transfixes the other head4#fi ,this is an attempt to render literally the description in the ,apocalypse3 #8,for their power is in their mouth1 and in their tails3 for their tails were like unto serpents1 and had heads1 and with them they do hurt4' 7,rev4 ix4 #ai47 ,in a most elegant figure of ,st4 ,michael1 from the choir of the ,san ,giovanni1 at ,malta1 ,i found the demon thus characterised1 with a tail ending in the serpent head4 ,in an old ,siena picture#gj ,st4 ,michael is seated on a throne3 in one hand a sword1 in the other the orb of sovereignty2 under his feet lies the dragon mangled and bleeding3 a bad picture1 but curious for the singular treatment4 ,illustration3 #cf ,st4 ,michael 7,martin ,schoen7 ,in the sixteenth century these figures of ,st4 ,michael become less ideal and angelic1 and more and more chivalrous and picturesque4 ,in a beautiful altar-piece by ,andrea del ,sarto1 now in the ,florence ,academy1 there is a fine martial figure of the ,archangel1 which1 but for the wings1 might be mistaken for a ,st4 ,george2 and in the predella underneath1 on a small scale1 he is conqueror of the demon4 ,the peculiarity here is1 that the demon1 though vanquished1 makes a vain struggle1 and has seized hold of the belt of the angel1 who1 with uplifted sword1 and an action of infinite grace and dignity1 looks superior down1 as one assured of victory4 ,raphael has given us three figures of ,st4 ,michael1 all different1 and one of them taking rank with his masterpieces4 ,the first is an early production1 painted when he was a youth of nineteen or twenty1 and now in the ,louvre4 ,st4 ,michael1 armed with a shield on which is a red cross1 his sword raised to strike1 stands with one foot on a monster2 other horrible little monsters1 like figures in a dream1 are around him3 in the background are seen the hypocrites and thieves as described by ,dante2 the first1 in melancholy procession1 weighed down with leaden cowls2 the others1 tormented by snakes3 and1 in the distance1 the flaming dolorous city4 ,st4 ,michael is here the vanquisher of the ,vices4 ,it is a curious and fantastic1 rather than poetical1 little picture4 ,the second picture1 also in the ,louvre1 was painted by ,raphael1 in the maturity of his talent1 for ,francis ,i43 the king had left to him the choice of the subject1 and he selected ,st4 ,michael1 the military patron of ,france1 and of that knightly ,order of which the king was grand master4 ,st4 ,michael--not standing1 but hovering on his poised wings1 and grasping his lance in both hands--sets one foot lightly on the shoulder of the demon1 who1 prostrate1 writhes up1 as it were1 and tries to lift his head and turn it on his conqueror with one last gaze of malignant rage and despair4 ,the archangel looks down upon him with a brow calm and serious2 in his beautiful face is neither vengeance nor disdain--in his attitude no effort2 his form1 a model of youthful grace and majesty1 is clothed in a brilliant panoply of gold and silver2 an azure scarf floats on his shoulders2 his wide-spread wings are of purple1 blue1 and gold2 his light hair is raised1 and floats outward on each side of his head1 as if from the swiftness of his downward motion4 ,the earth emits flames1 and seems opening to swallow up the adversary4 ,the form of the demon is human1 but vulgar in its proportions1 and of a swarthy red1 as if fire-scathed2 he has the horns and the serpent-tail2 but1 from the attitude into which he is thrown1 the monstrous form is so fore-shortened that it does not disgust1 and the majestic figure of the archangel fills up nearly the whole space--fills the eye--fills the soul--with its victorious beauty4 ,illustration3 #cg ,the ,st4 ,michael painted by ,raphael for ,francis ,i4 ,that ,milton had seen this picture1 and that when his sight was quenched the #8winged saint' revisited him in his darkness1 who can doubt8-- ,over his lucid arms ,a military vest of purple flowed ,livelier than ,meliban1 or the grain ,of ,sarra worn by kings and heroes old ,in time of truce4 ,by his side1 ,as in a glittering zodiac1 hung the sword1 ,satan's dire dread1 and in his hand the spear4 ,a third ,st4 ,michael1 designed by ,raphael1 exists only as an engraving4#ga ,the angel here wears a helmet1 and is classically draped2 he stands in an attitude of repose1 his foot on the neck of the demon2 one hand rests on the pummel of his sword1 the other holds the lance4 ,it seems agreed that1 as a work of art1 there is only the ,st4 ,michael of ,guido 7in the ,capuccini at ,rome7 which can be compared with that of ,raphael2 the moment chosen is the same2 the treatment nearly the same2 the sentiment quite different4 ,here the angel1 standing1 yet scarcely touching the ground1 poised on his outspread wings1 sets his left foot on the head of his adversary2 in one hand he brandishes a sword1 in the other he holds the end of a chain1 with which he is about to bind down the demon in the bottomless pit4 ,the attitude has been criticised1 and justly2 the grace is somewhat mannered1 verging on the theatrical2 but ,forsyth is too severe when he talks of the #8air of a dancing-master3' one thing1 however1 is certain1 we do not think about attitude when we look at ,raphael's ,st4 ,michael2 in ,guido's1 it is the first thing that strikes us2 but when we look farther1 the head redeems all2 it is singularly beautiful1 and in the blending of the masculine and feminine graces1 in the serene purity of the brow1 and the flow of the golden hair1 there is something divine3 a slight1 very slight expression of scorn is in the air of the head4 ,the fiend is the worst part of the picture2 it is not a fiend1 but a degraded prosaic human ruffian2 we laugh with incredulous contempt at the idea of an angel called down from heaven to overcome such a wretch4 ,in ,raphael the fiend is human1 but the head has the god-like ugliness and malignity of a satyr2 ,guido's fiend is only stupid and base4 ,it appears to me that there is just the same difference--the same kind of difference--between the angel of ,raphael and the angel of ,guido1 as between the description in ,tasso and the description in ,milton2 let any one compare them4 ,in ,tasso we are struck by the picturesque elegance of the description as a piece of art1 the melody of the verse1 the admirable choice of the expressions1 as in ,guido by the finished but somewhat artificial and studied grace4 ,in ,raphael and ,milton we see only the vision of a #8shape divine4' ,one of the most beautiful figures of ,st4 ,michael ,i ever saw1 occurs in a coronation of the ,virgin by ,moretto1 and is touched by his peculiar sentiment of serious tenderness4#gb ,in devotional pictures such figures of ,st4 ,michael are sometimes grouped poetically with other personages1 as in a most beautiful picture by ,innocenza da ,imola1#gc where the archangel tramples on the demon2 ,st4 ,paul standing on one side1 and ,st4 ,benedict on the other1 both of whom had striven with the fiend and had overcome him3 the ,madonna and ,child are seen in a glory above4 ,and again in a picture by ,mabuse1#gd where ,st4 ,michael1 as patron1 sets his foot on the black grinning fiend1 and looks down on a kneeling votary1 while the votary1 with his head turned away1 appears to be worshipping1 not the protecting angel1 but the ,madonna1 to whom ,st4 ,michael presents him 7#ch74 ,such votive pictures are not uncommon1 and have a peculiar grace and significance4 ,here the archangel bears the victorious banner of the cross2--he has conquered4 ,in some instances he holds in his hand the head of the ,dragon1 and in all instances it is1 or ought to be1 the head of the ,dragon which is transfixed3--#8,thou shalt bruise his head4' ,illustration3 #ch ,st4 ,michael 7,mabuse1 #aeaj7 ,those representations in which ,st4 ,michael is not conqueror1 but combatant1 in which the moment is one of transition1 are less frequent2 it is then an action1 not an emblem1 and the composition is historical rather than symbolical4 ,it is the strife with ,lucifer2 #8when ,michael and his angels fought against the dragon1 and the dragon fought and his angels1 and the great dragon was cast out4' 7,rev4 xii4 #g47 ,in churches and chapels dedicated to ,st4 ,michael1 or to #8the ,holy ,angels1' this appropriate subject often occurs2 as in a famous fresco by ,spinello d',arezzo1 at ,arezzo4#ge ,in the middle of the composition1 ,michael1 armed with sword and shield1 is seen combating the dragon with seven heads1 as described in the ,apocalypse4 ,above and around are many angels also armed4 ,at the top of the picture is seen an empty throne1 the throne which ,lucifer had #8set in the north2' below is seen ,lucifer1 falling with his angels over the parapet of heaven4 7,isaiah xiv4 #ac47 ,the painter tasked his skill to render the transformation of the spirits of light into spirits of darkness as fearful and as hideous as possible2 and1 being a man of a nervous temperament1 the continual dwelling on these horrors began at length to trouble his brain4 ,he fancied that ,lucifer appeared to him in a dream1 demanding by what authority he had portrayed him under an aspect so revolting8--the painter awoke in horror1 was seized with delirious fever1 and so died4 ,in his combat with the dragon1 ,michael is sometimes represented alone1 and sometimes as assisted by the two other archangels1 ,gabriel and ,raphael3 as in the fresco by ,signorelli1 at ,orvieto1 where one of the angels1 whom we may suppose to be ,raphael1 looks down on the falling demons with an air of melancholy1 almost of pity4 ,in a picture by ,marco ,oggione1#gf ,michael has precipitated the demon into the gulf1 and hovers above1 while ,raphael and ,gabriel stand below on each side1 looking on2 all are clothed in voluminous loose white draperies1 more like priests than warriors2 but it is a fine picture4 ,in the large ,rubens-room at ,munich1 there are two pictures of ,michael subduing the revolted angels4 ,the large one1 in which ,michael is the principal figure1 is not agreeable4 ,rubens could not lift himself sufficiently above the earth to conceive and embody the spiritual1 and heroic1 and beautiful in one divine form2 his ,st4 ,michael is vulgar4 ,the smaller composition1 where the fallen1 or rather falling1 angels fill the whole space1 is a most wonderful effort of artistic invention4 ,at the summit of the picture stands ,st4 ,michael1 the shield in one hand1 in the other the forked lightnings of divine wrath2 and from above the rebel host tumble headlong #8in hideous ruin and combustion hurled1' and with such affright and amazement in every face1 such a downward movement in every limb1 that we recoil in dizzy horror while we look upon it4 ,it is curious that ,rubens should have introduced female reprobate spirits3 if he intended his picture as an allegory1 merely the conquest of the spiritual over the sensual1 he is excusable2 but if he meant to figure the vision in the ,apocalypse1 it is a deviation from the proper scriptural treatment1 which is inexcusable4 ,this picture remains1 however1 as a whole1 a perfect miracle of art3 the fault is1 that we feel inclined to applaud as we do at some astonishing tour de force2 such at least was my own feeling1 and this is not the feeling appropriate to the subject4 ,though this famous picture is entitled the ,fall of the ,angels1 ,i have some doubts as to whether this was the intention of the painter2 whether he did not mean to express the fall of sinners1 flung by the ,angel of judgment into the abyss of wrath and perdition8 ,illustration3 #ci ,st4 ,michael as ,angel of ,judgment and ,lord of ,souls 7,justus of ,ghent7 ,in those devotional pictures which exhibit ,st4 ,michael as ,lord of souls1 he is winged and unarmed1 and holds the balance4 ,in each scale sits a little naked figure1 representing a human soul2 one of these is usually represented with hands joined as in thankfulness--he is the beato1 the elected2 the other is in an attitude of horror--he is the rejected1 the reprobate2 and often1 but not necessarily1 the idea is completed by the introduction of a demon1 who is grasping at the descending scale1 either with his talons1 or with the long two-pronged hook1 such as is given to ,pluto in the antique sculpture4 ,sometimes ,st4 ,michael is thus represented singly2 sometimes very beautifully in ,madonna pictures1 as in a picture by ,leonardo da ,vinci 7,a4,d4 #adih71 where ,st4 ,michael1 a graceful angelic figure1 with light flowing hair1 kneels before the ,madonna1 and presents the balance to the ,infant1 who seems to welcome the pious little soul who sits in the uppermost scale4 ,illustration3 #dj ,st4 ,michael 7,signorelli1 #aejj4 ,in the ,san ,gregorio1 ,rome7 ,i have seen this idea varied4 ,st4 ,michael stands majestic with the balance poised in his hands3 instead of a human figure in either scale1 there are weights2 on one side is seen a company of five or six little naked shivering souls1 as if waiting for their doom2 on the other several demons1 one of whom with his hook is pulling down the ascending scale4#gg ,with or without the balance1 ,st4 ,michael figures as ,lord of souls when introduced into pictures of the ,assumption or the ,glorification of the ,virgin4 ,to understand the whole beauty and propriety of such representations1 we must remember1 that according to one of the legends of the death of the ,virgin her spirit was consigned to the care of ,st4 ,michael until it was permitted to reanimate the spotless form1 and with it ascend to heaven4 ,in one or two instances only1 ,i have seen ,st4 ,michael without wings4 ,in general1 an armed figure1 unwinged and standing on a dragon1 we may presume to be a ,st4 ,george2 but where the balance is introduced1 it leaves no doubt of the personality--it is a ,st4 ,michael4 ,occasionally the two characters--the protecting ,angel of light and the ,angel of judgment--are united1 and we see ,st4 ,michael1 with the dragon under his feet and the balance in his hand4 ,this was a favourite and appropriate subject on tombs and chapels dedicated to the dead2 such is the beautiful bas-relief on the tomb of ,henry ,,vii4 in ,westminster ,abbey4 ,in some representations of the last judgment1 ,st4 ,michael1 instead of the banner and cross1 bears the scales2 as in the very curious bas-relief on the faade of the church of ,st4 ,trophime at ,arles4 ,st4 ,michael here has a balance so large that it is almost as high as himself2 it is not a mere emblem1 but a fact2 a soul sits in each scale1 and a third is rising up2 the angel holds out one hand to assist him4 ,in another part of the same bas-relief ,st4 ,michael is seen carrying a human soul 7represented as a little naked figure7 and bringing it to ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,in a celebrated ,last ,judgment1 attributed by some authors to ,john ,van ,eyck1 by others to ,justus of ,ghent1 ,st4 ,michael is grandly introduced4#gh ,high up1 in the centre1 sits the ,saviour1 with the severe expression of the judge4 ,above him hover four angels with the instruments of the ,passion1 and below him three others sounding trumpets 7v4 p4 #ed71--;,i suppose the seven pre-eminent angels3 the ,virgin and ,st4 ,john the ,baptist on each side1 and then the ,apostles ranged in the usual manner4 #8,in the lower half of the picture stands ,st4 ,michael1 clad in golden armour1 so bright as to reflect in the most complete manner all the surrounding objects4 ,his figure is slender and elegant1 but colossal as compared to the rest4 ,he seems to be bending earnestly forward1 a splendid purple mantle falls from his shoulders to the ground1 and his large wings are composed of glittering peacock's feathers4 ,he holds the balance2 the scale with the good rests on earth1 but that with the souls which are found wanting mounts into air4 ,a demon stands ready to receive them1 and towards this scale ,st4 ,michael points with the end of a black staff which he holds in his right hand4' ,this picture1 which is a chef-d'uvre of the early ,german school1 is now in the church of ,st4 ,mary at ,dantzig4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the historical subjects in which ,st4 ,michael is introduced exhibit him as prince of the ,hebrew nation1 and belong properly to the ,old ,testament4#gi #8,after the confusion of tongues1 and the scattering of the people1 which occurred on the building of the ,tower of ,babel1 every separate nation had an angel to direct it4 ,to ,michael was given in charge the people of the ,lord4 ,the ,hebrews being carried away captive into the land of ,assyria1 ,daniel prayed that they might be permitted to return when the seventy years of captivity were over3 but the ,angel of ,persia opposed himself on this occasion to the angels ,michael and ,gabriel4 ,he wished to retain the ,jews in captivity1 because he was glad to have1 within the bounds of his jurisdiction1 a people who served the true ,god1 and because he hoped that in time the captive ,jews would convert to the truth the ,assyrians and ,persians committed to his care4' ,this curious passage from one of the early ,christian fathers1 representing the good angels as opposed to each other1 and one of them as disputing the commands of ,god1 is an instance of the confused ideas on the subject of angels which prevailed in the ancient ,church1 and which prevail1 ,i imagine1 in the minds of many even at this day4 ,in the story of ,hagar in the wilderness1 it is ,michael who descends to her aid4 ,in the sacrifice of ,isaac1 it is ,michael who stays the arm of ,abraham4 ,it is ,michael who brings the plagues on ,egypt1 and he it is who leads the ,israelites through the wilderness4 ,it was the belief of the ,jews1 and of some of the early ,christian fathers1 that through his angel 7not in person7 ,god spoke to ,moses from the burning bush1 and delivered to him the law on ,mount ,sinai2 and that the angel so delegated was ,michael4 ,it is ,michael who combats with ,lucifer for the body of ,moses4 7,jude v4 #i47 ,according to one interpretation of this curious passage of ,scripture1 the demon wished to enter and to possess the form of ,moses1 in order to deceive the ,jews by personating their leader2 but others say1 that ,michael contended for the body1 that he might bury it in an unknown place1 lest the ,jews should fall into the sin of paying divine honours to their legislator4 ,this is a fine picturesque subject2 the rocky desert1 the body of ,moses dead on the earth1 the contest of the good and evil angel confronting each other1--these are grand materials6 ,it must have been rarely treated1 for ,i remember but one instance--the fresco by ,l4 ,signorelli1 in the ,sistine ,chapel in the ,vatican4 ,it is ,michael who intercepts ,balaam#hj when on his way to curse the people of ,israel1 and puts blessings into his mouth instead of curses3 a subject often treated1 but as a fact rather than a vision4 ,it is ,michael who stands before ,joshua in the plain by ,jericho3--#8,and ,joshua said unto him1 ,art thou for us1 or for our adversaries8 ,and he said1 ,nay2 but as captain of the host of the ,lord am ,i now come4 ,and ,joshua fell on his face to the earth1 and did worship1 and said unto him1 ,what saith my ,lord unto his servant8 ,and the captain of the ,lord's host said unto ,joshua1 ,loose thy shoe from off thy foot2 for the place whereon thou standest is holy4' 7,joshua v4 #ac-ae47 ,this subject is very uncommon4 ,in the ,greek ,,ms4 already alluded to1 ,i met with a magnificent example--magnificent in point of sentiment1 though half ruined and effaced2 the ,god-like bearing of the armed angel1 looking down on the prostrate ,joshua1 is here as fine as possible4 ,it is ,michael who appears to ,gideon4#ha ,it is ,michael who chastises ,david4#hb ,it is ,michael who exterminates the army of ,sennacherib2 a subject magnificently painted by ,rubens4 7,some suppose that on this occasion ,god made use of the ministry of an evil angel4#hc7 ,it is ,michael who descends to deliver the ,three ,children from the burning fiery furnace4 ,the ,three ,children in the furnace is a subject which appears very early in the catacombs and on the sarcophagi as a symbol of the ,redemption2--so early1 that it is described by ,tertullian2#hd but in almost all the examples given there are three figures only3 where there is a fourth1 it is1 of course1 the protecting angel1 but he is without wings4#he ,michael seizes the prophet ,habakkuk by the hair of the head1 and carries him to ,babylon1 to the den of lions1 that he may feed ,daniel4#hf ,this apocryphal subject occurs on several sarcophagi4#hg ,i have seen it also in illuminated ,,mss41 but cannot at this moment refer to it4 ,it occurs in a series of late ,flemish prints after ,hemskirk1--of which there are good impressions in the ,british ,museum4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,archangel ,michael is not named in the ,gospels2 but in the legends of the ,madonna1 as we shall see hereafter1 he plays a very important part1 being deputed by ,christ to announce to his mother her approaching end1 and to receive her soul4 ,for the present ,i will only remark1 that when1 in accordance with this very ancient legend1 an angel is represented kneeling before the ,madonna1 and holding in his hand a palm surmounted by stars1 or a lighted taper1 this angel is not ,gabriel1 announcing the conception of ,christ1 as is usually supposed1 but ,michael1 as the angel of death4#hh ,the legend of ,monte ,galgano ,i saw in a large fresco1 in the ,santa ,croce at ,florence1 by a painter of the ,giotto school2 but in so bad a state1 that ,i could only make out a bull on the top of a mountain1 and a man shooting with a bow and arrow4 ,on the opposite wall is the combat of ,michael with the dragon--very spirited1 and in much better preservation4 ,to distinguish the apparition of ,st4 ,michael on ,monte ,galgano from the apparition on ,mont ,st4 ,michel1 in both of which a bull and a bishop are principal figures1 it is necessary to observe1 that1 in the last-named subject1 the sea is always introduced at the base of the picture1 and that the former is most common in ,italian1 and the latter in ,french1 works of art4 ,in the ,french stained glass of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries1 ,st4 ,michael is a very popular subject1 either with the dragon1 or the scales1 or both4 ,lately1 in removing the whitewash from the east wall of the nave of ,preston ,church1 near ,brighton1 was discovered the outline of a group of figures representing ,st4 ,michael1 fully draped1 and with large wings1 bearing the balance2 in each scale a human soul4 ,the scale containing the beato is assisted by a figure fully draped1 but so ruined that it is not possible to say whether it represents the ,virgin1 or the guardian saint of the person who caused the fresco to be painted4 ,i am told that in the old churches of ,cornwall1 and of the towns on the south coast1 which had frequent intercourse with ,france1 effigies of ,st4 ,michael occur frequently1 both in painting and sculpture4 ,on the old ,english coin1 thence called an angel1 we have the figure of ,st4 ,michael1 who was one of the patron saints of our ,norman kings4 ,i must now trust to the reader to contemplate the figures of ,st4 ,michael1 so frequent and so varied in ,art1 with reference to these suggestions2 and leaving for the present this radiant ,spirit1 this bright similitude of a primal and universal faith1 we turn to his angelic companions4 ,illustration3 #da ,egyptian hieroglyphic of the ,genius of ,good overcoming ,evil 7v4 p4 #ajh7 ,,st4 ,,gabriel4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,gabriel4 ,ital4 ,san ,gabriello1 ,san ,gabriele1 ,l',angelo ,annunziatore4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,gabriel4 #8,i am ,,gabriel1 that stand in the presence of ,god4'--,luke i4 #ai4 ,in those passages of ,scripture where the ,angel ,gabriel is mentioned by name1 he is brought before us in the character of a ,messenger only1 and always on important occasions4 ,in the ,old ,testament he is sent to ,daniel to announce the return of the ,jews from captivity1 and to explain the vision which prefigures the destinies of mighty empires4 ,his contest with the ,angel of the kingdom of ,persia1 when ,st4 ,michael comes to his assistance1 would be a splendid subject in fit hands2 ,i do not know that it has ever been painted4 ,in the ,new ,testament the mission of ,gabriel is yet more sublime3 he first appears to the high priest ,zacharias1 and foretells the birth of ,john the ,baptist1--a subject which belongs especially to the life of that saint4 ,six months later1 ,gabriel is sent to announce the appearance of the ,redeemer of mankind4#hi ,in the ,jewish tradition1 ,gabriel is the guardian of the celestial treasury4 ,hence1 ,i presume1 ,milton has made him chief guardian of ,paradise3-- ,betwixt these rocky pillars ,gabriel sat1 ,chief of the angelic guards1 awaiting night4 ,as the ,angel who announced the birth of ,christ1 he has been venerated as the ,angel who presides over childbirth4 ,he foretells the birth of ,samson1 and1 in the apocryphal legends1 he foretells to ,joachim the birth of the ,virgin4 ,in the ,east1 he is of great importance4 ,mahomet selected him as his immediate teacher and inspirer1 and he became the great protecting angel of ,islamism3 hence between ,michael1 the protector of the ,jews and ,christians1 and ,gabriel1 the protector of the ,moslem1 there is supposed to exist no friendly feeling--rather the reverse4 ,in the ,new ,testament1 ,gabriel is a much more important personage than ,michael2 yet ,i have never met with any picture in which he figures singly as an object of worship4 ,in devotional pictures he figures as the second of the three ,archangels--#8,secondo fra i primi1' as ,tasso styles him2 or in his peculiar character as the divine messenger of grace1 #8l',angelo annunziatore4' ,he then usually bears in one hand a lily or a sceptre2 in the other a scroll on which is inscribed1 #8,,ave ,,maria1 ,,gratia ,,plena6'#ij ,the subject called the ,,annunciation is one of the most frequent and most important1 as it is one of the most beautiful1 in the whole range of ,christian ,art4 ,it belongs1 however1 to the history of the ,virgin1 where ,i shall have occasion to treat it at length2 yet as the ,angel ,gabriel here assumes1 by direct scriptural testimony1 a distinct name and personality1 and as the dignity and significance proper to a subject so often unworthily and perversely treated depend very much on the character and deportment given to the celestial messenger1 ,i shall make a few observations in this place with respect to the treatment of the angel1 only reserving the theme in its general bearing for future consideration4 ,in the early representations of the ,annunciation it is treated as a religious mystery1 and with a solemn simplicity and purity of feeling1 which is very striking and graceful in itself1 as well as in harmony with the peculiar manner of the divine revelation4 ,the scene is generally a porch or portico of a temple-like building2 the ,virgin stands 7she is very seldom seated1 and then on a kind of raised throne72 the angel stands before her1 at some distance3 very often1 she is within the portico2 he is without4 ,gabriel is a majestic being1 generally robed in white1 wearing the tunic and pallium l'antique1 his flowing hair bound by a jewelled tiara1 with large many-coloured wings1 and bearing the sceptre of sovereignty in the left hand1 while the right is extended in the act of benediction as well as salutation3 #8,hail6 thou that art highly favoured6 ,blessed art thou among women6' ,he is the principal figure3 the attitude of the ,virgin1 with her drapery drawn over her head1 her eyes drooping1 and her hands folded on her bosom1 is always expressive of the utmost submission and humility4 ,so ,dante introduces the image of the lowly ,virgin receiving the angel as an illustration of the virtue of ,humility3-- ,ed avea in atto impressa esta favella #8,ecce ancilla ,dei6'-- and ,flaxman has admirably embodied this idea1 both in the lofty angel with outspread arms1 and the kneeling ,virgin4 ,sometimes the angel floats in1 with his arms crossed over his bosom1 but still with the air of a superior being1 as in this beautiful figure after ,lorenzo ,monaco1 from a picture in the ,florence ,gallery4 ,illustration3 #db ,the two figures are not always in the same picture2 it was a very general custom to place the ,virgin and the ,angel1 the #8,annunziata' and the #8,angelo annunziatore1' one on each side of the altar1 the place of the ,virgin being usually to the right of the spectator2 sometimes the figures are half-length3 sometimes1 when placed in the same picture1 they are in two separate compartments1 a pillar1 or some other ornament1 running up the picture between them2 as in many old altar-pieces1 where the two figures are placed above or on each side of the ,nativity1 or the ,baptism1 or the ,marriage at ,cana1 or some other scene from the life and miracles of our ,saviour4 ,this subject does not appear on the sarcophagi2 the earliest instance ,i have met with is in the mosaic series over the arch in front of the choir in the church of ,santa ,maria ,maggiore1 at ,rome1 executed in the fifth century4 ,here we have two successive moments represented together4 ,in the first the angel is sent on his mission1 and appears flying down from heaven2 the earliest instance ,i have seen of an angel in the act of flight4 ,in the second group the ,virgin appears seated on a throne2 two angels stand behind her1 supposed to represent her guardian angels1 and the angel ,gabriel stands in front with one hand extended4 ,the dresses are classical1 and there is not a trace of the medival feeling1 or style1 in the whole composition4 ,in the ,greek pictures1 the ,angel and the ,virgin both stand2 and in the ,annunciation of ,cimabue the ,greek formula is strictly adhered to4 ,i have seen pictures of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries1 in which ,gabriel enters as a princely ambassador1 with three little angels bearing up his mantle behind3 in a picture in the collection of ,prince ,wallerstein1 one meek and beautiful angel bears up the rich robes of the majestic archangel1 like a page in the train of a sovereign prince4 ,but from the beginning of the fourteenth century we perceive a change of feeling1 as well as a change of style3 the veneration paid to the ,virgin demanded another treatment4 ,she becomes not merely the principal person1 but the superior being2 she is the #8,regina angelorum1' and the angel bows to her1 or kneels before her as to a queen4#ia ,thus in the famous altar-piece at ,cologne1 the angel kneels2 he bears a sceptre1 and also a sealed roll1 as if he were a celestial ambassador delivering his credentials3 about the same period we sometimes see the angel merely with his hands folded over his breast1 and his head inclined1 delivering his message as if to a superior being4 ,illustration3 #dc ,the ,angel ,gabriel 7,wilhelm of ,cologne4 #addj7 ,i cannot decide at what period the lily first replaced the sceptre in the hand of the angel1 not merely as the emblem of purity1 but as the symbol of the ,virgin from the verse in the ,canticles usually applied to her3 #8,i am the rose of ,sharon1 and the lily of the valley4' ,a lily is often placed in a vase near the ,virgin1 or in the foreground of the picture3 of all the attributes placed in the hand of the angel1 the lily is the most usual and the most expressive4 ,the painters of ,siena1 who often displayed a new and original sentiment in the treatment of a subject1 have represented the angel ,gabriel as the announcer of #8peace on earth2' he kneels before the ,virgin1 crowned with olive1 and bearing a branch of olive in his hand1 as in a picture by ,taddeo ,bartoli4 ,there is also a beautiful ,st4 ,gabriel by ,martin ,schoen1 standing1 and crowned with olive4 ,so ,dante-- ,l' angel che venne in terra col decreto ,della molt' anni lagrimata pace4 ,another passage in ,dante which the painters seem to have had before them shows us the ,madonna as queen1 and the angel as adoring3-- #8,qual quel angel che con tanto giuoco ,guarda negli occhi la nostra regina ,innamorato s che par di fuoco8' ,ed egli a me1--#8,baldezza e leggiadria ,quanta esser puote in angelo ed in alma ,tutta in lui1 e si volem che sia6' ,it is in seeking this baldezza e leggiadria in a mistaken sense that the later painters have forgotten all the spiritual dignity of the ,angel ,messenger4 ,where the angel bears a lighted taper1 which the ,virgin extends her hand to take from him2 or1 kneeling1 bears in his hand a palm-branch1 surmounted by seven or twelve stars 7#dd71 the subject represented is not the announcement of the birth of the ,saviour1 but the death of the ,virgin1 a part of her legendary history which is rarely treated and easily mistaken2 then the announcing angel is not ,gabriel1 but ,michael4#ib ,illustration3 #dd ,angel announcing the death of the ,virgin 7,f4 ,filippo ,lippi7 ,in old ,german ,art1 the angel in the ,annunciation is habited in priestly garments richly embroidered 7#db74 ,the scene is often the bedroom of the ,virgin2 and while the announcing angel enters and kneels at the threshold of the door1 the ,holy ,ghost enters at the window4 ,i have seen examples in which ,gabriel1 entering at a door behind the ,virgin1 unfolds his official #8,ave ,maria4' ,he has no lily1 or sceptre1 and she is apparently conscious of his presence without seeing him4#ic ,but in the representations of the sixteenth century we find neither the solemnity of the early ,italian nor the navet of the early ,german school2 and this divine subject becomes more and more materialised and familiarised1 until1 losing its spiritual character1 it strikes us as shockingly prosaic4 ,one cannot say that the angel is invariably deficient in dignity1 or the ,virgin in grace4 ,in the ,venetian school and the ,bologna school we find occasionally very beautiful ,annunciations2 but in general the half-draped fluttering angels and the girlish-looking ,virgins are nothing less than offensive2 and in the attempt to vary the sentiment1 the naturalisti have here run the risk of being much too natural4 ,illustration3 #de ,the ,archangel ,gabriel 7,van ,eyck7 ,in the ,cathedral at ,orvieto1 the ,annunciation is represented in front of the choir by two colossal statues by ,francesco ,mochi3 to the right is the angel ,gabriel1 poised on a marble cloud1 in an attitude so fantastic that he looks as if he were going to dance2 on the other side stands the ,virgin1 conceived in a spirit how different6--yet not less mistaken2 she has started from her throne2 with one hand she grasps it1 with the other she seems to guard her person against the intruder3 majesty at once1 and fear1 a look of insulted dignity1 are in the air and attitude1--#8par che minacci e tema nel tempo istesso'--but ,i thought of ,mrs4 ,siddons while ,i looked1 not of the ,virgin ,mary4 ,this fault of sentiment ,i saw reversed1 but equally in the extreme1 in another example--a beautiful miniature4#id ,the ,virgin1 seated on the side of her bed1 sinks back alarmed1 almost fainting2 the angel in a robe of crimson1 with a white tunic1 stands before her1 half turning away and grasping his sceptre in his hand1 with a proud commanding air1 like a magnificent surly god--a ,jupiter who had received a repulse4 ,i pass over other instances conceived in a taste even more blamable--,gabriels like smirking1 winged lord chamberlains2 and ,virgins1 half prim1 half voluptuous--the sanctity and high solemnity of the event utterly lost4 ,let this suffice for the present3 ,i may now leave the reader to his own feeling and discrimination4 ,,st4 ,,raphael4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,raphael4 ,ital4 ,san ,raffaello4 ,fr4 ,saint ,raphael4 ,ger4 ,der ,heilige ,rafael4 #8,i am ,,raphael1 one of the ,seven ,holy ,angels which present the prayers of the ,saints1 and which go in and out before the glory of the ,,holy ,,one4'--,tobit xii4 #ae4 ,i have already alluded to the established belief1 that every individual man1 nay1 every created being1 hath a guardian angel deputed to watch over him3--#8,woe unto us1 if1 by our negligence or our self-will1 we offend him on whose vigilance we depend for help and salvation6 ,but the prince of guardian spirits1 the guardian angel of all humanity1 is ,raphael2 and in this character1 according to the early ,christians1 he appeared to the shepherds by night #8with good tidings of great joy1 which shall be for all people4' ,it is1 however1 from the beautiful ,hebrew romance of ,tobit that his attributes are gathered3 he is the protector of the young and innocent1 and he watches over the pilgrim and the wayfarer4 ,the character imputed to him in the ,jewish traditions has been retained and amplified by ,milton3 ,raphael is the angel sent by ,god to warn ,adam3-- 4 4 4 4 4 ,the affable archangel ,raphael2 the sociable spirit that deign'd ,to travel with ,tobias1 and secured ,his marriage with the seven times wedded maid4 ,and the character of the angel is preserved throughout3 his sympathy with the human race1 his benignity1 his eloquence1 his mild and social converse4 ,so when ,adam blesses him3-- 4 4 4 4 ,since to part1 ,go1 heavenly guest1 ethereal messenger1 ,sent from whose sovereign goodness ,i adore6 ,gentle to me and affable hath been ,thy condescension1 and shall be honour'd ever ,with grateful memory4 ,thou to mankind ,be good and friendly still1 and oft return6 ,this character of benignity is stamped on all the best representations of ,raphael1 which1 however1 are not common3 they occur principally in the chapels dedicated to the holy guardian angels2 but there are also churches and chapels dedicated to him singly4 ,the devotional figures of ,raphael exhibit him in the dress of a pilgrim or traveller1 #8his habit fit for speed succinct1' sandals on his feet1 his hair bound with a fillet or diadem1 the staff in his hand1 and sometimes a bottle of water or a wallet 7panetire7 slung to his belt4 ,in this figure by ,murillo 7#df71 from one of the most beautiful pictures in the ,leuchtenberg ,gallery1 ,raphael is the guardian and guide of the votary who appears below--a bishop who probably bore the same name4#ie ,sometimes1 as guardian spirit1 he has a sword3 the most beautiful example ,i could cite of this treatment is the figure in the ,breviary of ,anne of ,bretagne 7,a4,d4 #aejj72 he wears a pale-green tunic bordered with gold1 and wings of a deep rose-colour2 he has a casket or wallet slung over his shoulder by a golden belt2 in one hand he holds a sword1 and the other is raised with a warning gesture2 his countenance1 beautiful and benign as possible1 yet says1 #8,take heed4' ,more commonly1 however1 he carries a small casket1 box1 or vase1 supposed to contain the #8fishy charm' against the evil spirits4 7,tobit vi4 #f1 #g47 ,raphael1 in his character of guardian angel1 is generally represented as leading the youthful ,tobias4 ,when1 in order to mark the difference between the celestial and the mortal being1 ,tobit is figured so small as to look like a child1 and when the angel wears his spirit-wings1 and is not disguised1 the whole subject becomes idealised3 it is no longer an historical action1 but a devotional allegory2 and ,tobias with his fish represents the ,christian1 the believer1 guarded and guided through his life-pilgrimage by the angelic monitor and minister of divine mercy4 ,illustration3 #df ,st4 ,raphael 7,murillo4 ,leuchtenberg ,gallery7 ,there is a small side chapel in the church of ,saint ,euphemia1 at ,verona1 dedicated to ,st4 ,raphael4 ,the walls are painted with frescoes from the story of ,tobit2 and over the altar is that masterpiece of ,carotto1 representing the three archangels as three graceful spirit-like figures without wings4 ,the altar being dedicated to ,raphael1 he is here the principal figure2 he alone has the glory encircling his head1 and takes precedence of the others2 he stands in the centre leading ,tobias1 and looking down on him with an air of such saintly and benign protection1 that one feels inclined to say or sing1 in the words of the litany1 #8,sancte ,raphal1 adolescentium pudiciti defensor1 ora pro nobis6' ,even more divine is the ,st4 ,michael who stands on the right1 with one hand gathering up the folds of his crimson robe1 the other leaning on his great two-handed sword2 but such a head1 such a countenance looking out upon us--so earnest1 powerful1 and serious6--we recognise the ,lord of ,souls1 the ,angel of ,judgment4 ,to the left of ,raphael stands ,gabriel1 the ,angel of ,redemption2 he holds the lily1 and looks up to heaven adoring3 this is the least expressive of the three heads1 but still beautiful2 and1 on the whole1 the picture left a stronger impression on my mind than any ,i had seen at ,venice1 the glorious ,assumption excepted4 ,the colouring in its glowing depth is like that of ,giorgione4 ,vasari tells us1 that this picture1 painted when ,carotto was young 7about ,a4,d4 #adie71 was criticised because the limbs of the angels were too slender2 to which ,carotto1 famous for his repartees1 replied1 #8,then they will fly the better6' ,the drawing1 however1 it must be conceded1 is not the best part of the picture4 ,the earliest picture of ,titian which remains to us is a ,st4 ,raphael leading ,tobias2#if beautiful1 but not equal1 certainly1 to that of ,carotto4 ,raphael1 as we might naturally suppose1 painted his guardian angel and patron saint con amore3#ig we have by him two ,st4 ,raphaels2 the first1 a little figure executed when he was a boy in the studio of his master ,perugino1 is now on one side of an altar-piece in the ,certosa at ,pavia4 ,later in life1 and in one of his finest works1 he has introduced his patron saint with infinite beauty of feeling3 in the ,madonna della ,pesce1#ih the ,virgin sits upon her throne1 with the ,infant ,christ in her arms2 the angel ,raphael presents ,tobias1 who is not here a youth but a child2 while the ,infant ,christ turns away from the wise bearded old doctor1 who is intently studying his great book1 to welcome the angel and his charge4 ,the head of the angel1 looking up in the face of the ,madonna1 is in truth sublime3 it would be impossible to determine whether it belongs to a masculine or a feminine being2 but none could doubt that it is a divine being1 filled with fervent1 enthusiastic1 adoring love4 ,the fish in the hand of ,tobias has given its name to the picture2 and ,i may as well observe that in the devotional pictures1 where the fish is merely an attribute1 expressing ,christian baptism1 it is usually very small3 in the story it is a sort of monster1 which sprang out of the river and would have devoured him4 ,all the subjects in which the ,archangel ,raphael is an actor belong to the history of ,tobit4 ,the scenes of this beautiful scriptural legend--,i must call it so--have been popular subjects of ,art1 particularly in the later schools1 and have been admirably treated by some of the best ,dutch and ,flemish painters3 the combination of the picturesque and poetical with the homely and domestic recommended it particularly to ,rembrandt and his school4 ,tobias dragging the fish ashore1 while the angel stands by1 is a fine picturesque landscape subject which has been often repeated4 ,the spirited little sketch by ,salvator1#ii in which the figure of the guardian angel is admirable for power and animated grace2 the twilight effect by ,rembrandt2#ajj another by ,domenichino2 three by ,claude2 may be cited as examples4 ,illustration3 #dg ,archangel 7,rembrandt7 ,in such pictures1 as it has been rightly observed1 the angel ought not to have wings3 he is disguised as the friendly traveller4 ,the dog1 which ought to be omitted in the devotional pictures1 is here a part of the story1 and figures with great propriety4 ,rembrandt painted the parting of ,tobias and his parents four times2 ,tobias led by the angel1 four times2 ,tobias healing his father1 once2 the departure of the angel1 twice4 ,of this last subject1 the picture in the ,louvre may be pronounced one of his finest2--miraculous for true and spirited expression1 and for the action of the soaring angel1 who parts the clouds and strikes through the air like a strong swimmer through the waves of the sea 7#dg74 ,the story of ,tobit1 as a series of subjects1 has been very frequently represented1 always in the genre and picturesque style of the later schools4 ,i shall have to return to it hereafter2 here ,i have merely alluded to the devotional treatment1 in order to direct attention to the proper character of the ,archangel ,raphael4 ,and thus we have shown 444 how ,holy ,church ,doth represent with human countenance ,gabriel and ,michal1 and him who made ,tobias whole4--,,dante1 ,par4 c4 iv4 ,,additional ,,notes ,,on ,,angels4 #a4 ,in a picture by ,gentile da ,fabriano 7,berlin ,gallery1 #aacj71 the ,virgin and ,child are enthroned1 and on each side of the throne is a tree1 on the branches of which are little red ,seraphim winged and perched like birds1 singing and making music4 ,i remember also a little ,dutch print of a ,riposo 7v4 #8,legends of the ,madonna1' p4 #bef71 in which five little angels are perched on the trees above1 singing and playing for the solace of the divine ,infant4 ,thus we have ,dante's idea of the ,uccelli di ,dio1 reproduced in a more familiar form4 #b4 ,in the ,convent of ,sant-,angelo at ,bologna1 ,camillo ,procaccino painted the #8,acts of the ,holy ,angels' in the following order3--#a4 ,the ,fall of the ,dragon4 #b4 ,the ,angels drive ,adam and ,eve from ,paradise4 #c4 ,the three ,angels visit ,abraham4 #d4 ,the ,angel stays the arm of ,abraham4 #e4 ,the ,angel wrestles with ,jacob4 #f4 ,the ,angels visit ,jacob in a ,dream4 #g4 ,the ,angel delivers the three ,children in the burning fiery ,furnace4 #h4 ,the ,angel slays the ,host of ,sennacherib4 #i4 ,the ,angel protects ,tobit4 #aj4 ,the ,punishment of ,heliodorus4 #aa4 ,the ,annunciation to ,mary4 ,it will be remarked that all these subjects are strictly scriptural4 ,the ,four ,evangelists4 #8,matthew wrote for the ,hebrews2 ,mark1 for the ,italians2 ,luke1 for the ,greeks2 for ,,all1 the great herald ,john4'--,gregory ,nazianzen4 ,since on the ,four ,evangelists1 as the witnesses and interpreters of a revealed religion1 the whole ,christian ,church may be said to rest as upon four majestic pillars1 we cannot be surprised that representations of them should abound1 and that their effigies should have been introduced into ,christian places of worship1 from very early times4 ,generally1 we find them represented together1 grouped1 or in a series2 sometimes in their collective character1 as the ,four ,witnesses2 sometimes in their individual character1 each as an inspired teacher1 or beneficent patron4 ,as no authentic resemblances of these sacred personages have ever been known or even supposed to exist1 such representations have always been either symbolical or ideal4 ,in the symbol1 the aim was to embody1 under some emblematical image1 the spiritual mission2 in the ideal portrait1 the artist1 left to his own conception1 borrowed from ,scripture some leading trait 7when ,scripture afforded any authority for such71 and adding1 with what success his skill could attain1 all that his imagination could conceive1 as expressive of dignity and persuasive eloquence--the look #8commercing with the skies1' the commanding form1 the reverend face1 the ample draperies--he put the book or the pen into his hand1 and thus the writer and the teacher of the truth was placed before us4 ,the earliest type under which the ,four ,evangelists are figured is an emblem of the simplest kind3 four scrolls placed in the four angles of a ,greek cross1 or four books 7the ,gospels71 represented allegorically those who wrote or promulgated them4 ,the second type chosen was more poetical--the four rivers which had their source in ,paradise3 representations of this kind1 in which the ,saviour1 figured as a lamb holding the cross1 or in his human form1 with a lamb near him1 stands on an eminence1 from which gush four rivers or fountains1 are to be met with in the catacombs1 on ancient sarcophagi preserved among the ,christian relics in the ,vatican1 and in several old churches constructed between the second and the fifth century4 ,at what period the four mysterious creatures in the vision of ,ezekiel 7ch4 i4 #e7 were first adopted as significant symbols of the ,four ,evangelists1 does not seem clear4 ,the ,jewish doctors interpreted them as figuring the four ,archangels1--,michael1 ,raphael1 ,gabriel1 ,uriel2 and afterwards applied them as emblems of the ,four ,great ,prophets1--,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,ezekiel1 and ,daniel4 ,by the early ,oriental ,christians1 who typified the whole of the ,old ,testament1 the transfer of the emblem to the ,four ,evangelists seems obvious and easy2 we find it alluded to as early as the second century4 ,the four #8,beasts' of corresponding form in the ,revelation 7chap4 iv4 #g71 which stood round the throne of the ,lamb1 were likewise thus interpreted2 but it was not till the fifth century that we find these symbols assuming a visible form1 and introduced into works of art4 ,in the seventh century they had become almost universal1 as distinctive attributes4 ,illustration3 #dh ,st4 ,matthew 7,mosaic1 fifth century7 ,the general application of the ,four ,creatures to the ,four ,evangelists is of much earlier date than the separate and individual application of each symbol1 which has varied at different times2 that propounded by ,st4 ,jerome1 in his commentary on ,ezekiel1 has since his time prevailed universally4 ,thus1 then1 #a4 ,to ,st4 ,matthew was given the ,,cherub1 or human semblance1 because he begins his gospel with the human generation of ,christ2 or1 according to others1 because in his gospel the human nature of the ,saviour is more insisted on than the divine4 ,in the most ancient mosaics1 the type is human1 not angelic1 for the head is that of a man with a beard4 #b4 ,st4 ,mark has the ,,lion1 because he has set forth the royal dignity of ,christ2 or1 according to others1 because he begins with the mission of the ,baptist--#8the voice of one crying in the wilderness'--which is figured by the lion3 or1 according to a third interpretation1 the lion was allotted to ,st4 ,mark1 because there was1 in the middle ages1 a popular belief that the young of the lion was born dead1 and after three days was awakened to vitality by the breath of its sire2 some authors1 however1 represent the lion as vivifying his young not by his breath1 but by his roar4 ,in either case the application is the same2 the revival of the young lion was considered as symbolical of the resurrection1 and ,mark was commonly called the #8,historian of the ,resurrection4' ,another commentator observes that ,mark begins his gospel with #8roaring'--#8the voice of one crying in the wilderness2' and ends it fearfully with a curse--#8,he that believeth not shall be damned2' and that1 therefore1 his appropriate attribute is the most terrible of beasts1 the lion4#aja #c4 ,luke has the ,,ox1 because he has dwelt on the priesthood of ,christ1 the ox being the emblem of sacrifice4 #d4 ,john has the ,,eagle1 which is the symbol of the highest inspiration1 because he soared upwards to the contemplation of the divine nature of the ,saviour4 ,but the order in which1 in theological ,art1 these symbols are placed1 is not the same as the order of the ,gospels according to the canon4 ,rupertus considers the ,four ,beasts as typical of the ,incarnation1 the ,passion1 the ,resurrection1 and the ,ascension2 an idea previously dwelt upon by ,durandus1 who adds1 that the man and the lion are placed on the right1 because the incarnation and the resurrection are the joy of the whole earth2 whilst the ox is on the left1 because ,christ's sacrifice was a trouble to the apostles2 and the eagle is above the ox1 as suggestive of our ,lord's upward flight into heaven3 according to others1 the proper order in the ascending scale is thus--at the lowest point on the left1 the ox2 to the right1 the lion2 above the ox1 the eagle2 and above all1 the angel4 ,so in ,raphael's ,vision of ,ezekiel1 the angel gazes into the face of the ,holy ,one1 the others form his throne4 ,i have dwelt on these fanciful interpretations and disquisitions1 because the symbols of the ,evangelists meet us at every turn2 in the mosaics of the old ,italian churches1 in the decorative sculpture of our old cathedrals1 in the ,gothic stained glass1 in the ancient pictures and miniatures1 on the carved and chased covers of old books2 everywhere1 in short1 where enters the idea of their divine mission--and where is it not8 ,the profound thought1 as well as the vivid imagination1 exercised in some of these early works of art1 is beginning to be appreciated2 and we should lose the half of what is poetical1 and significant1 and venerable in these apparently arbitrary and fanciful symbols1 if we merely seized the general intention1 and not the relative and appropriate meaning of each4 ,i will only add 7for ,i have restricted myself to the consideration of the mysteries of faith only so far as they are carried into the forms of ,art7 that these symbols of the ,four ,evangelists were in their combination held to be symbolical of the ,redeemer1 in the fourfold character then universally assigned to him1 as man1 as king1 as high-priest1 and as ,god2 according to this ,latin verse3 ,quatuor hc ,dominum signant animalia ,christum3 ,est ,homo nascendo1 vitulus que sacer moriendo1 ,et ,leo surgendo1 clos aquila que petendo2 ,nec minus hos scribas animalia et ipsa figurant4 ,this would again alter the received order of the symbols1 and place the angelic or human semblance lower than the rest3 but ,i have never seen them so placed1 at least ,i can recollect no instance4 ,a ,greek mosaic1 existing in the ,convent of ,vatopedi1 on ,mount ,athos1 exhibits an attempt to reduce to form the wild and sublime imagery of the prophet ,ezekiel3 the ,evangelists1 or rather the ,gospels1 are represented as the tetramorph1 or four-faced creature1 with wings full of eyes1 and borne on wheels of living flame 7#di74 ,the ,tetramorph1 i4e4 the union of the four attributes of the ,evangelists1 in one figure1 is in ,greek ,art always angelic or winged--a mysterious thing4 ,the ,tetramorph in ,western ,art has in some instances become monstrous1 instead of mystic and poetical4 ,in a miniature of the ,hortus ,deliciarum1 we find the new ,law1 or ,christianity1 represented as a woman crowned and seated on an animal which1 with the body of a horse1 has the four heads of the mystic creatures2 and of the four feet1 one is human2 one hoofed1 for the ox2 one clawed like an eagle's2 and one like a lion's3 underneath is inscribed ,animal ,ecclesi4 ,in some other examples1 the ,church1 or the new ,law1 is seated in a triumphal car drawn by the eagle1 the lion1 and the ox1 while the angel holds the reins and drives as charioteer4 ,illustration3 #di ,tetramorph ,the early images of the ,evangelical symbol are uniformly represented with wings1 for the same reason that wings were given to the angels1--they were angels1 i4e4 bringers of good tidings3 for instance1 in the earliest example to which ,i can refer1 a rude fragment of a bas-relief in terracotta1 found in the catacombs1 which represents a lamb with a glory holding a cross2 on the right1 an angel in a sacerdotal garment 7,st4 ,matthew71 on the left the winged ox 7,st4 ,luke71 each holding a book4 ,illustration3 #ej ,st4 ,luke 7,mosaic1 ,a4,d4 #gej7 ,illustration3 #ea ,st4 ,luke 7,mosaic1 fifth century7 ,in the most ancient ,christian churches we find these symbols perpetually recurring1 generally in or over the recess at the east end 7the apsis1 or tribune71 where stands the altar4 ,and as the image of ,christ1 as the ,redeemer1 either under the semblance of the lamb1 or in his human likeness1 as a grand1 calm1 solemn figure enthroned1 and in the act of benediction1 forms invariably the principal object2 almost as invariably the ,evangelists are either at the four corners1 or ranged in a line above or below1 or they are over the arch in front of the tribune4 ,sometimes they are the heads only of the mystic creatures1 on an azure ground1 studded with stars1 floating as in a firmament1 thus 7#ej73 or the half figure ends in a leafy scroll1 like the genii in an arabesque1 as thus 7#ea73 or the creature is given at full length and entire1 with four wings1 holding the book1 and looking much like a figure in heraldry 7#eb1 #ec74 ,illustration3 #eb ,st4 ,john 7,mosaic1 eleventh century7 ,illustration3 #ec ,st4 ,mark 7,mosaic7 ,the next step was the combination of the emblem with the human form1 i4e4 the head of the lion1 ox1 or eagle1 set upon the figure of a man4 ,here is a figure of ,st4 ,john standing with the head of an eagle1 holding the gospel 7#ed74 ,there is another rudely engraved in ,mnter's work1 with the eagle's head1 wings upon the shoulders1 and a scroll4 ,i remember another of ,st4 ,john seated1 writing1 with the head and clawed feet of an eagle1 and the body and hands of a man4 ,such figures as a series ,i have seen in ornaments1 and frequently in illuminated ,,mss41 but seldom in churches1 and never of a large size4 ,a very striking and comparatively modern example of this peculiar treatment occurs in a bas-relief on the door of the ,college of ,st4 ,stephen and ,st4 ,lawrence1 at ,castiglione1 in which the ,four ,evangelists are represented as half-length human figures1 amply draped and holding the gospels1 each with the emblematic head and large outspread wings 7#ee74 ,the bronze bas-reliefs of the ,evangelists on each side of the choir of ,st4 ,antonio1 at ,padua1 are similar in form1 and very fine1 both in conception and workmanship4 ,illustration3 #ed ,st4 ,john ,this series of full-length figures is from the first compartment of the ,life of ,christ by ,angelico da ,fiesole4#ajb ,in the original the figures stand round a mystic circle1 alternately with the prophets 7#ef74 ,we must remember1 that however monstrous and grotesque such figures may appear to the eye1 they are not more unnatural than the angelic representations with which we are so familiar that we see in them beauty only--not considering that men with the wings of birds are as merely emblematical and impossible as men with animal heads4 ,it is interesting1 and leads the mind to many speculations1 to remark that the ,babylonish captivity must have familiarised the ,israelites with the combination of the human and animal attributes in the same figure4 ,the gigantic bas-reliefs from ,nineveh show us winged bulls with human heads1 and the human form with the eagle's head and wings4 ,this figure1 for example1 7#eg7 is not unlike some early figures of ,st4 ,john1 if we substitute the book and the pen for the basket and the pine-cone4 ,illustration3 #ee ,st4 ,mark ,illustration3 #ef ,illustration3 #eg ,from ,nineveh ,in a few later examples the only symbolical attribute retained is a pair of wings4 ,the next figure 7#eh7 is from a curious set of ,evangelists1 of a minute size1 and exquisitely engraved by ,hans ,beham3 they are habited in the old ,german fashion2 each has his book1 his emblem1 and in addition the expressive wings4 ,illustration3 #eh ,these animal symbols1 whether alone or in combination with the human forms1 were perfectly intelligible to the people1 sanctified in their eyes by tradition1 by custom1 and by the most solemn associations4 ,all direct imitation of nature was1 by the best painters1 carefully avoided4 ,in this respect how fine is ,raphael's ,vision of ,ezekiel6 how sublime and how true in feeling and conception6 where the ,messiah comes floating along1 upborne by the ,four ,creatures--mysterious1 spiritual1 wonderful beings1 animals in form1 but in all else unearthly1 and the winged ox not less divine than the winged angel6#ajc ,whereas in the later times1 when the artist piqued himself upon the imitation of nature1 the mystic and venerable significance was wholly lost4 ,as a striking instance of this mistaken style of treatment1 we may turn to the famous group of the ,four ,evangelists by ,rubens1#ajd grand1 colossal1 standing or rather moving figures1 each with his emblem1 if emblems they can be called which are almost as full of reality as nature itself3--the ox so like life1 we expect him to bellow at us2 the magnificent lion flourishing his tail1 and looking at ,st4 ,mark as if about to roar at him6--and herein lies the mistake of the great painter1 that1 for the religious and mysterious emblem1 he has substituted the creatures themselves3 this being one of the instances1 not unfrequent in ,art1 in which the literal truth becomes a manifest falsehood4 ,in ecclesiastical decoration the ,four ,evangelists are sometimes grouped significantly with the ,four ,greater ,prophets2 thus representing the connexion between the new and the old ,law4 ,i met with a curious instance in the ,cathedral of ,chartres4 ,the five great windows over the south door may be said to contain a succinct system of theology1 according to the belief of the thirteenth century3 here the ,virgin1 i4e4 the ,church or ,religion1 occupies the central window2 on one side is ,jeremiah1 carrying on his shoulders ,st4 ,luke1 and ,isaiah carrying ,st4 ,matthew2 on the other side1 ,ezekiel bears ,st4 ,john1 and ,daniel ,st4 ,mark2 thus representing the ,new ,testament resting on the ,old4 ,in ecclesiastical decoration1 and particularly in the stained glass1 they are often found in combination with the ,four ,doctors1 the ,evangelists being considered as witnesses1 the ,doctors as interpreters1 of the truth3 or as a series with the ,four ,greater ,prophets1 the ,four ,sibyls1 and the ,four ,doctors of the ,church1 the ,evangelists taking the third place4 ,if1 as late as the sixteenth century1 we find the ,evangelists still expressed by the mystic emblems 7as in the fine bronzes in the choir of ,sant' ,antonio at ,padua71 as early as the sixth we have in the ,greek ,,mss4 and mosaics the ,evangelists as venerable men1 and promulgators of a revelation2 as in ,san ,vitale at ,ravenna 7,a4,d4 #edg73 on each side of the choir1 nearest the altar1 we find the prophets ,isaiah and ,jeremiah2 then follow the ,evangelists1 two on each side1 all alike1 all classically draped in white tunics1 each holding an open book1 on which is inscribed #8,secundum ,marcum1' #8,secundum ,johannem1' c42 and above each the animal symbol or attribute1 large1 full length1 and grandly designed4 ,in modern ecclesiastical decoration1 the usual and appropriate situation of the ,four ,evangelists is immediately under the dome1 nearest to the ,saviour after the angels1 or after the prophets1 where either are introduced4 ,i will mention here a few examples celebrated in the history of ,art2 premising that among the works of ,leonardo1 of ,michael ,angelo1 and ,raphael1 we find no representations of the ,four ,evangelists2 which is singular1 considering that such figures entered necessarily into every scheme of theological decorative art4 ,by ,cimabue 7,a4,d4 #abgj71 larger than life1 on the vault of the choir in ,san ,francesco d',assisi4 ,by ,giotto 7,a4,d4 #acbj71 in the choir of ,sant' ,apollinare1 at ,ravenna2 seated1 and each accompanied by one of the doctors of the ,church4 ,by ,angelico 7,a4,d4 #acij71 round the dome of the chapel of ,san ,niccol1 in the ,vatican2 all seated1 each with his emblem4 ,by ,masaccio 7,a4,d4 #adbj71 round the dome of the chapel of the ,passion in ,san ,clemente1 at ,rome2 admirable for simple grandeur4 ,by ,perugino 7,a4,d4 #adij71 on the dome of the chapel del ,cambio1 at ,perugia2 the heads admirable4 ,by ,correggio 7,a4,d4 #aebj71 immediately under the cupola of ,san ,giovanni1 in four lunettes1 magnificent figures3 and again in the ,cathedral of ,parma1 each seated in glory1 with one of the doctors of the ,church4 ,by ,domenichino1 two sets 7,a4,d4 #afbj74 ,those in the church of ,st4 ,andrea della ,valle1 at ,rome1 are considered his finest works1 and celebrated in the history of ,art3 they are grand figures4 ,the emblematical animals are here combined with the personages in a manner the most studied and picturesque2 and the angels which sport around them1 playing with the mane of ,st4 ,mark's lion1 or the pallet and pencils of ,st4 ,luke1 are like beautiful #8,amoretti1'--but we hardly think of angels4 ,the series at ,grotta-,ferrata is inferior4 ,the ,four ,evangelists by ,valentin 7,a4,d4 #afcb71 in the ,louvre1 had once great celebrity1 and have been often engraved2 they appear to me signal examples of all that should be avoided in character and sentiment4 ,st4 ,matthew1 for example1 is an old beggar2 the model for the attendant angel is a little ,french gamin1 #8 qui ,valentin a command de sortir un bras de la manche de sa chemise1 que de l'autre main il soutient gauchement4' ,le ,sueur 7,a4,d4 #afee7 has represented the ,four ,evangelists seated at a table writing2 the ,holy ,ghost descends upon them in the form of a dove4 ,towards the end of the seventeenth century1 we find sets of the ,evangelists in which the emblems are altogether omitted1 and the personages distinguished by their situation1 or by their names inscribed under or over them3 but we miss those antique scriptural attributes which placed them before us as beings foreshadowed in the prophecies uttered of old2 they have become mere men4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this must suffice for the ,evangelists considered as a series and in their collective character2 but it will be interesting to pause for a moment1 and take a rapid retrospective view of the progress1 from first to last1 in the expression of an idea through form4 ,first1 we have the mere fact2 the four scrolls1 or the four books4 ,next1 the idea2 the four rivers of salvation flowing from on high1 to fertilise the whole earth4 ,thirdly1 the prophetic ,symbol2 the winged cherub of fourfold aspect4 ,next1 the ,christian ,symbol2 the four #8beasts' in the ,apocalypse1 with or without the angel-wings4 ,then the combination of the emblematical animal with the human form4 ,then the human personages1 each of venerable or inspired aspect1 as becomes the teacher and witness2 and each attended by the scriptural emblem--no longer an emblem1 but an attribute--marking his individual vocation and character4 ,and1 lastly1 the emblem and attribute both discarded1 we have the human being only1 holding his gospel1 i4e4 his version of the doctrine of ,christ4 ,,st4 ,,matthew4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,mattheus4 ,ital4 ,san ,matteo4 ,fr4 ,saint ,matthieu4 ,ger4 ,st4 ,matthus4 7,sept4 #ba47 ,st4 ,matthew among the ,apostles takes the seventh or eighth place1 but as an ,evangelist he always stands first1 because his gospel was the earliest written4 ,very little is certainly known concerning him1 his name occurring but once in his own gospel1 and in the other gospels only incidentally with reference to two events4 ,he was a ,hebrew by birth2 by profession a publican1 or tax-gatherer1 in the service of the ,romans--an office very lucrative1 but particularly odious in the sight of his countrymen4 ,his original name was ,levi4 ,it is recorded in few words1 that as he sat at the receipt of custom by the lake of ,gennesareth1 ,jesus in passing by saw him1 and said unto him1 #8,follow me1' and he left all and followed him2 and farther1 that he made a feast in his house1 at which many publicans and sinners sat down with the ,lord and his disciples1 to the great astonishment and scandal of the ,jews4 ,so far the sacred record3 the traditional and legendary history of ,st4 ,matthew is equally scanty4 ,it is related in the ,perfetto ,legendario that after the dispersion of the apostles he travelled into ,egypt and ,ethiopia1 preaching the ,gospel2 and having arrived in the capital of ,ethiopia1 he lodged in the house of the eunuch who had been baptized by ,philip1 and who entertained him with great honour4 ,there were two terrible magicians at that time in ,ethiopia1 who by their diabolical spells and incantations kept all the people in subjection1 afflicting them at the same time with strange and terrible diseases2 but ,st4 ,matthew overcame them1 and having baptized the people1 they were delivered for ever from the malignant influence of these enchanters4 ,and further1 it is related that ,st4 ,matthew raised the son of the ,king of ,egypt from the dead1 and healed his daughter of the leprosy4 ,the princess1 whose name was ,iphigenia1 he placed at the head of a community of virgins dedicated to the service of ,god2 and a certain wicked heathen king1 having threatened to tear her from her asylum1 was struck by leprosy1 and his palace destroyed by fire4 ,st4 ,matthew remained twenty-three years in ,egypt and ,ethiopia1 and it is said that he perished in the ninetieth year of our era1 under ,domitian3 but the manner of his death is uncertain2 according to the ,greek legend1 he died in peace1 but according to the tradition of the ,western ,church1 he suffered martyrdom either by the sword or the spear4 ,illustration3 #ei ,st4 ,matthew ,few churches are dedicated to ,st4 ,matthew4 ,i am not aware that he is the patron saint of any country1 trade1 or profession1 unless it be that of tax-gatherer or exciseman2 and this is perhaps the reason that1 except where he figures as one of the series of evangelists or apostles1 he is so seldom represented alone1 or in devotional pictures4 ,in a large altar-piece1 the #8,san ,matteo' of ,annibal ,caracci1#aje he is standing before the throne of the ,madonna1 as a pendant to ,john the ,baptist1 and gives his name to the picture3 but such examples are uncommon4 ,when he is portrayed as an evangelist1 he holds a book or a pen2 and the angel1 his proper attribute and attendant1 stands by1 pointing up to heaven1 or dictating2 or he holds the inkhorn1 or he supports the book4 ,in his character of apostle1 ,st4 ,matthew frequently holds a purse or money-bag1 as significant of his former vocation 7#ef74 ,neither are pictures from his life of frequent occurrence4 ,the principal incident1 entitled the #8,calling of ,matthew1' has been occasionally1 but not often1 treated in painting4 ,the motif is simple and not easily mistaken4 ,st4 ,matthew is seated at a kind of desk with money before him2 various personages bring tribute2 on one side is seen ,christ1 with one or two of his disciples1 generally ,peter and ,andrew2 ,st4 ,matthew is either looking towards him with an expression of awe-struck attention1 or he is rising from his seat1 as in the act to follow3 the mere accessories and number of the personages vary with the period of the composition and the taste of the painter4 #a4 ,the earliest instance ,i can cite1 probably the oldest which has come down to us1 is in a ,greek ,,ms4 of the ninth century4#ajf ,st4 ,matthew sits with both hands on a heap of gold1 lying on a table before him3 he looks round at ,christ1 who is a little behind4 #b4 ,st4 ,matthew is about to rise to follow the ,saviour2 by ,matte di ,ser ,cambio of ,perugia1 who has represented his patron saint in a small composition4#ajg #c4 ,in the ,queen's ,gallery at ,buckingham ,palace1 there is a very curious and interesting picture of this subject1 by ,mabuse1 which once belonged to ,king ,charles ,i41 and is quaintly described in the old catalogue of his pictures #8as a very old1 defaced1 curious altar-piece1 upon a thick board1 where ,christ is calling ,st4 ,matthew out of the custom-house2 which picture was got in ,queen ,elizabeth's days1 in the taking of ,calus ,malus 7,cadiz71 in ,spain4 ,painted upon a board in a gilded arched frame1 like an altar-piece2 containing ten big figures1 less than half so big as the life1 and some twenty-two afar off less figures4 ,given to the ,king4' ,in the foreground there is a rich architectural porch1 from which ,st4 ,matthew is issuing in haste1 leaving his money-bags behind2 and in the background is seen the lake of ,gennesareth and shipping4 ,this picture was among the booty taken in ,essex's expedition against ,cadiz in #aeif1 and probably stolen from some church4 #d4 ,in the ,vienna ,gallery ,i found three pictures of the same subject1 all by ,hemessen1 very quaint and curious4 #e4 ,at ,dresden the same subject in the ,venetian style by ,pordenone4 #f4 ,by ,ludovico ,caracci1 a grand scenic picture1 painted for the ,mendicanti in ,bologna4 #g4 ,in a chapel of the church of ,san ,luigi de' ,francesi1 at ,rome1 there are three pictures by ,caravaggio from the life of ,st4 ,matthew4 ,over the altar is the saint writing his gospel2 he looks up at the attendant angel1 who is behind with outspread wings1 and in the act of dictating4 ,on the left is the calling of ,st4 ,matthew2 the saint1 who has been counting money1 rises with one hand on his breast1 and turns to follow the ,saviour3 an old man1 with spectacles on his nose1 examines with curiosity the personage whose summons has had such a miraculous effect3 a boy is slyly appropriating the money which the apostle has thrown down4 ,the third picture is the martyrdom of the saint1 who1 in the sacerdotal habit1 lies extended on a block1 while a half-naked executioner raises the sword1 and several spectators shrink back with horror4 ,there is nothing dignified or poetical in these representations2 and though painted with all that power of effect which characterised ,caravaggio1 then at the height of his reputation1 they have also his coarseness of feeling and execution3 the priests were 7not without reason7 dissatisfied2 and it required all the influence of his patron1 ,cardinal ,giustiniani1 to induce them to retain the pictures in the church where we now see them2--here we sympathise with the priests1 rather than with the artist and his patron4 ,the ,feast which ,st4 ,matthew made for our ,saviour and his disciples is the subject of one of ,paul ,veronese's gorgeous banquet scenes2 that which he painted for the refectory of the ,convent of ,st4 ,john and ,st4 ,paul at ,venice4 ,it is now in the ,academy1 filling up the end wall of one of the great rooms from side to side1 and seeming to let in light and air through the lofty marble porticoes1 which give us such a magnificent idea of the splendour which surrounded ,levi before he left all to follow ,jesus4 ,in all the representations of the death of ,st4 ,matthew1 except those of the ,greek or ,byzantine school1 he dies by the sword4 ,the ,greek artists uniformly exhibit him as dying in peace1 while an angel swings the censer beside his bed3 as on the ancient doors of ,san ,paolo at ,rome4 ,pictures from the legendary life of ,st4 ,matthew are very rare4 ,the most remarkable are the frescoes in the chapel of ,san ,matteo at ,ravenna1 attributed to ,giotto4 ,they are so much ruined1 that1 of the eight subjects represented1 only three--his vocation1 his preaching and healing the sick in ,ethiopia1 and the baptism of the king and queen--can be made out4 ,in the ,bedford missal at ,paris ,i found a miniature1 representing ,st4 ,matthew #8healing the son and daughter of ,king ,egyptus of the leprosy2' but1 as a subject of art1 he is not popular4 ,,st4 ,,mark4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,marcus4 ,ital4 ,san ,marco ,evangelista4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,marc4 ,ger4 ,der ,heilige ,marcus4 7,april #be4 ,a4,d4 #fh47 ,st4 ,mark the ,evangelist was not one of the twelve ,apostles3 his conversion apparently took place after the ascension4 ,he was the companion and assistant of ,paul and ,barnabas1 with whom he preached the ,gospel among the ,gentiles4 ,according to the traditions received in the ,roman ,church1 he was converted by ,st4 ,peter1 and became his favourite disciple2 attended him first to ,aquileia1 where they converted and baptized the people on the shores of the ,adriatic1 and thence to ,rome4 ,while there he wrote his gospel for the use of the ,roman converts1--some say from the dictation of the apostle4 ,he afterwards1 by command of ,st4 ,peter1 went to preach the ,gospel in ,egypt2 and after preaching in ,lybia and ,thebais for twelve years1 he founded the church of ,alexandria1 subsequently one of the most celebrated of all the early ,christian churches4 ,the ire of the heathen being stirred up against him because of his miracles1 they reviled him as a magician1 and1 during the feast of their god ,serapis1 seized him while in the act of worship1 bound him1 and dragged him along the streets and highways1 and over stony and rocky places1 till he perished miserably2 at the same time a dreadful tempest of hail and lightning fell upon his murderers1 by which they were dispersed and destroyed4 ,the ,christians of ,alexandria buried his mangled remains1 and his sepulchre was regarded with great reverence for several centuries4 ,about #hae ,a4,d41 some ,venetian merchants trading to ,alexandria carried off the relics 7literally stole them1--#8convey the wise it call6'71 and they were deposited in the city of ,venice1 where the stately church of ,st4 ,mark was built over them4 ,since that time1 ,st4 ,mark has been honoured as the patron saint of ,venice1 and his legendary history has supplied the ,venetian painters with many beautiful and picturesque subjects4 ,when ,st4 ,mark is represented as one of the four ,evangelists1 either singly or grouped with the others1 he is almost invariably accompanied by the lion1 winged or unwinged1 but generally winged1--which distinguishes him from ,st4 ,jerome1 who is also accompanied by the lion1 but unwinged1 as we shall see hereafter4 ,in devotional representations1 ,st4 ,mark often wears the habit of bishop1 as first bishop of ,alexandria4 ,he is thus represented in the colossal mosaic over the principal door of ,st4 ,mark's at ,venice#ajh in the pontificals of a ,greek bishop1 no mitre1 short grey hair and beard2 one hand raised in benediction1 the other holding the gospel4 ,of the innumerable pictures in which ,st4 ,mark figures as patron of ,venice1 ,i can afford to give a few examples only4 #a4 ,a4 ,busati4 ,he is seated on a throne2 an open book in one hand1 bearing inscribed the ,venetian motto 7#8la ,leggenda de' ,veneti#87 ,,pax ,,tibi1 ,,marce1 ,,evangelista ,,meus2 the other hand blessing3 behind him a fig-tree1 with leaves and no fruit2 probably in allusion to the text1 ch4 xi4 #ac1 which is peculiar to ,st4 ,mark4 ,on his right stands ,st4 ,andrew bearing a cross2 on the left ,st4 ,bernardino of ,siena2 behind him the apple-tree which #8brought death into the world and all our woe4' ,this votive picture1 from its mystical accessories and the introduction of ,st4 ,bernardino1 was probably painted for the ,franciscans 7i ,frari7 of ,venice3 it is now in the ,academy there4 #b4 ,st4 ,mark on a lofty throne holds his gospel in his hand2 at his feet the four saints who are protectors against sickness and pestilence1 ,st4 ,sebastian1 ,st4 ,roch1 ,st4 ,cosmo1 and ,st4 ,damian3 a splendid picture1 in ,titian's early manner4#aji #c4 ,st4 ,mark plants the standard of ,venice1 by ,bonifazio4 ,and #d4 #8,san ,marco che assista all' coscrizione maritima2' 7i4e4 the enlisting of the mariners for the service of the ,state7 by ,g4 del ,moro1 both curious instances of the manner in which the ,venetians mixed up their patron saint with all their political and military transactions4 #e4 ,st4 ,mark presents the ,doge ,leonardo ,dona to the ,virgin2 the most remarkable of a numerous class of votive pictures common in the ,venetian school1 in which ,st4 ,mark introduces either the ,doge or some general or magnifico to the ,virgin4#aaj ,among the devotional pictures of ,st4 ,mark1 one of the most famous is that of ,fra ,bartolomeo1 in the ,palazzo ,pitti4 ,he is represented as a man in the prime of life1 with bushy hair and a short reddish beard1 throned in a niche1 and holding in one hand the gospel1 in the other a pen2 the lion is omitted4 ,the ,frate painted this picture for his own convent of ,san ,marco at ,florence4 ,it is much lauded and celebrated1 but the attitude appeared to me rather forced1 and the features rather commonplace4 ,the legend which describes ,st4 ,mark as the disciple and amanuensis of ,st4 ,peter1 has given occasion for those votive pictures in which they are represented together4 #a4 ,in the treasury of ,st4 ,mark's is preserved a golden reliquary of a square form1 containing1 it is said1 a fragment of the original gospel in the handwriting of ,st4 ,mark2 the chased cover represents ,st4 ,peter on a throne1 and before him kneels the evangelist1 writing from his dictation4#aaa #b4 ,and again1 in an ancient ,greek ,evangelarium1 ,st4 ,mark is seated1 writing2 ,st4 ,peter stands before him with his hand raised as dictating4 #c4 ,in a beautiful picture by ,angelico da ,fiesole1#aab ,st4 ,peter is in a pulpit preaching to the ,romans2 and ,mark1 seated1 is taking down his words in a book4 #d4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,mark standing together1 the former holding a book1 the latter a pen1 with an inkhorn suspended from his girdle1 by ,bellini2#aac and1 #e1 a similar one by ,bonvicino--very beautiful4#aad ,such pictures are extremely interesting1 showing the opinion generally entertained of the origin of ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel4 ,historical pictures from the legendary life of ,st4 ,mark abound in the ,venetian school1 but are not often found out of ,venice4 ,st4 ,mark preaching the ,gospel at ,alexandria1 by ,gentil ,bellini1#aae a very large composition with numerous figures1 is on many accounts extremely curious4 ,the painter1 who had been at ,constantinople1 transferred to ,alexandria the ,oriental scenery and costume with which he had become acquainted4 ,the church of ,st4 ,euphemia at ,alexandria1 in the background1 has the air of a ,turkish mosque2 a crowd of persons1 men and women1 in the costume of the ,turks1 surround the saint1 who is standing on a kind of pedestal or platform1 ascended by a flight of steps1 from which he addresses his audience with great fervour4 ,gentil ,bellini painted this picture for the ,scuola di ,san ,marco1 at ,venice4 ,it is related that one day ,st4 ,mark1 in his progress through the city of ,alexandria1 saw a poor cobbler1 who had wounded his hand severely with his awl1 so as to be incapacitated from gaining his bread3 ,st4 ,mark healed the wound2 and the cobbler1 whose name was ,anianus1 being converted and properly instructed1 became a zealous ,christian1 and succeeded ,st4 ,mark as bishop of ,alexandria4 ,this miraculous cure of ,st4 ,anianus1 and his subsequent baptism1 are represented in two pictures by ,mansueti4#aaf ,in the ,berlin ,gallery is the cure of ,st4 ,anianus1 by ,cima da ,conegliano2 a large composition with many figures4 ,the cure and baptism of ,st4 ,anianus1 represented as a very aged man1 form the subjects of two fine bas-reliefs on the faade of the ,school of ,st4 ,mark1 by ,tullio ,lombardo1 ,a4,d4 #aejb4 ,in the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,mark1 he is dragged through the streets by the enraged populace1 who haul him along by a rope2 a storm from above overwhelms the idolaters4 ,the subject is thus represented by ,angelico da ,fiesole4#aag 99 99 99 99 99 ,a famous legend of ,st4 ,mark1 which has been the subject of several pictures1 can only be worthily given in the language of the old ,venetian chronicle3 there is something perfectly charming in the picturesque navet and matter-of-fact detail with which this wild and wonderful story is related2 and if you1 reader1 have ever stood on the steps of the ,piazzetta and looked over to ,san ,giorgio1 or ,san ,niccol1 when the waves of the ,lagune were foaming and driving up to your feet1 and storm-clouds stooping and lowering seemed to touch the very domes and campanile around1 then you will have the whole scene as a reality before you4 #8,on the #beth of ,february1 #acdj1 there fell out a wonderful thing in this land2 for during three days the waters rose continually1 and in the night there was fearful rain and tempest1 such as had never been heard of4 ,so great was the storm that the waters rose three cubits higher than had ever been known in ,venice2 and an old fisherman being in his little boat in the canal of ,st4 ,mark1 reached with difficulty the ,riva di ,san ,marco1 and there he fastened his boat1 and waited the ceasing of the storm4 ,and it is related that1 at the time this storm was at the highest1 there came an unknown man1 and besought him that he would row him over to ,san ,giorgio ,maggiore1 promising to pay him well2 and the fisherman replied1 8,how is it possible to go to ,san ,giorgio8 we shall sink by the way60 ,but the man only besought him the more that he should set forth4 ,so1 seeing that it was the will of ,god1 he arose and rowed over to ,san ,giorgio ,maggiore2 and the man landed there1 and desired the boatman to wait4 ,in a short while he returned with a young man2 and they said1 8,now row towards ,san ,niccol di ,lido40 ,and the fisherman said1 8,how can one possibly go so far with one oar80 ,and they said1 8,row boldly1 for it shall be possible to thee1 and thou shalt be well paid40 ,and he went2 and it appeared to him as if the waters were smooth4 ,being arrived at ,san ,niccol di ,lido1 the two men landed1 and returned with a third1 and1 having entered into the boat1 they commanded the fisherman that he should row beyond the two castles4 ,and the tempest raged continually4 ,being come to the open sea1 they beheld approaching1 with such terrific speed that it appeared to fly over the waters1 an enormous galley full of demons 7as it is written in the ,chronicles1 and ,marco ,sabellino also makes mention of this miracle73 the said bark approached the castles to overwhelm ,venice1 and to destroy it utterly2 anon the sea1 which had hitherto been tumultuous1 became calm2 and these three men1 having made the sign of the cross1 exorcised the demons1 and commanded them to depart1 and immediately the galley or the ship vanished4 ,then these three men commanded the fisherman to land them1 the one at ,san ,niccol di ,lido1 the other at ,san ,giorgio ,maggiore1 and the third at ,san ,marco4 ,and when he had landed the third1 the fisherman1 notwithstanding the miracle he had witnessed1 desired that he would pay him2 and he replied1 8,thou art right2 go now to the ,doge1 and to the ,procuratore of ,st4 ,mark1 and tell them what thou hast seen1 for ,venice would have been overwhelmed had it not been for us three4 ,i am ,st4 ,mark the evangelist1 the protector of this city2 the other is the brave knight ,st4 ,george2 and he whom thou didst take up at the ,lido is the holy bishop ,st4 ,nicholas4 ,say to the ,doge and to the ,procuratori#aah that they are to pay you2 and tell them likewise that this tempest arose because of a certain schoolmaster dwelling at ,san ,felice1 who did sell his soul to the devil1 and afterwards hanged himself40 ,and the fisherman replied1 8,if ,i should tell them this1 they will not believe me40 ,then ,st4 ,mark took off a ring which was on his finger1 which ring was worth five ducats2 and he said1 8,show them this1 and tell them when they look in the sanctuary they will not find it30 and thereupon he disappeared4 ,the next morning1 the said fisherman presented himself before the ,doge and related all he had seen the night before1 and showed him the ring for a sign4 ,and the ,procuratori having sent for the ring1 and sought in the usual place1 found it not2 by reason of which miracle the fisherman was paid1 and a solemn procession was ordained1 giving thanks to ,god1 and to the relics of the three holy saints1 who rest in our land1 and who delivered us from this great danger4 ,the ring was given to ,signor ,marco ,loredano and to ,signor ,andrea ,dandolo the ,procuratori1 who placed it in the sanctuary2 and1 moreover1 a perpetual provision was made for the aged fisherman above mentioned4'#aai ,this legend is the subject of two celebrated pictures3--,the first1 attributed to ,giorgione1#abj represents the storm4 ,a ship1 manned by demons1 is seen towering over the waves3 the demons appear to be seized with consternation2 some fling themselves headlong over the side of their vessel1 others are clinging to the rigging1 others sit on the masts which flame with fire1 and the glare is seen over the murky sky and sea4 ,more in front are two barks1 one rowed by four satyr-like demons1 splendid figures admirably painted1 literally glowing as if they were red-hot1 and full of fierce animation4 ,in the other bark are seen the three saints1 ,st4 ,mark1 ,st4 ,nicholas1 and ,st4 ,george1 rowed by the fisherman2 sea-monsters are sporting amid the waves1 demons bestride them2 the city of ,venice is just visible in the far-off distance4 ,the whole picture is full of vigour and poetic feeling2 the fiery glow of colour and the romantic style of ,giorgione suited the subject2 and it has been admirably restored4 ,the second picture is by ,paris ,bordone1#aba and represents the fisherman presenting the miraculous ring of ,st4 ,mark to the ,doge ,gradenigo4 ,it is like a grand piece of scenic decoration3 we have before us a magnificent marble hall1 with columns and buildings in perspective2 to the right1 on the summit of a flight of steps1 sits the ,doge in council2 the poor fisherman1 ascending the steps1 holds forth the ring4 ,the numerous figures1 the vivid colour1 the luxuriant architecture1 remind us of ,paul ,veronese1 with1 however1 more delicacy1 both in colour and execution4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,christian slave1 in the service of a certain nobleman of ,provence1 disobeyed the commands of his lord1 and persisted in paying his devotions at the shrine of ,st4 ,mark1 which was at some distance4 ,on his return home1 he was condemned to the torture4 ,as it was about to be inflicted1 the saint himself descended from heaven to aid his votary2 the instruments of torture were broken or blunted1 the oppressor and his executioners confounded4 ,this legend is the subject of a celebrated picture by ,tintoretto1#abb of which ,mr4 ,rogers had the original sketch4 ,the slave lies on the ground amid a crowd of spectators1 who look on1 animated by all the various emotions of sympathy1 rage1 terror2 a woman in front1 with a child in her arms1 has always been admired for the life-like vivacity of her attitude and expression4 ,the executioner holds up the broken implements2 ,st4 ,mark1 with a headlong movement1 seems to rush down from heaven in haste to save his worshipper2 the dramatic grouping in this picture is wonderful2 the colouring1 in its gorgeous depth and harmony1 is in ,mr4 ,rogers's sketch finer than in the picture4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in ,st4 ,mark's1 at ,venice1 we find the whole history of ,st4 ,mark on the vault of the ,cappella ,zen 7opening from the ,baptistery71 in a series of very curious mosaics of the twelfth century4 ,the translation of the body of ,st4 ,mark2 the carrying off the relics from ,alexandria2 their arrival in ,venice2 the grand religious ceremonies which took place on their arrival2 are also represented in the mosaics over the portico of ,st4 ,mark's1 executed chiefly between #afej and #afhj4 ,we have the same legend in two compositions of ,tintoretto3#abc in the first1 the remains of ,st4 ,mark are taken forcibly from the tomb by the ,venetian mariners2 in the other1 they are borne away to sea in a night-storm1 while in the air is seen hovering a bright transparent form1--the soul of the saint flitting with his body to ,venice4 ,,st4 ,,luke4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,luca4 ,ital4 ,san ,luca4 ,fr4 ,saint ,luc4 7,oct4 #ah47 ,of the real history of ,st4 ,luke we know very little4 ,he was not an apostle2 and1 like ,st4 ,mark1 appears to have been converted after the ascension4 ,he was a beloved disciple of ,st4 ,paul1 whom he accompanied to ,rome1 and remained with his master and teacher till the last4 ,it is related1 that1 after the martyrdom of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul1 he preached the ,gospel in ,greece and ,egypt2 but whether he died a natural death1 or suffered martyrdom1 does not seem clear4 ,the ,greek traditions represent him as dying in peace1 and his death was thus figured on the ancient doors of ,san ,paolo at ,rome4 ,others affirm that he was crucified at ,patras with ,st4 ,andrew4 ,there is some ground for the supposition that ,luke was a physician4 7,col4 iv4 #ad47 ,but the pretty legend which makes him a painter1 and represents him as painting the portrait of the ,virgin ,mary1 is unsupported by any of the earlier traditions4 ,it is of ,greek origin1 still universally received by the ,greek ,church1 which considers painting a religious art1 and numbers in its calendar of saints a long list of painters1 as well as poets1 musicians1 and physicians4 #8,les ,grecs1' says ,didron1 #8semblent avoir canonis des chrtiens uniquement parce qu'ils s'occupaient de soulager le corps ou de charmer l'esprit4' ,in the west of ,europe1 the legend which represents ,st4 ,luke as a painter can be traced no higher than the tenth century2 the ,greek painters introduced it2 and a rude drawing of the ,virgin discovered in the catacombs1 with an inscription purporting that it was #8one of seven painted by ,luca1' confirmed the popular belief that ,st4 ,luke the evangelist was meant4 ,thus originated the fame of innumerable ,virgins of peculiar sanctity1 all attributed to his hand1 and regarded with extreme veneration4 ,such ancient pictures are generally of ,greek workmanship1 and of a black complexion4#abd ,in the legend of ,st4 ,luke we are assured that he carried with him everywhere two portraits1 painted by himself2 one of our ,saviour1 and one of the ,virgin2 and that by means of these he converted many of the heathen1 for not only did they perform great miracles1 but all who looked on these bright and benign faces1 which bore a striking resemblance to each other1 were moved to admiration and devotion4 ,it is also said1 that ,st4 ,luke painted many portraits of the ,virgin1 delighting himself by repeating this gracious image2 and in the church of ,santa ,maria in ,via ,lata1 at ,rome1 they still show a little chapel in which1 #8as it hath been handed down from the first ages1 ,st4 ,luke the ,evangelist wrote1 and painted the effigy of the ,virgin-,mother of ,god4' ,on the strength of this tradition1 ,st4 ,luke has been chosen as the patron saint of painters4 ,academies of art are placed under his particular protection2 their chapels are dedicated to him1 and over the altar we see him in his charming and pious avocation1 that of painting portraits of the ,blessed ,virgin for the consolation of the faithful4 ,the devotional figures of ,st4 ,luke1 in his character of evangelist1 represent him in general with his gospel and his attendant ox1 winged or unwinged1 as already described2 but in ,greek ,art1 and in those schools of ,art which have been particularly under the ,byzantine influence 7as the early ,venetian71 we see ,st4 ,luke as evangelist young and beardless1 holding the portrait of the ,virgin as his attribute in one hand1 and his gospel in the other4 ,a beautiful figure of ,st4 ,luke as evangelist and painter is in the famous #8,heures d',anne de ,bretagne4'#abe ,in an engraving by ,lucas v4 ,leyden1 executed as it should seem in honour of his patron saint1 ,st4 ,luke is seated on the back of his ox1 writing the gospel2 he wears a hood like an old professor1 rests his book against the horns of the animal1 and his inkstand is suspended on the bough of a tree4 ,but separate devotional figures of him as patron are as rare as those of ,st4 ,matthew4 ,st4 ,luke painting the ,virgin has been a frequent and favourite subject4 ,the most famous of all is a picture in the ,academy of ,st4 ,luke1 at ,rome1 ascribed to ,raphael4 ,here ,st4 ,luke1 kneeling on a footstool before an easel1 is busied painting the ,virgin with the ,child in her arms1 who appears to him out of heaven sustained by clouds3 behind ,st4 ,luke stands ,raphael himself1 looking on4 ,another of the same subject1 a very small and beautiful picture1 also ascribed to ,raphael1 is in the ,grosvenor ,gallery4 ,in neither of these pictures is the treatment quite worthy of that great painter1 wanting his delicacy both of sentiment and execution4 ,there is a most curious and quaint example in the ,munich ,gallery1 attributed to ,van ,eyck3 here the ,virgin1 seated under a rich ,gothic canopy1 holds on her lap the ,infant ,christ1 in a most stiff attitude2 ,st4 ,luke1 kneeling on one knee1 is taking her likeness4 ,there is another1 similar in style1 by ,aldegraef1 in the ,vienna ,gallery4 ,carlo ,maratti represents ,st4 ,luke as presenting to the ,virgin the picture he has painted of her4 ,st4 ,luke painting the ,madonna and ,child1 while an angel is grinding his colours1 ,i remember in the ,aguado ,gallery2 a late ,spanish picture4#abf ,illustration3 ,st4 ,mark attended by ,st4 ,gregory4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,luke painting the ,virgin4 ,,st4 ,,john4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,johannes4 ,gr4 ,st4 ,john ,theologos1 or the ,divine4 ,ital4 ,san ,giovanni ,evangelista4 ,fr4 ,saint ,jean2 ,messire ,saint ,jehan4 ,ger4 ,der ,heilige ,johann4 7,dec4 #bg1 ,a4,d4 #ii47 ,of ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,mark1 and ,st4 ,luke1 so little is certainly known1 that we have no data on which to found an individual portrait2 therefore any representation of them as venerable and inspired teachers suffices to the fancy3 but it is quite otherwise with ,st4 ,john1 the most distinguished of the evangelists1 and the most beloved of the disciples of our ,lord4 ,of him sufficient is known to convey a distinct impression of his personal character1 and an idea of what his personal appearance may have been1 supposing this outward semblance to have harmonised with the inward being4 ,he was the son of the fisherman ,zebedee1 and1 with his brother ,james1 among the first followers of the ,saviour4 ,he is emphatically called #8the disciple whom ,jesus loved2' a preference which he merited1 not only from the extreme purity of his life and character1 but from his devoted and affectionate nature4 ,he appears to have been at all times the constant companion of his divine ,lord2 and his life1 while the ,saviour was on earth1 inseparable from ,his4 ,in all the memorable circumstances recorded in the ,gospel he was a party1 or at least present4 ,he witnessed the glory of the transfiguration2 he leaned on the bosom of ,jesus at the last supper2 he stood by the cross in the hour of agony2 he laid the body of his crucified ,master in the sepulchre4 ,after the death of the ,virgin ,mother1 who had been confided to his care1 he went about ,juda1 preaching the ,gospel with ,st4 ,peter4 ,he then travelled into ,asia ,minor1 where he founded the ,seven ,churches1 and resided principally at ,ephesus4 ,during the persecution of the ,christians under ,domitian1 ,st4 ,john was sent in fetters to ,rome2 and1 according to a tradition generally received in the ,roman ,church1 he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil1 but was miraculously preserved1 and #8came out of it as out of a refreshing bath4' ,he was then accused of magic1 and exiled to the island of ,patmos1 in the gean ,sea1 where he is said to have written his ,revelation4 ,after the death of the ,emperor ,domitian he was released1 and returned to his church at ,ephesus2 and for the use of the ,christians there he is said to have written his gospel1 at the age of ninety4 ,a few years afterwards he died in that city1 being nearly a century old4 ,all the incidents here touched upon occur frequently as subjects of art1 but most of them belong properly to the life of ,christ4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the personal character of ,st4 ,john1 at once attractive and picturesque1 has rendered him popular as a patron saint1 and devotional pictures of him are far more numerous than of any of the other evangelists4 ,he is represented in one of his three characters3 #a1 as evangelist2 #b1 as apostle2 #c1 as prophet2 or the three are combined in one figure4 #a4 ,of the early eagle symbol1 ,i have spoken at length4 ,in ,greek ,art1 whether as apostle or evangelist1 ,st4 ,john is always an aged man with white hair1 and a venerable beard descending to his breast2 and by the earlier ,latin painters1 where he figures as evangelist only1 not as apostle1 this type has been adhered to2 but the later painters set it aside1 and ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist1 nearly a century old1 has all the attributes of the youthful apostle4 ,he is beardless1 with light curling hair1 and eyes gazing upwards in a rapture of inspiration3 he is sometimes seated with his pen and his book1 sometimes standing2 the attendant eagle always near him1 and frequently holding the pen or inkhorn in his beak4 ,in some of the old prints and pictures1 which represent ,st4 ,john as writing the gospel1 his eyes are turned on the ,virgin with the ,infant ,christ in her arms1 who appear as a vision in the skies above2 underneath1 or on his book1 is inscribed1--#8,the ,word was made flesh1' or some other text of the same import4 ,the eagle at his side has sometimes the nimbus or a crown of stars1#abg and is then perhaps intended to figure the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i remember an instance in which the devil1 intent on intercepting the message of reconcilement and #8goodwill towards men1' which was destined to destroy his empire on earth1 appears behind ,st4 ,john1 and is oversetting the ink upon the pages2 another1 in which he is stealing away the inkhorn4 #b4 ,as one of the series of apostles1 ,st4 ,john is always1 in ,western ,art1 young1 or in the prime of life2 with little or no beard2 flowing or curling hair1 generally of a pale brown or golden hue1 to express the delicacy of his nature2 and in his countenance an expression of benignity and candour4 ,his drapery is1 or ought to be1 red1 with a blue or green tunic4 ,he bears in his hand the sacramental cup1 from which a serpent is seen to issue4 ,st4 ,isidore relates that1 at ,rome1 an attempt was made to poison ,st4 ,john in the cup of the sacrament3 he drank of the same and administered it to the communicants without injury1 the poison having by a miracle issued from the cup in the form of a serpent1 while the hired assassin fell down dead at his feet4 ,according to another version of this story1 the poisoned cup was administered by order of the ,emperor ,domitian4 ,according to a third version1 ,aristodemus1 the high-priest of ,diana1 at ,ephesus1 defied him to drink of the poisoned chalice1 as a test of the truth of his mission2 ,st4 ,john drank unharmed1--the priest fell dead4 ,others say1 and this seems the more probable interpretation1 that the cup in the hand of ,st4 ,john alludes to the reply given by our ,saviour1 when the mother of ,james and ,john requested for her sons the place of honour in heaven1--#8,ye shall drink indeed of my cup4' ,as in other instances1 the legend was invented to explain the symbol4 ,when the cup has the consecrated wafer instead of the serpent1 it signifies the institution of the ,eucharist4 ,illustration3 #fj ,st4 ,john 7,hans ,hemling7 ,some of the old ,german representations of ,st4 ,john are of singular beauty3 for example1 one by ,hans ,hemling1 one by ,isaac von ,melem1#abh standing figures2 simple1 graceful1 majestic2 in the prime of youth1 with a charming expression of devotion in the heads3 both hold the sacramental cup with the serpent2 no eagle2 therefore ,st4 ,john is here to be considered as the apostle only3 when1 with the cup1 the eagle is placed by his side1 he is represented in the double character of apostle and evangelist 7#fa74 ,illustration3 #fa ,st4 ,john 7,raphael7 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the early ,siena school1 and in some old illuminations1 ,i have seen ,st4 ,john carrying in his hand a radiant circle1 inscribed #8,in primo est verbum1' and within the circle an eagle with outspread wings3 but this is uncommon4 #c4 ,st4 ,john as the prophet1 the writer of the ,revelation1 is usually an aged man1 with a white flowing beard1 seated in a rocky desert2 the sea in the distance1 or flowing round him1 to represent the island of ,patmos2 the eagle at his side4 ,in the old frescoes1 and the illuminated ,,mss4 of the ,apocalypse1 this is the usual representation4 ,some examples of the ideal and devotional figures of ,st4 ,john1 as evangelist and prophet1 will give an idea of the variety of treatment in this favourite subject3-- #a4 ,ancient ,greek4 ,st4 ,john1 with the head of an eagle and large wings1 the figure fully draped1 is soaring upwards4 ,in such representations the inscription is usually #8,quasi aquila ascendet et avolabit' 7#8,behold1 he shall come up and fly as the eagle4' ,jer4 xlix4 #bb74 #b4 ,perugino4 ,st4 ,john as an aged man1 with long grey beard and flowing hair1 attended by a black eagle1 looking up at the ,madonna in glory4#abi #c4 ,raphael 7874 ,st4 ,john1 young and beautiful1 mounted on the back of an eagle1 and soaring heavenwards3 in one hand he holds a tablet1 in the other a pen3 sea and land below4 ,this treatment1 which recalls the antique ,jupiter bestriding his eagle1 appears to me at once too theatrical and too commonplace for ,raphael4#acj ,illustration3 #fb ,st4 ,john #d4 ,correggio4 ,st4 ,john seated writing his gospel2 the eagle at his feet is pluming his wing3 inscribed #8,altius cteris ,dei patefecit arcana4' ,one of the series of ,evangelists in the ,duomo of ,parma--wonderfully beautiful4 #e4 ,domenichino4 ,st4 ,john1 full length1 life size2 young and beautiful1 in an ecstasy of inspiration1 and sustained by two angels2 the eagle at his feet3 formerly in the ,giustiniani ,gallery2#aca--;finer1 ,i think1 than the ,st4 ,john in ,sant' ,andrea4 ,another1 half length1 a scroll in his hand1 looking upwards as one to whom the glory of the heavens had been opened2--you see it reflected in his eyes1--while love1 wonder1 devotion1 beam from his beautiful face and parted lips3 behind him hovers the attendant eagle1 holding the pen in his beak2 near him is the chalice1 with the serpent2 so that here he is in his double character of apostle and evangelist4#acb ,domenichino excelled in ,st4 ,johns1 as ,guido in ,magdalenes2 perhaps the most beautiful of all is that in the ,brera1 at ,milan1 where ,st4 ,john bends on one knee at the foot of the throne of the ,madonna and ,child1 his pen in one hand1 the other pressed to his bosom1 and looking up to them with an air of ecstatic inspiration4 ,two little angels1 or rather amoretti1 are in attendance3 one has his arms round the neck of the eagle1 sporting with it2 the other holds up the cup and the serpent4 ,every detail is composed and painted to admiration2 but this is the artistic and picturesque1 not the religious1 version of the subject4 ,st4 ,john is frequently represented with ,st4 ,peter1 because1 after the ascension1 they taught and acted in concert4 ,in such pictures1 the contrast between the fiery resolve and sturdy1 rugged grandeur which is given to ,st4 ,peter1 and the refinement1 mildness1 and personal grace of ,st4 ,john1 produces a fine effect3 as in ,albert ,drer's picture1#acc where ,john is holding open the ,gospel1 and ,peter apparently reading it2 two grand and simple figures1 filling the mind as we gaze upon them4 ,as this picture was painted after ,albert ,drer became a ,protestant1 ,i have thought it possible that he might have had some particular meaning in thus making ,peter study the ,gospel of ,john4 ,at all events1 ,albert ,drer was quite capable of such an intention2 and1 whether intended or not1 the picture may be1 and has been1 thus interpreted4 ,the prophets and the poets often say more than they intended1 for their light was for others more than for themselves3 so also the great painters--the ,raphaels and ,albert ,drers--prophets and poets in their way4 ,when ,i have heard certain critics ridiculed because they found more in the productions of a ,shakspeare or a ,raphael than the poet or painter himself ever perceived or #8intended1' such ridicule has appeared to me in the highest degree presumptuous and absurd4 ,the true artist #8feels that he is greater than he knows4' ,in giving form or utterance to the soul within him1 does he account to himself for all the world of thoughts his work will excite in the minds of others8 ,is its significance to be circumscribed either by the intention and the knowledge of the poet1 or the comprehension of the age in which he lived8 ,that is the characteristic of the second-rate1 self-conscious poets or painters1 whom we read or study because they reflect to us a particular meaning--a particular period1--but not of the ,homers and ,shakspeares1 the ,raphaels and ,albert ,drers2 they speak to all times1 to all men1 with a suggestive significance1 widening1 deepening with every successive generation2 and to measure their depth of meaning by their own intention1 or by the comprehension of their own or any one generation1 what is it but to measure the star of heaven by its apparent magnitude8--an inch rule will do that6 ,but to return from this digression4 ,in devotional pictures we often see ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist and ,st4 ,john the ,baptist standing together2 or on each side of ,christ1 or of the ,madonna and ,child4 ,there is a peculiar propriety and significance in this companionship3 both are1 then1 to be considered as prophets2 they were1 besides1 kinsmen1 and bore the same name2 and ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist was the disciple of ,john the ,baptist before he was called by ,christ4 ,here1 again1 the contrast between the dark1 emaciated1 hairy prophet of the wilderness1 and the graceful dignity of the youthful apostle1 has a striking effect4 ,an example at hand is the bronze bas-relief on the tomb of ,henry ,,vii4#acd ,madonna pictures1 in which the two ,st4 ,johns stand before her throne1 occur frequently4 ,i remember1 also1 a marble group of the ,virgin and ,child1 in which the two ,st4 ,johns1 as infants1 are playing at her feet1 one with his eagle1 the other with his reed cross4#ace ,as one who bore the most direct testimony to the ,incarnation1 ,st4 ,john is often introduced into ,madonna pictures1 and pictures of the ,nativity2 but in the later schools only4 ,in these instances he points significantly to the ,child1 and the sacramental cup and wafer is either in his hand or at his feet1 or borne by an angel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the historical and dramatic subjects in which ,st4 ,john figures as a principal personage are very numerous4 ,as the scriptural scenes belong properly to the life of ,christ1 ,i shall confine myself here to some observations on the manner in which ,st4 ,john is introduced and treated in such pictures4 ,in general he is to be distinguished from the other apostles by his youth and beauty1 and flowing hair2 and by being placed nearest to ,christ as the most beloved of his disciples4 #8,the mother of ,james and ,john imploring from our ,saviour the highest place in heaven for her two sons4' 7,matt4 xx4 #ba73 a picture by ,bonifazio1 in the ,borghese ,gallery1 beautiful both in sentiment and colour4 ,there is another example by ,paul ,veronese2 and another1 by ,tintoretto1 was in the ,coesvelt ,gallery4 ,i must observe that1 except in ,venetian pictures1 ,i have not met with this incident as a separate subject4 ,in the last supper1 ,peter is generally on the right of ,christ1 and ,st4 ,john on the left3 he leans his head down on the bosom of ,christ 7this is always the attitude in the oldest pictures72 or he leans towards ,christ1 who places his hand upon his shoulder1 drawing him towards him with an expression of tenderness3 this is the action in the fresco by ,raphael lately discovered at ,florence4 ,but ,i must reserve the full consideration of this subject for another place4 ,where1 instead of the last supper1 our ,saviour is represented as administering the ,eucharist1 ,st4 ,john is seen on his right hand1 bearing the cup4 ,in the crucifixion1 when treated as a religious rather than an historical subject1 ,st4 ,john stands on the left of the ,cross1 and the ,virgin on the right2 both in attitudes of the profoundest grief and adoration mingled4 ,in general the motif of this sacred subject does not vary2 but ,i remember examples1 in which ,st4 ,john is seen trampling a ,jew under his feet2 on the other side the ,virgin tramples on a veiled woman1 signifying the old law1 the synagogue1 as opposed to the ,christian ,church1 of which the ,virgin was the received symbol4 ,when the crucifixion is a scene or action1 not a mystery1 then ,st4 ,john is beheld afar off1 with the women who followed their divine ,master to ,calvary4 ,st4 ,john and the ,virgin ,mary returning from the crucifixion3 he appears to be sustaining her slow and fainting steps4 ,i have only once met with this beautiful subject1 in a picture by ,zurbaran1 in the ,munich ,gallery4 ,in the descent from the ,cross1 ,st4 ,john is a chief actor2 he generally sustains the head of the ,saviour1 and is distinguished by an expression of extreme sorrow and tenderness4 ,in the entombment he is sometimes one of the bearers1 sometimes he follows lamenting4 ,in a print of the entombment after ,andrea ,mantegna1 he is not only weeping and wringing his hands as usual1 but absolutely crying aloud with the most exaggerated expression of anguish4 ,in pictures of the descent of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,st4 ,john is usually a conspicuous figure1 and in the foreground4 ,in the assumption of the ,virgin1 he is also conspicuous1 generally in front1 as the pendant to ,st4 ,peter1 and gazing upwards with ecstatic faith and devotion4 ,of course there is great variety in these representations3 the later painters thought less of individual character and significant propriety of arrangement than of artistic grouping2 therefore the above remarks have reference to the early painters only4 ,in the scenes taken from the ,acts1 ,st4 ,john is always in companionship with ,st4 ,peter1 and becomes the secondary figure4 ,illustration3 #fc ,st4 ,john 7,lucas v4 ,leyden7 ,st4 ,john writing his ,revelation in the island of ,patmos is a subject which frequently occurs in ,,mss4 of the ,apocalypse1 and in the chapels dedicated to ,st4 ,john4 ,the motif is generally the same in all2 we have a desert island1 with the sea in the distance1 or flowing round it2 ,st4 ,john1 seated on a rock or under a tree1 is in the act of writing2 or he is looking up to heaven1 where the #8,woman crowned with stars1' or #8the ,woman fleeing from the dragon1' appears as in his vision4#acf 7,rev4 xii47 ,or he beholds ,st4 ,michael1 armed1 cast down the dragon in human form2 he has the eagle and book1 and looks up at the ,virgin1 as in a picture by ,ambrogio ,figino4#acg ,the eagle is always in attendance as the symbol of inspiration in a general sense2 when represented with a diadem1 or glory1 as in some very early examples1 it is a symbol of the ,holy ,ghost1 which1 among the ,jews1 was figured by the eagle4 ,the subjects from the legendary life of ,st4 ,john are exceedingly interesting1 but they are not easily recognised1 and require particular attention2 some are of frequent occurrence1 others rarely met with4 #a4 ,israel v4 ,meckenen4 ,st4 ,john instructing his disciples at ,ephesus4 7,acts iv4 #cg47 ,the scene is the interior of a ,gothic church1 the windows painted with heraldic emblazonments3 ,st4 ,john is seated expounding the ,scriptures1 and five disciples sit opposite to him with coarse ugly faces1 but most intent1 expressive countenances2 in the background1 a large chest full of money4 #b4 ,vatican1 ,chr4 ,mus4 ,st4 ,john drinking from the poisoned chalice2 a man falls down dead at his feet1 several figures look on with awe and astonishment3 this is a frequent subject in the elder schools of art1 and in the illuminated ,,mss4 of the ,gospel and ,apocalypse3 but ,i have never met with a representation later than the beginning of the fourteenth century4#ach #c4 ,it is related by ,clement of ,alexandria1 that when ,st4 ,john was at ,ephesus1 and before he was exiled to ,patmos1 he had taken to his care a young man of promising qualities of person and mind4 ,during his absence he left him under the spiritual guidance of a certain bishop2 but1 after a while1 the youth took to evil courses1 and1 proceeding from one excess to another1 he at length became the leader of a band of robbers and assassins who struck terror into the whole country4 ,when ,st4 ,john returned to ,ephesus1 he went to the bishop and demanded #8the precious deposit he had left in his hands4' ,at first the priest did not understand him2 but when ,st4 ,john explained the allusion to his adopted son1 he cast down his eyes with sorrow and shame1 and told of what had befallen4 ,then ,st4 ,john rent his garments1 and wept with a loud voice1 and cried out1 #8,alas6 alas6 to what a guardian have ,i trusted our brother6' ,and he called for a horse and rode towards the forest in which the robbers sojourned2 and when the captain of the robbers beheld his old master and instructor1 he turned and would have fled from his presence2 but ,st4 ,john1 by the most fervent entreaties1 prevailed on him to stop and listen to his words4 ,after some conference1 the robber1 utterly subdued1 burst into tears of penitence1 imploring forgiveness2 and while he spoke1 he hid beneath his robe his right hand1 which had been sullied with so many crimes2 but ,st4 ,john1 falling on his knees before him1 seized that blood-polluted hand1 and kissed it1 and bathed it with his tears2 and he remained with his re-converted brother till he had1 by prayers and encouraging words and affectionate exhortations1 reconciled him with ,heaven and with himself4 ,this beautiful legend is the subject of some old engravings1 in which ,st4 ,john is represented embracing the robber1 who is weeping on his neck1 having flung away his weapons4 ,it has been1 however1 too rarely treated2 ,i have never met with a picture of the subject2 and yet it abounds in picturesque capabilities3 the forest background--the contrast of youth and age--bright armour1 flowing drapery1 and the most striking and affecting moral1 are here all combined4 #d4 ,another very pretty apologue relating to ,st4 ,john is sometimes included in a series of subjects from his life4 ,two young men1 who had sold all their possessions to follow him1 afterwards repented4 ,he1 perceiving their thoughts1 sent them to gather pebbles and faggots1 and1 on their return1 changed these into money and ingots of gold1 saying to them1 #8,take back your riches and enjoy them on earth1 as you regret having exchanged them for heaven6' ,this story is represented on one of the windows of the ,cathedral at ,bourges4 ,the two young men stand before ,st4 ,john1 with a heap of gold on one side1 and a heap of stones and faggots on the other4 #e4 ,when ,st4 ,john had sojourned in the island of ,patmos a year and a day1 he returned to his church at ,ephesus2 and as he approached the city1 being received with great joy by the inhabitants1 lo6 a funeral procession came forth from the gates2 and of those who followed weeping he inquired #8who was dead8' ,they said1 #8,drusiana4' ,now when he heard that name he was sad1 for ,drusiana had excelled in all good works1 and he had formerly dwelt in her house2 and he ordered them to set down the bier1 and having prayed earnestly1 ,god was pleased to restore ,drusiana to life2 she arose up1 and the apostle went home with her and dwelt in her house4 ,this incident is the subject of a fine fresco1 painted by ,filippo ,lippi1 on the left-hand wall of the ,strozzi ,chapel at ,florence4 ,it has the forcible expression and dramatic spirit of the painter1 with that characteristic want of elevated feeling in the countenances and in the general treatment which is apparent in all his works3 the group in one corner1 of a child starting from a dog1 is admired for its truth2 but1 by disturbing the solemnity of the marvellous scene1 it repels like a falsehood4 #f4 ,there is another beautiful and picturesque legend relating to ,st4 ,john1 of which ,i have never seen any representation2 but it may1 possibly1 have occasioned the frequent introduction of a partridge into the pictures of sacred subjects1 particularly in the ,venetian ,school4 ,st4 ,john had a tame partridge1 which he cherished much2 and he amused himself with feeding and tending it4 #8,a certain huntsman1 passing by with his bow and arrows1 was astonished to see the great apostle1 so venerable for his age and sanctity1 engaged in such an amusement4 ,the apostle asked him if he always kept his bow bent8 ,he answered1 that would be the way to render it useless4 8,if10 replied ,st4 ,john1 8you unbend your bow to prevent its being useless1 so do ,i thus unbend my mind for the same reason40' #g4 ,the subject entitled the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,john represents his immersion in a cauldron of boiling oil1 by order of the ,emperor ,domitian4 ,according to the received tradition1 this event took place outside the ,latin gate at ,rome2 and on the spot stands the chapel of ,san ,giovanni in ,olio1 commemorating his miraculous deliverance1 which is painted in fresco on the walls4 ,the subject forms1 of course1 one of a series of the life of ,st4 ,john1 and is occasionally met with in old prints and pictures2 but it is uncommon4 ,the treatment affords little variety2 in ,albert ,drer's famous woodcut1 ,st4 ,john is sitting in a pot of boiling oil2 one executioner is blowing the fire1 another is pouring oil from a ladle on the saint's head2 a judge1 probably intended for ,domitian1 is seated on a throne to the left1 and there are numerous spectators4 ,padovanino painted this subject for the ,san ,pietro at ,venice2 ,rubens1 with horrible truth of detail1 for the altar-piece of ,st4 ,john at ,malines4 ,it is the martyrdom in the boiling oil which gives ,st4 ,john the right to bear the palm1 with which he is occasionally seen4 #h4 ,st4 ,john1 habited in priest's garments1 descends the steps of an altar into an open grave1 in which he lays himself down1 not in death1 but in sleep1 until the coming of ,christ2 #8being reserved alive with ,enoch and ,elijah 7who also knew not death71 to preach against the ,antichrist in the last days4' ,this fanciful legend is founded on the following text3 #8,peter1 seeing the disciple whom ,jesus loved following1 saith unto ,jesus1 ,lord1 and what shall this man do8 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,if ,i will that he tarry till ,i come1 what is that to thee8 ,then went this saying abroad among the brethren that that disciple should not die4' 7,john xxi4 #ba1 #bb47 ,the legend which supposes ,st4 ,john reserved alive has not been generally received in the ,church1 and as a subject of painting it is very uncommon4 ,it occurs in the ,menologium ,grcum1#aci where the grave into which ,st4 ,john descends is1 according to the legend1 #8fossa in crucis figuram' 7in the form of a cross74 ,in a series of the deaths of the ,apostles1#adj ,st4 ,john is ascending from the grave2 for1 according to the ,greek legend1 ,st4 ,john died without pain or change1 and immediately rose again in bodily form1 and ascended into heaven to rejoin ,christ and the ,virgin4 ,in a small and very curious picture which ,i saw at ,rome1#ada forming part of a ,predella1 there is a tomb something like the ,xanthian tombs in form3 one end is open2 ,st4 ,john1 with a long grey beard1 is seen issuing from it1 and1 as he ascends1 he is met by ,christ1 the ,virgin1 ,st4 ,peter1 and ,st4 ,paul1 who are descending from above2 while figures below look up with astonishment4 ,on the ancient doors of ,san ,paolo he is lying in an open grave or sarcophagus4 99 99 99 99 99 ,of the miracles performed by ,john after his death1 two are singularly interesting in the history of ,art2 both have been treated in sculpture4 #i4 ,when the ,empress ,galla ,placidia was returning from ,constantinople to ,ravenna with her two children 7,a4,d4 #dbe71 she encountered a terrible storm4 ,in her fear and anguish she vowed a vow to ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist1 and1 being landed in safety1 she dedicated to his honour a magnificent church4 ,when the edifice was finished1 she was extremely desirous of procuring some relics of the evangelist1 wherewith to consecrate his sanctuary2 but as it was not the manner of those days to exhume1 and buy and sell1 still less to steal1 the bodies of holy men and martyrs1 the desire of the pious empress remained unsatisfied4 ,however1 as it is related1 ,st4 ,john himself took pity upon her2 for one night1 as she prayed earnestly1 he appeared to her in a vision2 and when she threw herself at his feet to embrace and kiss them1 he disappeared1 leaving one of his slippers or sandals in her hand1 which sandal was long preserved4 ,the antique church of ,galla ,placidia still exists at ,ravenna1 to keep alive1 after the lapse of fourteen centuries1 the memory of her dream1 and of the condescension of the blessed apostle4 ,not much of the original building is left2 the superb mosaics have all disappeared1 except a few fragments1 in which may be traced the storm at sea1 and ,galla ,placidia making her vow4 ,over the principal porch1 which is of white marble1 in the ,lombard style1 and richly and elegantly ornamented1 the miracle of the slipper is represented in two bas-reliefs1 one above the other4 ,the lower compartment1 or lunette1 represents a tabernacle1 and within it an altar3 ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist is seen offering incense2 on the other side is ,barbation1 the confessor of the empress2 she1 prostrate at the feet of the apostle1 seems to take off his sandal3 on each side are six hovering angels bearing the implements of the mass4 ,in the upper compartment1 ,galla ,placidia is seen kneeling at the feet of ,christ1 and offering to him the sacred sandal1 while the evangelist stands on one side1 and ,barbation on the other4 ,these bas-reliefs are not older than the twelfth century1 and are in excellent preservation3 ,i should suppose1 from the style of the grouping1 that they were copied1 or imitated1 from the older mosaics1 once in the interior of the church4 #aj4 ,the other miracle has the rare interest of being ,english in its origin and in its representation4 #8,king ,edward the ,confessor had1 after ,christ and the ,virgin ,mary1 a special veneration for ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist4 ,one day1 returning from his church at ,westminster1 where he had been hearing mass in honour of the evangelist1 he was accosted by a pilgrim1 who asked of him an alms for the love of ,god and ,st4 ,john4 ,the king1 who was ever merciful to the poor1 immediately drew from his finger a ring1 and1 unknown to any one1 delivered it to the beggar4 ,when the king had reigned twenty-four years1 it came to pass that two ,englishmen1 pilgrims1 returning from the ,holy ,land to their own country1 were met by one in the habit of a pilgrim1 who asked of them concerning their country2 and being told they were of ,england1 he said to them1 8,when ye shall have arrived in your own country1 go to ,king ,edward1 and salute him in my name3 say to him1 that ,i thank him for the alms which he bestowed on me in a certain street in ,westminster2 for there1 on a certain day1 as ,i begged of him an alms1 he bestowed on me this ring1 which till now ,i have preserved1 and ye shall carry it back to him1 saying that in six months from this time he shall quit the world1 and come and remain with me for ever40 ,and the pilgrims1 being astounded1 said1 8,who art thou1 and where is thy dwelling-place80 ,and he answered1 saying1 8,i am ,john the ,evangelist4 ,edward1 your king1 is my friend1 and for the sanctity of his life ,i hold him dear4 ,go now1 therefore1 deliver to him this message and this ring1 and ,i will pray to ,god that ye may arrive safely in your own country40 ,when ,st4 ,john had spoken thus1 he delivered to them the ring1 and vanished out of their sight4 ,the pilgrims1 praising and thanking the ,lord for this glorious vision1 went on their journey2 and being arrived in ,england1 they repaired to ,king ,edward1 and saluted him1 and delivered the ring and the message1 relating all truly4 ,and the king received the news joyfully1 and feasted the messengers royally4 ,then he set himself to prepare for his departure from this world4 ,on the eve of the ,nativity1 in the year of our ,lord #ajff1 he fell sick1 and on the eve of the ,epiphany following he died4 ,the ring he gave to the ,abbot of ,westminster1 to be for ever preserved among the relics there4'#adb ,according to one account1#adc the pilgrims met the king near his palace at ,waltham1 at a place since called ,havering4 ,the writer adds1--#8,in allusion to this story1 ,king ,edward ,,ii4 offered at his coronation a pound of gold made in the figure of a king holding a ring1 and a mark of gold 7#h oz47 made like to a pilgrim putting forth his hand to receive the ring4' ,these must have been two little statuettes of gold4 ,the legend of ,king ,edward and ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist is represented1 with other legends of the same monarch1 along the top of the screen of ,edward the ,confessor's chapel4 ,it is in three compartments4 ,the first represents ,king ,edward bestowing the ring on ,st4 ,john in the disguise of a pilgrim2 ,westminster ,abbey is seen behind4 ,the second shows us the meeting of the pilgrims and ,st4 ,john in ,palestine2 he holds what seems a palm4 ,in the third the pilgrims deliver the ring to ,king ,edward1 who is seated at table4 ,the sculpture is very rude2 the figures disproportioned and ungraceful4 ,they are supposed to be of the time of ,henry ,,vi4 ,the same legend was painted on one of the windows of ,romford church1 in ,essex1 but whether it still exists there ,i know not4#add 99 99 99 99 99 ,before ,i quit the subject of the ,evangelists1 it is worth while to observe that1 in ,greek ,art1 not only the ,four ,evangelists1 but the six writers of the ,acts and ,epistles1 are considered as a sacred series4 ,in an ancient and beautiful ,,ms4 of the ,epistole ,canoniche1 presented by the ,queen of ,cyprus to ,pope ,innocent ,,viii41 they are thus represented1 two and two together3-- ,st4 ,luke1 with a very thoughtful1 earnest countenance1 holds a scroll1 on which is written in ,greek the commencement of the ,acts1 #8,the former treatise have ,i made1 ,o ,theophilus2 c42 and ,st4 ,james1 with a long1 very earnest1 and refined face1 holds a single roll4 ,st4 ,peter1 with a broad1 coarse1 powerful physiognomy1 strongly characterised1 holds two rolls2 and ,st4 ,john1 with a long and very refined face1 grey hair and beard1 holds three rolls4 ,st4 ,jude1 with a long white beard and very aquiline nose1 holds one roll4 ,st4 ,paul1 bald in front1 with long brown hair and beard1 and a refined face1 bears many rolls tied up together4 ,all the figures are on a gold ground1 about six inches in height1 very finely conceived1 though1 as is usual in ,byzantine ,art1 formal and mechanical in execution4 ,they look like small copies of very grand originals4 ,the draperies are all classical2 a pale violet or brown tunic and a white mantle1 as in the old mosaics2 the rolls in their hands corresponding with the number of their writings4 ,the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,next to those who recorded the word of ,god1 were those called by ,christ to the task of diffusing his doctrine1 and sent to preach the kingdom of heaven #8through all nations4' ,illustration3 #fd ,the earliest representations of the ,twelve ,apostles appear to have been1 like those of the ,four ,evangelists1 purely emblematical3 they were figured as twelve sheep1 with ,christ in the midst1 as the ,good ,shepherd1 bearing a lamb in his arms2 or1 much more frequently1 ,christ is himself the ,lamb of ,god1 raised on an eminence and crowned with a cruciform nimbus1 and the apostles were ranged on each side as sheep4 ,instances are to be met with in the old ,christian bas-reliefs4 ,in the old ,roman churches#ade we find this representation but little varied1 and the situation is always the same4 ,in the centre is the lamb standing on an eminence1 from which flow the four rivers of ,paradise2 on one side six sheep issuing from the city of ,jerusalem1 on the other six sheep issuing from the city of ,bethlehem1 the whole disposed in a line forming a sort of frieze1 just below the decoration of the vault of the apsis4 ,the church of ,s4 ,m4 ,maggiore exhibits the only exception ,i have met with2 there we find a group of sheep1 entering1 not issuing from1 the gates of ,jerusalem and ,bethlehem3 in this case1 however1 the sheep may represent believers1 or disciples in general1 not the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,upon the great crucifix in the apsis of ,san ,clemente1 at ,rome1 are twelve doves1 which appear to signify the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,the next step was to represent the ,apostles as twelve men all alike1 each with a sheep1 and ,christ in the middle1 also with a sheep1 sometimes larger than the others4 ,we find this on some of the sarcophagi4#adf ,again1 a little later1 we have them represented as twelve venerable men1 bearing tablets or scrolls in their hands1 no emblems to distinguish one from another1 but their names inscribed over or beside each4 ,they are thus represented in relief on several ancient sarcophagi now in the ,christian ,museum in the ,vatican1 and in several of the most ancient churches at ,rome and ,ravenna1 ranged on each side of the ,saviour in the vault of the apsis1 or standing in a line beneath4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but while in the ancient ,greek types1 and the old mosaics1 the attributes are omitted1 they adhere almost invariably to a certain characteristic individual representation1 which in the later ages of painting was wholly lost1 or at least neglected4 ,in these eldest types1 ,st4 ,peter has a broad face1 white hair1 and short white beard3 ,st4 ,paul1 a long face1 high bold forehead1 dark hair and beard3 ,st4 ,andrew is aged1 with flowing white hair and beard3 ,st4 ,john1 ,st4 ,thomas1 ,st4 ,philip1 young and beardless3 ,st4 ,james ,major and ,st4 ,james ,minor1 in the prime of life1 short brown hair and beard2 both should bear a resemblance more or less to the ,saviour1 but ,st4 ,james ,minor particularly3 ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,jude1 ,st4 ,simon1 ,st4 ,matthias1 aged1 with white hair4 ,the tablets or scrolls which they carry in their hands bear1 or are supposed to bear1 the articles of the ,creed4 ,it is a tradition1 that1 before the apostles dispersed to preach the ,gospel in all lands1 they assembled to compose the declaration of faith since called the ,apostles' ,creed1 and that each of them furnished one of the twelve propositions contained in it1 in the following order3--,st4 ,peter3 ,credo in ,deum ,patrem omnipotentem1 creatorem cli et terr4 ,st4 ,andrew3 ,et in ,jesum ,christum ,filium ejus unicum1 ,dominum nostrum4 ,st4 ,james ,major3 ,qui conceptus est de ,spiritu ,sancto1 natus ex ,maria ,virgine4 ,st4 ,john3 ,passus sub ,pontio ,pilato1 crucifixus1 mortuus et sepultus4 ,st4 ,philip3 ,descendit ad inferos1 tertia die resurrexit mortuis4 ,st4 ,james ,minor3 ,ascendit ad clos1 sedet ad dexteram ,dei ,patris omnipotentis4 ,st4 ,thomas3 ,inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos4 ,st4 ,bartholomew3 ,credo in ,spiritum ,sanctum4 ,st4 ,matthew3 ,sanctam ,ecclesiam ,catholicam2 sanctorum communionem4 ,st4 ,simon3 ,remissionem peccatorum4 ,st4 ,matthias3 ,carnis resurrectionem4 ,st4 ,thaddeus3 ,et vitam ternam4 ,the statues of the apostles on the shrine of the ,virgin in the ,san ,michele at ,florence exhibit a fine example of this arrangement4 ,i give the figure of ,st4 ,philip holding his appropriate sentence of the ,creed on a scroll 7#fe74 ,illustration3 #fe ,orcagna 99 99 99 99 99 ,in later times1 the ,apostles1 instead of being disposed in a line1 are grouped round the ,saviour in glory1 or they form a circle of heads in medallions3 as statues1 they ornament the screen in front of the altar1 or they are placed in a line on each side of the nave1 standing against the pillars which support it4 ,from the sixth century it became usual to distinguish each of them by a particular emblem or attribute borrowed from some circumstance of his life or death4 ,thus1 taking them in order1 according to the canon of the mass1-- ,st4 ,peter bears the keys or a fish4 ,st4 ,paul1 the sword3 sometimes two swords4 ,st4 ,andrew1 the transverse cross4 ,st4 ,james ,major1 the pilgrim's staff4 ,st4 ,john1 the chalice with the serpent2 sometimes the eagle also3 but the eagle1 as ,i have observed1 belongs to him properly only in his character of ,evangelist4 ,st4 ,thomas1 a builder's rule3 also1 but more seldom1 a spear4 ,st4 ,james ,minor1 a club4 ,st4 ,philip1 the staff or crosier1 surmounted by a cross2 or a small cross in his hand4 ,st4 ,bartholomew1 a large knife4 ,st4 ,matthew1 a purse4 ,st4 ,simon1 a saw4 ,st4 ,thaddeus 7or ,jude71 a halberd or lance4 ,st4 ,matthias1 a lance4 ,the origin and meaning of these attributes will be explained presently3 meantime it must be borne in mind1 that although in sacred ,art the ,apostles are always twelve in number1 they are not always the same personages4 ,st4 ,jude is frequently omitted to make room for ,st4 ,paul4 ,sometimes1 in the most ancient churches 7as in the ,cathedral of ,palermo71 ,st4 ,simon and ,st4 ,matthias are omitted1 and the evangelists ,st4 ,mark and ,st4 ,luke figure in their places4 ,the ,byzantine manual published by ,didron omits ,james ,minor1 ,jude1 and ,matthias2 and inserts ,paul1 ,luke1 and ,mark4 ,this was the arrangement on the bronze doors of ,san ,paolo-fuori-le-,mura at ,rome1 executed by ,byzantine artists in the tenth century1 and now destroyed4 ,on an ancient pulpit1 of beautiful workmanship1 in the ,cathedral of ,troyes1 the arrangement is according to the ,greek formula4#adg ,thus-- ,s4 ,john ,b4 ,j4 ,christ4 ,the ,virgin4 ,an ,angel4 ,s4 ,matthew4 ,s4 ,peter4 ,s4 ,simon4 ,s4 ,philip4 ,s4 ,luke4 ,s4 ,bartholomew4 ,s4 ,mark4 ,s4 ,andrew4 ,s4 ,james4 ,s4 ,paul4 ,s4 ,thomas4 ,s4 ,john4 ,here1 ,john the ,baptist figures in his character of angel or messenger2 and ,st4 ,paul1 ,st4 ,mark1 and ,st4 ,luke take the place of ,st4 ,james ,minor1 ,st4 ,jude1 and ,st4 ,matthias4 ,the earliest instance of the ,apostles entering into a scheme of ecclesiastical decoration1 as the consecrated and delegated teachers of a revealed religion1 occurs in the church of ,san ,giovanni in ,fonte at ,ravenna4#adh ,in the centre of the dome is the ,baptism of ,christ1 represented quite in the classical style2 the figure of the ,saviour being entirely undraped1 and the ,jordan1 signified by an antique river god1 sedge-crowned1 and bearing a linen napkin as though he were an attendant at a bath4 ,around1 in a circle1 in the manner of radii1 are the ,twelve ,apostles4 ,the order is1--,peter1 ,andrew1 ,james1 ,john1 ,philip1 ,bartholomew1 ,simon1 ,jude1 ,james ,minor1 ,matthew1 ,thomas1 ,paul2 so that ,peter and ,paul stand face to face at one extremity of the circle1 and ,simon and ,bartholomew back to back at the other4 ,all wear pointed caps1 and carry the oblation in their hands4 ,peter has a yellow vest and white mantle2 ,paul1 a white vest and a yellow mantle1 and so all round alternately4 ,the name of each is inscribed over his head1 and without the title ,sanctus1 which1 though admitted into the ,calendar in #ddi1 was not adopted in works of art till some years later1 about #dgb4 ,in the next instance1 the attributes had not yet been admitted1 except in the figures of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,,mosaic 7,a4,d4 #haf74 ,christ1 in the centre1 stands on an eminence2 in one hand he holds an open book1 on which is inscribed ,pax vobis4 ,st4 ,peter1 with the keys and a cross1 stands on the right2 and ,christ1 with his right hand1 points to the cross4 ,st4 ,paul is on the left1 with his sword2 beyond1 there are five ,apostles on one side1 and four on the other3 in all1 eleven 7,judas being properly omitted74 ,each holds a book1 and all are robed in white2 underneath the whole is inscribed1 in ,latin1 the words of our ,saviour1 #8,go ye1 and teach all nations4' ,on the arch to the right1 ,christ is seated on a throne1 and presents the keys to ,st4 ,peter1 who kneels on one side1 and the standard to ,constantine1 who kneels on the other 7alluding1 of course1 to the famous standard74 ,on the arch to the left1 ,st4 ,peter is throned1 and presents the stole to ,pope ,leo ,,iii41 and the standard to ,charlemagne4 ,this singular monument1 a kind of rsum of the power of the ,church1 is a restoration of the old mosaic1 executed by order of ,leo ,,iii4 in the ,triclinium of the old palace of the ,lateran1 and now on one side of the ,scala ,santa1 the side facing the ,porta ,san ,giovanni4 ,,mosaic1 in the old basilica of ,st4 ,paul 7,a4,d4 #abjf74 ,in the centre an altar veiled1 on which are the ,gospels 7or perhaps1 rather1 the ,book of ,life1 the seven-sealed book in the ,revelations71 and the instruments of the ,passion4 ,behind it rises a large ,greek cross1 adorned with gold and jewels4 ,underneath1 at the foot of the altar1 five small figures standing and bearing palms1 representing those who suffered for the cause of ,christ2 and on each side1 kneeling1 the monk ,aginulph1 and ,giovanni ,gaetano ,orsini1 afterwards ,nicholas ,,iii4 ,on each side of the altar1 a majestic angel3 one bears a scroll1 inscribed ,,gloria ,,in ,,excelsis ,,deo2 the other1 ,,et ,,in ,,terra ,,pax ,,hominibus ,,bon ,,voluntatis4 ,beyond these the ,apostles1 six on each side1 bearing scrolls with the articles of the ,creed4 ,they are much alike1 all in white robes1 and alternately with each stands a palm-tree1 the symbol of victory and resurrection4 ,this composition1 of a colossal size1 formed a kind of frieze 7taking the place of the emblematical lamb and twelve sheep7 round the apsis of the ,basilica4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in sculpture1 the ,apostles1 as a series1 entered into all decorative ecclesiastical architecture3 sometimes on the exterior of the edifice1 always in the interior4 ,in our ,english cathedrals they are seldom found unmutilated1 except when out of the reach of the spoiler2 such was the indiscriminate rage which confounded the venerable effigies of these delegated teachers of the truth with the images which were supposed to belong exclusively to the repudiated religion6 ,where the scheme of decoration is purely theological1 the proper place of the ,apostles is after the ,angels1 ,prophets1 and ,evangelists2 but when the motif1 or leading idea1 implies a special signification1 such as the ,last ,judgment1 ,paradise1 the ,coronation of the ,madonna1 or the apotheosis of a saint1 then the order is changed1 and the ,apostles appear immediately after the ,divine ,personages and before the angels1 as forming a part of the council or court of heaven2--#8,when the ,son of man shall come in his glory1 ye also shall sit on twelve thrones1 judging the twelve tribes of ,israel4'#adi ,such is the arrangement in the ,campo ,santo1 in ,angelico's #8,paradiso' in the ,florence ,gallery1 in ,raphael's #8,disputa1' and many other instances3 and ,i may add the architectural treatment on the faade of ,wells ,cathedral1 where1 immediately under the ,saviour sitting in judgment1 stand the ,twelve ,apostles1 and beneath them the hierarchy of angels1 each of the nine choirs being here expressed by a single angel4#aej ,therefore to determine the proper place of the ,apostles1 it is necessary to observe well and to understand what has been the design of the artist1 and the leading idea of the whole composition1 whether strictly theological or partly scenic4 ,in all monuments which have a solemn or a sacred purpose1--altars1 pulpits1 tombs1--the ,apostles find an appropriate place1 either in connection with other sacred personages1 or as a company apart1 the band of teachers4 ,the range of statues along the top of the screen in front of the choir of ,st4 ,mark's at ,venice will be remembered by all who have seen them3 in the centre stand the ,virgin and ,st4 ,mark1 and then the ,apostles1 six on each side1 grand solemn figures1 standing there as if to guard the sanctuary4 ,these are by ,jacobelli1 in the simple religious style of the fifteenth century1 but quite ,italian4 ,in contrast with them1 as the finest example of ,german sculptural treatment1 we have the ,twelve ,apostles on the tomb of ,st4 ,sebald1 in his church at ,nuremberg1 cast in bronze by ,peter ,vischer 7about #aejj74 ,these have become well known by the casts which have lately been brought to ,england2 they are about two feet high1 all remarkable for the characteristic expression of the heads1 and the grand simplicity of the attitudes and draperies4 ,there are instances of the ,apostles introduced into a scheme of ecclesiastical decoration as devotional figures1 but assuming1 from the style of treatment and from being placed in relation with other personages1 a touch of the dramatic and picturesque4 ,such are ,correggio's ,apostles in the cupola of the duomo at ,parma 7#aecb71 which may be considered as the most striking instance that could be produced of studied contrast to the solemnity and simplicity of the ancient treatment3 here the motif is essentially dramatic4 ,they stand round the dome as spectators would stand in a gallery or balcony1 all in picturesque attitudes1 studiously varied 7some1 it must be confessed1 rather extravagant71 and all looking up with amazement1 or hope1 or joy1 or adoration1 to the figure of the glorified ,virgin ascending into heaven4 ,another series of ,apostles in the ,san ,giovanni at ,parma1 which ,correggio had painted earlier 7#aebb71 are conceived1 ,i think1 in a finer spirit as to character1 but1 perhaps1 not more appropriate to the scene4 ,here the ,twelve ,apostles are seated on clouds round the glorified ,saviour1 as they are supposed to be in heaven3 they are but partially draped4 ,in the heads but little attention has been paid to the ancient types1 except in those of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul2 but they are sublime as well as picturesque in the conception of character and expression4 ,the ,apostles in ,michael ,angelo's ,last ,judgment 7,a4,d4 #aedj7 exhibit a still further deviation from the antique style of treatment4 ,they stand on each side of the ,saviour1 who is not1 here1 ,saviour and ,redeemer1 but inexorable ,judge4 ,they are grandly and artificially grouped1 all without any drapery whatever1 and with forms and attitudes which recall an assemblage of ,titans holding a council of war1 rather than the glorified companions of ,christ4 ,in early pictures of ,christ in glory1 the ,apostles1 his companions in heaven as on earth1 form1 with the ,patriarchs and ,prophets1 the celestial court or council3 they sit upon thrones to the right and to the left4#aea ,raphael's #8,disputa' in the ,vatican is a grand example of this arrangement4 ,sets of the ,apostles1 in devotional pictures and prints are so common1 that ,i shall particularise only a few among the most interesting and celebrated4 ,engravings of these can easily be referred to4 #a4 ,a set by ,raphael1 engraved by ,marc ,antonio3 grand1 graceful figures1 and each with his appropriate attribute4 ,though admirably distinguished in form and bearing1 very little attention has been paid to the ancient types1 except perhaps in ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,john4 ,here ,st4 ,james ,minor is omitted to make room for ,st4 ,paul4 #b4 ,a set by ,lucas van ,leyden1 smaller than ,raphael's1 but magnificent in feeling3 here also the ancient types are for the most part neglected4 ,these two sets should be compared as perfect examples of the best ,italian and the most characteristic ,german manner4 ,some of the ,german sets are very curious and grotesque4 #c4 ,by ,h4 ,s4 ,beham1 a most curious set1 in what may be called the ultra ,german style3 they stand two and two together1 like a procession of old beggars2 the workmanship exquisite4 ,another set by ,beham1 in which the figures stand singly1 and which includes the ,four ,evangelists1 dressed like old burgomasters1 with the emblematical wings1 has been already mentioned4 #d4 ,a set by ,parmigiano1 graceful and mannered1 as is usual with him4 #e4 ,by ,agostino ,caracci4 ,this set1 famous as works of art1 must1 when compared with those of ,raphael and ,lucas van ,leyden1 be pronounced absolutely vulgar4 ,here ,st4 ,john is drinking out of his cup1 --an idea which might strike some people as picturesque2 but it is in vile taste4 ,thaddeus has a saw as well as ,simon2 ,peter has the papal tiara at his feet2 ,st4 ,james ,minor1 instead of ,thomas1 carries the builder's rule2 and ,st4 ,bartholomew has his skin thrown over his shoulders4 ,this set is an example of the confusion which prevailed with respect to the old religious types and attributes1 after the first half of the sixteenth century4 #f4 #8,the ,five ,disciples1' by ,albert ,drer1 seem intended to form part of a complete set4 ,we have ,st4 ,paul1 ,st4 ,bartholomew1 ,st4 ,thomas1 ,st4 ,philip1 and ,st4 ,simon4 ,the two last are the finest1 and are most grandly conceived4 ,these are examples of the simplest devotional treatment4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when the ,apostles are grouped together in various historical scenes1--some scriptural1 some legendary--they are more interesting as individual personages2 and the treatment should be more characteristic4 ,some of these subjects belong properly to the life of ,christ3 as the ,delivery of the ,keys to ,peter2 the ,transfiguration2 the ,entry into ,jerusalem2 the ,last ,supper2 the ,ascension4 ,others1 as the ,death and ,assumption of the ,virgin1 will be considered in the legends of the ,madonna4 ,but there are others1 again1 which refer more particularly to the personal history of the ,apostles1 as related in the ,acts and in the ,legends4 ,the ,descent of the ,holy ,ghost was the first and most important event after the ,ascension of ,christ4 ,it is thus described3 #8,when the day of ,pentecost was fully come1 they were all with one accord in one place4 ,and suddenly there came a sound from heaven1 as of a rushing mighty wind1 and it filled all the house where they were sitting4 ,and there appeared unto them cloven tongues1 like as of fire1 and sat upon each of them1 and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and began to speak with other tongues1 as the ,spirit gave them utterance4 ,and there were dwelling at ,jerusalem ,jews1 devout men1 out of every nation under heaven4 ,now when this was noised abroad the multitude came together1 and were confounded1 because that every man heard them speak in his own language4444 ,but this is that which was spoken by the prophet ,joel4' 7,acts ii4 #a-ab1 #af47 ,according to the usual interpretation1 the word they1 in the first verse1 does not signify the ,apostles merely1 but1 with them1 #8the women1 and ,mary the mother of ,jesus1 and his brethren3' hence in so many representations of this subject the ,virgin is not only present1 but a principal person3 ,mary ,magdalene and others are also frequently introduced4 #a4 ,the most striking example ,i have yet met with is the grand mosaic in the principal dome of ,st4 ,mark's at ,venice4 ,in the apex of the dome is seen the ,celestial ,dove in a glory of light2 rays proceed from the centre on every side1 and fall on the heads of the ,virgin and the ,twelve ,apostles1 seated in a circle4 ,lower down is a series of twelve figures standing all round the dome3 #8,parthians1 ,medes1 and ,elamites1 the dwellers in ,mesopotamia1 ,judea1 ,cappadocia1 ,pontus1 ,asia1 ,phrygia1 ,pamphylia1 ,cretes and ,arabians1'--each nation represented by one person1 and all in strange dresses1 and looking up with amazement4 #b4 ,the ,twelve ,apostles and the ,virgin are seen above seated in an enclosure2 tongues of fire descend from heaven2 beneath is a closed door1 at which several persons in strange foreign dresses1 with turbans1 c41 are listening with amazement4 ,one of these is in the ,chinese costume1--a curious circumstance1 considering the age of the picture1 and which could have occurred at that date nowhere but at ,venice4#aeb #c4 ,in the interior of a temple1 sustained by slender pillars1 the ,twelve ,apostles are seated in a circle1 and in the midst the ,virgin1 tongues of fire on each head4 ,here the ,virgin is the principal person4#aec #d4 ,an interior1 the ,twelve ,apostles seated in a circle2 above them1 the ,celestial ,dove in a glory1 and from his beak proceed twelve tongues of flame2 underneath1 in a small arch1 is the prophet ,joel1 as an old man crowned with a kingly crown and holding twelve rolls or scrolls1 indicating the ,gospel in so many different languages4 ,the allusion is to the words of ,joel1 ii4 #bh3 #8,and ,i will pour out my ,spirit upon all flesh4'#aed ,this is the ,greek formula1 and it is curious that it should have been closely followed by ,pinturicchio2--thus3 #e4 ,in a rich landscape1 with cypresses1 palm-trees1 and birds1 the ,virgin is seen kneeling2 ,st4 ,peter on the right1 and ,james ,minor on the left1 also kneeling2 five other ,apostles on each side4 ,the ,celestial ,dove1 with outspread wings1 descends in a glory surrounded by fifteen cherubim3 there are no tongues of fire4 ,the prophet ,joel is seen above1 with the inscription1 #8,effundam de ,spiritu meo super omnem carnem4'#aee #f4 ,the ,virgin and the ,apostles seated2 flames of fire stand on their heads2 the ,holy ,ghost appears above in a glory of light1 from which rays are poured on every side4 ,mary ,magdalene1 and another ,mary1 are present behind2 astonishment is the prevailing expression in every face1 except in the ,virgin and ,st4 ,peter4 ,the composition is attributed to ,raphael4#aef 99 99 99 99 99 ,the next event of importance is the separation of the ,twelve ,apostles when they disperse to preach the ,gospel in all lands4 ,according to the ancient traditions1 the ,apostles determined by lot to what countries they should go3 ,peter went to ,antioch2 ,james the ,great remained in ,jerusalem and the neighbourhood2 ,philip went to ,phrygia2 ,john to ,ephesus2 ,thomas to ,parthia and ,judea2 ,andrew to ,scythia2 ,bartholomew to ,india and ,judea4 ,the ,parting of the ,apostles is a beautiful subject1 of which ,i have met with but few examples2 one is a woodcut after ,titian4 ,the ,mission of the ,apostles ,i remember to have seen by ,bissoni over an altar in the ,santa ,giustina at ,padua3 they are preparing to depart2 one reads from a book2 another looses his shoes from his feet1 in allusion to the text1 #8,take neither purse1 nor scrip1 nor shoes2' several are bidding adieu to the ,virgin4 ,this picture struck me as dramatic2 its merits otherwise ,i do not remember4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we have next #8,the ,twelve ,baptisms4'#aeg ,in the upper compartment ,christ is standing in a majestic attitude1 and on each side are six ,apostles1 all alike1 and in white garments4 ,the inscription above is in ,greek3 #8,go ye1 and preach the ,gospel to all nations4' ,below1 in twelve smaller compartments1 each of the ,apostles is seen baptizing a convert3 an attendant1 in white garments1 stands by each font1 holding a napkin4 ,one of the converts and his attendant are black1 denoting clearly the chamberlain of the ,queen of ,ethiopia4 ,this is a very uncommon subject4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and1 lastly1 we have #8,the ,twelve ,martyrdoms4' ,this is a more frequent series1 in pictures and in prints1 and occurs in a set of large fresco compositions in the church of ,san ,nereo e ,sant' ,achilleo at ,rome4 ,in such representations the usual treatment is as follows3--#a4 ,st4 ,peter is crucified with his head downwards4 #b4 ,st4 ,andrew1 bound on a transverse cross4 #c4 ,st4 ,james ,major1 beheaded with a sword4 #d4 ,st4 ,john1 in a cauldron of boiling oil4 #e4 ,st4 ,philip1 bound on a cross in the form of a ,t4 #f4 ,st4 ,bartholomew1 flayed4 #g4 ,st4 ,thomas1 pierced with a spear4 #h4 ,st4 ,matthew1 killed with a sword4 #i4 ,st4 ,james ,minor1 struck down with a club4 #aj4 ,st4 ,simon and ,st4 ,jude together3 one is killed with a sword1 the other with a club4 #aa4 ,st4 ,matthias has his head cloven by a halbert4 #ab4 ,st4 ,paul is beheaded4#aeh ,the authority for many of these martyrdoms is wholly apocryphal1#aei and they sometimes vary2 but this is the usual mode of representation in ,western ,art4 ,in early ,greek ,art a series of the ,deaths of the ,apostles often occurs1 but they do not all suffer martyrdom2 and the subject of ,st4 ,john in the cauldron of boiling oil1 so famous in the ,latin ,church1 is1 ,i believe1 unknown1 or1 at least1 so rare1 that ,i have not found it in genuine ,byzantine ,art4 ,the most ancient series ,i have met with 7in a ,greek ,,ms4 of the ninth century7 shows us five ,apostles crucified3 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,philip with the head downwards2 ,st4 ,andrew on the transverse cross1 as usual2 ,st4 ,simon and ,st4 ,bartholomew1 in the same manner as our ,saviour4 ,st4 ,thomas is pierced by a lance2 and ,st4 ,john is buried1 and then raised by angels1 according to the legend4 ,the same series1 similarly treated1 ornamented the doors of the old ,basilica of ,st4 ,paul1 executed by ,greek artists of the tenth century4#afj ,wherever the ,apostles appear as a series1 we expect1 of course1 some degree of discriminating propriety of character in each face and figure4 ,we seek it when they merely form a part of the general scheme of significant decoration in the architectural arrangement of a place of worship2 we seek it with more reason when they stand before us as a series of devotional representations2 and still more when1 as actors in some particular scene1 they are supposed to be animated by sentiments called forth by the occasion1 and modified by the individual character4 ,by what test shall we try the truth and propriety of such representations8 ,we ought to know both what to require from the artist1 and on what grounds to require it1 before we can rest satisfied4 ,in the ,gospel-histories the ,apostles are consistently and beautifully distinguished in temper and bearing4 ,their characters1 whether exhibited at full length1 or merely touched upon1 are sustained with dramatic truth4 ,the medival legends1 however wild1 are1 as far as character goes1 in harmony with these scriptural portraits1 and fill up the outline given4 ,it becomes therefore a really interesting speculation to observe how far this variety of characteristic expression has been carried out in the early types1 how far attended to1 or neglected1 by the great painters1 since the revival of ,art4 ,,st4 ,,peter ,,and ,,st4 ,,paul4 ,lat4 ,,ss4 ,petrus et ,paulus4 ,ital4 ,san ,pietro or ,piero1 ,san ,paolo4 ,fr4 ,s4 ,pierre1 ,s4 ,paul4 ,spa4 ,san ,pedro1 ,san ,pablo4 7,june #bi and #cj47 ,i have already observed1 that1 as apostles and preachers of the word1 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul take the first place4 ,even during their lives1 a superiority was accorded to them2 and this superiority1 as the acknowledged heads and founders of the ,christian ,church1 under ,christ1 has been allowed down to the present time4 ,the precedence is by common consent given to ,st4 ,peter2 but they are held to be equal in faith1 in merit1 and in sanctity4 ,the early ,christian ,church was always considered under two great divisions3 the church of the converted ,jews1 and the church of the ,gentiles4 ,the first was represented by ,st4 ,peter1 the second by ,st4 ,paul4 ,standing together in this mutual relation1 they represent the universal ,church of ,christ2 hence in works of art they are seldom separated1 and are indispensable in all ecclesiastical decoration4 ,their proper place is on each side of the ,saviour1 or of the ,virgin throned2 or on each side of the altar2 or on each side of the arch over the choir4 ,in any case1 where they stand together1 not merely as ,apostles1 but ,founders1 their place is next after the ,evangelists and the ,prophets4 ,illustration3 #ff ,st4 ,paul ,st4 ,peter 7,crivelli7 ,thus seen almost everywhere in companionship1 it becomes necessary to distinguish them from each other2 for ,st4 ,peter does not always bear his keys1 nor ,st4 ,paul his sword4 ,in the earliest examples1 these attributes are wholly omitted2 yet ,i scarcely know any instance in which a distinct type of head has not been more or less attended to4 ,illustration3 #fg ,st4 ,peter 7,greek type1 eleventh century7 ,the ancient ,greek type of the head of ,st4 ,peter1 #8the ,pilot of the ,galilean lake1' is so strongly characterised as to have the air of a portrait4 ,it is either taken from the description of ,nicephorus1 so often quoted1 or his description is taken from some very ancient representation3 it certainly harmonises with all our preconceived notions of ,st4 ,peter's temperament and character4 ,he is a robust old man1 with a broad forehead1 and rather coarse features1 an open undaunted countenance1 short grey hair1 and short thick beard1 curled1 and of a silvery white3 according to the descriptive portrait of ,nicephorus1 he had red weak eyes1--a peculiarity which it has not been thought necessary to preserve in his effigies4 ,in some early pictures he is bald on the top of the head1 and the hair grows thick around in a circle1 somewhat like the priestly tonsure2 and in some examples this tonsure has the form of a triple row of curls close to the head1 a kind of tiara4 ,a curious exception to this predominant1 almost universal1 type is to be found in ,anglo-,saxon ,art1#afa where ,st4 ,peter is always beardless1 and wears the tonsure2 so that but for the keys1 suspended to a ring on his finger1 one might take him for an elderly monk4 ,it is a tradition that the ,gentiles shaved the head of ,st4 ,peter in order to make him an object of derision1 and that this is the origin of the priestly tonsure4 ,illustration3 #fh ,st4 ,peter with one ,key 7,taddeo ,gaddi7 ,the dress of ,st4 ,peter in the mosaics and ,greek pictures is a blue tunic1 with white drapery thrown over it1 but in general the proper colours are a blue or green tunic with yellow drapery4 ,on the early sarcophagi1 and in the most ancient church mosaics1 he bears merely a scroll or book1 and1 except in the character of the head1 he is exactly like ,st4 ,paul3 a little later we find him with the cross in one hand1 and the ,gospel in the other4 ,the keys in his hand appear as his peculiar attribute about the eighth century4 ,i have seen him with one great key1 but in general he carries two keys1 one of gold and one of silver1 to absolve and to bind2 or1 according to another interpretation1 one is of gold and one of iron1 opening the gates of heaven and hell3 occasionally1 but rarely1 he has a third key1 expressing the dominion over heaven1 and earth1 and hell4#afb ,st4 ,paul presents a striking contrast to ,st4 ,peter1 in features as in character4 ,there must have existed effigies of him in very early times1 for ,st4 ,augustine says that a certain ,marcellina1 living in the second century1 preserved in her ,lararium1 among her household gods1 #8the images of ,homer1 ,pythagoras1 ,jesus ,christ1 and ,paul the apostle4' ,chrysostom alludes to a portrait of ,paul which hung in his chamber1 but unfortunately he does not describe it4 ,the earliest allusion to the personal appearance of ,st4 ,paul occurs in ,lucian1 where he is styled1 in a tone of mocking disparagement1 #8the bald-headed ,galilean with a hook-nose4' ,the description given by ,nicephorus1 founded1 we may presume1 on tradition and on the existing portraits1 has been the authority followed in the early representations4 ,according to the ancient tradition1 ,paul was a man of small and meagre stature1 with an aquiline nose1 a high forehead1 and sparkling eyes4 ,in the ,greek type the face is long and oval1 the nose aquiline1 the forehead high and bald1 the hair brown1 the beard long1 flowing and pointed1 and of a dark brown 7in the ,greek formula it is said that his beard should be greyish--,i recollect no instance of ,st4 ,paul with a grey beard72 his dress is like ,st4 ,peter's1 a blue tunic and white mantle2 he has a book or scroll in one hand1 sometimes twelve rolls1 which designate his epistles4 ,he bears the sword1 his attribute in a double sense2 it signifies the manner of his martyrdom1 and it is emblematical of the good fight fought by the faithful ,christian1 armed with #8the sword of the ,spirit1 which is the word of ,god' 7,ephes4 vi4 #ag74 ,the life of ,st4 ,paul1 after his conversion1 was1 as we know1 one long spiritual combat3--#8perplexed1 but not in despair2 cast down1 but not destroyed4' ,illustration3 #fi ,st4 ,paul 7,greek type1 eleventh century7 ,these traditional characteristic types of the features and persons of the two greatest apostles were long adhered to4 ,we find them most strictly followed in the old ,greek mosaics1 in the early ,christian sculpture1 and the early pictures2 in all which the sturdy dignity and broad rustic features of ,st4 ,peter1 and the elegant contemplative head of ,st4 ,paul1 who looks like a ,greek philosopher1 form a most interesting and suggestive contrast4 ,but1 in later times1 the old types1 particularly in the head of ,st4 ,paul1 were neglected and degraded4 ,the best painters took care not to deviate wholly from the square head and short grey beard of ,st4 ,peter2 but1 from the time of ,sixtus ,,iv41 we find substituted for the head of ,st4 ,paul an arbitrary representation1 which varied according to the model chosen by the artist--which was sometimes a ,roman porter or a ,german boor2 sometimes the antique ,jupiter or the bust of a ,greek rhetorician4 ,i shall now give some examples1 in chronological order1 of the two great ,apostles represented together1 as ,founders of the ,church4 ,on the early sarcophagi 7from ,a4,d4 #cba to #djj71 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul stand on each side of the ,saviour4 ,the former bears a cross1 and is generally on the left hand of ,christ4 ,the cross given to ,peter1 and often set with jewels1 is supposed to refer to the passage in ,st4 ,john1 xxi4 #ai1 #8,signifying by what death he should die3' but it may surely bear another interpretation1 i4e4 the spirit of ,christianity transmitted to all nations by the first and greatest of the ,apostles4 ,st4 ,paul carries a roll of writing2 he has a very high bald forehead3 in other respects the two ,apostles are not particularly discriminated2 they wear the classical costume4#afc ,similar figures of ,peter and ,paul occur on the ancient glass drinking-vessels and lamps preserved in the ,vatican2 but the workmanship is so rude1 that they are merely curiosities1 and cannot be cited as authorities4 ,,mosaic 7,rome1 ,a4,d4 #ddc7 in ,santa ,maria ,maggiore1 over the arch which separates the sanctuary from the nave4 ,we have in the centre a throne1 on which lies the roll1 sealed with seven seals2 above the throne rises a cross set with precious stones2 on each side of the throne1 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul2 they have no attributes1 are habited in classical draperies1 and the whole representation is strictly antique in style1 without a trace of any of the characteristics of ,medival ,art4 ,this is the oldest representation ,i have met with next to those on the sarcophagi4 ,,mosaic 7,rome1 #fth century7 in the church of ,santa ,sabina on the interior of the arch over the door4 ,we find on one side ,st4 ,peter1 on the other ,st4 ,paul4 ,under ,st4 ,peter stands a graceful female figure1 veiled1 and inscribed ,ecclesia ex circumcisione2 under ,st ,paul1 a female figure1 crowned1 and inscribed ,ecclesia ex gentibus4 ,,mosaic 7,rome1 ,a4,d4 #ebf7 in ,st4 ,cosmo and ,st4 ,damian1 on the vault of the apsis4 ,christ stands in the centre1 sustained by clouds2 his right hand is raised in the attitude of one who exhorts 7not blessing1 as is the usual manner72 the left hand holds the book of life2 at his feet flows the river ,jordan1 the symbol of ,baptism4 ,on each side1 but lower down and much smaller in size1 stand ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul2 they seem to present ,st4 ,cosmo and ,st4 ,damian to the ,saviour4 ,beyond these again1 on either side1 stand ,st4 ,theodore and the pope 7,felix ,i47 who dedicated the church4 ,palm trees1 and a ,phnix crowned with a starry glory1 emblems of ,victory and ,immortality1 close this majestic and significant composition on each side4 ,here ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul are dignified figures1 in which the ,greek type is strongly characterised2 they wear long white mantles1 and have no attributes4 ,,mosaic 7,milan1 #ith century71 in ,sant' ,ambrogio4 ,christ enthroned presents the ,gospel to ,st4 ,paul1 and the two keys to ,st4 ,peter4 ,,mosaic 7,a4,d4 #icf7 on the tomb of ,otho ,,ii4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul together1 rather more than half length1 and above life size4 ,st4 ,peter has three keys1 suspended on a ring2 ,st4 ,paul1 the book and sword4 ,the original mosaic is preserved in the ,vatican1 and a copy is in the ,lateran4 ,this relic is1 as a document1 invaluable4 ,,mosaic 7,a4,d4 #abaf-abbg71 in the apsis of the old basilica of ,st4 ,paul4 ,christ is seated on a throne1 with the cruciform glory and his name ,c4 ,x,c43 the right hand gives the benediction in the ,greek form2 he holds in his left an open book1 inscribed ,,venite ,,benedicti ,,patris ,,mei ,,percipite ,,regnum4 7,matt4 xxv4 #cd47 ,on the left1 ,st4 ,peter with his right hand raised to ,christ1 and an open scroll in his left hand1 inscribed ,,tu ,,es ,,christus ,,filius ,,dei ,,vivi4 ,on the other side of ,christ1 ,st4 ,paul2 his right hand on his breast1 and in his left a scroll with these words1 ,,in ,,nomine ,,jesu ,,omne ,,genu ,,flectatur ,c,,lestium ,,terrestrium ,,et ,,infernorum4 7,phil4 xi4 #aj47 ,beyond ,st4 ,peter stands his brother ,st4 ,andrew2 and beyond ,st4 ,paul his favourite disciple ,luke4 ,at the foot of the throne kneels a diminutive figure of the pope1 ,honorius ,,iii41 by whom the mosaic was dedicated4 ,palm-trees close the composition on each side2 underneath runs the frieze of the ,twelve ,apostles1 described at p4 #agc4 ,,mosaic 7#abth century7 in the ,cathedral of ,monreale at ,palermo4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul are seated on splendid thrones on each side of the tribune2 ,st4 ,peter holds in his left hand a book1 and the right1 which gives the benediction1 holds also the two keys3 over his head is inscribed1 ,,sanctus ,,petrus ,,princeps ,,apostolorum ,,cui ,,tradit ,,sunt ,,claves ,,regni ,c,,lorum4 ,st4 ,paul holds the sword with the point upwards like a sceptre1 and the book as usual3 the intellectual ,greek character of the head is strongly discriminated4 ,the inscription is1 ,,sanctus ,,paulus ,,pr,,dicator ,,veritatis ,,et ,,doctor ,,gentium ,,genti4 ,among the rich and curious bas-reliefs in front of the church of ,st4 ,trophime at ,arles1 we have ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul seated together receiving the souls of the just4 ,each has two souls in his lap1 and the ,archangel ,michael is bringing another4 ,in pictures1 their proper place1 as ,i have observed1 is on each side of the throne of the ,redeemer1 or on each side of the ,virgin and ,child3 sometimes they are standing together1 or reading in the same book4 ,this must suffice for the devotional treatment of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul1 when represented as joint founders and patrons of the universal ,christian ,church4 ,before ,i notice those historical subjects in which they appear together1 ,i have to say a few words of the manner in which they are treated separately and distinctly4 ,and first of ,st4 ,peter4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the various events of the life of ,st4 ,peter are recorded in the ,gospels and the ,acts so minutely1 that they may be presumed to be familiar to all readers4 ,from these we may deduce his character1 remarkable for fervour and energy rather than sustained power4 ,his traditional and legendary history is full of incidents1 miracles1 and wonderful and picturesque passages4 ,his importance and popularity1 considered as ,prince of the ,apostles and ,founder of the ,church of ,rome1 have extended with the influence of that powerful ,church of which he is the head and representative1 and multiplied1 almost to infinitude1 pictures and effigies of him in his individual character1 as well as historical representations of his life and actions1 wherever his paramount dignity is admitted4 ,it struck me1 when wandering over the grand old churches of ,ravenna1 where the ecclesiastical mosaics are the most ancient that exist1 and still in wonderful preservation1 that ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul do not often appear1 at least are in no respect distinguished from the other apostles4 ,ravenna1 in the fifth century1 did not look to ,rome for her saints4 ,on the other hand1 among the earliest of the ,roman mosaics1 ,st4 ,peter is sometimes found sustaining the throne of ,christ1 without his companion ,st4 ,paul2 as in ,s4 ,maria-in-,trastevere1 ,s4 ,maria ,nuova1 and others4 ,at ,rome1 ,st4 ,peter is the ,saint1 the ,santissimo4 ,the secession of the ,protestant ,church dimmed his glory as ,prince of the ,apostles and universal ,saint2 he fell into a kind of disrepute as identified with the ,see of ,rome1 which exposed his effigies1 in ,england and ,scotland particularly1 to a sweeping destruction4 ,those were disputatious days2 and ,peter1 the affectionate1 enthusiastic1 devoted1 but somewhat rash apostle1 veiled his head to the intellectual1 intrepid1 subtle philosopher ,paul4 99 99 99 99 99 ,let us now see how ,art has placed before us the sturdy ,prince of the ,apostles4 ,i have already mentioned the characteristic type which belongs to him1 and his prevalent attributes the key1 the cross1 the book4 ,when he figures among the disciples in the ,gospel stories1 he sometimes holds the fish as the symbol of his original vocation3 if the fish be given to him in single devotional figures1 it signifies also ,christianity1 or the rite of ,baptism4 ,the figures of ,st4 ,peter standing1 as ,apostle and ,patron ,saint1 with book and keys1 are of such perpetual occurrence as to defy all attempts to particularise them1 and so familiar as to need no further illustration4#afd ,representations of him in his peculiar character of ,head and ,founder of the ,roman ,church1 and first universal bishop1 are less common4 ,he is seated on a throne2 one hand is raised in the act of benediction2 in the other he holds the keys1 and sometimes a book or scroll1 inscribed with the text1 in ,latin1 #8,thou art ,peter1 and on this rock have ,i built my ,church4' ,this subject of the throned ,st4 ,peter is very frequent in the older schools4 ,the well-known picture by ,giotto1 painted for ,cardinal ,stefaneschi1 now in the sacristy of the ,vatican1 is very fine1 simple and solemn4 ,in a picture by ,cima da ,conegliano1#afe ,st4 ,peter is not only throned1 but wears the triple tiara as pope2 the countenance is particularly earnest1 fervent1 almost fiery in expression3 the keys lie at his feet2 on one side stands ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 on the other ,st4 ,paul4 ,as a deviation from the usual form of this subject1 ,i must mention an old bas-relief1 full of character1 and significantly appropriate to its locality the church of ,san ,pietro-in-,vincoli1 at ,rome4 ,st4 ,peter1 enthroned1 holds in one hand the keys and the ,gospel2 with the other he presents his chains to a kneeling angel3 this unusual treatment is very poetical and suggestive4 ,illustration3 #gj ,there are standing figures of ,st4 ,peter wearing the papal tiara1 and brandishing his keys1 as in a picture by ,cola dell' ,amatrice 7#gj74 ,and ,i should think ,milton had some such picture in his remembrance when he painted his ,st4 ,peter3-- ,last came and last did go ,the pilot of the ,galilean ,lake2 ,two massy keys he bore of metals twain1 7,the golden opes1 the iron shuts amain17 ,he shook his mitred locks1 and stern bespake4 ,when1 in devotional pictures1 ,st4 ,peter is accompanied by another apostle with no distinctive attributes1 we may suppose it to be ,st4 ,mark1 who was his interpreter1 companion1 and amanuensis at ,rome4 ,according to an early tradition1 the ,gospel of ,st4 ,mark was written down from the dictation of ,st4 ,peter4#aff ,in a miniature frontispiece to ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel1 the evangelist is seated writing1 and ,st4 ,peter stands opposite1 as if dictating4 ,in a picture by ,angelico1#afg ,peter is preaching from a pulpit to a crowd of people3 ,mark1 seated on one side1 is diligently taking down his words4 ,in a very fine picture by ,bonvicino#afh they stand together2 ,st4 ,peter is reading from a book2 ,st4 ,mark holds a scroll and inkhorn2 he is submitting to ,st4 ,peter the ,gospel he has just penned1 and which was afterwards confirmed by the apostle4 ,lastly1 a magnificent ,venetian picture#afi represents ,st4 ,peter throned as bishop1 with an earnest and rather stern countenance2 he holds a book in his hand2 two angels with musical instruments are seated on the steps of his throne3 on his right hand stand ,john the ,baptist1 and ,st4 ,jerome as cardinal2 on his left ,st4 ,ambrose2 while ,st4 ,mark bends over a book1 as if reading to this majestic auditory4 99 99 99 99 99 ,those scenes and incidents related in the ,gospels in which ,st4 ,peter is a principal or conspicuous figure1 ,i shall enlarge upon when treating of the life of ,christ1 and will only indicate a few of them here1 as illustrating the manner in which ,st4 ,peter is introduced and treated in such subjects4 ,we have1 first1 the ,calling of ,peter and ,andrew in a picture by ,basaiti1#agj where the two brothers are kneeling at the feet of the ,saviour2 the fishing-boats and the ,lake of ,gennesareth in the background3 and in the beautiful fresco by ,ghirlandajo in the ,sistine ,chapel1 where a number of contemporary personages are introduced as spectators4 ,st4 ,andrew presenting ,st4 ,peter to our ,saviour 7as in a picture by ,cavalucci1 in the ,vatican71 is another version of the same subject2 or ,st4 ,andrew is seen at the feet of ,christ1 while ,st4 ,peter is sitting on the edge of the boat1 or descending from it in haste4 #8,christ walking on the ,sea' is a familiar and picturesque subject1 not to be mistaken4 ,the most ancient and most celebrated representation is ,giotto's mosaic 7,a4,d4 #abih71 now placed in the portico of ,st4 ,peter's1 over the arch opposite to the principal door4 ,the sentiment in the composition of this subject is1 generally1 #8,lord1 help me2 or ,i perish3' ,st4 ,peter is sinking1 and ,christ is stretching out his hand to save him4 ,it is considered as a type of the ,church in danger1 assailed by enemies1 and saved by the miraculous interposition of the ,redeemer2 and in this sense must the frequent representations in churches be understood4 ,in the #8,miraculous ,draught of ,fishes1' ,st4 ,peter is usually on his knees looking up with awe and gratitude3--#8,depart from me1 ,o ,lord6 for ,i am a sinful man4' ,the composition of ,raphael 7the cartoon at ,hampton ,court7 is just what we should seek for in ,raphael1 a masterpiece of dramatic expression1--the significant1 the poetical1 the miraculous predominating4 ,the composition of ,rubens1 at ,malines1 which deserves the next place1 should be looked at in contrast1 as an instance of the picturesque and vigorous treatment equally characteristic of the painter2--all life and reality1 even to the glittering fish which tumble in the net4 #8,st4 ,peter finding the tribute money' is a subject ,i have seldom met with3 the motif is simple1 and not to be mistaken4 ,in all the scenes of the life of our ,saviour in which the apostles are assembled1--in the ,transfiguration1 in the ,last ,supper1 in the #8,washing the ,feet of the ,disciples1' in the scene of the agony and the betrayal of ,christ1--,st4 ,peter is introduced as a more or less prominent figure1 but always to be distinguished from the other apostles4 ,in the third of these subjects1 the washing of the feet1 ,st4 ,peter generally looks up at ,christ with an expression of humble expostulation1 his hand on his head3 the sentiment is--#8,not my feet only1 but my hands and my head4' ,in the scene of the betrayal of ,christ1 ,st4 ,peter cutting off the ear of ,malthus is sometimes a too prominent group2 and ,i remember an old ,german print in which ,st4 ,peter having cut off the ear1 our ,lord bends down to replace it4#aga #8,st4 ,peter denying the ,saviour' is always one of the subjects in the series of the ,passion of ,christ4 ,it occurs frequently on the ancient sarcophagi as the symbol of repentance1 and is treated with classical and sculptural simplicity1 the cock being always introduced1 as in the illustration 7#ga73 it is here to be understood as a general emblem of human weakness and repentance4 ,as an action separately1 or as one of the series of the life and actions of ,peter1 it has not been often painted2 it seems to have been avoided in general by the early ,italian painters as derogatory to the character and dignity of the apostle4 ,the only examples ,i can recollect are in the later ,italian and ,flemish schools4 ,teniers has adopted it as a vehicle for a guard-room scene2 soldiers playing at cards1 bright armour1 c4 ,rembrandt has taken it as a vehicle for a fine artificial light2 and1 for the same reason1 the ,caravaggio school delighted in it4 ,the maiden1 whose name in the old traditions is ,balilla1 is always introduced with a look and gesture of reproach1 and the cock is often perched in the background4 ,illustration3 #ga ,repentance of ,peter 7,sarcophagus1 third century7 #8,christ turned and looked upon ,peter3' of this beautiful subject1 worthy of ,raphael himself1 ,i can remember no instance4 ,the #8,repentance of ,peter' is a subject seldom treated in the earlier schools of ,italy1 but frequently by the later painters1 and particularly by the ,bologna school2 in some instances most beautifully4 ,it was a subject peculiarly suited to the genius of ,guercino1 who excelled in the expression of profound rather than elevated feeling4 ,there is a manner of representing the repentance of ,peter which seems peculiar to ,spanish ,art1 and is more ideal than is usual with that school4 ,christ is bound to a column and crowned with thorns2 ,st4 ,peter kneels before him in an attitude of the deepest anguish and humiliation1 and appears to be supplicating forgiveness4 ,except in the ,spanish school1 ,i have never met with this treatment4 ,the little picture by ,murillo#agb is an exquisite example2 and in the ,spanish ,gallery are two others1 by ,pedro de ,cordova and ,juan ,juanes3--in the former1 ,st4 ,peter holds a pocket-handkerchief with which he has been wiping his eyes1 and the cock is perched on the column to which our ,saviour is bound4 ,another ideal treatment we find in a picture by ,guercino2 ,st4 ,peter is weeping bitterly1 and opposite to him the ,virgin is seated in motionless grief4 ,half-length figures of ,st4 ,peter looking up with an expression of repentant sorrow1 and wringing his hands1 are of frequent occurrence1 more especially in the later followers of the ,bologna and ,neapolitan schools of the seventeenth century3 ,ribera1 ,lanfranco1 ,caravaggio1 and ,valentin4 ,in most of these instances1 the total absence of ideal or elevated sentiment is striking2--any old bearded beggar out of the streets1 who could cast up his eyes and look pathetic1 served as a model4 ,i recollect no picture of the ,crucifixion in which ,st4 ,peter is present4 #8,the delivery of the keys to ,peter' and #8the ,charge to ,peter1' 7,feed my sheep17 either in separate pictures or combined into one subject1 have been of course favourite themes in a ,church which founds its authority on these particular circumstances4 ,the bas-relief over the principal door of ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome represents the two themes in one3 ,christ delivers the keys to ,peter1 and the sheep are standing by4 ,in the panels of the bronze doors beneath 7,a4,d4 #adca71 we have the chain of thought and incident continued2 ,peter delivers the emblematical keys to ,pope ,eugenius ,,iv4 ,it is curious that1 while the repentance of ,peter is a frequent subject on the sarcophagi of the fourth century1 the delivery of the keys to ,peter occurs but once4 ,christ1 as a beardless youth1 presents to ,peter two keys laid crosswise one over the other4 ,peter1 in whose head the traditional type is most distinctly marked1 has thrown his pallium over his outstretched hands1 for1 according to the antique ceremonial1 of which the early sculpture and mosaics afford us so many examples1 things consecrated could only be touched with covered hands4 ,this singular example is engraved in ,bottari4#agc ,an example of beautiful and solemn treatment in painting is ,perugino's fresco in the ,sistine ,chapel4 ,it contains twenty-one figures2 the conception is quite ideal1 the composition regular even to formality1 yet striking and dramatic4 ,in the centre1 ,peter1 kneeling on one knee1 receives the keys from the hand of the ,saviour2 the apostles and disciples are arranged on each side behind ,christ and ,st4 ,peter2 in the background is the rebuilding of the ,temple2--a double allegory3 #8,destroy this temple1 ,i will build it up in three days3' and also1 perhaps1 alluding to the building of the chapel by ,sixtus ,,iv4 ,in ,raphael's cartoon#agd the scene is an open plain3 ,christ stands on the right2 in front1 ,st4 ,peter kneels1 with the keys in his hand2 ,christ extends one hand to ,peter1 and with the other points to a flock of sheep in the background4 ,the introduction of the sheep into this subject has been criticised as at once too literal and too allegorical1--a too literal transcript of the words1 a too allegorical version of the meaning2 but ,i do not see how the words of our ,saviour could have been otherwise rendered in painting1 which must speak to us through sensible objects4 ,the other apostles standing behind ,peter show in each countenance the different manner in which they are affected by the words of the ,saviour4 ,by ,gian ,bellini3 a beautiful picture3#age ,st4 ,peter kneeling1 half-length1 receives the keys from ,jesus ,christ1 seated on a throne4 ,behind ,st4 ,peter stand the three ,christian ,graces1 ,faith1 ,hope1 and ,charity4 ,poussin has taken this subject in his series of the ,seven ,sacraments#agf1 to represent the sacrament of ,ordination4 ,in this instance again1 the two themes are united2 and we must also remember1 that the allegorical representation of the disciples and followers of ,christ as sheep looking up to be fed1 is consecrated by the practice of the earliest schools of ,christian ,art4 ,rubens has rendered the subject very simply1 in a picture containing only the two figures1 ,christ and ,st4 ,peter2#agg and again with five figures1 less good4#agh ,numerous other examples might be given2 but the subject is one that1 however treated1 cannot be easily mistaken4 ,a very ideal version of this subject is where ,st4 ,peter kneels at the feet of the ,madonna1 and the ,infant ,christ1 bending from her lap1 presents the keys to him2 as in a singularly fine and large composition by ,crivelli1#agi and in another by ,andrea ,salaino4 ,another1 very beautiful and curious1 is in the possession of ,mr4 ,bromley of ,wootten4#ahj 99 99 99 99 99 ,after the ascension of our ,saviour1 the personal history of ,st4 ,peter is mingled first with that of ,st4 ,john1 and afterwards with that of ,st4 ,paul4 #8,peter and ,john healing the lame man at the gate called ,beautiful' is the subject of one of the finest of the cartoons at ,hampton ,court4 ,perin del ,vaga1 ,niccol ,poussin1 and others less renowned1 have also treated it2 it is susceptible of much contrast and dramatic effect4 #8,the sick are brought out and placed in the shadow of ,peter and ,john that they may be healed1' by ,masaccio4#aha #8,peter preaching to the early converts3' the two most beautiful compositions ,i have seen1 are the simple group of ,masaccio2 and another by ,le ,sueur1 full of variety and sentiment4 #8,peter and ,john communicate the ,holy ,ghost by laying their hands on the disciples1' by ,vasari4#ahb ,i do not well remember this picture4 ,the ,vision of ,peter3 three angels sustain the curtain or sheet which contains the various forbidden animals1 as pigs1 rabbits1 c4 7as in a print after ,guercino74 #8,peter baptizes the ,centurion' 7very appropriately placed in the baptistery of the ,vatican74 ,st4 ,peter meets the ,centurion2 he blesses the family of the ,centurion4 ,all commonplace versions of very interesting and picturesque subjects4 #8,the ,death of ,ananias4' ,raphael's cartoon of this awful scene is a masterpiece of dramatic and scenic power2 never was a story more admirably and completely told in painting4 ,those who had to deal with the same subject1 as if to avoid a too close comparison with his unapproachable excellence1 have chosen the death of ,sapphira as the motif3 as1 for example1 ,niccol ,poussin4#ahc #8,dorcas or ,tabitha restored to life4' ,one of the finest and most effective of ,guercino's pictures1 now in the ,palazzo ,pitti3 the simple dignity of the apostle1 and the look of sick amazement in the face of the woman restored to consciousness1 show how strong ,guercino could be when he had to deal with natural emotions of no elevated kind4 ,the same subject1 by ,costanzi1 is among the great mosaics in ,st4 ,peter's4 #8,the ,death of ,dorcas1' by ,le ,sueur1 is a beautiful composition4 ,she lies extended on a couch2 ,st4 ,peter and two other apostles approach the foot of it3 the poor widows1 weeping1 show to ,st4 ,peter the garments which ,dorcas had made for them 7,acts ix4 #ci74 99 99 99 99 99 ,the imprisonment of ,peter1 and his deliverance by the ,angel1 were incidents so important1 and offer such obvious points of dramatic effect1 that they have been treated in every possible variety of style and sentiment1 from the simple formality of the early mosaics1 where the two figures--,peter sitting on a stool1 leaning his head on his hand1 and the ,angel at his side--express the story like a vision1#ahd down to the scenic and architectural compositions of ,steenwick1 where1 amid a vast perspective of gloomy vaults and pillars1 a diminutive ,st4 ,peter1 with an ,angel or a sentinel placed somewhere in the foreground1 just serves to give the picture a name4#ahe ,some examples of this subject are of great celebrity4 ,masaccio1 in the frescoes of the ,brancacci ,chapel1 has represented ,peter in prison1 looking through his grated window1 and ,paul outside communing with him4 7,the noble figure of ,st4 ,paul in this fresco was imitated by ,raphael in the #8,st4 ,paul preaching at ,athens4'7 ,in the next compartment of the series1 ,masaccio has given us the ,angel leading forth ,peter1 while the guard sleeps at the door3 he sleeps as one oppressed with an unnatural sleep4 ,raphael's fresco in the ,vatican is not one of his best1 but he has seized on the obvious point of effect1 both as to light and grouping2 and we have three separate moments of the same incident1 which yet combine most happily into one grand scene4 ,thus in the centre1 over the window1 we see through a grating the interior of the prison1 where ,st4 ,peter is sleeping between two guards1 who1 leaning on their weapons1 are sunk in a deep charmed slumber2#ahf an angel1 whose celestial radiance fills the dungeon with a flood of light1 is in the act of waking the apostle3 on the right of the spectator1 the angel leads the apostle out of the prison2 two guards are sleeping on the steps3 on the left1 the soldiers are roused from sleep1 and one with a lighted torch appears to be giving the alarm2 the crescent moon faintly illumines the background4 ,the deliverance of ,st4 ,peter has always been considered as figurative of the deliverance of the ,church2 and the two other frescoes of this room1 the ,heliodorus and the ,attila1 bear the same interpretation4 ,it is worth while to compare this dramatic composition of ,raphael with others wherein the story is merely a vehicle for artificial effects of light1 as in a picture by ,gerard ,honthorst2 or treated like a supernatural vision1 as by that poet1 ,rembrandt4 ,those historical subjects in which ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul figure together will be noticed in the life of ,st4 ,paul4 ,i come now to the legendary stories connected with ,st4 ,peter2 an inexhaustible source of popular and pictorial interest4 ,peter was at ,jerusalem as late as ,a4,d4 #eb2 then at ,antioch2 also in ,babylon3 according to the most ancient testimonies he was at ,rome about ,a4,d4 #fc2 but the tradition1 that he resided as bishop in the city of ,rome for twenty-five years1 first related by ,jerome1 seems questionable4#ahg ,among the legendary incidents which marked his sojourn in ,rome1 the first and the most important is the story of ,simon ,magus4 ,simon1 a famous magician among the ,jews1 had astonished the whole city of ,jerusalem by his wonderful feats2 but his inventions and sorceries were overcome by the real miracles of ,peter1 as the ,egyptian magi had been conquered by ,aaron4 ,he offered the apostles money to buy the secret of their power1 which ,peter rejected with indignation4 ,st4 ,augustine tells us1 as a characteristic trait of the fiery-spirited apostle1 that #8if he had fallen on the traitor ,simon1 he would certainly have torn him to pieces with his teeth4' ,the magician1 vanquished by a superior power1 flung his books into the ,dead ,sea1 broke his wand1 and fled to ,rome1 where he became a great favourite of the ,emperor ,claudius1 and afterwards of ,nero4 ,peter1 bent on counteracting the wicked sorceries of ,simon1 followed him to ,rome4 ,about two years after his arrival he was joined there by the ,apostle ,paul4 ,simon ,magus having asserted that he was himself a god1 and could raise the dead1 ,peter and ,paul rebuked his impiety1 and challenged him to a trial of skill in presence of the emperor4 ,the arts of the magician failed2 ,peter and ,paul restored the youth to life3 and on many other occasions ,simon was vanquished and put to shame by the miraculous power of the apostles4 ,at length he undertook to fly up to heaven in sight of the emperor and the people2 and1 crowned with laurel1 and supported by demons1 he flung himself from a tower1 and appeared for a while to float thus in the air3 but ,st4 ,peter1 falling on his knees1 commanded the demons to let go their hold1 and ,simon1 precipitated to the ground1 was dashed to pieces4 ,this romantic legend1 so popular in the middle ages1 is founded on some antique traditions not wholly unsupported by historical testimony4 ,there can be no doubt that there existed in the first century a ,simon1 a ,samaritan1 a pretender to divine authority and supernatural powers2 who1 for a time1 had many followers2 who stood in a certain relation to ,christianity2 and who may have held some opinions more or less similar to those entertained by the most famous heretics of the early ages1 the ,gnostics4 ,irenus calls this ,simon the father of all heretics4 #8,all those1' he says1 #8who in any way corrupt the truth1 or mar the preaching of the ,church1 are disciples and successors of ,simon1 the ,samaritan magician4' ,simon gave himself forth as a god1 and carried about with him a beautiful woman named ,helena1 whom he represented as the first conception of his--that is1 of the divine--mind1 the symbol or manifestation of that portion of spirituality which had become entangled in matter4#ahh ,the incidents of the story of ,simon ,magus have been often and variously treated4 #a4 ,by ,quintin ,matsys3 ,peter refuses the offer of ,simon ,magus--#8,thy money perish with thee6' ,here ,peter wears the mitre of a bishop3 the picture is full of coarse but natural expression4 #b4 #8,peter and ,paul accused before ,nero3' the fresco in the ,brancacci ,chapel1 attributed by ,kugler to ,filippino ,lippi1 is certainly one of the most perfect pieces of art1 as a dramatic composition1 which we have before the time of ,raphael4 ,to the right the emperor is seated on his throne1 on each side his ministers and attendants4 ,the countenances are finely varied2 some of them animated by attention and curiosity1 others sunk in deep thought4 ,the two apostles1 and their accuser ,simon ,magus1 are in front4 ,simon1 a magnificent figure1 who might serve for a ,prospero1 lays his hand on the vest of ,peter1 as if to drag him forward2 ,paul stands aside with quiet dignity2 ,peter1 with a countenance full of energetic expression1 points contemptuously to the broken idol at his feet4 ,for the felicity and animation with which the story is told1 and for propriety1 grace1 and grandeur1 ,raphael has not often exceeded this picture4 #c4 ,another of the series of the life of ,peter in the ,brancacci ,chapel is the resuscitation of the youth1 who in the legend is called the nephew of the emperor2 a composition of numerous figures4 ,in the centre stands ,st4 ,peter1 and before him kneels the youth2 a skull and a few bones are near him--a nave method of expressing his return from death to life4 ,the variety of expression in the countenances of the assembled spectators is very fine4 ,according to the custom of the ,florentine school at that time1 many are portraits of distinguished persons2 and1 considering that the fresco was painted at a period most interesting in the ,florentine history 7,a4,d4 #addj71 we have much reason to regret that these can no longer be discriminated4 #d4 #8,the ,fall of ,simon ,magus' is a favourite and picturesque subject1 often repeated4 ,a most ancient and most curious version is that on the walls of the ,cathedral at ,assisi1 older than the time of ,giotto1 and attributed to ,giunta ,pisano4 7,a4,d4 #abcb47 ,on one side is a pyramidical tower formed of wooden bars2 ,peter and ,paul are kneeling in front2 the figure of the magician is seen floating in the air and sustained by hideous demons2--very dreamy1 poetical1 and fanciful4 ,in ,mr4 ,ottley's collection ,i saw a small ancient picture of the same subject1 very curious1 attributed to ,benozzo ,gozzoli4 ,raphael's composition in the ,vatican has the simplicity of a classical bas-relief1--a style which does not appear suited to this romantic legend4 ,the picture by ,l4 ,caracci at ,naples ,i have not seen4 ,over one of the altars of ,st4 ,peter1 we now see the great mosaic1 after ,vanni's picture of this subject2 a clever commonplace treatment3 the scene is an amphitheatre1 the emperor above in his balcony2 ,peter and ,paul in front1 invoking the name of ,christ1 and ,simon ,magus tumbling headlong1 forsaken by his demons2 in the background sit the vestals4 ,battoni's great picture in the ,s4 ,maria degli ,angeli at ,rome is considered his best production2 it is full of well-studied academic drawing1 but scenic and mannered4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the next subject in the order of events is styled the #8,,domine1 ,,quo ,,vadis8' ,after the burning of ,rome1 ,nero threw upon the ,christians the accusation of having fired the city4 ,this was the origin of the first persecution1 in which many perished by terrible and hitherto unheard-of deaths4 ,the ,christian converts besought ,peter not to expose his life1 which was dear and necessary to the well-being of all2 and at length he consented to depart from ,rome4 ,but as he fled along the ,appian ,way1 about two miles from the gates1 he was met by a vision of our ,saviour travelling towards the city4 ,struck with amazement1 he exclaimed1 #8,lord6 whither goest thou8' to which the ,saviour1 looking upon him with a mild sadness1 replied1 #8,i go to ,rome to be crucified a second time1' and vanished4 ,peter1 taking this for a sign that he was to submit himself to the sufferings prepared for him1 immediately turned back1 and re-entered the city4 ,michael ,angelo's famous statue1 now in the church of ,s4 ,maria-sopra-,minerva at ,rome1 is supposed to represent ,christ as he appeared to ,peter on this occasion2 and a cast or copy of it is in the little church of #8,domine1 quo vadis8' erected on the spot sanctified by this mysterious meeting4 ,it is surprising that this most beautiful1 picturesque1 and1 to my fancy1 sublime legend has been so seldom treated2 and never1 as it appears to me1 in a manner worthy of its capabilities and its high significance4 ,it is seldom that a whole story can be told by two figures1 and these two figures placed in such grand and dramatic contrast2--,christ in his serene majesty and radiant with all the glory of beatitude1 yet with an expression of gentle reproach2 the apostle at his feet1 arrested in his flight1 amazed1 and yet filled with a trembling joy2 and for the background the wide ,campagna or the towering walls of imperial ,rome2--these are grand materials2 but the pictures ,i have met with are all ineffective in conception4 ,the best fall short of the sublime ideal2 most of them are theatrical and commonplace4 ,raphael has interpreted it in a style rather too classical for the spirit of the legend2 with great simplicity and dignity1 but as a fact1 rather than a vision conjured up by the stricken conscience and tenderness of the affectionate apostle4 ,the small picture by ,annibale ,caracci in our ,national ,gallery is a carefully finished academical study and nothing more1 but may be referred to as a fair example of the usual mode of treatment4 ,peter returned to ,rome1 persisted in his appointed work1 preaching and baptizing2 was seized with ,st4 ,paul and thrown into the ,mamertine dungeons under the ,capitol4 ,the two centurions who guarded them1 ,processus and ,martinian1 and many of the criminals confined in the same prison1 were converted by the preaching of the apostle2 and there being no water to baptize them1 at the prayer of ,st4 ,peter a fountain sprang up from the stone floor2 which may be seen at this day4 #8,the ,baptism of ,st4 ,processus and ,st4 ,martinian in the ,dungeon1' by ,trevisani1 is in the baptistery of ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome2 they afterwards suffered for the faith1 and were canonised4 ,in the same church is the scene of their martyrdom by ,valentino2 they are seen bound and stretched on a hurdle1 the head of one to the feet of the other1 and thus beaten to death4 ,the former picture--the ,baptism--is commonplace2 the latter1 terrible for dark and effective expression2 it is just one of those subjects in which the ,caravaggio school delighted4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a few days after their incarceration1 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul were condemned to death4 ,according to one tradition1 ,st4 ,peter suffered martyrdom in the ,circus of ,caligula at the foot of the ,vatican1 and was crucified between two met1 i4e4 the goals or termin in the ,circus1 round which the chariots turned in the race2 but1 according to another tradition1 he was put to death in the court-yard of a barrack or military station on the summit of ,mons ,janicula1 where the church of ,san ,pietro in ,montorio now stands2 that is1 on an eminence above the site of the ,circus of ,caligula4 ,at his own request1 and that his death might be even more painful and ignominious than that of his ,divine ,master1 he was crucified with his head downwards4 ,illustration3 #gb ,crucifixion of ,st4 ,peter 7,giotto7 ,in the earliest representations ,i have met with1#ahi ,st4 ,peter is raised on the cross with his head downwards1 and wears a long shirt which is fastened round his ankles4 ,in the picture of ,giotto1#aij the local circumstances1 according to the first tradition1 are carefully attended to3 we have the cross erected between the two met1 and about twenty soldiers and attendants2 among them a woman who embraces the foot of the cross1 as the ,magdalene embraces the cross of the ,saviour4 ,above are seen angels1 who bear the soul of the martyred saint in a glory to heaven4 ,masaccio's composition#aia is very simple2 the scene is the court-yard of a military station 7according to the second tradition74 ,peter is already nailed upon a cross2 three executioners are in the act of raising it with cords and a pulley to suspend it against a great beam of wood2 there are several soldiers1 but no women1 present4 ,in ,guido's composition#aib there are only three figures1 the apostle and two executioners2 it is celebrated as a work of art1 but it appeared to me most ineffective4 ,on the other hand1 ,rubens has gone into the opposite extreme2 there are only three persons1 the principal figure filling nearly the whole of the canvas3 it is full of vigour1 truth1 and nature2 but the brutality of the two executioners1 and the agony of the aged saint1 too coarsely and painfully literal4 ,these simple representations of the mere act or fact should be compared with the fresco of ,michael ,angelo1#aic in which the event is evolved into a grand drama4 ,here the scene is evidently the summit of the ,mons ,janiculum3 in the midst of a crowd of soldiers and spectators1 ,st4 ,peter lies nailed to the cross1 which a number of men are exerting their utmost strength to raise from the ground4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the legend which makes ,st4 ,peter the keeper of the gate of ,paradise1 with power to grant or refuse admission1 is founded on the delivery of the keys to ,peter4 ,in most of the pictures which represent the entrance of the blessed into ,paradise or the ,new ,jerusalem1 ,peter stands with his keys near the gate4 ,there is a beautiful example in the great fresco of ,simone ,memmi in the chapel de' ,spagnuoli at ,florence3 ,st4 ,peter stands at the open portal with his great key1 and two angels crown with garlands the souls of the just as they enter joyously hand in hand4 ,illustration3 #gc ,from the fresco of ,simone ,memmi1 ,florence 7,s4 ,maria ,novella7 ,the legend of ,st4 ,petronilla1 the daughter of ,st4 ,peter 7in ,french1 ,sainte ,pernelle71 has never been popular as a subject of ,art1 and ,i can remember no series of incidents from the life of ,st4 ,peter in which she is introduced1 except those in the ,carmine at ,florence4 ,it is apparently a ,roman legend1 and either unknown to the earliest artists1 or neglected by them4 ,it is thus related3-- #8,the apostle ,peter had a daughter born in lawful wedlock1 who accompanied him in his journey from the ,east4 ,being at ,rome with him1 she fell sick of a grievous infirmity which deprived her of the use of her limbs4 ,and it happened that as the disciples were at meat with him in his house1 one said to him1 #8,master1 how is it that thou1 who healest the infirmities of others1 dost not heal thy daughter ,petronilla8' ,and ,st4 ,peter answered1 #8,it is good for her to remain sick3' but1 that they might see the power that was in the word of ,god1 he commanded her to get up and serve them at table1 which she did2 and having done so1 she lay down again helpless as before2 but many years afterwards1 being perfected by her long suffering1 and praying fervently1 she was healed4 ,petronilla was wonderfully fair2 and ,valerius ,flaccus1 a young and noble ,roman1 who was a heathen1 became enamoured of her beauty1 and sought her for his wife2 and he being very powerful1 she feared to refuse him2 she therefore desired him to return in three days1 and promised that he should then carry her home4 ,but she prayed earnestly to be delivered from this peril2 and when ,flaccus returned in three days with great pomp to celebrate the marriage1 he found her dead4 ,the company of nobles who attended him carried her to the grave1 in which they laid her1 crowned with roses2 and ,flaccus lamented greatly4'#aid ,the legend places her death in the year #ih1 that is1 #cd years after the death of ,st4 ,peter2 but it would be in vain to attempt to reconcile the dates and improbabilities of this story4 ,st4 ,peter raising ,petronilla from her sick bed is one of the subjects by ,masaccio in the ,brancacci ,chapel4 ,the scene of her entombment is the subject of a once celebrated and colossal picture by ,guercino3 the copy in mosaic is over the altar dedicated to her in ,st4 ,peter's3 in front1 and in the lower part of the picture1 she is just seen as they are letting her down into the grave1 crowned with roses2 behind stands ,flaccus with a handkerchief in his hand1 and a crowd of spectators3 in the upper part of the picture ,petronilla is already in ,paradise1 kneeling1 in a rich dress1 before the feet of ,christ1 having exchanged an earthly for a heavenly bridegroom4 ,this great picture exhibits1 in a surpassing degree1 the merits and defects of ,guercino2 it is effective1 dramatic1 deeply and forcibly coloured1 and arrests attention3 on the other hand1 it is coarse1 crowded1 vulgar in sentiment1 and repugnant to our better taste4 ,there is a standing figure of ,petronilla in the ,duomo at ,lucca1 by ,daniel di ,volterra1 very fine4#aie 99 99 99 99 99 ,the life of ,st4 ,peter1 when represented as a series1 generally comprises the following subjects1 commencing with the first important incident after the ,ascension of ,christ4 #a4 ,peter and ,john heal the lame man at the ,beautiful ,gate4 #b4 ,peter heals the paralytic ,eneas4 #c4 ,peter raises ,tabitha4 #d4 ,the angel takes off the chains of ,peter4 #e4 ,he follows the angel out of the prison4 #f4 ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul meet at ,rome4 #g4 ,peter and ,paul before ,nero are accused by ,simon ,magus4 #h4 ,the fall of ,simon ,magus4 #i4 ,the crucifixion of ,st4 ,peter4 ,this example is taken from the series of mosaics in the ,cathedral of ,monreale1 at ,palermo4 ,the fine series of frescoes in the ,brancacci ,chapel at ,florence is differently arranged2 thus3--#a4 ,the tribute money found in the fish by ,st4 ,peter4 #b4 ,peter preaching to the converts4 #c4 ,peter baptizes the converts4 ,in this fresco1 the youth1 who has thrown off his garments and is preparing for baptism1 is famous as the first really graceful and well-drawn undraped figure which had been produced since the revival of ,art4 #d4 ,peter and ,john heal the cripple at the ,beautiful ,gate1 and ,petronilla is raised from her bed4 #e4 ,peter in his prison is visited by ,paul4 #f4 ,peter delivered by the angel4 #g4 ,the resuscitation of the dead youth4 #h4 ,the sick are laid in the way of ,peter and ,john1 #8that at the least the shadow of ,peter passing by might overshadow some of them4' #i4 ,peter and ,john distribute alms2 a dead figure lies at the feet of the apostles1 perhaps ,ananias4 ,the situation of the fresco is very dark1 so that it is difficult to distinguish the action and expression of the figures4 #aj4 ,peter and ,paul accused before ,nero4 #aa4 ,the crucifixion of ,peter4 ,in ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome1 we have of course every scene from the life of the apostle which could well be expressed by ,art2 but none of these are of great merit or interest3 most of them are from the schools of the seventeenth century4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,st4 ,,paul1 though called to the apostleship after the ascension of the ,saviour1 takes rank next to ,st4 ,peter as one of the chief witnesses of the ,christian faith4 ,of all the apostles he is the most interesting2 the one of whose personal character and history we know most1 and through the most direct and irrefragable testimony4 ,the events of his life1 as conveyed in the ,acts and the ,epistles1 are so well known1 that ,i need not here particularise them4 ,the legends connected with him are very few4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the earliest single figure of ,st4 ,paul to which ,i can refer was found painted on the walls of the cemetery of ,priscilla1 near ,rome4#aif ,he stands1 with outstretched arms1 in the act of prayer2 7in the early ages of ,christianity the act of supplication was expressed in the classical manner1 that is1 not with folded hands1 but with the arms extended27 he has the nimbus2 his dress is that of a traveller1 the tunic and pallium being short1 and his feet sandalled1 perhaps to indicate his many and celebrated travels2 perhaps1 also1 it represents ,paul praying for his flock before he departed from ,macedon to return to ,jerusalem 7,acts xx473 over this ancient figure1 which1 though ill drawn1 is quite classical in sentiment and costume1 is inscribed ,,paulus4 ,,pastor4 ,,apostolos2 on his right hand stands the ,good ,shepherd1 in reference to the title of ,,pastor1 inscribed over his effigy4 ,another figure of ,st4 ,paul1 which appears to be of later date1 but anterior to the fifth century1 was found in the catacombs at ,naples3 in this effigy he wears the dress of a ,greek philosopher2 the style in which the drapery is worn recalls the time of ,hadrian3 he has no nimbus1 nor is the head bald2 he has sandals on his feet3 over his head is inscribed his name1 ,,paulus2 near him is a smaller figure similarly draped1 who offers him fruit and flowers in a vase2 probably the personage who was entombed on the spot4 99 99 99 99 99 ,at what period the sword was given to ,st4 ,paul as his distinctive attribute1 is with antiquaries a disputed point2 certainly1 much later than the keys were given to ,peter4#aig ,if we could be sure that the mosaic on the tomb of ,otho ,,ii41 and another mosaic already described1 had not been altered in successive restorations1 these would be evidence that the sword was given to ,st4 ,paul as his attribute as early as the #fth century2 but there are no monuments which can be absolutely trusted as regards the introduction of the sword before the end of the #aath century2 since the end of the #adth century1 it has been so generally adopted1 that in the devotional effigies ,i can remember no instance in which it is omitted4 ,when ,st4 ,paul is leaning on the sword1 it expresses his martyrdom2 when he holds it aloft1 it expresses also his warfare in the cause of ,christ3 when two swords are given to him1 one is the attribute1 the other the emblem2 but this double allusion does not occur in any of the older representations4 ,in ,italy ,i never met with ,st4 ,paul bearing two swords1 and the only instance ,i can call to mind is the bronze statue by ,peter ,vischer1 on the shrine of ,st4 ,sebald1 at ,nuremberg4 ,although devotional representations of ,st4 ,paul separate from ,st4 ,peter and the other apostles occur very rarely1 pictures from his life and actions are commonly met with2 the principal events are so familiar1 that they are easily recognised and discriminated even by the most unlearned in biblical illustration3 considered and treated as a series1 they form a most interesting and dramatic succession of scenes1 often introduced into the old churches2 but the incidents chosen are not always the same4 ,paul1 before his conversion1 was present at the stoning of ,stephen1 and he is generally introduced holding on his knees the garments of the executioners4 ,in some ancient pictures1 he has1 even while looking on and #8consenting to the death' of the victim1 the glory round his head1 as one who1 while #8breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the ,lord1' was already a chosen vessel to bear ,his name before the ,gentiles4' ,but in a set of pictures which relate expressly to ,st4 ,paul the martyrdom of ,stephen is1 with proper feeling1 omitted1 and the series generally begins with the ,,conversion ,,of ,,paul1--in his character of apostle1 the first great event in his life4 ,an incident so important1 so celebrated1 and in all its accessories so picturesque and dramatic1 has of course been a frequent subject of artistic treatment1 even as a separate composition4 ,in some of the old mosaics1 the story is very simply1 and at the same time vividly1 rendered4 ,in the earliest examples1 ,st4 ,paul has the nimbus or glory while yet unconverted2 he is prostrate on the ground1 grovelling on his hands and knees2 rays of light fall upon him out of heaven1 where the figure of ,christ1 half-length1 is seen emerging from glory2 sometimes it is a hand only1 which is the emblem of the ,almighty ,power2 two or four attendants at most are flying in terror4 ,it is not said in ,scripture that ,st4 ,paul journeyed on horseback from ,jerusalem to ,damascus2 but the tradition is at least as old as the time of ,pope ,dalmasius 7,a4,d4 #chd71 as it is then referred to4 ,st4 ,augustine says he journeyed on foot1 because the ,pharisees made a point of religion to go on foot1 and it is so represented in the old ,greek mosaics4 ,the expression1 #8,it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks1' has been oddly enough assigned as a reason for placing ,paul on horseback2#aih at all events1 as he bore a military command1 it has been thought proper in later times so to represent him1 and also as surrounded by a numerous cortge of attendants4 ,this treatment admits1 of course1 of endless variety1 in the disposition and number of the figures1 in the attitudes and expression2 but the moment chosen is generally the same4 #a4 ,the oldest example ,i can cite1 next to the ,greek mosaics1 is an old ,italian print mentioned by ,zani4 ,paul1 habited as a ,roman warrior1 kneels with his arms crossed on his breast1 and holding a scroll1 on which is inscribed in ,latin1 #8,lord1 what shall ,i do8' ,christ stands opposite to him1 also holding a scroll1 on which is written1 #8,saul1 ,saul1 why persecutest thou me8' ,there are no attendants4 ,zani does not give the date of this quaint and simple version of the story4 #b4 ,raphael4 ,paul1 habited as a ,roman soldier1 is lying on the ground1 as thrown from his horse2 he looks upward to ,christ1 who appears in the clouds1 attended by three child-angels3 his attendants on foot and on horseback are represented as rushing to his assistance1 unconscious of the vision1 but panic struck by its effect on him3 one attendant in the background seizes by the bridle the terrified horse4 ,the original cartoon of this fine composition 7one of the tapestries in the ,vatican7 is lost4 #c4 ,michael ,angelo4 ,paul1 a noble figure1 though prostrate1 appears to be struck motionless and senseless3 ,christ seems to be rushing down from heaven surrounded by a host of angels2 those of the attendants who are near to ,paul are flying in all directions1 while a long train of soldiers is seen ascending from the background4 ,this grand dramatic composition forms the pendant to the ,crucifixion of ,peter in the ,cappella ,paolina4 ,it is so darkened by age and the smoke of tapers1 and so ill lighted1 that it is not easily made out2 but there is a fine engraving1 which may be consulted4 #d4 ,another very celebrated composition of this subject is that of ,rubens4#aii ,paul1 lying in the foreground1 expresses in his attitude the most helpless and grovelling prostration4 ,the attendants appear very literally frightened out of their senses2 and the grey horse snorting and rearing behind is the finest part of the picture3 as is usual with ,rubens1 the effects of physical fear and amazement are given with the utmost spirit and truth2 but the scriptural dignity1 the supernatural terrors1 of the subject are ill expressed1 and the apostle himself is degraded4 ,to go a step lower1 ,cuyp has given us a ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul apparently for the sole purpose of introducing horses in different attitudes3 the favourite dapple-grey charger is seen bounding off in terror2 no one looks at ,st4 ,paul1 still less to ,christ above--but the horses are admirable4 #e4 ,in ,albert ,drer's print1 a shower of stones is falling from heaven on ,st4 ,paul and his company4 #f4 ,there is a very curious and unusual version of this subject in a rare print by ,lucas van ,leyden4 ,it is a composition of numerous figures4 ,st4 ,paul is seen1 blind and bewildered1 led between two men2 another man leads his frightened charger2 several warriors and horsemen follow1 and the whole procession seems to be proceeding slowly to the right4 ,in the far distance is represented the previous moment--,paul struck down and blinded by the celestial vision4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,paul1 after his conversion1 restored to sight by ,ananias1' as a separate subject1 seldom occurs2 but it has been treated in the later schools by ,vasari1 by ,cavallucci1 and by ,p4 ,cortona4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,the ,jews flagellate ,paul and ,silas4' ,i know but one picture of this subject1 that of ,niccol ,poussin3 the angry ,jews are seen driving them forth with scourges2 the ,elders1 who have condemned them1 are seated in council behind3 as we might expect from the character of ,poussin1 the dignity of the apostles is maintained1--but it is not one of his best pictures4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,paul1 after his conversion1 escapes from ,damascus2' he is let down in a basket 7,acts ix4 #be73 the incident forms1 of course1 one of the scenes in his life when exhibited in a series1 but ,i remember no separate picture of this subject1 and the situation is so ludicrous and so derogatory that we can understand how it came to be avoided4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,the ecstatic vision of ,st4 ,paul1 in which he was caught up to the third heaven4' 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #b47 ,paul1 who so frequently and familiarly speaks of angels1 in describing this event makes no mention of them1 but in pictures he is represented as borne upwards by angels4 ,i find no early composition of this subject4 ,the small picture of ,domenichino is coldly conceived4 ,poussin has painted the #8,ravissement de ,st4 ,paul' twice2 in the first1 the apostle is borne upon the arms of four angels1 and in the second he is sustained by three angels4 ,in rendering this ecstatic vision1 the angels1 always allowable as machinery1 have here a particular propriety2 ,paul is elevated only a few feet above the roof of his house1 where lie his sword and book4 ,here the sword serves to distinguish the personage2 and the roof of the house shows us that it is a vision1 and not an apotheosis4 ,both pictures are in the ,louvre4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,paul preaching to the converts at ,ephesus4' ,in a beautiful ,raffaelesque composition by ,le ,sueur1 the incident of the magicians bringing their books of sorcery and burning them at the feet of the apostle is well introduced4 ,it was long the custom to exhibit this picture solemnly in ,notre ,dame every year on the #ast of ,may4 ,it is now in the ,louvre4 #8,paul before ,felix1' and #8,paul before ,agrippa4' ,neither of these subjects has ever been adequately treated4 ,it is to me inconceivable that the old masters so completely overlooked the opportunity for grand characteristic delineation afforded by both these scenes1 the latter especially4 ,perhaps1 in estimating its capabilities1 we are misled by the effect produced on the imagination by the splendid eloquence of the apostle2 yet1 were another ,raphael to arise1 ,i would suggest the subject as a pendant to the ,st4 ,paul at ,athens4 #8,paul performs miracles before the ,emperor ,nero2' a blind man1 a sick child1 and a possessed woman are brought to him to be healed4 ,this1 though a legendary rather than a scriptural subject1 has been treated by ,le ,sueur with scriptural dignity and simplicity4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,the martyrdom of ,st4 ,paul' is sometimes a separate subject1 but generally it is the pendant to the martyrdom of ,st4 ,peter4 ,according to the received tradition1 the two apostles suffered at the same time1 but in different places2 for ,st4 ,paul1 being by birth a ,roman citizen1 escaped the ignominy of the public exposure in the ,circus1 as well as the prolonged torture of the cross4 ,he was beheaded by the sword outside the ,ostian gate1 about two miles from ,rome1 at a place called the ,aqua ,salvias1 now the #8,tre ,fontane4' ,the legend of the death of ,st4 ,paul relates that a certain ,roman matron named ,plautilla1 one of the converts of ,st4 ,peter1 placed herself on the road by which ,st4 ,paul passed to his martyrdom1 in order to behold him for the last time2 and when she saw him1 she wept greatly1 and besought his blessing4 ,the apostle then1 seeing her faith1 turned to her and begged that she would give him her veil to bind his eyes when he should be beheaded1 promising to return it to her after his death4 ,the attendants mocked at such a promise1 but ,plautilla1 with a woman's faith and charity1 taking off her veil1 presented it to him4 ,after his martyrdom1 ,st4 ,paul appeared to her1 and restored the veil stained with his blood4 ,it is also related1 that when he was decapitated the severed head made three bounds upon the earth1 and wherever it touched the ground a fountain sprang forth4 ,in the most ancient representations of the martyrdom of ,st4 ,paul1 the legend of ,plautilla is seldom omitted4 ,in the picture of ,giotto preserved in the sacristy of ,st4 ,peter's1 ,plautilla is seen on an eminence in the background1 receiving the veil from the hand of ,paul1 who appears in the clouds above2 the same representation1 but little varied1 is executed in bas-relief on the bronze doors of ,st4 ,peter's4 ,the three fountains gushing up beneath the severed head are also frequently represented as a literal fact1 though a manifest and beautiful allegory1 figurative of the fountains of ,christian faith which should spring forth from his martyrdom4 ,in all the melancholy vicinity of ,rome1 there is not a more melancholy spot than the #8,tre ,fontane4' ,a splendid monastery1 rich with the offerings of all ,christendom1 once existed there3 the ravages of that mysterious scourge of the ,campagna1 the malaria1 have rendered it a desert2 three ancient churches and some ruins still exist1 and a few pale monks wander about the swampy dismal confines of the hollow in which they stand4 ,in winter you approach them through a quagmire2 in summer1 you dare not breathe in their pestilential vicinity2 and yet there is a sort of dead beauty about the place1 something hallowed as well as sad1 which seizes on the fancy4 ,in the church properly called #8,san ,paolo delle ,tre ,fontane1' and which is so old that the date of the foundation is unknown1 are three chapels with altars raised over as many wells or fountains2 the altars are modern1 and have each the head of ,st4 ,paul carved in relief4 ,the water1 which appeared to me exactly the same in all the three fountains1 has a soft insipid taste1 neither refreshing nor agreeable4 ,the ancient frescoes have perished1 and the modern ones are perishing4 ,it is a melancholy spot4 ,to return1 however1 to that event which has rendered it for ages consecrated and memorable4 ,among the many representations of the decollation of ,st4 ,paul which exist in sculpture and in painting1 ,i have not met with one which could take a high place as a work of art1 or which has done justice to the tragic capabilities of the subject4 ,after his martyrdom the body of ,st4 ,paul was interred on a spot between the ,ostian gate and the ,aqua ,salvias1 and there arose the magnificent church known as ,san ,paolo-fuori-le-mura4 ,i saw this church a few months before it was consumed by fire in #ahbc2 ,i saw it again in #ahdg1 when the restoration was far advanced4 ,its cold magnificence1 compared with the impressions left by the former structure1 rich with inestimable remains of ancient art1 and venerable from a thousand associations1 saddened and chilled me4 ,the mosaics in the old church1 which represented the life and actions of ,st4 ,paul1 were executed by the ,greek mosaic masters of the eleventh century4 ,they appear to have comprised the same subjects which still exist as a series in the church of ,monreale near ,palermo1 and which ,i shall now describe4 #a4 ,saul is sent by the high-priest to ,damascus4 ,two priests are seated on a raised throne in front of the ,temple2 ,saul stands before them4 #b4 ,the ,conversion of ,saul1 as already described 7p4 #bad74 #c4 ,saul1 being blind1 is led by his attendants to the gate of ,damascus4 #d4 ,saul seated4 ,ananias enters and addresses him4 #e4 ,paul is baptized3 he is standing1 or rather sitting1 in a font1 which is a large vase1 and not much larger in proportion than a punch-bowl4 #f4 ,st4 ,paul disputes with the ,jews4 ,his attitude is vehement and expressive3 three ,jewish doctors stand before him as if confounded and put to silence by his eloquent reasoning4 #g4 ,st4 ,paul escapes from ,damascus2 the basket1 in which he is lowered down from a parapet1 is about the size of a hand-basket4 #h4 ,st4 ,paul delivers a scroll to ,timothy and ,silas2 he consigns to their direction the deacons that were ordained by the apostles and elders4 7,acts xvi4 #d47 #i4 ,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,peter meet at ,rome1 and embrace with brotherly affection4 ,i believe this subject to represent the reconciliation of the two apostles after the dispute at ,antioch4 ,the inscription is1 ,hic ,paulus venit ,romam et pacem fecit cum ,petro4 7,in the ,christian ,museum in the ,vatican there is a most beautiful small ,greek picture in which ,peter and ,paul are embracing2 it may represent the reconciliation or the parting3 the heads1 though minute1 are extremely characteristic47 #aj4 ,the decollation of ,st4 ,paul at the ,aqua ,salvias2 one fountain only is introduced4 ,this is the earliest instance ,i can quote of the dramatic treatment of the life and actions of ,st4 ,paul in a series of subjects4 ,the ,greek type of the head of ,st4 ,paul is retained throughout1 strongly individualised1 and he appears as a man of about thirty-five or forty4 ,in the later schools of art1 which afford some celebrated examples of the life of ,st4 ,paul treated as a series1 the ,greek type has been abandoned4 ,the series by ,raphael1 executed for the tapestries of the ,sistine ,chapel in the ,vatican1 consists of five large and seven small compositions4 #a4 ,the conversion of ,saul1 already described3 the cartoon is lost4 #b4 ,elymas the sorcerer struck blind3 wonderful for dramatic power4 #c4 ,st4 ,paul and ,barnabas at ,lystra4 #d4 ,paul preaches at ,athens4 ,of these three magnificent compositions we have the cartoons at ,hampton ,court4 #e4 ,st4 ,paul in prison at ,philippi4 ,the earthquake through which he was liberated is here represented allegorically as a ,titan in the lower corner of the picture1 with shoulders and arms heaving up the earth4 ,this1 which strikes us as rather pagan in conception1 has1 however1 a parallel in the earliest ,christian ,art1 where1 in the baptism of ,christ1 the ,jordan is sometimes represented by a classical river-god1 sedge-crowned1 and leaning on his urn4 ,the seven small subjects1 which in the set of tapestries run underneath as borders to the large compositions1 are thus arranged3-- #a4 #8,as for ,saul1 he made havoc of the church1 entering into every house1 and haling men and women committed them to prison4' 7,acts viii4 #c47 ,at one end of a long narrow composition ,saul is seated in the dress of a ,roman warrior1 and attended by a lictor2 they bring before him a ,christian youth2 farther on are seen soldiers #8haling men and women' by the hair2 others flee in terror4 ,this was erroneously supposed to represent the massacre at ,prato1 in #aeab1 by the adherents of the ,medici1 and is so inscribed in the set of engravings by ,bartoli and ,landon4 #b4 ,john and ,mark taking leave of the brethren at ,perga in ,pamphylia4 7,acts xiii4 #c47 #c4 ,paul1 teaching in the synagogue at ,antioch1 confounds the ,jews4 7,acts xviii4 #c47 #d4 ,paul at ,corinth engaged in tent-making with his host4 ,this is an uncommon subject1 but ,i remember another instance in a curious old ,german print1 where1 in the lower part of the composition1 the apostle is teaching or preaching2 and above there is a kind of gallery or balcony1 in which he is seen working at a loom3 #8,you yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my necessities1 labouring night and day1 because we would not be chargeable unto you4' 7,acts xviii4 #f47 #e4 ,being at ,corinth1 he is mocked by the ,jews4 7,acts viii4 #ab47 #f4 ,he lays his hand on the ,christian converts4 #g4 ,he is brought before the judgment-seat of ,gallio4#bjj 99 99 99 99 99 #8,paul1 in the island of ,melita1 shaking the viper from his hand1' is not a common subject1 and yet it is capable of the finest picturesque and dramatic effects3 the storm and shipwreck in the background1 the angry heavens above1 the red firelight1 the group of astonished mariners1 and1 pre-eminent among them1 the calm intellectual figure of the apostle shaking the venomous beast from his hand1--these are surely beautiful and available materials for a scenic picture4 ,even if treated as an allegory in a devotional sense1 a single majestic figure1 throwing the evil thing innocuous from him1 which ,i have not yet seen1 it would be an excellent and a significant subject4 ,the little picture by ,elzheimer is the best example ,i can cite of the picturesque treatment4 ,that of ,le ,sueur has much dignity2 those of ,perino del ,vaga1 ,thornhill1 ,west1 are all commonplace4 ,thornhill1 as everybody knows1 painted the eight principal scenes of the life of the apostle in the cupola of ,st4 ,paul's4#bja ,few people1 ,i should think1 have strained their necks to examine them2 the eight original studies1 small sketches en grisaille1 are preserved in the vestry1 and display that heartless1 mindless1 mannered mediocrity1 which makes all criticism foolishness2 ,i shall1 however1 give a list of the subjects4 #a4 ,paul and ,barnabas at ,lystra4 #b4 ,paul preaching at ,athens4 #c4 ,elymas struck blind4 #d4 ,the converts burn their magical books4 #e4 ,paul before ,festus4 #f4 ,a woman seated at his feet2 ,i presume the ,conversion of ,lydia of ,thyatira4 #g4 ,paul let down in a basket4 #h4 ,he shakes the viper from his hand4 ,at the time that ,thornhill was covering the cupola at #8the rate of #bl4 the square yard1' ,hogarth1 his son-in-law1 would also try his hand4 ,he painted #8,st4 ,paul pleading before ,felix' for ,lincoln's4 ,inn ,hall2 where the subject1 at least1 is appropriate4 ,the picture itself is curiously characteristic1 not of the scene or of the chief personage1 but of the painter4 ,st4 ,paul loaded with chains1 and his accuser ,tertullus1 stand in front2 and ,felix1 with his wife ,drusilla1 are seated on a raised tribunal in the background2 near ,felix is the high-priest ,ananias4 ,the composition is good4 ,the heads are full of vivid expression--wrath1 terror1 doubt1 fixed attention2 but the conception of character most ignoble and commonplace4 ,hogarth was more at home when he took the same subject as a vehicle for a witty caricature of the ,dutch manner of treating sacred subjects--their ludicrous anachronisms and mean incidents4 ,st4 ,paul1 in allusion to his low stature1 is mounted on a stool2 an angel is sawing through one leg of it2 ,tertullus is a barrister1 in wig1 band1 and gown2 the judge is like an old doting justice of peace1 and his attendants like old beggars4 ,in the ,florentine ,gallery there is a very curious series of the lives of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul in eight pictures1 in the genuine old ,german style2 fanciful1 animated1 full of natural and dramatic expression1 and exquisitely finished1--but dry1 hard1 grotesque1 and abounding in anachronisms4#bjb 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the few separate historical subjects in which ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul are represented together1 the most important is the dispute at ,antioch1--a subject avoided by the earliest painters4 ,st4 ,paul says1 #8,when ,peter was come to ,antioch1 ,i withstood him to the face1 because he was to be blamed4' ,guido's picture in the ,brera at ,milan is celebrated3 ,peter is seated1 looking thoughtful1 with downcast eyes1 an open book on his knees2 ,paul1 in an attitude of rebuke1 stands over against him4 ,there is another example by ,rosso3 here both are standing2 ,peter is looking down2 ,paul1 with long hair and beard floating back1 and a keen reproving expression1 #8rebukes him to his face4' ,i presume the same subject to be represented by ,lucas van ,leyden in a rare and beautiful little print1 in which ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul are seated together in earnest conversation4 ,st4 ,peter holds a key in his right hand1 and points with the other to a book which lies on his knees4 ,st4 ,paul is about to turn the leaf1 and his right hand appears to rebuke ,st4 ,peter2 his left foot is on the sword which lies at his feet4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,the ,parting of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul before they are led to death4' ,the scene is without the gates of ,rome2 and as the soldiers drag ,peter away1 he turns back to ,paul with a pathetic expression4 ,this picture1 now in the ,louvre1 is one of ,lanfranco's best compositions4#bjc ,when the crucifixion of ,st4 ,peter and the decollation of ,st4 ,paul are represented together in the same picture1 such a picture must be considered as religious and devotional1 not historical2 it does not express the action as it really occurred1 but1 like many pictures of the crucifixion of our ,saviour1 it is placed before us as an excitement to piety1 self-sacrifice1 and repentance4 ,we have this kind of treatment in a picture by ,niccol dell' ,abate3#bjd ,st4 ,paul kneels before a block1 and the headsman stands with sword uplifted in act to strike2 in the background1 two other executioners grasp ,st4 ,peter1 who is kneeling on his cross and praying fervently3 above1 in a glory1 is seen the ,virgin2 in her arms the ,infant ,christ1 who delivers to two angels palm-branches for the martyred saints4 ,the genius of ,niccol was not precisely fitted for this class of subjects4 ,but the composition is full of poetical feeling4 ,the introduction of the ,madonna and ,child stamps the character of the picture as devotional1 not historical--it would otherwise be repulsive1 and out of keeping with the subject4 ,there is a ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul engraved after ,parmigiano1#bje which ,i shall notice on account of its careless and erroneous treatment4 ,they are put to death together2 an executioner prepares to decapitate ,st4 ,peter1 and another drags ,st4 ,paul by the beard3 the incidents are historically false1 and1 moreover1 in a degraded and secular taste4 ,these are the mistakes that make us turn disgusted from the technical facility1 elegance1 and power of the sixteenth century1 to the simplicity and reverential truth of the fourteenth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are various traditions concerning the relics of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,according to some1 the bodies of the two apostles were1 in the reign of ,heliogabalus1 deposited by the ,christian converts in the catacombs of ,rome1 and were laid in the same sepulchre4 ,after the lapse of about two hundred years1 the ,greek or ,oriental ,christians attempted to carry them off2 but were opposed by the ,roman ,christians4 ,the ,romans conquered2 and the two bodies were transported to the church of the ,vatican1 where they reposed together in a magnificent shrine1 beneath the church4 ,among the engravings in the work of ,ciampini and ,bosio are two rude old pictures commemorating this event4 ,the first represents the combat of the ,orientals and the ,romans for the bodies of the ,saints2 in the other1 the bodies are deposited in the ,vatican4 ,in these two ancient representations1 which were placed in the portico of the old basilica of ,st4 ,peter1 the traditional types may be recognised--the broad full features1 short curled beard1 and bald head of ,st4 ,peter1 and the oval face and long beard of ,st4 ,paul4 99 99 99 99 99 ,here ,i must conclude this summary of the lives and characters of the two greatest apostles1 as they have been exhibited in ,christian ,art2 to do justice to the theme would have required a separate volume4 ,one observation1 however1 suggests itself1 and cannot be passed over4 ,the usual type of the head of ,st4 ,peter1 though often ill rendered and degraded by coarseness1 can in general be recognised as characteristic2 but is there among the thousand representations of the apostle ,paul1 one on which the imagination can rest completely satisfied8 ,i know not one4 ,no doubt the sublimest ideal of embodied eloquence that ever was expressed in ,art is ,raphael's ,st4 ,paul preaching at ,athens4 ,he stands there the delegated voice of the true ,god1 the antagonist and conqueror of the whole heathen world3--#8,whom ye ignorantly worship1 ,,him declare ,i unto you'--is not this what he says8 ,every feature1 nay1 every fold in his drapery1 speaks2 as in the other ,st4 ,paul leaning on his sword 7in the famous ,st4 ,cecilia71 every feature and every fold of drapery meditates4 ,the latter is as fine in its tranquil melancholy grandeur1 as the former in its authoritative energy3 in the one the orator1 in the other the philosopher1 were never more finely rendered3 but is it1 in either1 the ,paul of ,tarsus whom we know8 ,it were certainly both unnecessary and pedantic to adhere so closely to historic fact as to make ,st4 ,paul of diminutive stature1 and ,st4 ,peter weak-eyed3 but has ,raphael done well in wholly rejecting the traditional portrait which reflected to us the ,paul of ,scripture1 the man of many toils and many sorrows1 wasted with vigils1 worn down with travel1 whose high bald forehead1 thin flowing hair1 and long pointed beard1 spoke so plainly the fervent and indomitable1 yet meditative and delicate1 organisation1--and in substituting this ,jupiter ,ammon head1 with the dark redundant hair1 almost hiding the brow1 and the full bushy beard8 ,this is one of the instances in which ,raphael1 in yielding to the fashion of his time1 has erred1 as it seems to me1--though ,i say it with all reverence6 ,the ,st4 ,paul rending his garments at ,lystra1 and rejecting the sacrifice of the misguided people1 is more particularly false as to the character of the man1 though otherwise so grandly expressive1 that we are obliged to admire what our better sense--our conscience--cannot wholly approve4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i shall now consider the rest of the apostles in their proper order4 ,,st4 ,,andrew4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,andreas4 ,ital4 ,sant' ,andrea4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,andr4 ,patron saint of ,scotland and of ,russia4 ,nov4 #cj ,a4,d4 #gj4 ,st4 ,andrew was the brother of ,simon ,peter1 and the first who was called to the apostleship4 ,nothing farther is recorded of him in ,scripture3 he is afterwards merely included by name in the general account of the apostles4 ,in the traditional and legendary history of ,st4 ,andrew we are told1 that after our ,lord's ascension1 when the apostles dispersed to preach the ,gospel to all nations1 ,st4 ,andrew travelled into ,scythia1 ,cappadocia1 and ,bithynia1 everywhere converting multitudes to the faith4 ,the ,russians believe that he was the first to preach to the ,muscovites in ,sarmatia1 and thence he has been honoured as titular saint of the empire of ,russia4 ,after many sufferings1 he returned to ,jerusalem1 and thence travelled into ,greece1 and came at length to a city of ,achaia1 called ,patras4 ,here he made many converts2 among others1 ,maximilla1 the wife of the proconsul geus1 whom he persuaded to make a public profession of ,christianity4 ,the proconsul1 enraged1 commanded him to be seized and scourged1 and then crucified4 ,the cross on which he suffered was of a peculiar form 7crux decussata71 since called the ,st4 ,andrew's cross2 and it is expressly said that he was not fastened to his cross with nails1 but with cords1--a circumstance always attended to in the representations of his death4 ,it is1 however1 to be remembered1 that while all authorities agree that he was crucified1 and that the manner of his crucifixion was peculiar1 they are not agreed as to the form of his cross4 ,st4 ,peter ,chrysologos says that it was a tree3 another author affirms that it was an olive tree4 ,the ,abb ,mry remarks1 that it is a mistake to give the transverse cross to ,st4 ,andrew2 that it ought not to differ from the cross of our ,lord4 ,his reasons are not absolutely conclusive3--#8,il suffit pour montrer qu'ils sont l-dessus dans l'erreur1 de voir la croix vritable de ,st4 ,andr1 conserve dans l'glise de ,st4 ,victor de ,marseille2 on trouvera qu'elle est angles droits1' c4#bjf ,seeing is believing2 nevertheless1 the form is fixed by tradition and usage1 and ought not to be departed from1 though ,michael ,angelo has done so in the figure of ,st4 ,andrew in the ,last ,judgment1 and there are several examples in the ,italian masters4#bjg ,the legend goes on to relate1 that ,st4 ,andrew1 on approaching the cross prepared for his execution1 saluted and adored it on his knees1 as being already consecrated by the sufferings of the ,redeemer1 and met his death triumphantly4 ,certain of his relics were brought from ,patras to ,scotland in the fourth century1 and since that time ,st4 ,andrew has been honoured as the patron saint of ,scotland1 and of its chief order of knighthood4 ,he is also the patron saint of the famous ,burgundian ,order1 the ,golden ,fleece2 and of ,russia and its chief ,order1 the ,cross of ,st4 ,andrew4 99 99 99 99 99 ,since the fourteenth century1 ,st4 ,andrew is generally distinguished in works of art by the transverse cross2 the devotional pictures in which he figures as one of the series of apostles1 or singly as patron saint1 represent him as a very old man with some kind of brotherly resemblance to ,st4 ,peter2 his hair and beard silver white1 long1 loose1 and flowing1 and in general the beard is divided2 he leans upon his cross1 and holds the ,gospel in his right hand4 ,illustration3 #gd ,st4 ,andrew 7,peter ,vischer7 ,the historical subjects from the life of ,st4 ,andrew1 treated separately from the rest of the apostles1 are very few2 his crucifixion is the only one that ,i have found treated before the fifteenth century4 ,on the ancient doors of ,san ,paolo1 the instrument of his martyrdom has the shape of a ,y1 and resembles a tree split down the middle4 ,the cross in some later pictures is very lofty1 and resembles the rough branches of a tree laid transversely4 ,i know but two other subjects relating to the life of ,st4 ,andrew which have been separately treated in the later schools of art--the ,adoration of the ,cross1 and the ,flagellation4 #8,st4 ,andrew adoring his cross1' by ,andrea ,sacchi1 is remarkable for its simplicity and fine expression2 it contains only three figures4 ,st ,andrew1 half undraped1 and with his silver hair and beard floating dishevelled1 kneels1 gazing up to the cross with ecstatic devotion2 he is addressing to it his famous invocation3--#8,salve1 ,croce preziosa6 che fosti consecrata dal corpo del mio ,dio6'--an executioner stands by1 and a fierce soldier1 impatient of delay1 urges him on to death4#bjh #8,st4 ,andrew taken down from the cross' is a fine effective picture by ,ribera4#bji 99 99 99 99 99 ,when ,guido and ,domenichino painted1 in emulation of each other1 the frescoes in the chapel of ,sant' ,andrea in the church of ,san ,gregorio1 at ,rome1 ,guido chose for his subject the ,adoration of the ,cross4 ,the scene is supposed to be outside the walls of ,patras in ,achaia2 the cross is at a distance in the background2 ,st4 ,andrew1 as he approaches1 falls down in adoration before the instrument of his martyrdom1 consecrated by the death of his ,lord2 he is attended by one soldier on horseback1 one on foot1 and three executioners2 a group of women and alarmed children in the foreground are admirable for grace and feeling--they are1 in fact1 the best part of the picture4 ,on the opposite wall of the chapel ,domenichino painted the ,flagellation of ,st4 ,andrew1 a subject most difficult to treat effectively1 and retain at the same time the dignity of the suffering apostle1 while avoiding all resemblance to a similar scene in the life of ,christ4 ,here he is bound down on a sort of table2 one man lifts a rod1 another seems to taunt the prostrate saint2 a lictor drives back the people4 ,the group of the mother and frightened children1 which ,domenichino so often introduces with little variation1 is here very beautiful2 the judge and lictors are seen behind1 with a temple and a city in the distance4 ,when ,domenichino painted the same subject in the church of ,sant' ,andrea-della-,valle1 he chose another moment1 and administered the torture after a different manner3 the apostle is bound by his hands and feet to four short posts set firmly in the ground2 one of the executioners in tightening a cord breaks it and falls back2 three men prepare to scourge him with thongs3 in the foreground we have the usual group of the mother and her frightened children4 ,this is a composition full of dramatic life and movement1 but unpleasing4 ,domenichino painted in the same church the crucifixion of the saint1 and his apotheosis surmounts the whole4 ,all these compositions are of great celebrity in the history of ,art for colour and for expression4 ,lanzi says1 that the personages1 #8if endued with speech1 could not say more to the ear than they do to the eye4' ,but1 in power and pathos1 none of them equal the picture of ,murillo1 of which we have the original study in ,england4#baj ,st4 ,andrew is suspended on the high cross1 formed1 not of planks1 but of the trunks of trees laid transversely4 ,he is bound with cords1 undraped1 except by a linen cloth2 his silver hair and beard loosely streaming in the air2 his aged countenance illuminated by a heavenly transport1 as he looks up to the opening skies1 whence two angels of really celestial beauty1 like almost all ,murillo's angels1 descend with the crown and palm4 ,in front1 to the right1 is a group of shrinking sympathising women2 and a boy turns away1 crying with a truly boyish grief2 on the left are guards and soldiers4 ,the subject is here rendered poetical by mere force of feeling2 there is a tragic reality in the whole scene1 far more effective1 to my taste1 than the more studied compositions of the ,italian painters4 ,the martyrdom of ,st4 ,andrew1 and the saint preaching the ,gospel1 by ,juan de ,roelas1 are also mentioned as splendid productions of the ,seville school4 ,i think it possible that ,st4 ,andrew may owe his popularity in the ,spanish and ,flemish schools of art to his being the patron saint of the far-famed ,burgundian ,order of the ,golden ,fleece4 ,at the time that ,constantinople was taken1 and the relics of ,st4 ,andrew dispersed in consequence1 a lively enthusiasm for this apostle was excited throughout all ,christendom4 ,he had been previously honoured chiefly as the brother of ,st4 ,peter2 he obtained thenceforth a kind of personal interest and consideration4 ,philip of ,burgundy 7,a4,d4 #adcc71 who had obtained at great cost a portion of the precious relics1 consisting chiefly of some pieces of his cross1 placed under the protection of the apostle his new order of chivalry1 which1 according to the preamble1 was intended to revive the honour and the memory of the ,argonauts4 ,his knights wore as their badge the cross of ,st4 ,andrew4 ,,st4 ,,james ,,the ,,great4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,jacobus ,major4 ,ital4 ,san ,giacomo1 or ,jacopo1 ,maggiore4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,jacques ,majeur4 ,spa4 ,san ,jago1 or ,santiago4 ,el ,tutelar4 ,patron saint of ,spain4 ,july #be4 ,a4,d4 #dd4 ,st4 ,james the ,great1 or the ,elder1 or ,st4 ,james ,major1 was nearly related to ,christ1 and1 with his brother ,john 7the evangelist7 and ,peter1 he seems to have been admitted to particular favour1 travelled with the ,lord1 and was present at most of the events recorded in the ,gospels4 ,he was one of the three who were permitted to witness the glorification of ,christ on ,mount ,tabor1 and one of those who slept during the agony in the garden4 ,after our ,saviour's ascension1 nothing is recorded concerning him1 except the fact that ,herod slew him with the sword4 ,in the ancient traditions he is described as being of a zealous and affectionate temper1 easily excited to anger3 of this we have a particular instance in his imprecation against the inhospitable ,samaritans1 for which ,christ rebuked him3 #8,ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of4 ,the ,son of man is not come to destroy men's lives1 but to save them4' 7,luke1 ix4 #ee47 ,as ,scripture makes no farther mention of one so distinguished by his zeal and by his near relationship to the ,saviour1 the legends of the middle ages have supplied this deficiency2 and so amply1 that ,st4 ,james1 as ,st4 ,jago or ,,santiago1 the military patron of ,spain1 became one of the most renowned saints in ,christendom1 and one of the most popular subjects of ,western ,art4 ,many of these subjects are so singular1 that1 in order to render them intelligible1 ,i must give the legend at full length as it was followed by the artists of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries4 ,according to the ,spanish legend1 the apostle ,james was the son of ,zebedee1 an illustrious baron of ,galilee1 who1 being the proprietor of ships1 was accustomed to fish along the shores of a certain lake called ,gennesareth1 but solely for his good pleasure and recreation3 for who can suppose that ,spain1 that nation of ,hidalgos and ,caballeros1 would ever have chosen for her patron1 or accepted as the leader and captain-general of her armies1 a poor ignoble fisherman8 ,it remains1 therefore1 indisputable1 that this glorious apostle1 who was our ,lord's cousin-german1 was of noble lineage1 and worthy of his spurs as a knight and a gentleman2--so in ,dante3-- ,ecco il ,barone ,per cui laggi si visita ,galizia4#8 ,but it pleased him1 in his great humility1 to follow1 while on earth1 the example of his divine ,lord1 and reserve his warlike prowess till called upon to slaughter1 by thousands and tens of thousands1 those wicked ,moors1 the perpetual enemies of ,christ and his servants4 ,now1 as ,james and his brother ,john were one day in their father's ship with his hired servants1 and were employed in mending the nets1 the ,lord1 who was walking on the shores of the lake1 called them2 and they left all and followed him2 and became thenceforward his most favoured disciples1 and the witnesses of his miracles while on earth4 ,after the ascension of ,christ1 ,james preached the ,gospel in ,judea2 then he travelled over the whole world1 and came at last to ,spain1 where he made very few converts1 by reason of the ignorance and darkness of the people4 ,one day1 as he stood with his disciples on the banks of the ,ebro1 the blessed ,virgin appeared to him seated on the top of a pillar of jasper1 and surrounded by a choir of angels2 and the apostle having thrown himself on his face1 she commanded him to build on that spot a chapel for her worship1 assuring him that all this province of ,saragossa1 though now in the darkness of paganism1 would at a future time be distinguished by devotion to her4 ,he did as the holy ,virgin had commanded1 and this was the origin of a famous church afterwards known as that of ,our ,lady of the ,pillar 7',nuestra ,seora del ,pillar#874 ,then ,st4 ,james1 having founded the ,christian faith in ,spain1 returned to ,judea1 where he preached for many years1 and performed many wonders and miracles in the sight of the people3 and it happened that a certain sorcerer1 whose name was ,hermogenes1#baa set himself against the apostle1 just as ,simon ,magus had wickedly and vainly opposed ,st4 ,peter1 and with the like result4 ,hermogenes sent his scholar ,philetus to dispute with ,james1 and to compete with him in wondrous works2 but1 as you will easily believe1 he had no chance against the apostle1 and1 confessing himself vanquished1 he returned to his master1 to whom he announced his intention to follow henceforth ,james and his doctrine4 ,then ,hermogenes1 in a rage1 bound ,philetus by his diabolical spells1 so that he could not move hand or foot2 saying1 #8,let us now see if thy new master can deliver thee3' and ,philetus sent his servant to ,st4 ,james1 praying for aid4 ,then the apostle took off his cloak1 and gave it to the servant to give his master2 and no sooner had ,philetus touched it1 than he became free1 and hastened to throw himself at the feet of his deliverer4 ,hermogenes1 more furious than ever1 called to the demons who served him1 and commanded that they should bring to him ,james and ,philetus1 bound in fetters2 but on their way the demons met with a company of angels1 who seized upon them1 and punished them for their wicked intentions1 till they cried for mercy4 ,then ,st4 ,james said to them1 #8,go back to him who sent ye1 and bring him hither bound4' ,and they did so2 and having laid the sorcerer down at the feet of ,st4 ,james1 they besought him1 saying1 #8,now give us power to be avenged of our enemy and thine6' ,but ,st4 ,james rebuked them1 saying1 #8,christ hath commanded us to do good for evil4' ,so he delivered ,hermogenes from their hands2 and the magician1 being utterly confounded1 cast his books into the sea1 and desired of ,st4 ,james that he would protect him against the demons1 his former servants4 ,then ,st4 ,james gave him his staff1 as the most effectual means of defence against the infernal spirits2 and ,hermogenes became a faithful disciple and preacher of the word from that day4 ,but the evil-minded ,jews1 being more and more incensed1 took ,james and bound him1 and brought him before the tribunal of ,herod ,agrippa2 and one of those who dragged him along1 touched by the gentleness of his demeanour1 and by his miracles of mercy1 was converted1 and supplicated to die with him2 and the apostle gave him the kiss of peace1 saying1 #8,pax vobis6' and the kiss and the words together have remained as a form of benediction in the ,church to this day4 ,then they were both beheaded1 and so died4 ,and the disciples of ,st4 ,james came and took away his body2 and1 not daring to bury it1 for fear of the ,jews1 they carried it to ,joppa1 and placed it on board of a ship3 some say that the ship was of marble1 but this is not authenticated2 however1 it is most certain that angels conducted the ship miraculously to the coast of ,spain1 where they arrived in seven days2 and1 sailing through the straits called the ,pillars of ,hercules1 they landed at length in ,galicia1 at a port called ,iria ,flavia1 now ,padron4 ,in those days there reigned over the country a certain queen whose name was ,lupa1 and she and all her people were plunged in wickedness and idolatry4 ,now1 having come to shore1 they laid the body of the apostle upon a great stone1 which became like wax1 and1 receiving the body1 closed around it3 this was a sign that the saint willed to remain there2 but the wicked queen ,lupa was displeased1 and she commanded that they should harness some wild bulls to a car1 and place on it the body1 with the self-formed tomb1 hoping that they would drag it to destruction4 ,but in this she was mistaken2 for the wild bulls1 when signed by the cross1 became as docile as sheep1 and they drew the body of the apostle straight into the court of her palace4 ,when ,queen ,lupa beheld this miracle1 she was confounded1 and she and all her people became ,christians3 she built a magnificent church to receive the sacred remains1 and died in the odour of sanctity4 ,but then came the darkness and ruin which during the invasion of the ,barbarians overshadowed all ,spain2 and the body of the apostle was lost1 and no one knew where to find it1 till1 in the year #hjj1 the place of sepulture was revealed to a certain holy friar4 ,then they caused the body of the saint to be transported to ,compostella2 and1 in consequence of the surprising miracles which graced his shrine1 he was honoured not merely in ,galicia1 but throughout all ,spain4 ,he became the patron saint of the ,spaniards1 and ,compostella1 as a place of pilgrimage1 was renowned throughout ,europe4 ,from all countries bands of pilgrims resorted there1 so that sometimes there were no less than a hundred thousand in one year4 ,the military ,order of ,saint ,jago1 enrolled by ,don ,alphonso for their protection1 became one of the greatest and richest in ,spain4 ,now1 if ,i should proceed to recount all the wonderful deeds enacted by ,santiago in behalf of his chosen people1 they would fill a volume4 ,the ,spanish historians number thirty-eight visible apparitions1 in which this glorious saint descended from heaven in person1 and took the command of their armies against the ,moors4 ,the first of these1 and the most famous of all1 ,i shall now relate4 ,in the year of our ,lord #ici1 ,king ,ramirez1 having vowed to deliver ,castile from the shameful tribute imposed by the ,moors1 of one hundred virgins delivered annually1 collected his troops1 and defied their king ,abdelraman1 to battle3 ,the king call'd ,god to witness1 that1 came there weal or woe1 ,thenceforth no maiden tribute from out ,castile should go4-- #8,at least ,i will do battle on ,god our ,saviour's foe1 ,and die beneath my banner before ,i see it so6' ,accordingly he charged the ,moorish host on the plain of ,alveida or ,clavijo3 after a furious conflict1 the ,christians were1 by the permission of ,heaven1 defeated1 and forced to retire4 ,night separated the combatants1 and ,king ,ramirez1 overpowered with fatigue1 and sad at heart1 flung himself upon his couch and slept4 ,in his sleep he beheld the apostle ,st4 ,jago1 who promised to be with him next morning in the field1 and assured him of victory4 ,the king1 waking up from the glorious vision1 sent for his prelates and officers1 to whom he related it2 and the next morning1 at the head of his army1 he recounted it to his soldiers1 bidding them rely on heavenly aid4 ,he then ordered the trumpets to sound to battle4 ,the soldiers1 inspired with fresh courage1 rushed to the fight4 ,suddenly ,st4 ,jago was seen mounted on a milk-white charger1 and waving aloft a white standard2 he led on the ,christians1 who gained a decisive victory1 leaving #fj1jjj ,moors dead on the field4 ,this was the famous battle of ,clavijo2 and ever since that day1 #8,,santiago6' has been the war-cry of the ,spanish armies4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but it was not only on such great occasions that the invincible patron of ,spain was pleased to exhibit his power3 he condescended oftentimes to interfere for the protection of the poor and oppressed1 of which ,i will now give a notable instance1 as it is related by ,pope ,calixtus ,,ii4 ,there was a certain ,german1 who with his wife and son went on a pilgrimage to ,st4 ,james of ,compostella4 ,having come as far as ,torlosa1 they lodged at an inn there2 and the host had a fair daughter1 who1 looking on the son of the pilgrim1 a handsome and a graceful youth1 became deeply enamoured2 but he1 being virtuous1 and1 moreover1 on his way to a holy shrine1 refused to listen to her allurements4 ,then she thought how she might be avenged for this slight put upon her charms1 and hid in his wallet her father's silver drinking-cup4 ,the next morning1 no sooner were they departed1 than the host1 discovering his loss1 pursued them1 accused them before the judge1 and the cup being found in the young man's wallet1 he was condemned to be hung1 and all they possessed was confiscated to the host4 ,then the afflicted parents pursued their way lamenting1 and made their prayer and their complaint before the altar of the blessed ,saint ,jago2 and thirty-six days afterwards as they returned by the spot where their son hung on the gibbet1 they stood beneath it1 weeping and lamenting bitterly4 ,then the son spoke and said1 #8,o my mother6 ,o my father6 do not lament for me1 for ,i have never been in better cheer2 the blessed apostle ,james is at my side1 sustaining me and filling me with celestial comfort and joy6' ,the parents1 being astonished1 hastened to the judge1 who at that moment was seated at table1 and the mother called out1 #8,our son lives6' ,the judge mocked at them3 #8,what sayest thou1 good woman8 thou art beside thyself6 ,if thy son liveth1 so do those fowls in my dish4' ,and lo6 scarcely had he uttered the words1 when the fowls 7being a cock and a hen7 rose up full-feathered in the dish1 and the cock began to crow1 to the great admiration of the judge and his attendants4#bab ,then the judge rose up from table hastily1 and called together the priests and the lawyers1 and they went in procession to the gibbet1 took down the young man1 and restored him to his parents2 and the miraculous cock and hen were placed under the protection of the ,church1 where they and their posterity long flourished in testimony of this stupendous miracle4 ,there are many other legends of ,st4 ,james2 the ,spanish chroniclers in prose and verse abound in such2 but1 in general1 they are not merely incredible1 but puerile and unpoetical2 and ,i have here confined myself to those which ,i know to have been treated in ,art4 ,previous to the twelfth century1 ,st4 ,james is only distinguished among the apostles by his place1 which is the fourth in the series1 the second after ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,in some instances he is portrayed with a family resemblance to ,christ1 being his kinsman2 the thin beard1 and the hair parted and flowing down on each side4 ,but from the thirteenth century it became a fashion to characterise ,st4 ,james as a pilgrim of ,compostella3 he bears the peculiar long staff1 to which the wallet or gourd of water is suspended2 the cloak with a long cape1 the scallop-shell on his shoulder or on his flapped hat4 ,where the cape1 hat1 and scallop-shells are omitted1 the staff1 borne as the first of the apostles who departed to fulfil his ,gospel mission1 remains his constant attribute1 and by this he may be recognised in the ,madonna pictures1 and when grouped with other saints4 ,illustration3 #ge ,st4 ,james ,major 7,gio4 ,santi7 ,the single devotional figures of ,st4 ,james represent him in two distinct characters3-- #a4 ,as tutelar saint of ,spain1 and conqueror of the ,moors4 ,in his pilgrim habit1 mounted on a white charger1 and waving a white banner1 with white hair and beard streaming like a meteor1 or sometimes armed in complete steel1 spurred like a knight1 his casque shadowed by white plumes1 he tramples over the prostrate ,infidels2 so completely was the humble1 gentle-spirited apostle of ,christ merged in the spirit of the religious chivalry of the time4 ,this is a subject frequent in ,spanish schools4 ,the figure over the high altar of ,santiago is described as very grand when seen in the solemn twilight4 ,illustration3 #gf ,santiago 7,carreo de ,miranda7 ,illustration3 #gg ,st4 ,james ,major 7,a4 del ,sarto7 #b4 ,st4 ,james as patron saint in the general sense4 ,the most beautiful example ,i have met with is a picture in the ,florence ,gallery1 painted by ,andrea del ,sarto for the ,compagnia or ,confraternita of ,sant' ,jacopo1 and intended to figure as a standard in their processions4 ,the ,madonna di ,san ,sisto of ,raphael was painted for a similar purpose3 and such are still commonly used in the religious processions in ,italy2 but they have no longer ,raphaels and ,andrea-del-,sartos to paint them4 ,in this instance the picture has a particular form1 high and narrow1 adapted to its especial purpose3 ,st4 ,james wears a green tunic1 and a rich crimson mantle2 and as one of the purposes of the ,compagnia was to educate poor orphans1 they are represented by the two boys at his feet4 ,this picture suffered from the sun and the weather1 to which it had been a hundred times exposed in yearly processions2 but it has been well restored1 and is admirable for its vivid colouring as well as the benign attitude and expression4 #c4 ,st4 ,james seated2 he holds a large book bound in vellum 7the ,gospels7 in his left hand--and with his right points to heaven3 by ,guercino1 in the gallery of ,count ,harrach1 at ,vienna4 ,one of the finest pictures by ,guercino ,i have seen4 ,pictures from the life of ,st4 ,james singly1 or as a series1 are not common2 but among those which remain to us there are several of great beauty and interest4 ,in the series of frescoes painted in a side chapel of the church of ,st4 ,antony of ,padua 7,a4,d4 #acgf71 once called the ,capella di ,san ,giacomo1 and now ,san ,felice1 the old legend of ,st4 ,james has been exactly followed2 and though ruined in many parts1 and in others coarsely repainted1 these works remain as compositions amongst the most curious monuments of the ,trecentisti4 ,it appears that1 towards the year #acgf1 ,messer ,bonifacio de' ,lupi da ,parma1 ,cavaliere e ,marchese di ,serana1 who boasted of his descent from the ,queen ,lupa of the legend1 dedicated this chapel to ,st4 ,james of ,spain 7,san ,jacopo di ,galizia71 and employed ,m4 ,jacopo ,avanzi to decorate it1 who no doubt bestowed his best workmanship on his patron saint4 ,the subjects are thus arranged1 beginning with the lunette on the left hand1 which is divided into three compartments3 #a4 ,hermogenes sends ,philetus to dispute with ,st4 ,james4 #b4 ,st4 ,james in his pulpit converts ,philetus4 #c4 ,hermogenes sends his demons to bind ,st4 ,james and ,philetus4 #d4 ,hermogenes brought bound to ,st4 ,james4 #e4 ,he burns his books of magic4 #f4 ,hermogenes and ,philetus are conversing in a friendly manner with ,st4 ,james4 #g4 ,st4 ,james is martyred4 #h4 ,the arrival of his body in ,spain in a marble ship steered by an angel4 #i4 ,the disciples lay the body on a rock1 while ,queen ,lupa and her sister and another personage look on from a window in her palace4 ,then follow two compartments on the side where the window is broken out1 much ruined2 they represented apparently the imprisonment of the disciples4 #ab4 ,the disciples escape and are pursued1 and their pursuers with their horses are drowned4 #ac4 ,the wild bulls draw the sarcophagus into the court of ,queen ,lupa's palace4 #ad4 ,baptism of ,lupa4 #ae and #af 7lower compartments to the left73 ,st4 ,jago appears to ,king ,ramirez1 and the defeat of the ,moors at ,clavijo4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there is a rare and curious print by ,martin ,schoen1 in which the apparition of ,st4 ,james at ,clavijo is represented not in the ,spanish but the ,german style4 ,it is an animated composition of many figures4 ,the saint appears on horseback in the midst1 wearing his pilgrim's dress1 with the cockle-shell in his hat3 the ,infidels are trampled down1 or fly before him4 ,illustration3 #gh ,the miracle of the ,fowls 7,lo ,spagna7 ,on the road from ,spoleto to ,foligno1 about four miles from ,spoleto1 there is a small chapel dedicated to ,st4 ,james of ,galizia4 ,the frescoes representing the miracles of the saint were painted by ,lo ,spagna 7,a4,d4 #aebf71 the friend and fellow pupil of ,raphael4 ,in the vault of the apsis is the ,coronation of the ,virgin2 she kneels1 attired in white drapery flowered with gold1 and the whole group1 though inferior in power1 appeared to me in delicacy and taste far superior to the fresco of ,fra ,filippo ,lippi at ,spoleto1 from which ,passavant thinks it is borrowed4#bac ,immediately under the ,coronation1 in the centre1 is a figure of ,st4 ,james as patron saint1 standing with his pilgrim's staff in one hand1 and the ,gospel in the other2 his dress is a yellow tunic with a blue mantle thrown over it4 ,in the compartment on the left1 the youth is seen suspended on the gibbet1 while ,st4 ,james with his hands under his feet sustains him2 the father and mother look up at him with astonishment4 ,in the compartment to the right1 we see the judge seated at dinner1 attended by his servants1 one of whom is bringing in a dish3 the two pilgrims appear to have just told their story1 and the cock and hen have risen up in the dish 7#gh74 ,these frescoes are painted with great elegance and animation1 and the story is told with much navet4 ,i found the same legend painted on one of the lower windows of the church of ,st4 ,ouen1 and on a window of the right-hand aisle in ,st4 ,vincent's at ,rouen4 ,of ,,st4 ,,john1 who is the fifth in the series1 ,i have spoken at large under the head of the ,evangelists4 ,,st4 ,,philip4 ,ital4 ,san ,filippo ,apostolo4 ,fr4 ,saint ,philippe4 ,patron of ,brabant and ,luxembourg4 ,may #a4 ,of ,st4 ,philip there are few notices in the ,gospel4 ,he was born at ,bethsaida1 and he was one of the first of those whom our ,lord summoned to follow him4 ,after the ascension1 he travelled into ,scythia1 and remained there preaching the ,gospel for twenty years2 he then preached at ,hieropolis in ,phrygia1 where he found the people addicted to the worship of a monstrous serpent or dragon1 or of the god ,mars under that form4 ,taking compassion on their blindness1 the apostle commanded the serpent1 in the name of the cross he held in his hand1 to disappear1 and immediately the reptile glided out from beneath the altar1 at the same time emitting such a hideous stench1 that many people died1 and among them the king's son fell dead in the arms of his attendants3 but the apostle1 by ,divine power1 restored him to life4 ,then the priests of the dragon were incensed against him1 and they took him1 and crucified him1 and being bound on the cross they stoned him2 thus he yielded up his spirit to ,god1 praying1 like his ,divine ,master1 for his enemies and tormentors4 ,according to the ,scripture1 ,st4 ,philip had four daughters1 who were prophetesses1 and made many converts to the faith of ,christ 7,acts1 xxi4 #i74 ,in the ,greek calendar1 ,st4 ,mariamne1 his sister1 and ,st4 ,hermione1 his daughter1 are commemorated as martyrs4 ,illustration3 #gi ,st4 ,philip 7,a4 ,drer7 ,when ,st4 ,philip is represented alone1 or as one of the series of apostles1 he is generally a man in the prime of life1 with little beard1 and with a benign countenance1 being described as of a remarkably cheerful and affectionate nature4 ,he bears1 as his attribute1 a cross1 which varies in form2 sometimes it is a small cross1 which he carries in his hand2 sometimes a high cross in the form of a ,t1 or a tall staff with a small ,latin cross at the top of it 7#gi74 ,the cross of ,st4 ,philip may have a treble signification3 it may allude to his martyrdom2 or to his conquest over the idols through the power of the cross2 or1 when placed on the top of the pilgrim's staff1 it may allude to his mission among the barbarians as preacher of the cross of salvation4 ,single figures of ,st4 ,philip as patron are not common3 there is a fine statue of him on the faade of ,san ,michele at ,florence2 and a noble figure by ,beccafumi1 reading2#bad another1 seated and reading1 by ,ulrich ,mair4#bae 99 99 99 99 99 ,subjects from the life of ,st4 ,philip1 whether as single pictures or in a series1 are also rarely met with4 ,as he was the first called by our ,saviour to leave all and follow him1 and his vocation therefore a festival in the ,church1 it must1 ,i think1 have been treated apart2 but ,i have not met with it4 ,i know but of three historical subjects taken from his life3-- #a4 ,bonifazio4 ,st4 ,philip stands before the ,saviour3 the attitude of the latter is extremely dignified1 that of ,philip supplicatory2 the other apostles are seen in the background3 the colouring and expression of the whole like ,titian4 ,the subject of this splendid picture is expressed by the inscription underneath 7,john1 xiv4 #ad73 #8,domine1 ostende nobis ,patrem1 et sufficit nobis4' #8,philippe1 qui videt me1 videt et ,patrem meum3 ego et ,pater unum sumus4#8#baf #b4 ,st4 ,philip exorcises the serpent4 ,the scene is the interior of a temple1 an altar with the statue of the god ,mars3 a serpent1 creeping from beneath the altar1 slays the attendants with his poisonous and fiery breath4 ,the ancient fresco in his chapel at ,padua1 described by ,lord ,lindsay1 is extremely animated1 but far inferior to the same subject in the ,santa ,croce at ,florence by ,fra ,filippo ,lippi1 where the dignified attitude of the apostle1 and the group of the king's son dying in the arms of the attendants1 are admirably effective and dramatic4 ,st4 ,philip1 it must be observed1 was the patron saint of the painter4 #c4 ,the ,crucifixion of ,st4 ,philip4 ,according to the old ,greek traditions1 he was crucified with his head downwards1 and he is so represented on the gates of ,san ,paolo2 also in an old picture over the tomb of ,cardinal ,philippe d',alenon1 where his patron1 ,st4 ,philip1 is attached to the cross with cords1 and head downwards1 like ,st4 ,peter2#bag but in the old fresco by ,giusto da ,padova1 in the ,capella di ,san ,filippo1 he is crucified in the usual manner1 arrayed in a long red garment which descends to his feet4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is necessary to avoid confounding ,st4 ,philip the apostle with ,st4 ,philip the deacon4 ,it was ,philip the deacon who baptized the chamberlain of ,queen ,candace1 though the action has sometimes been attributed to ,philip the apostle4 ,the incident of the baptism of the ,ethiopian1 taking place in the road1 by running water1 #8on the way that goeth down from ,jerusalem to ,gaza1' has been introduced into several beautiful landscapes with much picturesque effect4 ,claude has thus treated it2 ,salvator ,rosa2 ,jan ,both1 in a most beautiful picture in the ,queen's ,gallery2 ,rembrandt1 ,cuyp1 and others4 ,,st4 ,,bartholomew4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,bartholomeus4 ,ital4 ,san ,bartolomeo4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,barthlemi4 ,aug4 #bd4 ,as ,st4 ,bartholomew is nowhere mentioned in the canonical books1 except by name in enumerating the apostles1 there has been large scope for legendary story1 but in works of art he is not a popular saint4 ,according to one tradition1 he was the son of a husbandman2 according to another1 he was the son of a prince ,ptolomeus4 ,after the ascension of ,christ he travelled into ,india1 even to the confines of the habitable world1 carrying with him the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew2 returning thence1 he preached in ,armenia and ,cilicia2 and coming to the city of ,albanopolis1 he was condemned to death as a ,christian3 he was first flayed and then crucified4 ,illustration3 #hj ,st4 ,bartholomew 7,giotto7 ,in single figures and devotional pictures1 ,st4 ,bartholomew sometimes carries in one hand a book1 the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew2 but his peculiar attribute is a large knife1 the instrument of his martyrdom4 ,the legends describe him as having a quantity of strong black hair and a bushy grizzled beard2 and this portrait being followed very literally by the old ,german and ,flemish painters1 gives him1 with his large knife1 the look of a butcher4 ,in the ,italian pictures1 though of a milder and more dignified appearance1 he has frequently black hair2 and sometimes dark and resolute features2 yet the same legend describes him as of a cheerful countenance1 wearing a purple robe and attended by angels4 ,sometimes ,st4 ,bartholomew has his own skin hanging over his arm1 as among the saints in ,michael ,angelo's ,last ,judgment1 where he is holding forth his skin in one hand1 and grasping his knife in the other3 and in the statue by ,marco ,agrati in the ,milan ,cathedral1 famous for its anatomical precision and its boastful inscription1 ,non me ,praxiteles sed ,marcus pinxit ,agratis4 ,i found in the church of ,ntre ,dame at ,paris a picture of ,st4 ,bartholomew healing the ,princess of ,armenia4 ,with this exception1 ,i know not any historical subject where this apostle is the principal figure1 except his revolting and cruel martyrdom4 ,in the early ,greek representation on the gates of ,san ,paolo1 he is affixed to a cross1 or rather to a post1 with a small transverse bar at top1 to which his hands are fastened above his head2 an executioner1 with a knife in his hand1 stoops at his feet4 ,this is very different from the representations in the modern schools4 ,the best1 that is to say1 the least disgusting1 representation ,i have met with1 is a small picture by ,agostino ,caracci1 in the ,sutherland ,gallery1 which once belonged to ,king ,charles ,i43 it is easy to see that the painter had the antique ,marsyas in his mind4 ,that dark ferocious spirit1 ,ribera1 found in it a theme congenial with his own temperament2#bah he has not only painted it several times with a horrible truth and power1 but etched it elaborately with his own hand3 a small picture1 copied from the etching1 is at ,hampton ,court4 ,,st4 ,,thomas4 ,ital4 ,san ,tomaso4 ,sp4 ,san ,tom4 ,dec4 #ba4 ,patron ,saint of ,portugal and ,parma4 ,st4 ,thomas1 called ,didymus 7the twin71 takes1 as apostle1 the seventh place4 ,he was a ,galilean and a fisherman1 and we find him distinguished among the apostles on two occasions recorded in the ,gospel4 ,when ,jesus was going up to ,bethany1 being then in danger from the ,jews1 ,thomas said1 #8,let us also go1 that we may die with him4' 7,john1 xi4 #af1 xx4 #be47 ,after the resurrection1 he showed himself unwilling to believe in the reappearance of the crucified ,saviour without ocular demonstration3 this incident is styled the ,incredulity of ,thomas4 ,from these two incidents we may form some idea of his character3 courageous and affectionate1 but not inclined to take things for granted2 or1 as a ,french writer expresses it1 #8brusque et rsolu1 mais d'un esprit exigeant4' ,after the ascension1 ,st4 ,thomas travelled into the ,east1 preaching the ,gospel in far distant countries towards the rising sun4 ,it is a tradition received in the ,church1 that he penetrated as far as ,india2 that there meeting with the three ,wise ,men of the ,east1 he baptized them2 that he founded a church in ,india1 and suffered martyrdom there4 ,it is related1 that the ,portuguese found at ,meliapore an ancient inscription1 purporting that ,st4 ,thomas had been pierced with a lance at the foot of a cross which he had erected in that city1 and that in #aebc his body was found there and transported to ,goa4 ,in ,correggio's fresco of ,st4 ,thomas as protector of ,parma he is surrounded by angels bearing exotic fruits1 as expressing his ministry in ,india4 ,there are a number of extravagant and poetical legends relating to ,st4 ,thomas4 ,i shall here limit myself to those which were adopted in ecclesiastical decoration1 and treated by the artists of the middle ages4 ,when ,st4 ,thomas figures as apostle1 alone or with others1 in all the devotional representations which are not prior to the thirteenth century he carries as his attribute the builder's rule1 of this form-- ,illustration ,now1 as he was a fisherman1 and neither a carpenter nor a mason1 the origin of this attribute must be sought in one of the most popular legends of which he is the subject4 ,illustration3 #ha ,st4 ,thomas the ,apostle #8,when ,st4 ,thomas was at ,cesarea1 our ,lord appeared to him and said1 8,the king of the ,indies1 ,gondoforus1 hath sent his provost ,abanes to seek for workmen well versed in the science of architecture1 who shall build for him a palace finer than that of the ,emperor of ,rome4 ,behold1 now1 ,i will send thee to him40 ,and ,thomas went1 and ,gondoforus commanded him to build for him a magnificent palace1 and gave him much gold and silver for the purpose4 ,the king went into a distant country1 and was absent for two years2 and ,st4 ,thomas meanwhile1 instead of building a palace1 distributed all the treasures entrusted to him among the poor and sick2 and when the king returned1 he was full of wrath1 and he commanded that ,st4 ,thomas should be seized and cast into prison1 and he meditated for him a horrible death4 ,meantime the brother of the king died2 and the king resolved to erect for him a most magnificent tomb2 but the dead man1 after that he had been dead four days1 suddenly arose and sat upright1 and said to the king1 8,the man whom thou wouldst torture is a servant of ,god3 behold ,i have been in ,paradise1 and the angels showed to me a wondrous palace of gold and silver and precious stones10 and they said1 8,this is the palace that ,thomas the architect hath built for thy brother ,king ,gondoforus40 ,and when the king heard these words1 he ran to the prison1 and delivered the apostle2 and ,thomas said to him1 8,knowest thou not that those who would possess heavenly things1 have little care for the things of this earth8 ,there are in heaven rich palaces without number1 which were prepared from the beginning of the world for those who purchase the possession through faith and charity4 ,thy riches1 ,o king1 may prepare the way for thee to such a palace1 but they cannot follow thee thither40'#bai ,the builder's rule in the hand of ,st4 ,thomas characterises him as the spiritual architect of ,king ,gondoforus1 and for the same reason he has been chosen among the saints as patron of architects and builders4 ,there is in this legend or allegory1 fanciful as it is1 an obvious beauty and significance1 which ,i need not point out4 ,it appears to me to be one of those many legends which originally were not assumed to be facts1 but were related as parables1 religious fictions invented for the instruction of the people1 like our ,saviour's stories of the #8,good ,samaritan1' the #8,prodigal ,son1' c41 and were rendered more striking and impressive by the introduction of a celebrated and exalted personage--our ,saviour1 the ,virgin1 or one of the apostles--as hero of the tale4 ,this beautiful legend of ,st4 ,thomas and ,king ,gondoforus is painted on one of the windows of the cathedral at ,bourges1--an appropriate offering from the company of builders in that ancient city4 ,it is also the subject of one of the finest of the ancient ,french mysteries1 which was acted with great applause at ,paris in the fourteenth century4 ,but1 in the historical subjects from the life of ,st4 ,thomas1 the first place must be given to the one scriptural incident in which he figures as a principal person4 #8,the ,incredulity of ,st4 ,thomas' occurs in all the early series of the life of ,christ1 as one of the events of his mission1 and one of the proofs of his resurrection4 ,on the ancient gates of ,san ,paolo it is treated with great simplicity as a sacred mystery1 ,st4 ,thomas being the principal personage in the action1 as the one whose conviction was to bring conviction to the universe4 ,christ stands on a pedestal surmounted by a cross2 the apostles are ranged on each side1 and ,st4 ,thomas1 approaching1 stretches forth his hand4 ,the incident1 as a separate subject1 is of frequent occurrence in the later schools of ,italy1 and in the ,flemish schools4 ,the general treatment1 when given in this dramatic style1 admits of two variations3 either ,st4 ,thomas is placing his hand1 with an expression of doubt and fear1 on the wounds of the ,saviour2 or1 his doubts being removed1 he is gazing upwards in adoration and wonder4 ,of the first1 one of the finest examples is a well-known picture by ,rubens1#bbj one of his most beautiful works1 and extraordinary for the truth of the expression in the countenance of the apostle1 whose hand is on the side of ,christ2 ,st4 ,john and ,st4 ,peter are behind4 ,in ,vandyck's picture at ,petersburg1 ,st4 ,thomas stoops to examine the ,saviour's hand4 ,in a design ascribed to ,raphael1 we have the second version3 the look of astonished conviction in ,st4 ,thomas4#bba ,niccol ,poussin has painted it finely1 introducing twelve figures4#bbb ,guercino's picture is celebrated1 but he has committed the fault of representing the two principal figures both in profile4#bbc 99 99 99 99 99 ,the legendary subject styled #8,la ,madonna della ,cintola' belongs properly to the legends of the ,virgin1 but as ,st4 ,thomas is always a principal personage ,i shall mention it here4 ,the legend relates that when the ,madonna ascended into heaven1 in the sight of the apostles1 ,thomas was absent2 but after three days he returned1 and1 doubting the truth of her glorious translation1 he desired that her tomb should be opened2 which was done1 and lo6 it was found empty4 ,then the ,virgin1 taking pity on his weakness and want of faith1 threw down to him her girdle1 that this tangible proof remaining in his hands might remove all doubts for ever from his mind3 hence in many pictures of the ,assumption and ,coronation of the ,virgin1 ,st4 ,thomas is seen below holding the sacred girdle in his hand4 ,for instance1 in ,raphael's beautiful #8,coronation' in the ,vatican2 and in ,correggio's #8,assumption' at ,parma1 where ,st4 ,thomas holds the girdle1 and another apostle kisses it4 ,illustration3 ,the ,madonna of the ,girdle ,the belief that the girdle is preserved in the ,cathedral at ,pistoia has rendered this legend a popular subject with the ,florentine painters2 and we find it treated1 not merely as an incident in the scene of the ,assumption1 but in a manner purely mystic and devotional4 ,thus1 in a charming bas-relief by ,luca della ,robbia1#bbd the ,virgin1 surrounded by a choir of angels1 presents her girdle to the apostle4 ,in a beautiful picture by ,granacci1#bbe the ,virgin is seated in the clouds2 beneath is her empty sepulchre3 on one side kneels ,st4 ,thomas1 who receives with reverence the sacred girdle2 on the other kneels the ,archangel ,michael4 ,in simplicity of arrangement1 beauty of expression1 and tender harmony of colour1 this picture has seldom been exceeded4 ,granacci has again treated this subject1 and ,st4 ,thomas receives the girdle in the presence of ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 ,st4 ,james ,major1 ,st4 ,laurence1 and ,st4 ,bartholomew4#bbf ,we have the same subject by ,paolino da ,pistoia2 by ,sogliani2 and by ,mainardi1 a large and very fine fresco in the church of ,santa ,croce at ,florence4 ,a poetical and truly mystical version of this subject is that wherein the ,infant ,saviour1 seated or standing on his mother's knee1 looses her girdle and presents it to ,st4 ,thomas4 ,of this ,i have seen several examples2 one in the ,duomo at ,viterbo4#bbg ,in the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,thomas1 several idolaters pierce him through with lances and javelins4 ,it was so represented on the doors of ,san ,paolo1 with four figures only4 ,rubens1 in his large picture1 has followed the legend very exactly2 ,st4 ,thomas embraces the cross1 at the foot of which he is about to fall1 transfixed by spears4 ,a large picture in the gallery of ,count ,harrach at ,vienna1 called there the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,jude1 ,i believe to represent the ,martyrdom of ,st4 ,thomas4 ,two of the idolatrous priests pierce him with lances4 ,albert ,drer1 in his beautiful print of ,st4 ,thomas1 represents him holding the lance1 the instrument of his martyrdom3 but this is very unusual4 ,the eighth in the order of the ,apostles is the ,evangelist ,,st4 ,,matthew1 of whom ,i have spoken at length4 ,,st4 ,,james ,,minor4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,jacobus ,frater ,domini4 ,gr4 ,adelphotheos4 ,ital4 ,san ,jacopo or ,giacomo ,minore4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,jacques ,mineur4 7,may #a47 ,the ninth is ,st4 ,james ,minor1 or the ,less1 called also the ,just3 he was a near relative of ,christ1 being the son of ,mary1 the wife of ,cleophas1 who was the sister of the ,virgin ,mary2 hence he is styled #8the ,lord's brother4' ,nothing particular is related of him till after the ascension4 ,he is regarded as first ,christian bishop of ,jerusalem1 and venerated for his self-denial1 his piety1 his wisdom1 and his charity4 ,these characteristics are conspicuous in the beautiful ,epistle which bears his name4 ,having excited1 by the fervour of his teaching1 the fury of the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 and particularly the enmity of the high-priest ,ananus1 they flung him down from a terrace or parapet of the ,temple1 and one of the infuriated populace below beat out his brains with a fuller's club4 ,in single figures and devotional pictures1 ,st4 ,james is generally leaning on this club1 the instrument of his martyrdom4 ,according to an early tradition1 he so nearly resembled our ,lord in person1 in features1 and deportment1 that it was difficult to distinguish them4 #8,the ,holy ,virgin herself1' says the legend1 #8had she been capable of error1 might have mistaken one for the other3' and this exact resemblance rendered necessary the kiss of the traitor ,judas1 in order to point out his victim to the soldiers4 ,this characteristic resemblance is attended to in the earliest and best representations of ,st4 ,james1 and by this he may usually be distinguished when he does not bear his club1 which is often a thick stick or staff4 ,with the exception of those ,scripture scenes in which the apostles are present1 ,i have met with few pictures in which ,st4 ,james ,minor is introduced3 he does not appear to have been popular as a patron saint4 ,the event of his martyrdom occurs very seldom1 and is very literally rendered3 the scene is a court of the ,temple1 with terraces and balconies2 he is falling1 or has fallen1 to the ground1 and one of the crowd lifts up the club to smite him4 ,ignorant artists have in some instances confounded ,st4 ,james ,major and ,st4 ,james ,minor4 ,the ,cappella dei ,belludi at ,padua1 already mentioned1 dedicated to ,st4 ,philip and ,st4 ,james1 contains a series of frescoes from the life of ,st4 ,james ,minor1 in which are some of the miraculous incidents attributed in the ,legenda ,aurea to ,st4 ,james ,major4 ,illustration3 #hb ,st4 ,james ,minor #a4 ,the ,council of the ,apostles held at ,jerusalem1 in which ,st4 ,james was nominated chief or bishop of the infant ,church4 #b4 ,our ,saviour after his resurrection appears to ,st4 ,james1 who had vowed not to eat till he should see ,christ4#bbh #c4 ,st4 ,james thrown down from the pulpit in the court of the ,temple4 #d4 ,he is slain by the fuller4 #e4 ,a certain merchant is stript of all his goods by a tyrant1 and cast into prison4 ,he implores the protection of ,st4 ,james1 who1 leading him to the summit of the tower1 commands the tower to bow itself to the ground1 and the merchant steps from it and escapes2 or1 according to the version followed in the fresco1 the apostle lifts the tower on one side from its foundation1 and the prisoner escapes from under it1 like a mouse out of a trap4 #f4 ,a poor pilgrim1 having neither money nor food1 fell asleep by the way-side1 and1 on waking1 found that ,st4 ,james had placed beside him a loaf of bread1 which miraculously supplied his wants to the end of his journey4 ,these two last stories are told also of ,st4 ,james of ,galicia1 but ,i have never met with any pictures of his life in which they are included4 ,here they undoubtedly refer to ,st4 ,james ,minor1 the chapel being consecrated to his honour4 ,,st4 ,,simon ,,zelotes 7or ,,the ,,zealot74 ,,st4 ,,jude 7,,thaddeus1 or ,,lebbeus74 ,ital4 ,san ,simone2 ,san ,taddeo4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,simon le ,zl4 ,st4 ,thadde4 ,ger4 ,judas ,thaddus4 7,oct4 #bh47 ,the uncertainty1 contradiction1 and confusion which ,i find in all the ecclesiastical biographies relative to these apostles1 make it impossible to give any clear account of them2 and as subjects of ,art they are so unimportant1 and so uninteresting1 that it is the less necessary4 ,according to one tradition1 they were the same mentioned by ,matthew as our ,lord's brethren or kinsmen4 ,but1 according to another tradition1 they were not the same1 but two brothers who were among the shepherds to whom the angel and the heavenly host revealed the birth of the ,saviour4 ,those painters who followed the first tradition represent ,simon and ,jude as young1 or at least in the prime of life4 ,those who adopt the second represent them as very old1 taking it for granted that at the birth of ,christ they must have been full-grown men2 and this1 ,i think1 is the legend usually followed4 ,it seems1 however1 generally agreed1 that they preached the ,gospel together in ,syria and ,mesopotamia1 and together suffered martyrdom in ,persia3 in what manner they suffered is unknown2 but it is supposed that ,st4 ,simon was sawn asunder1 and ,st4 ,thaddeus killed with a halberd4 ,in a series of apostles1 ,st4 ,simon bears the saw1 and ,st4 ,thaddeus a halberd4 ,in ,greek ,art1 ,jude and ,thaddeus are two different persons4 ,jude is represented young1 ,thaddeus old4 ,st4 ,simon in extreme old age1 with a bald head1 and long white beard4 ,in the ,greek representation of his martyrdom1 he is affixed to a cross exactly like that of our ,saviour1 so that1 but for the superscription ,c1 he might be mistaken for ,christ4 ,i do not know of any separate picture of these apostles4 ,there is1 however1 one manner of treating them1 with reference to their supposed relationship to our ,saviour1 which is peculiarly beautiful4 ,assuming that the three last-named apostles1 ,james1 the son of ,mary ,cleophas2 ,simon and ,jude2 ,joseph or ,joses the ,just1 also named by ,matthew among the brethren of ,christ2 together with ,james and ,john1 the sons of ,mary ,salome1--were all nearly related to the ,saviour2 it was surely a charming idea to group as children around him in his infancy those who were afterwards called to be the chosen ministers of his ,word4 ,christianity1 which has glorified womanhood and childhood1 never suggested to the ,christian artist a more beautiful subject1 nor one which it would be more easy1 by an unworthy or too picturesque treatment1 to render merely pretty and commonplace4 ,this version1 however1 of the ,sacra ,famiglia is rarely met with4 ,there is an example in the ,louvre1 signed #8,laurentius' 7,lorenzo di ,pavia1 ,a4,d4 #aeac71 which is remarkable as a religious representation2 but the most beautiful instance of this treatment is a chef-d'uvre of ,perugino1 in the ,muse at ,marseilles4 ,in the centre is the ,virgin1 seated on a throne2 she holds the ,infant ,christ in her arms4 ,behind her is ,st4 ,anna1 her two hands resting affectionately on the shoulders of the ,virgin4 ,in front1 at the foot of the throne1 are two lovely children1 undraped1 with glories round their heads1 on which are inscribed their names1 ,simon and ,thaddeus4 ,to the right is ,mary ,salome1 a beautiful young woman1 holding a child in her arms--,st4 ,john1 afterwards the evangelist4 ,near her is ,joachim1 the father of the ,virgin4 ,at his feet another child1 ,james ,major4 ,to the left of the ,virgin1 ,mary the wife of ,cleophas1 standing1 holds by the hand ,james ,minor3 behind her1 ,joseph1 the husband of the ,virgin1 and at his feet another child1 ,joseph 7or ,joses7 ,justus4 ,i have also seen this subject in illuminated ,,mss41 and1 however treated1 it is surely very poetical and suggestive4#bbi ,,st4 ,,matthias4 ,ital4 ,san ,mattia4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,mathias4 7,feb4 #bd47 ,st4 ,matthias1 who was chosen by lot to fill the place of the traitor ,judas1 is the last of the apostles4 7,acts i47 ,he preached the ,gospel in ,judea1 and suffered martyrdom at the hands of the ,jews1 either by the lance or by the axe4 ,in the ,italian series of the apostles1 he bears as his attribute the lance2 in the ,german sets1 more commonly the axe4#bcj ,the ceremony of choosing ,st4 ,matthias by lot is the subject of a mediocre picture by ,boschi4 ,st4 ,denis says that the apostles were directed in their choice by a beam of divine splendour1 for it were impious to suppose that such an election was made by chance4 ,in this picture of ,boschi1 a ray of light falls from heaven on the head of ,st4 ,matthias4 ,illustration3 #hc ,st4 ,matthias 7,raphael7 ,there is a figure of this apostle by ,cosimo ,roselli1 holding a sword by the point3 what might be the intention of that capricious painter it is now impossible to guess4#bca ,separate pictures of ,st4 ,matthias are very rare1 and he is seldom included in sets of the apostles4 ,,judas ,,iscariot4 ,ital4 ,giuda ,scariota4 ,fr4 ,judas ,iscariote4 ,the very name of ,judas ,iscariot has become a by-word2 his person and character an eternal type of impiety1 treachery1 and ingratitude4 ,we shudder at the associations called up by his memory2 his crime1 without a name1 so distances all possible human turpitude1 that he cannot even be held forth as a terror to evil doers2 we set him aside as one cut off2 we never think of him but in reference to the sole and unequalled crime recorded of him4 ,not so our ancestors2 one should have lived in the middle ages1 to conceive the profound1 the ever-present1 horror with which ,judas ,iscariot was then regarded4 ,the devil himself did not inspire the same passionate hatred and indignation4 ,being the devil1 what could he be but devilish8 ,his wickedness was according to his infernal nature3 but the crime of ,judas remains the perpetual shame and reproach of our humanity4 ,the devil betrayed mankind1 but ,judas betrayed his ,god4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,gospels are silent as to the life of ,judas before he became an apostle1 but our progenitors of the middle ages1 who could not conceive it possible that any being1 however perverse1 would rush at once into such an abyss of guilt1 have filled up the omissions of ,scripture after their own fancy4 ,they picture ,judas as a wretch foredoomed from the beginning of the world1 and prepared by a long course of vice and crime for that crowning guilt which filled the measure full4 ,according to this legend1 he was of the tribe of ,reuben4 ,before his mother brought him forth1 she dreamed that the son who lay in her womb would be accursed1 that he would murder his father1 commit incest with his mother1 and sell his ,god4 ,terrified at her dream1 she took counsel with her husband1 and they agreed to avert the threatened calamity by exposing the child4 ,as in the story of dipus1 from which1 indeed1 this strange wild legend seems partly borrowed1 the means taken to avert the threatened curse caused its fulfilment4 ,judas1 at his birth1 is enclosed in a chest1 and flung into the sea2 the sea casts him up1 and1 being found on the shore1 he is fostered by a certain king and queen as their own son2 they have1 however1 another son1 whom ,judas1 malignant from his birth1 beats and oppresses1 and at length kills in a quarrel over a game at chess4 ,he then flies to ,judea1 where he enters the service of ,pontius ,pilate as page4 ,in due time he commits the other monstrous crimes to which he was predestined2 and when he learns from his mother the secret of his birth1 he is filled with a sudden contrition and terror2 he hears of the prophet who has power on earth to forgive sins2 and seeking out ,christ throws himself at his feet4 ,our ,saviour1 not deceived1 but seeing in him the destined betrayer1 and that all things may be accomplished1 accepts him as his apostle3 he becomes the seneschal or steward of ,christ1 bears the purse1 and provides for the common wants4 ,in this position1 avarice1 the only vice to which he was not yet addicted1 takes possession of his soul1 and makes the corruption complete4 ,through avarice1 he grudges every penny given to the poor1 and when ,mary ,magdalene anoints the feet of our ,lord he is full of wrath at what he considers the waste of the precious perfume3 #8,why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence1 and given to the poor8 ,this he said1 not that he cared for the poor1 but because he was a thief4' ,through avarice1 he yields to the bribe offered by the ,jews4 ,then follow the scenes of the betrayal of ,christ1 and the late repentance and terrible suicide of the traitor1 as recorded in ,scripture4 ,but in the old ,mystery of the #8,passion of ,christ' the repentance and fate of ,judas are very dramatically worked out1 and with all possible circumstances of horror4 ,when he beholds the mild ,saviour before the judgment-seat of ,herod1 he repents3 ,remorse1 who figures as a real personage1 seizes on the fated wretch1 and torments him till in his agony he invokes ,despair4 ,despair appears1 almost in the guise of the #8accursed wight' in ,spenser1 and1 with like arguments1 urges him to make away with his life3-- ,and brings unto him swords1 rope1 poison1 fire1 ,and all that might him to perdition draw1 ,and bids him choose what death he would desire4 ,or in the more homely language of the old ,french mystery1-- ,il faut que tu passes le pas6 ,voici dagues et coutelas1 ,forcettes1 poinons1 allumettes1-- ,avise1 choisis les plus belles1 ,et celles de meilleure forge1 ,pour te couper coup la gorge2 ,ou si tu aimes mieux te pendre1 ,voici lacs et cordes vendre4 ,the offer here of the bodkins and the allumettes reminds us of the speech of ,falconbridge3-- ,if thou would'st drown thyself1 ,put but a little water in a spoon1 ,and it shall be as all the ocean1 ,enough to stifle such a villain up4 ,judas chooses the rope1 and hangs himself forthwith2 #8and falling headlong1 he burst asunder in the midst1 and all his bowels gushed out3' which account is explained by an early tradition1 that being found and cut down1 his body was thrown over the parapet of the ,temple into the ravine below1 and1 in the fall1 was riven and dashed to pieces4 ,there required but one more touch of horror to complete the picture2 and this is furnished by a sonnet of ,giani1 which ,i remember to have read in my youth4 ,when ,judas falls from the fatal tree1 his evil genius seizes the broken rope1 and drags him down to the seething abyss below3 at his approach1 hell sends forth a shout of rejoicing2 ,lucifer smooths his brow1 corrugated with fire and pain1 and rises from his burning throne to welcome a greater sinner than himself3-- ,poi fra le braccia incaten quel tristo1 ,e colla bocca sfavillante e nera ,gli rese il bacio ch' avea dato a ,christo6 ,the retribution imaged in the last two lines borders1 ,i am afraid1 on a concetto2 but it makes one shiver1 notwithstanding4 ,separate representations of the figure or of the life of ,judas ,iscariot are not1 of course1 to be looked for2 they would have been regarded as profane1 as ominous1--worse than the evil-eye4 ,in those ,scripture scenes in which he finds a place1 it was the aim of the early artists to give him a countenance as hateful1 as expressive of treachery1 meanness1 malignity1 as their skill could compass1--the ,italians having depended more on expression1 the ,german and ,spanish painters on form4 ,we have a conviction1 that if the man had really worn such a look1 such features1 he would have been cast out from the company of the apostles2 the legend already referred to says expressly that ,judas was of a comely appearance1 and was recommended to the service of ,pontius ,pilate by his beauty of person2 but the painters1 speaking to the people in the language of form1 were right to admit of no equivocation4 ,the same feeling which induced them to concentrate on the image of the ,demon all they could conceive of hideous and repulsive1 made them picture the exterior of ,judas as deformed and hateful as the soul within2 and1 by an exaggeration of the ,jewish cast of features combined with red hair and beard1 they flattered themselves that they had attained the desired object4 ,but as if this were not enough1 the ancient painters1 particularly in the old illuminations1 and in ,byzantine ,art1 represent ,judas as directly and literally possessed by the ,devil3 sometimes it is a little black demon seated on his shoulder1 and whispering in his ear2 sometimes entering his mouth3 thus1 in their simplicity1 rendering the words of the ,gospel1 #8,then entered ,satan into ,judas4' ,the colour proper to the dress of ,judas is a dirty dingy yellow2 and in ,spain this colour is so intimately associated with the image of the arch-traitor1 as to be held in universal dislike3 both in ,spain and in ,italy1 malefactors and galley-slaves are clothed in yellow4#bcb ,at ,venice the ,jews were obliged to wear yellow hats4 ,in some of the scriptural scenes in which ,judas is mentioned or supposed to be present1 it is worth while to remark whether the painter has passed him over as spoiling the harmony of the sacred composition by his intrusive ugliness and wickedness1 or has rendered him conspicuous by a distinct and characteristic treatment4 ,in a picture by ,niccol ,frumenti#bcc of the ,magdalene at the feet of our ,saviour1 ,judas stands in the foreground1 looking on with a most diabolical expression of grudging malice mingled with scorn2 he seems to grind his teeth as he says1 #8,to what purpose is this waste8' ,in ,perugino's beautiful picture of the washing the feet of the disciples1#bcd ,judas is at once distinguished1 looking askance with a wicked sneer on his face1 which is not otherwise ugly4 ,in ,raphael's composition of the ,magdalene anointing the feet of ,christ1 ,judas leans across the table with an angry look of expostulation4 ,those subjects in which ,judas ,iscariot appears as a principal personage follow here4 #a4 ,angelico da ,fiesole4#bce ,he is bribed by the ,jews4 ,the high-priest pays into the hand of ,judas the thirty pieces of silver4 ,they are standing before a doorway on some steps2 ,judas is seen in profile1 and has the nimbus as one of the apostles3 three persons are behind1 one of whom expresses disapprobation and anxiety4 ,in this subject1 and in others wherein ,judas is introduced1 ,angelico has not given him ugly and deformed features2 but in the scowling eye and bent brow there is a vicious expression4 ,in ,duccio's series of the #8,passion of our ,saviour1' in the ,duomo at ,siena1 he has1 in this and in other scenes1 represented ,judas with regular and not ugly features2 but he has a villanous1 and at the same time anxious1 expression2--he has a bad conscience4 ,the scene between ,judas and the high-priest is also given by ,schalken as a candle-light effect1 and in the genuine ,dutch style4 #b4 #8,judas betrays his ,master with a kiss4' ,this subject will be noticed at large in the ,life of ,christ4 ,the early ,italians1 in giving this scene with much dramatic power1 never forgot the scriptural dignity required2 while the early ,germans1 in their endeavour to render ,judas as odious in physiognomy as in heart1 have1 in this as in many other instances1 rendered the awful and the pathetic merely grotesque4 ,we must infer from ,scripture1 that ,judas1 with all his perversity1 had a conscience3 he would not else have hanged himself4 ,in the physiognomy given to him by the old ,germans1 there is no trace of this2 he is an ugly malignant brute1 and nothing more4 #c4 ,rembrandt4 #8,judas throws down the thirty pieces of silver in the ,temple1 and departs4'#bcf #d4 #8,the remorse of ,judas4' ,he is seated and in the act of putting the rope about his neck2 beside him is seen the purse and the money1 scattered about the ground4 ,the design is by ,bloemart1 and1 from the ,latin inscription underneath1 appears to be intended as a warning to all unrighteous dealers4 #e4 #8,judas hanging on a tree' is sometimes introduced into the background1 in ancient pictures of the ,deposition and the ,entombment3 there is one in the ,frankfort ,museum4 #f4 #8,demons toss the soul of ,judas from hand to hand in the manner of a ball3' in an old ,french miniature4#bcg ,this is sufficiently grotesque in representation2 yet1 in the idea1 there is a restless1 giddy horror which thrills us4 ,at all events1 it is better than placing ,judas between the jaws of ,satan with his legs in the air1 as ,dante has done1 and as ,orcagna in his ,dantesque fresco has very literally rendered the description of the poet4#bch ,illustration3 ,lionardo da ,vinci ,illustration3 ,giotto ,illustration3 ,raphael ,,the ,,last ,,supper4 ,ital4 ,il ,cenacolo4 ,la ,cena4 ,fr4 ,la ,cne4 ,ger4 ,das ,abendmal ,christi4 ,i have already mentioned the principal scenes in which the ,twelve always appear together2 there is1 however1 one event belonging properly to the life of ,christ1 so important in itself1 presenting the ,apostles under an aspect so peculiar1 and throwing so much interest around them collectively and individually1 that ,i must bring it under notice here4 99 99 99 99 99 ,next to the ,crucifixion1 there is no subject taken from the history of our redemption so consecrated in ,art as the ,last ,supper4 ,the awful signification lent to it by ,protestants as well as ,catholics has given it a deep religious import1 and caused its frequent representation in churches2 it has been1 more particularly1 the appropriate decoration of the refectories of convents1 hospitals1 and other institutions having a sacred character4 ,in our ,protestant churches1 it is generally the subject of the altar-piece1 where we have one4 ,besides being one of the most important and interesting1 it is one of the most difficult among the sacred subjects treated in ,art4 ,while the fixed number of personages introduced1 the divine and paramount dignity of ,one among them1 the well-known character of all1 have limited the invention of the artist1 they have tasked to the utmost his power of expression4 ,the occasion1 that of a repast eaten by twelve persons1 is1 under its material aspect1 so commonplace1 and1 taken in the spiritual sense1 so awful1 that to elevate himself to the height of his theme1 while keeping the ideal conscientiously bounded within its frame of circumstance1 demanded in the artist aspirations of the grandest order1 tempered by the utmost sobriety of reflection2 and the deepest insight into the springs of character1 combined with the most perfect knowledge of the indications of character as manifested through form4 ,on the other hand1 if it has been difficult to succeed1 it has been equally difficult to fail signally and completely2 because the spectator is not here1 as in the crucifixion1 in danger of being perpetually shocked by the intrusion of anomalous incidents1 and is always ready to supply the dignity and meaning of a scene so familiar in itself out of his own mind and heart4 ,it has followed1 that mediocrity has been more prevalent and more endurable in this than in any other of the more serious subjects of ,art4 ,but where excellence has been in some few instances attained1 it has been attained in such a supreme degree1 that these examples have become a perpetual source of contemplation and of emulation1 and rank among the most renowned productions of human genius4 ,but1 before ,i come to consider these analytically1 it is necessary to premise one or two observations1 which will assist us to discrimination in the general treatment4 ,pictures and works of art1 which represent the ,last ,supper of our ,lord1 admit of the same classification which ,i have adhered to generally throughout this work4 ,those which represent it as a religious mystery must be considered as devotional2 those which represent it merely as a scene in the passion of our ,saviour are historical4 ,in the first1 we have the spiritual origin of the ,eucharist2 in the second1 the highly dramatic detection of ,judas4 ,it is evident that the predominating motif in each must be widely different4 ,in paintings which are intended for the altar1 or for the chapels of the ,holy ,sacrament1 we have the first1 the mystical version2--it is the distribution of the spiritual food4 ,in the second form1 as the ,last ,supper eaten by ,christ with his disciples1 as leading the mind to an humble and grateful sense of his sacrifice1 as repressing all sinful indulgence in food1 it has been the subject chosen to decorate the refectory or common dining-room of convents4 ,it is curious that on the ,christian sarcophagi the ,last ,supper does not occur4 ,there is1 in the ,vatican1 a rude painting taken from the catacombs representing twelve persons in a semicircle1 with something like plates and dishes before them4 ,i could not determine whether this was our ,saviour and his apostles1 or merely one of those feasts or suppers instituted by the early ,christians called ,agap or love-feasts2 but ,i should think the latter4 ,on the ,dalmatica 7deacon's robe7 preserved in the sacristy of the ,vatican1 there is1 if the date be exact 7,a4,d4 #gie71 the most ancient representation ,i have seen of the institution of the ,sacrament4 ,the embroidery1 which is wonderfully beautiful1 is a copy from ,byzantine ,art4 ,on one side1 our ,saviour stands by a table or altar1 and presents the cup to his apostles1 one of whom approaches in a reverential attitude1 and with his hands folded in his robe2 on the other side1 ,christ presents the wafer or host3 so that we have the two separate moments in separate groups4 ,there exists in the ,duomo of ,lodi the most ancient sculptural example of this subject ,i have met with2 it is a bas-relief of the twelfth century1 dated #aafc1 and fixed in the wall to the left of the entrance4 ,christ and the apostles are in a straight row1 all very much alike2 six of the apostles lay their hands on their breast1--#8,lord1 is it ,i8' and ,christ presents the sop to ,judas1 who sits in front1 and is as ugly as possible4 ,although all the ,byzantine pictures of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries which have come under my notice represent ,christ breaking the bread or holding the cup1 that is1 the institution of the ,sacrament1 the ,greek formula published by ,didron distinguishes between this scene and that of the repast in which ,judas is denounced as a traitor4 ,the earliest representation to which ,i can refer in ,western ,art1 as taking the historical form1 is the ,cenacolo of ,giotto1 the oldest and the most important that has been preserved to us2 it was painted by him in the refectory of the convent of ,santa ,croce at ,florence4 ,this refectory1 when ,i visited it in #ahdg1 was a carpet manufactory1 and it was difficult to get a good view of the fresco by reason of the intervention of the carpet-looms4 ,it has been often restored1 and is now in a bad state2 still1 enough remains to understand the original intention of the artist1 and that arrangement which has since been the groundwork of similar compositions4 ,a long table extends across the picture from side to side3 in the middle1 and fronting the spectator1 sits the ,redeemer2 to the right1 ,st4 ,john1 his head reclining on the lap of ,christ2 next to him1 ,peter2 after ,peter1 ,st4 ,james ,major2 thus placing together the three favourite disciples4 ,next to ,st4 ,james1 ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,bartholomew1 and a young beardless apostle1 probably ,st4 ,philip4 ,on the left hand of our ,saviour is ,st4 ,andrew2 and next to him1 ,st4 ,james ,minor 7the two ,st4 ,jameses bearing the traditional resemblance to ,christ72 then ,st4 ,simon and ,st4 ,jude2 and lastly1 a young apostle1 probably ,st4 ,thomas4 7,the reader will have the goodness to recollect that ,i give this explanation of the names and position of the eleven apostles as my own1 and with due deference to the opinion of those who on a further study of the fresco may differ from me47 ,opposite to the ,saviour1 and on the near side of the table1 sits ,judas1 apart from the rest1 and in the act of dipping his hand into the dish4 ,it is evident that the moment chosen by the artist is1 #8,he that dippeth with me in the dish1 the same shall betray me4' ,although the excuse may be found in the literal adoption of the words of the ,gospel1#bci it appears to me a fault to make ,st4 ,john leaning1 as one half asleep1 on the lap of our ,saviour1 after such words have been uttered as must have roused1 or at least ought to have roused1 the young and beloved apostle from his supine attitude2 therefore1 we may suppose that ,christ is about to speak the words1 but has not yet spoken them4 ,the position of ,judas is caused by the necessity of placing him sufficiently near to ,christ to dip his hand in the same dish2 while to have placed him on the same side of the table1 so as to give him the precedence over the more favoured disciples1 would have appeared to the early artists nothing less than profane4 ,giotto has paid great attention to the heads1 which are individually characterised1 but there is little dramatic expression2 the attention is not yet directed to ,judas1 who is seen in profile1 looking up1 not ugly in feature1 but with a mean vicious countenance1 and bent shoulders4 ,the arrangement of the table and figures1 so peculiarly fitted for a refectory1 has been generally adopted since the time of ,giotto in pictures painted for this especial purpose4 ,the subject is placed on the upper wall of the chamber2 the table extending from side to side3 the tables of the monks are placed1 as in the dining-rooms of our colleges1 length-ways2 thus all can behold the divine assembly1 and ,christ appears to preside over and sanctify the meal4 ,in another ,cenacolo by ,giotto1#bdj which forms one of the scenes in the history of ,christ1 he has given us a totally different version of the subject2 and1 not being intended for a refectory1 but as an action or event1 it is more dramatic4 ,it is evident that our ,saviour has just uttered the words1 #8,he that dippeth with me in the dish1 the same shall betray me4' ,judas1 who has mean1 ugly1 irregular features1 looks up alarmed1 and seems in the act of rising to escape4 ,one apostle 7,philip1 ,i think7 points at him1 and the attention of all is more or less directed to him4 ,this would be a fault if the subject were intended for a refectory1 or to represent the celebration of the ,eucharist4 ,but here1 where the subject is historical1 it is a propriety4 ,the composition of ,duccio of ,siena1 in the ,duomo at ,siena1 must have been nearly contemporary with1 if it did not precede1 those of ,giotto 7,a4,d4 #acjh72 it is quite different1 quite original in motif and arrangement4 ,seven apostles sit on the same side with ,christ1 and five opposite to him1 turning their backs on the spectator2 the faces are seen in profile4 ,the attitude of ,st4 ,john1 leaning against our ,saviour with downcast eyes1 is much more graceful than in the composition of ,giotto4 ,st4 ,peter is on the right of ,christ2 next to him ,st4 ,james ,minor3 two young apostles sit at the extreme ends of the table1 whom ,i suppose to be ,st4 ,philip and ,st4 ,thomas3 the other apostles ,i am unable to discriminate1 with the exception of ,judas1 who1 with regular features1 has a characteristic scowl on his brow4 ,christ holds out a piece of bread in his hand3 two of the apostles likewise hold bread1 and two others hold a cup2 the rest look attentive or pensive1 but the general character of the heads is deficient in elevation4 ,the moment chosen may be the distribution of the bread and wine2 but1 to me1 it rather expresses the commencement of the meal1 and our ,saviour's address3 #8,with desire have ,i desired to eat this passover with you before ,i suffer' 7,luke xxii4 #ae74 ,the next compartment of the same series1 which represents the apostles seated in a group before ,christ1 and listening with upturned faces and the most profound attention to his last words1 has much more of character1 solemnity1 and beauty1 than the ,last ,supper4 ,judas is here omitted2 #8for he1 having received the sop1 went immediately out4' ,angelico da ,fiesole1 in his life of ,christ1 has been careful to distinguish between the detection of ,judas and the institution of the ,eucharist4#bda ,he has given us both scenes4 ,in the first compartment1 ,john is leaning down with his face to the ,saviour2 the back of his head only is seen1 and he appears too unmindful of what is going forward4 ,the other apostles are well discriminated1 the usual type strictly followed in ,peter1 ,andrew1 ,james ,major and ,james ,minor4 ,to the right of ,christ are ,peter1 ,andrew1 ,bartholomew2 to the left1 ,james ,minor4 ,four turn their backs1 and two young apostles stand on each side1--,i presume ,thomas and ,philip2 they seem to be waiting on the rest3 ,judas dips his hand in the dish4 ,i suppose the moment to be the same as in the composition of ,duccio4 ,but in the next compartment the motif is different4 ,all have risen4 from table2 it is no longer a repast1 it is a sacred mystery2 ,christ is in the act of administering the bread to ,st4 ,john2 all kneel2 and ,judas is seen kneeling behind ,christ1 near an open door1 and apart from the rest1 as if he were watching for the opportunity to escape4 ,to dispose of ,judas in this holy ceremony is always a difficulty4 ,to represent him as receiving with the rest the sacred rite is an offence to the pious4 ,the expression used by ,st4 ,john 7xii4 #cj71 #8,after he had received the sop he went out1' implies that ,judas was not present at the ,lord's ,supper1 which succeeded the celebration of the paschal supper4 ,st4 ,luke and ,st4 ,mark1 neither of whom were present1 leave us to suppose that ,judas partook1 with the other disciples1 of the mystic bread and wine2 yet we can hardly believe that1 after having been pointed out as the betrayer1 the conscience-stricken ,judas should remain to receive the ,eucharist4 ,sometimes he is omitted altogether2 sometimes he is stealing out at the door4 ,in the composition of ,luca ,signorelli1 which ,i saw at ,cortona1 all the twelve apostles are kneeling2 ,christ is distributing the wafer2 and ,judas1 turning away with a malignant look1 puts his wafer into his satchel4 ,in the composition of ,palmezzano1 in the ,duomo at ,forl1 our ,saviour stands1 holding a plate1 and is in the act of presenting the wafer to ,peter1 who kneels3 ,st4 ,john stands by the side of ,christ1 holding the cup3 ,judas is in the background2 he kneels by the door1 and seems to be watching for the opportunity to steal away4 ,the fine composition1 fine also in sentiment and character1 of ,ghirlandajo1 was painted for the small refectory in the ,san ,marco at ,florence4 ,the arrangement is ingenious3 the table is of what we call the horse-shoe form1 which allows all the figures to face the spectator2 and at the same time takes up less room than where the table runs across the picture from side to side4 ,judas sits in front1 alone2 ,christ has just designated him4 #8,he it is to whom ,i shall give the sop when ,i have dipped it4' 7,john xiii4 #bf47 ,judas holds the sop in his hand1 with an alarmed conscious look4 ,behind sits an ill-omened cat1 probably intended for the fiend4 ,john1 to the left of ,christ1 appears to have swooned away4 ,the other apostles express1 in various ways1 amazement and horror4 ,it has been a question among critics1 whether the purse ought to be placed in the hand of ,judas when present at the ,last ,supper1 because it is usually understood as containing the thirty pieces of silver3 but this is a mistake2 and it leads to the mistake of representing him as hiding the purse1 as if it contained the price of his treachery4 ,judas carries the purse openly1 for he was the steward1 or purse-bearer1 of the party #8he had the bag1 and bare what was put therein' 7,john xii4 #f1 xiii4 #bi73 and as the money-bag is also the attribute of ,st4 ,matthew the tax-gatherer1 we must take care not to confound him with the traitor and thief4 ,this brings me to the consideration of the subject as treated by ,albert ,drer4 ,in the series of large woodcuts from the ,passion of our ,saviour 7styled #8,la grande ,passion'71 the ,cenacolo is an event1 and not a mystery4 ,john1 as a beautiful youth1 is leaning against our ,saviour with downcast eyes2 he does not look as if he had thrown himself down half asleep1 but as if ,christ had put his arm around him1 and drawn and pressed him fondly towards him4 ,on the right is ,peter3 the other apostles are not easily discriminated1 but they have all that sort of grandiose ugliness which is so full of character1 and so particularly the characteristic of the artist3 the apostle seated in front in a cowering attitude1 holding the purse which he seems anxious to conceal1 and looking up apprehensively1 ,i suppose to be ,judas4 ,in the smaller set of woodcuts 7#8,la petite ,passion'7 ,i believe the apostle with the purse in the foreground to be ,st4 ,matthew2 while the ugly1 lank-haired personage behind ,christ1 who looks as if about to steal away1 is probably intended for ,judas3 one of the apostles has laid hold of him1 and seems to say1 #8,thou art the man6' ,there is a third ,cenacolo1 by ,albert ,drer1 which plainly represents the ,eucharist4 ,the cup only is on the table1 and ,judas is omitted4 ,in a ,cenacolo by another old ,german1 ,judas is in the act of receiving the sop which ,christ is putting into his mouth2 and at the same time he is hiding the purse3--a mistake1 as ,i have already observed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,these examples must suffice to give some idea of the manner in which this subject was generally treated by the early ,german and ,italian artists4 ,but1 whether presented before us as a dramatic scene expressing individual character1 or as an historical event memorable in the life of ,christ1 or as a religious rite of awful and mysterious import--all the examples ,i have mentioned are in some respects deficient4 ,we have the feeling1 that1 whatever may be the merit in sentiment1 in intention1 in detail1 what has been attempted has not been achieved4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when ,leonardo da ,vinci1 the greatest thinker as well as the greatest painter of his age1 brought all the resources of his wonderful mind to bear on the subject1 then sprang forth a creation so consummate1 that since that time it has been at once the wonder and the despair of those who have followed in the same path4 ,true1 the work of his hand is perishing--will soon have perished utterly4 ,i remember well1 standing before this wreck of a glorious presence1 so touched by its pale1 shadowy1 and yet divine significance1 and by its hopelessly impending ruin1 that the tears sprang involuntarily4 ,fortunately for us1 multiplied copies have preserved at least the intention of the artist in his work4 ,we can judge of what it has been1 and take that for our text and for our theme4 ,the purpose being the decoration of a refectory in a rich convent1 the chamber lofty and spacious1 ,leonardo has adopted the usual arrangement3 the table runs across from side to side1 filling up the whole extent of the wall1 and the figures1 being above the eye1 and to be viewed from a distance1 are colossal2 they would otherwise have appeared smaller than the real personages seated at the tables below4 ,the moment selected is the utterance of the words1 #8,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that one of you shall betray me3' or rather the words have just been uttered1 and the picture expresses their effect on the different auditors4 ,it is of these auditors1 his apostles1 that ,i have to speak1 and not of ,christ himself2 for the full consideration of the subject1 as it regards ,him1 must be deferred2 the intellectual elevation1 the fineness of nature1 the benign ,god-like dignity1 suffused with the profoundest sorrow1 in this divine head1 surpassed all ,i could have conceived as possible in ,art2 and1 faded as it is1 the character there1 being stamped on it by the soul1 not the hand1 of the artist1 will remain while a line or hue remains visible4 ,it is a divine shadow1 and1 until it fades into nothing1 and disappears utterly1 will have the lineaments of divinity4 ,next to ,christ is ,st4 ,john2 he has just been addressed by ,peter1 who beckons to him that he should ask #8of whom the ,lord spake3'--his disconsolate attitude1 as he has raised himself to reply1 and leans his clasped hands on the table1 the almost feminine sweetness of his countenance1 express the character of this gentle and amiable apostle4 ,peter1 leaning from behind1 is all fire and energy2 ,judas1 who knows full well of whom the ,saviour spake1 starts back amazed1 oversetting the salt2 his fingers clutch the bag1 of which he has the charge1 with that action which ,dante describes as characteristic of the avaricious3-- ,questi risurgeranno dal sepolcro ,col pugno chiuso4 ,these from the tomb with clenchd grasp shall rise4 ,his face is seen in profile1 and cast into shadow3 without being vulgar1 or even ugly1 it is hateful4 ,st4 ,andrew1 with his long grey beard1 lifts up his hands1 expressing the wonder of a simple-hearted old man4 ,st4 ,james ,minor1 resembling the ,saviour in his mild features1 and the form of his beard and hair1 lays his hand on the shoulder of ,st4 ,peter--the expression is1 #8,can it be possible8 ,have we heard aright8' ,bartholomew1 at the extreme end of the table1 has risen perturbed from his seat2 he leans forward with a look of eager attention1 the lips parted2 he is impatient to hear more4 7,the fine copy of ,uggione1 in the ,royal ,academy1 does not give this anxious look--he is attentive only47 ,on the left of our ,saviour is ,st4 ,james ,major1 who has also a family resemblance to ,christ2 his arms are outstretched1 he shrinks back1 he repels the thought with horror4 ,the vivacity of the action and expression are wonderfully true and characteristic4 7,morghen1 the engraver1 erroneously supposed this to represent ,st4 ,thomas1 and placed on the border of his robe an inscription fixing the identity2 which inscription1 as ,bossi asserts1 never did exist in the original picture47 ,st4 ,thomas is behind ,st4 ,james1 rather young1 with a short beard2 he holds up his hand1 threatening--#8,if there be indeed such a wretch1 let him look to it4' ,philip1 young and with a beautiful head1 lays his hand on his heart3 he protests his love1 his truth4 ,matthew1 also beardless1 has more elegance1 as one who belonged to a more educated class than the rest2 he turns to ,jude and points to our ,saviour1 as if about to repeat his words1 #8,do you hear what he says8' ,simon and ,jude sit together 7,leonardo has followed the tradition which makes them old and brothers72 ,jude expresses consternation2 ,simon1 with his hands stretched out1 a painful anxiety4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to understand the wonderful skill with which this composition has been arranged1 it ought to be studied long and minutely2 and1 to appreciate its relative excellence1 it ought to be compared with other productions of the same period4 ,leonardo has contrived to break the formality of the line of heads without any apparent artifice1 and without disturbing the grand simplicity of the usual order2 and he has vanquished the difficulties in regard to the position of ,judas1 without making him too prominent4 ,he has imparted to a solemn scene sufficient movement and variety of action1 without detracting from its dignity and pathos2 he has kept the expression of each head true to the traditional character1 without exaggeration1 without effort4 ,to have done this1 to have been the first to do this1 required the far-reaching philosophic mind1 not less than the excelling hand1 of this #8miracle of nature1' as ,mr4 ,hallam styles ,leonardo1 with reference to his scientific as well as his artistic powers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now to turn to another miracle of nature1 ,raphael4 ,he has given us three compositions for the ,last ,supper4 ,the fresco lately discovered in the refectory of ,sant' ,onofrio1 at ,florence1 is an early work painted in his twenty-third year 7,a4,d4 #aeje74 ,the authenticity of this picture has been vehemently disputed2 for myself--as far as my opinion is worth anything--,i never1 after the first five minutes1 had a doubt on the subject4 ,as to its being the work of ,neri de' ,bicci1 ,i do not believe it possible2 and as for the written documents brought forward to prove this1 ,i turn from them #8to the handwriting on the wall1' and there ,i see1 in characters of light1 ,,raphael--and him only4 ,it is1 however1 a youthful work1 full of sentiment and grace1 but deficient1 it appears to me1 in that depth and discrimination of character displayed in his later works4 ,it is evident that he had studied ,giotto's fresco in the neighbouring ,santa ,croce4 ,the arrangement is nearly the same4 ,christ is in the centre2 his right hand is raised1 and he is about to speak2 the left hand is laid1 with extreme tenderness in the attitude and expression1 on the shoulder of ,john1 who reclines upon him4 ,to the right of ,christ is ,st4 ,peter1 the head of the usual character2 next to him ,st4 ,andrew1 with the flowing grey hair and long divided beard2 ,st4 ,james ,minor1 the head declined resembling ,christ3 he holds a cup4 ,st4 ,philip is seen in profile with a white beard3 7this is contrary to the received tradition1 which makes him young2 and ,i doubt the correctness of this appellation74 ,st4 ,james ,major1 at the extreme end of the table1 looks out of the picture2 ,raphael has apparently represented himself in this apostle4 ,on the left of ,christ1 after ,st4 ,john1 is ,st4 ,bartholomew2 he holds a knife1 and has the black beard and dark complexion usually given to him4 ,then ,matthew1 something like ,peter1 but milder and more refined4 ,thomas1 young and handsome1 pours wine into a cup2 last1 on the right1 are ,simon and ,jude3 ,raphael has followed the tradition which supposes them young1 and the kinsmen of our ,saviour4 ,judas sits on a stool on the near side of the table1 opposite to ,christ1 and while he dips his hand into the dish he looks round to the spectators2 he has the ,jewish features1 red hair and beard1 and a bad expression4 ,all have glories2 but the glory round the head of ,judas is much smaller than the others4#bdb 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the second composition1 one of the series of the life of ,christ1 in the ,loggie of the ,vatican1 ,raphael has placed the apostles round a table1 four on each of the three sides2 our ,saviour presiding in the centre4 ,john and ,peter1 who are1 as usual1 nearest to ,christ1 look to him with an animated appealing expression4 ,judas is in front1 looking away from the rest1 and as if about to rise4 ,the other heads are not well discriminated1 nor is the moment well expressed3 there is1 indeed1 something confused and inharmonious1 unlike ,raphael1 in the whole composition4 ,i pass it over1 therefore1 without further remark1 to come to the third example--a masterpiece of his later years1 worthy as a composition of being compared with ,leonardo's2 but1 never having been painted1 we can only pronounce it perfect as far as it goes4 ,the original drawing enriches the collection of the ,queen of ,england3 the admirable engraving of ,marc ,antonio1 said to have been touched by ,raphael1 is before me while ,i write4 ,from the disposition of the unshod feet as seen under the table1 it is styled by collectors #8il pezzo dei piedi3' from the arrangement of the table and figures it was probably designed for a refectory4 ,in the centre is ,christ1 with both hands resting on the table2 in the head1 a melancholy resignation4 ,peter is on the right1 his hand on his breast4 ,john1 on the left1 places both hands on his breast1 with a most animated expression1--#8,you cannot believe it is ,i8' ,andrew has laid his hand on the shoulder of ,peter1 and leans forward with a sad interrogative expression4 ,the head of ,judas has features akin to those of the antique satyr1 with the look askance of a detected villain3 he has heard the words1 but he dares not meet the eye1 of his ,divine ,master3 he has no purse4 ,james ,minor1 next to ,john1 with his hands extended1 seems to speak sadly to ,philip3 #8,and they began to inquire among themselves1 which of them should do this thing8' ,the whole composition is less dramatic1 has less variety of action and attitude1 than that of ,leonardo1 but is full of deep melancholy feeling4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,cenacolo of ,andrea del ,sarto1 in the ,convent of the ,salvi near ,florence1 takes1 ,i believe1 the third rank after those of ,leonardo and ,raphael4 ,he has chosen the self-same moment1 #8,one of you shall betray me4' ,the figures are1 as usual1 ranged on one side of a long table4 ,christ1 in the centre1 holds a piece of bread in his hand2 on his left is ,st4 ,john1 and on his right ,st4 ,james ,major1 both seen in profile4 ,the face of ,st4 ,john expresses interrogation2 that of ,st4 ,james1 interrogation and a start of amazement4 ,next to ,st4 ,james are ,peter1 ,thomas1 ,andrew2 then ,philip1 who has a small cross upon his breast4 ,after ,st4 ,john come ,james ,minor1 ,simon1 ,jude1 ,judas ,iscariot1 and ,bartholomew4 ,judas1 with his hands folded together1 leans forward1 and looks down1 with a round mean face1 in which there is no power of any kind1 not even of malignity4 ,in passing almost immediately from the ,cenacolo in the ,st4 ,onofrio to that in the ,salvi1 we feel strongly all the difference between the mental and moral superiority of ,raphael at the age of twenty1 and the artistic greatness of ,andrea in the maturity of his age and talent4 ,this fresco deserves its high celebrity4 ,it is impossible to look on it without admiration1 considered as a work of art4 ,the variety of the attitudes1 the disposition of the limbs beneath the table1 the ample1 tasteful draperies1 deserve the highest praise2 but the heads are deficient in character and elevation1 and the whole composition wants that solemnity of feeling proper to the subject4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,cenacolo of ,titian1 painted for ,philip ,,ii4 for the altar of his chapel in the ,escurial1 is also a notable example of the want of proper reverential feeling3 two servants are in attendance2 ,judas is in front1 averting his head1 which is in deep shadow2 a dog is under the table1 and the ,holy ,ghost is descending from above4 ,niccol ,poussin has three times painted the ,cenacolo4 ,in the two series of the ,seven ,sacraments1 he has1 of course1 represented the institution of the ,eucharist1 as proper to his subject2 in both instances1 in that pure and classical taste proper to himself4 ,in the best and largest composition1 the apostles are reclining on couches round the table4 ,christ holds a plate full of bread1 and appears as saying1 #8,take1 eat4' ,four are putting the morsel into their mouths4 ,judas is seen behind1 with an abject look1 stealing out of the room4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the faults which ,i have observed in pictures of this subject are chiefly met with in the ,venetian1 ,flemish1 and later ,bolognese schools4 ,when the motif selected is the institution of the ,eucharist1 it is a fault to sacrifice the solemnity and religious import of the scene in order to render it more dramatic3 it ought not to be dramatic2 but the pervading sentiment should be one1 a deep and awful reverence4 ,when ,christ is distributing the bread and wine1 the apostles should not be conversing with each other2 nor should the figures exceed twelve in number1 for it appears to me that the introduction of ,judas disturbs the sacred harmony and tranquillity of the scene4 ,when the motif is the celebration of the ,passover1 or the detection of ,judas1 a more dramatic and varied arrangement is necessary2 but here1 to make the apostles intent on eating and drinking1 as in some old ,german pictures1 is a fault4 ,even ,albano has represented one of the apostles as peeping into an empty wine-pitcher with a disappointed look4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it appears to me1 also1 a gross fault to introduce dogs and cats1 and other animals2 although ,i have heard it observed1 that a dog gnawing a bone is introduced with propriety1 to show that the supper is over1 the ,paschal ,lamb eaten1 before the moment represented4 ,vulgar heads1 taken from vulgar models1 or selected without any regard either to the ancient types1 or the traditional character of the different apostles1 are defects of frequent occurrence1 especially in the older ,german schools2 and in ,titian1 ,paul ,veronese1 and ,rubens1 even where the heads are otherwise fine and expressive1 the scriptural truth of character is in general sacrificed4 ,it is a fault1 as ,i have already observed1 to represent ,judas anxiously concealing the purse4 99 99 99 99 99 ,holbein1 in his famous ,last ,supper at ,basle1 and in the small one in the ,louvre1 has adopted the usual arrangement3 the heads all want elevation2 but here the attention fixes at once upon ,judas ,iscariot--the very ideal of scoundrelism--,i can use no other word to express the unmitigated ugliness1 vulgarity1 and brutality of the face4 ,lavater has referred to it as an example of the physiognomy proper to cruelty and avarice2 but the dissimulation is wanting4 ,this base1 eager1 hungry-looking villain stands betrayed by his own looks3 he is too prominent2 he is in fact the principal figure2--a fault in taste1 feeling1 and propriety4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the introduction of a great number of figures1 as spectators or attendants1 is a fault2 excusable1 perhaps1 where the subject is decorative and intended for the wall of a refectory1 but not otherwise4 ,in the composition of ,paul ,veronese1 there are twenty-three figures2 in that of ,zucchero1 forty-five2 in that of ,baroccio1 twenty-one4 ,these supernumerary persons detract from the dignity and solemnity of the scene4 99 99 99 99 99 ,tintoretto has introduced several spectators1 and among them an old woman spinning in a corner1 who1 while she turns her spindle1 looks on with an observant eye4 ,this alludes to an early tradition1 that the ,last ,supper was eaten in the house of ,mary1 the mother of ,mark the evangelist4 ,but it is nowhere said that she was present1 and therefore it is an impropriety to introduce her4 ,magnificent architecture1 as in the picture by ,b4 ,peruzzi 7who1 by the way1 was an architect71 seems objectionable3 but equally unsuitable is the poor dismantled garret in this picture of ,tintoretto2 for the chamber in which the scene took place was #8the guest chamber1' a large upper room1 ready prepared2 and as it was afterwards the scene of the ,pentecost1 it must have held more than a hundred persons4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is a fault1 as ,i have already observed1 to represent ,john as asleep on the breast or the shoulder of our ,saviour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,though countenanced by the highest authorities in ,art1 ,i believe it must be considered as a fault1 or at least a mistake1 to represent our ,saviour and his apostles as seated1 instead of reclining round the table4 ,it is a fault1 not merely because the use of the triclinium or couch at all social meals was general in the antique times1--for the custom of sitting upright was not so entirely extinct among the ,jews but that it might on any other occasion have been admissible1--but1 from peculiar circumstances1 it became in this instance an impropriety4 ,we know that when the ,passover was first instituted the ,jews were enjoined to eat it standing1 as men in haste1 with girded loins and sandalled feet3 but afterwards it was made imperative that they should eat it in an attitude of repose1 lying upon couches1 and as men at ease2 and the reason for this was1 that all the circumstances of the meal1 and particularly the attitude in which it was eaten1 should indicate the condition of security and freedom which the ,israelites enjoyed after their deliverance from the ,egyptian bondage4 ,in the then imperfect state of ,biblical criticism1 this fact seems to have been unknown to the earlier artists1 or disregarded by those who employed and directed them4 ,among modern artists1 ,poussin and ,le ,sueur have scrupulously attended to it1 even when the moment chosen is the mystical distribution of the bread and wine which succeeded the ,paschal ,supper4 ,commentators have remarked1 that if ,christ and his disciples reclined at table1 then1 supposing ,christ to have the central place of honour1 the head of ,john would have been near to the bosom of ,christ3 but under these circumstances1 if ,judas were sufficiently near to receive the sop from the hand of ,christ1 then he must have reclined next to him on the other side1 and have taken precedence of ,peter4 ,this supposed a propinquity which the early ,christian artists deemed offensive and inadmissible4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the composition by ,stradano the arrangement of the table and figures is particularly well managed3 all recline on couches2 in the centre of the table is a dish1 to which ,christ extends his hand1 and ,judas1 who is here rather handsome than otherwise1 at the same time stretches forth his2 the moment is evidently1 #8,he that dippeth with me in the dish1 the same shall betray me4' ,two circumstances spoil this picture1 and bring it down to the level of the vulgar and the commonplace4 ,in the background is seen a kitchen and the cooking of the supper4 ,under ,judas crouches a hideous demon1 with horns1 hoof1 and tail1 visible only to the spectator4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when the ,cenacolo represents the ,eucharist1 it is1 perhaps1 allowable to introduce angels1 because it was1 and ,i believe is1 an established belief1 that1 visible or invisible1 they are always present at the ,sacrament4 ,the ,holy ,ghost descending from above is unsanctioned by ,scripture1 but may serve to mark the mystical and peculiar solemnity of the moment chosen for representation4 ,it may signify1 #8,he that receiveth me1 receiveth ,him that sent me4' ,but where angels attend1 or where the ,spiritual ,comforter comes floating down from above1 then the presence of ,judas1 or of any superfluous figures as spectators or servitors1 or of dogs or other animals1 becomes a manifest impropriety4 ,the introduction of the ,devil in person as tempting ,judas is rendered pardonable by the navet of the early painters3 in the later schools of art it is offensive and ridiculous4 ,the ,cenacolo of ,baroccio1 painted by order of ,clement ,,viii4 7#aeid71 for his family chapel in the ,santa ,maria-sopra-,minerva1 is remarkable for an anecdote relating to it4 ,baroccio1 who was not eminent for a correct taste1 had in his first sketch reverted to the ancient fashion of placing ,satan close behind ,judas1 whispering in his ear1 and tempting him to betray his ,master4 ,the ,pope expressed his dissatisfaction1--#8che non gli piaceva il demonio si dimesticasse tanto con ,ges ,cristo1'--and ordered him to remove the offensive figure4 ,this is not the last example of the ancient manner of treatment4 ,in the ,cenacolo of ,franceschini1 painted nearly a century later1 two angels are attending on the sacred repast1 while ,judas is in the act of leaving the room1 conducted by ,satan in person4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is surely a fault1 in a scene of such solemn and sacred import1 to make the head of ,judas a vehicle for public or private satire1 by giving him the features of some obnoxious personage of the time4#bdc ,this1 according to tradition1 has been done in some instances4 ,perhaps the most remarkable example that could be cited is the story of ,andrea del ,castagno1 who1 after having betrayed and assassinated his friend ,domenico ,veneziano1 painted himself in the character of ,judas3 a curious instance of remorse of conscience4 99 99 99 99 99 ,volumes might be written on the subject of the ,last ,supper4 ,it extends before me1 as ,i think and write1 into endless suggestive associations1 which1 for the present1 ,i dare not follow out3 but ,i shall have occasion to return to it hereafter4#bdd ,,st4 ,,barnabas4 ,ital4 ,san ,parnab4 ,fr4 ,saint ,barnab4 7,june #aa47 ,st4 ,barnabas is usually entitled the ,apostle ,barnabas1 because he was associated with the ,apostles in their high calling2 #8and1' according to ,lardner1 #8though without that large measure of inspiration and high authority which was peculiar to the ,,twelve ,,apostles1 properly so called1 yet he is to be considered as ,apostolical1 and next to them in sanctity4' ,for this reason ,i place him here4 ,st4 ,barnabas was a ,levite1 born in the island of ,cyprus1 and the cousin-german of ,mark the evangelist4 ,the notices of his life and character scattered through the ,acts invest him with great personal interest4 ,he it was who1 after the conversion of ,paul1 was the first to believe in his sincerity1 and took courage to present him to the other apostles1 #8who were afraid of him1 and would not believe that he was a disciple4' 7,acts xv4 #ci47 ,barnabas afterwards became the fellow-labourer of ,paul1 and attended him to ,antioch4 ,we are told that #8he was a good man1 full of the ,holy ,ghost and of faith2' and to this the legendary traditions add1 that he was a man of a most comely countenance1 of a noble presence1 grave and commanding in his step and deportment2 and thence1 when he and ,paul were at ,lystra together1 #8they called ,barnabas ,jupiter1 and ,paul ,mercurius4' ,subsequently1 however1 ,paul and ,barnabas fell into a dispute concerning ,mark1 and separated4 ,the tradition relates that ,barnabas and ,mark remained for some time together1 being united by the ties of friendship1 as well as by those of kindred4 ,barnabas preached the ,gospel in ,asia ,minor1 ,greece1 and ,italy2 and there is an old legendary tradition that he was the first bishop of ,milan4 ,the legend also relates that everywhere he carried with him the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew1 written by the hand of the evangelist1 preaching what was written therein2 and when any were sick1 or possessed1 he laid the sacred writing upon their bosom1 and they were healed2 7a beautiful allegory this67 and it happened that as he preached in a synagogue of ,judea against the ,jews1 they were seized with fury and took him1 and put him to a cruel death4 ,but ,mark and the other ,christians buried him with many tears4 ,the body of ,st4 ,barnabas remained in its place of sepulture till the days of the ,emperor ,zeno1 when1 according to ,nicephorus1 it was revealed in a dream to ,antemius1 that the apostle rested in a certain spot1 and would be found there1 with the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew lying on his bosom4 ,and so it happened3 the remains were found2 the ,gospel was carried to the emperor at ,constantinople2 and a church was built1 dedicated to ,st4 ,barnabas4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is1 ,i presume1 in consequence of his being the kinsman of ,st4 ,mark1 that ,barnabas is more popular at ,venice than elsewhere1 and that devotional figures of him are rarely found except in ,venetian pictures4 ,he is represented as a man of majestic presence1 holding in his hand the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew1 as in a fine picture by ,bonifazio2 in his church at ,venice he is represented over the high altar1 throned as bishop1 while ,st4 ,peter stands below4 99 99 99 99 99 ,he often occurs in subjects taken from the ,acts and the life of ,st4 ,paul4 ,in the scene in which he presents ,paul to the other apostles1 he is the principal personage2 but in the scene at ,paphos1 where ,elymas is struck blind1 and at ,lystra1 he is always secondary to his great companion4 ,illustration3 #hd ,angel 7,albert ,drer7 v4 p4 #gi4 ,the ,doctors of the ,church4 ,i4 ,,the ,,four ,,latin ,,fathers4 ,the ,evangelists and the ,apostles represented in ,art the ,spiritual ,church1 and took their place among the heavenly influences4 ,the great ,fathers or ,doctors were the representatives of the ,church ,militant on earth3 as teachers and pastors1 as logicians and advocates1 they wrote1 argued1 contended1 suffered1 and at length1 after a long and fierce struggle against opposing doctrines1 they fixed the articles of faith thereafter received in ,christendom4 ,for ages1 and down to the present time1 the prevailing creed has been that which was founded on the interpretations of these venerable personages4 ,they have become1 in consequence1 frequent and important subjects of ,art1 particularly from the tenth century--the period when1 in their personal character1 they began to be regarded not merely as gifted and venerable1 but as divinely inspired2 their writings appealed to as infallible1 their arguments accepted as demonstration4 ,we distinguish them as the ,latin and the ,greek ,fathers4 ,in ,western ,art1 we find the ,latin ,fathers perpetually grouped together1 or in a series3 the ,greek ,fathers seldom occur except in their individual character1 as saints rather than as teachers4 ,the four ,latin ,doctors are ,st4 ,jerome1 ,st4 ,ambrose1 ,st4 ,augustine1 and ,st4 ,gregory4 ,when represented together1 they are generally distinguished from each other1 and from the sacred personages who may be grouped in the same picture1 by their conventional attributes4 ,thus ,st4 ,jerome is sometimes habited in the red hat and crimson robes of a cardinal1 with a church in his hand2 or he is a half-naked1 bald-headed1 long-bearded1 emaciated old man1 with eager wasted features1 holding a book and pen1 and attended by a lion4 ,st4 ,ambrose wears the episcopal robes as bishop of ,milan1 with mitre and crosier1 and holds his book2 sometimes1 also1 he carries a knotted scourge1 and a bee-hive is near him4 ,st4 ,augustine is also habited as a bishop1 and carries a book2 he has often books at his feet1 and sometimes a flaming heart transpierced by an arrow4 ,the origin and signification of these symbols ,i shall explain presently4 ,illustration3 ,the ,four ,latin ,fathers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the most ancient churches the ,four ,doctors are placed after the ,evangelists4 ,in the later churches they are seen combined or grouped with the evangelists1 occasionally also with the sibyls2 but this seems a mistake4 ,the appropriate place of the sibyls is neither with the evangelists nor the fathers1 but among the prophets1 where ,michael ,angelo has placed them4 99 99 99 99 99 ,where the principal subject is the glory of ,christ1 or the coronation or assumption of the ,virgin1 the ,four ,fathers attend with their books as witnesses and interpreters4 #a4 ,a conspicuous instance of this treatment is the dome of ,san ,giovanni at ,parma4 ,in the centre is the ascension of ,christ1 around are the twelve apostles gazing upwards2 below them1 in the spandrils of the arches1 as if bearing record1 are the ,four ,evangelists1 each with a ,doctor of the ,church seated by him as interpreter3 ,st4 ,matthew is attended by ,st4 ,jerome2 ,st4 ,mark1 by ,st4 ,gregory2 ,st4 ,luke1 by ,st4 ,augustine2 and ,st4 ,john1 by ,st4 ,ambrose4 #b4 ,a picture in the ,louvre by ,pier-,francesco ,sacchi 7,a4,d4 #afdj7 represents the ,four ,doctors1 attended1 or rather inspired1 by the mystic symbols of the ,four ,evangelists4 ,they are seated at a table1 under a canopy sustained by slender pillars1 and appear in deep consultation3 near ,st4 ,augustine is the eagle2 ,st4 ,gregory has the ox2 ,st4 ,jerome1 the angel2 and ,st4 ,ambrose1 the lion4 #c4 ,in a well-known woodcut after ,titian1 #8,the ,triumph of ,christ1' the ,redeemer is seated in a car drawn by the ,four ,evangelists2 while the ,four ,latin ,doctors1 one at each wheel1 put forth all their strength to urge it on4 ,the patriarchs and prophets precede1 the martyrs and confessors of the faith follow1 in grand procession4 #d4 ,in a ,coronation of the ,virgin1 very singularly treated1 we have ,christ and the ,virgin on a high platform or throne1 sustained by columns2 in the space underneath1 between these columns1 is a group of unwinged angels1 holding the instruments of the ,passion4 7,or1 as ,i have sometimes thought1 this beautiful group may be the souls of the ,innocents1 their proper place being under the throne of ,christ47 ,on each side a vast company of prophets1 apostles1 saints1 and martyrs1 ranged tier above tier4 ,immediately in front1 and on the steps of the throne1 are the ,four ,evangelists1 seated each with his symbol and book3 behind them the ,four ,fathers1 also seated4 ,this picture1 which as a painting is singularly beautiful1 the execution finished1 and the heads most characteristic and expressive1 may be said to comprise a complete system of the theology of the middle ages4#bde #e4 ,we have the same idea carried out in the lower part of ,raphael's #8,disputa' in the ,vatican4 ,the ,four ,doctors are in the centre of what may be called the sublunary part of the picture3 they are the only seated figures in the vast assembly of holy1 wise1 and learned men around2 ,st4 ,gregory and ,st4 ,jerome on the right of the altar1 ,st4 ,ambrose and ,st4 ,augustine on the left4 ,as the two latter wear the same paraphernalia1 they are distinguished by having books scattered at their feet1 on which are inscribed the titles of their respective works4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,madonna and ,child enthroned1 with the ,doctors of the ,church standing on each side1 is a subject which has been often1 and sometimes beautifully1 treated2 and here the contrast between all we can conceive of virginal and infantine loveliness and innocence enshrined in heavenly peace and glory--and these solemn1 bearded1 grand-looking old ,fathers1 attending in humble reverence1 as types of earthly wisdom--ought to produce a magnificent effect1 when conceived in the right spirit4 ,i can remember1 however1 but few instances in which the treatment is complete and satisfactory4 #a4 ,one of these is a picture by ,a4 ,vivarini 7,a4,d4 #addf71 now in the ,academy at ,venice4 ,here1 the ,virgin sits upon a throne under a rich canopy sustained by four little angels4 ,she looks out of the picture with a most dignified1 tranquil1 goddess-like expression2 she wears1 as usual1 the crimson tunic and blue mantle1 the latter being of a most brilliant azure2 on her brow1 a magnificent jewelled crown2 the ,divine ,child stands on her knee1 and raises his little hand to bless the worshipper4 ,to the right of the ,virgin1 and on the platform of her throne1 stands ,st4 ,jerome1 robed as cardinal1 and bearing his church2 with ,st4 ,gregory1 habited as pope4 ,to the left stands ,st4 ,ambrose1 holding his crosier and knotted scourge1 and ,st4 ,augustine with his book4 ,this is a wonderful picture1 and1 as a specimen of the early ,venetian school1 unequalled4 ,the accuracy of imitation1 the dazzling colour1 the splendid dresses and accessories1 the grave beauty of the ,madonna1 the divine benignity of the ,infant ,redeemer1 and the sternly thoughtful heads of the old ,doctors1 are not only positively fine1 but have a relative interest and value as being stamped with that very peculiar character which belonged to the ,vivarini and their immediate followers4 ,it was painted for the ,scuola della ,carit4#bdf #b4 ,a different and a singular treatment of the ,four ,fathers occurs in another ,venetian picture4#bdg ,christ is represented seated on a throne1 and disputing with the ,jewish doctors1 who are eagerly arguing or searching their books4 ,in front of the composition stand ,st4 ,jerome1 ,st4 ,ambrose1 ,st4 ,augustine1 and ,st4 ,gregory2 who1 with looks fixed on the youthful ,saviour1 appear to be reverentially listening to1 and recording1 his words4 ,this wholly poetical and ideal treatment of a familiar passage in the life of ,christ1 ,i have never seen but in this one instance4 #c4 ,a third example is a picture by ,moretto1 of extraordinary beauty4#bdh ,the ,virgin sits on a lofty throne1 to which there is an ascent of several steps2 the ,child stands on her right2 she presses him to her with maternal tenderness1 and his arms are round her neck4 ,at the foot of the throne stand ,st4 ,ambrose1 with his scourge1 and ,st4 ,augustine2 ,st4 ,gregory1 wearing the papal tiara1 and without a beard1 is seated on a step of the throne1 holding an open book2 and ,st4 ,jerome1 kneeling on one knee1 points to a passage in it2 he wears the cardinal's dress complete4 ,this picture is worthy of ,titian in the richness of the effect1 with a more sober grandeur in the colour4 ,the ,virgin is too much like a portrait2 this is the only fault4#bdi 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the ,chapel of ,san ,lorenzo1 in the ,vatican1 ,angelico has painted eight ,doctors of the ,church1 single majestic figures standing under ,gothic canopies4 ,according to the names now to be seen inscribed on the pedestals beneath1 these figures represent ,st4 ,jerome1#bej ,st4 ,ambrose1 ,st4 ,augustine1 ,st4 ,gregory1 ,st4 ,athanasius1 ,st4 ,leo1 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 and ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas4 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom and ,st4 ,athanasius represent the ,greek doctors4 ,st4 ,leo1 who saved ,rome from ,attila1 is with peculiar propriety placed in the ,vatican2 and ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 the angelic doctor1 naturally finds a place in a chapel painted by a ,dominican for a pope who particularly favoured the ,dominicans1--,nicholas ,v4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,four ,fathers communing on the mystery of the ,trinity1 or the ,immaculate ,conception1 were favourite subjects in the beginning of the seventeenth century1 when church pictures1 instead of being religious and devotional1 became more and more theological4 ,there is an admirable picture of this subject by ,dosso ,dossi4#bea ,above is seen the ,messiah1 as ,creator1 in a glory2 he lays his hand on the head of the ,virgin1 who kneels in deep humility before him2 ,st4 ,gregory sits in profound thought1 a pen in one hand1 a tablet in the other2 ,st4 ,ambrose and ,st4 ,augustine are similarly engaged2 ,st4 ,jerome1 to whom alone the celestial vision appears to be visible1 is looking up with awe and wonder4 ,guido1 in a celebrated picture1#beb has represented the ,doctors of the ,church communing on the ,immaculate ,conception of the ,virgin4 ,the figures are admirable for thoughtful depth of character in the expression1 and for the noble arrangement of the draperies2 above is seen the ,virgin1 floating amid clouds1 in snow-white drapery1 and sustained by angels2 visible1 however1 to ,st4 ,jerome and ,st4 ,ambrose only4 99 99 99 99 99 ,rubens has treated the ,fathers several times3 the colossal picture in the ,grosvenor ,gallery is well known1 where they appear before us as moving along in a grand procession3 ,st4 ,jerome comes last2 7he should be first2 but on these points ,rubens was not particular37 he seems in deep contemplation1 enveloped in the rich scarlet robes of a cardinal of the seventeenth century1 and turning the leaves of his great book4 ,in another picture we have the ,four ,fathers seated1 discussing the mystery of the ,eucharist2 ,st4 ,jerome points to a passage in the ,scriptures2 ,st4 ,gregory is turning the page2 they appear to be engaged in argument2 the other two are listening earnestly4 ,there is another picture by ,rubens in which the usual attributes of the ,fathers are borne aloft by angels1 while they sit communing below4 99 99 99 99 99 ,these examples will suffice to give a general idea of the manner in which the four great ,doctors of the ,western ,church are grouped in devotional pictures4 ,we will now consider them separately1 each according to his individual character and history4 ,,st4 ,,jerome4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,hieronymus4 ,ital4 ,san ,geronimo or ,girolamo4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,jrome1 ,hirome1 or ,groisme4 ,ger4 ,der ,heilige ,hieronimus4 ,patron of scholars and students1 and more particularly of students in theology4 7,sept4 #cj1 ,a4,d4 #dbj47 ,of the four ,latin ,doctors1 ,st4 ,jerome1 as a subject of painting1 is by far the most popular4 ,the reasons for this are not merely the exceedingly interesting and striking character of the man1 and the picturesque incidents of his life1 but also his great importance and dignity as founder of ,monachism in the ,west1 and as author of the universally received translation of the ,old and ,new ,testament into the ,latin language 7called #8,the ,vulgate'74 ,there is scarcely a collection of pictures in which we do not find a ,st4 ,jerome1 either doing penance in the desert1 or writing his famous translation1 or meditating on the mystery of the ,incarnation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,jerome was born about ,a4,d4 #cdb1 at ,stridonium1 in ,dalmatia4 ,his father1 ,eusebius1 was rich2 and as he showed the happiest disposition for learning1 he was sent to ,rome to finish his studies4 ,there1 through his own passions1 and the evil example of his companions1 he fell into temptation1 and for a time abandoned himself to worldly pleasures4 ,but the love of virtue1 as well as the love of learning1 was still strong within him3 he took up the profession of law1 and became celebrated for his eloquence in pleading before the tribunals4 ,when more than thirty1 he travelled into ,gaul1 and visited the schools of learning there4 ,it was about this time that he was baptized1 and vowed himself to perpetual celibacy4 ,in #cgc1 he travelled into the ,east1 to animate his piety by dwelling for a time among the scenes hallowed by the presence of the ,saviour2 and1 on his way thither1 he visited some of the famous ,oriental hermits and ascetics1 of whom he has given us such a graphic account1 and whose example inspired him with a passion for solitude and a monastic life4 ,shortly after his arrival in ,syria1 he retired to a desert in ,chalcis1 on the confines of ,arabia1 and there he spent four years in study and seclusion1 supporting himself by the labour of his hands4 ,he has left us a most vivid picture of his life of penance in the wilderness2 of his trials and temptations1 his fastings1 his sickness of soul and body3 and we must dwell for a moment on his own description1 in order to show with what literal and circumstantial truth the painters have rendered it4 ,he says1 in one of his epistles1 #8,oh how often1 in the desert1 in that vast solitude which1 parched by the sultry sun1 affords a dwelling to the monks1 did ,i fancy myself in the midst of the luxuries of ,rome6 ,i sate alone1 for ,i was full of bitterness4 ,my misshapen limbs were rough with sackcloth1 and my skin so squalid that ,i might have been mistaken for an ,ethiopian4 ,tears and groans were my occupation every day and all day long4 ,if sleep surprised me unawares1 my naked bones1 which scarcely held together1 rattled on the earth4' ,his companions1 he says1 #8were scorpions and wild beasts2' his home1 #8a recess among rocks and precipices4' ,yet1 in the midst of this horrible self-torture and self-abasement1 he describes himself as frequently beset by temptations to sin and sensual indulgence1 and haunted by demons3 at other times1 as consoled by voices and visions from heaven4 ,besides these trials of the flesh and the spirit1 he had others of the intellect4 ,his love of learning1 his admiration of the great writers of classical antiquity1--of ,plato and ,cicero1--made him impatient of the rude simplicity of the ,christian historians4 ,he describes himself as fasting before he opened ,cicero2 and1 as a further penance1 he forced himself to study ,hebrew1 which at first filled him with disgust1 and this disgust appeared to him a capital sin4 ,in one of his distempered visions1 he fancied he heard the last trumpet sounded in his ear by an angel1 and summoning him before the judgment-seat of ,god4 #8,who art thou8' demanded the awful voice4 #8,a ,christian1' replied the trembling ,jerome4 #8#8,tis false6' replied the voice1 #8thou art no ,christian3 thou art a ,ciceronian4 ,where the treasure is1 there will the heart be also4' ,he persevered1 and conquered the difficulties of ,hebrew2 and then1 wearied by the religious controversies in the ,east1 after ten years' residence there1 he returned to ,rome4 ,but neither the opposition he had met with1 nor his four years of solitude and penance in the desert1 had subdued the fiery enthusiasm of temperament which characterised this celebrated man4 ,at ,rome he boldly combated the luxurious self-indulgence of the clergy1 and preached religious abstinence and mortification4 ,he was particularly remarkable for the influence he obtained over the ,roman women2 we find them1 subdued or excited by his eloquent exhortations1 devoting themselves to perpetual chastity1 distributing their possessions among the poor1 or spending their days in attendance on the sick1 and ready to follow their teacher to the ,holy ,land--to the desert--even to death4 ,his most celebrated female convert was ,paula1 a noble ,roman matron1 a descendant of the ,scipios and the ,gracchi4 ,marcella1 another of these ,roman ladies1 was the first who1 in the ,east1 collected together a number of pious women to dwell together in community3 hence she is1 by some authors1 considered as the first nun2 but others contend that ,martha1 the sister of ,mary ,magdalene1 was the first who founded a religious community of women4 ,after three years' sojourn at ,rome1 ,st4 ,jerome returned to ,palestine1 and took up his residence in a monastery he had founded at ,bethlehem4 ,when1 in extreme old age1 he became sensible of the approach of death1 he raised with effort his emaciated limbs1 and1 commanding himself to be carried into the chapel of the monastery1 he received the ,sacrament for the last time from the hands of the priest1 and soon after expired4 ,he died in #dbj1 leaving1 besides his famous translation of the ,scriptures1 numerous controversial writings1 epistles1 and commentaries4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we read in the legendary history of ,st4 ,jerome1 that one evening1 as he sat within the gates of his monastery at ,bethlehem1 a lion entered1 limping1 as in pain2 and all the brethren1 when they saw the lion1 fled in terror3 but ,jerome arose1 and went forward to meet him1 as though he had been a guest4 ,and the lion lifted up his paw1 and ,st4 ,jerome1 on examining it1 found that it was wounded by a thorn1 which he extracted2 and he tended the lion till he was healed4 ,the grateful beast remained with his benefactor1 and ,jerome confided to him the task of guarding an ass which was employed in bringing firewood from the forest4 ,on one occasion1 the lion having gone to sleep while the ass was at pasture1 some merchants passing by carried away the latter2 and the lion1 after searching for him in vain1 returned to the monastery with drooping head1 as one ashamed4 ,st4 ,jerome1 believing that he had devoured his companion1 commanded that the daily task of the ass should be laid upon the lion1 and that the faggots should be bound on his back1 to which he magnanimously submitted1 until the ass was recovered2 which was in this wise4 ,one day1 the lion1 having finished his task1 ran hither and thither1 still seeking his companion2 and he saw a caravan of merchants approaching1 and a string of camels1 which1 according to the ,arabian custom1 were led by an ass2 and when the lion recognised his friend1 he drove the camels into the convent1 and so terrified the merchants1 that they confessed the theft1 and received pardon from ,st4 ,jerome4 ,the introduction of the lion into pictures of ,st4 ,jerome is supposed to refer to this legend2 but in this instance1 as in many others1 the reverse was really the case4 ,the lion was in very ancient times adopted as the symbol befitting ,st4 ,jerome1 from his fervid1 fiery nature1 and his life in the wilderness2 and in later times1 the legend invented to explain the symbol was gradually expanded into the story as given above4 99 99 99 99 99 ,representations of ,st4 ,jerome1 in pictures1 prints1 and sculpture1 are so numerous that it were in vain to attempt to give any detailed account of them1 even of the most remarkable4 ,all1 however1 may be included under the following classification1 and1 according to the descriptions given1 may be easily recognised4 ,the devotional subjects and single figures represent ,st4 ,jerome in one of his three great characters4 #a4 ,as ,patron ,saint and ,doctor of the ,church4 #b4 ,as ,translator and ,commentator of the ,scriptures4 #c4 ,as ,penitent4 ,as ,doctor of the ,church1 and teacher1 he enters into every scheme of decoration1 and finds a place in all sacred buildings4 ,as ,saint and ,penitent1 he is chiefly to be found in the convents and churches of the ,jeronymites1 who claim him as their ,patriarch4 ,when placed before us as the patron saint and father of divinity1 he is usually standing full length1 either habited in the cardinal's robes1 or with the cardinal's hat lying at his feet4 ,it may be necessary to observe1 that there is no historical authority for making ,st4 ,jerome a cardinal4 ,cardinal-priests were not ordained till three centuries later2 but as the other fathers were all of high ecclesiastical rank1 and as ,st4 ,jerome obstinately refused all such distinction1 it has been thought necessary1 for the sake of his dignity1 to make him a cardinal3 another reason may be1 that he performed1 in the court of ,pope ,dalmasius1 those offices since discharged by the cardinal-deacon4 ,in some of the old ,venetian pictures1 instead of the official robes of a cardinal1 he is habited in loose ample red drapery1 part of which is thrown over his head4 ,when represented with his head uncovered1 his forehead is lofty and bald1 his beard is very long1 flowing even to his girdle2 his features fine and sharp1 his nose aquiline4 ,in his hand he holds a book or a scroll1 and frequently the emblematical church1 of which he was the great support and luminary3 and1 to make the application stronger and clearer1 rays of light are seen issuing from the door of the church4 #a4 ,a signal instance of the treatment of ,jerome as patron saint occurs in a fine picture by ,wohlgemuth1 the master of ,albert ,drer4#bec ,it is an altar-piece representing the glorification of the saint1 and consists of three compartments4 ,in the centre1 ,st4 ,jerome stands on a magnificent throne1 and lays his left hand on the head of a lion1 raised up on his hind legs3 the donors of the picture1 a man and a woman1 kneel in front2 on each side are windows opening on a landscape1 wherein various incidents of the life of ,st4 ,jerome are represented2 on the right1 his ,penance in the ,wilderness and his ,landing at ,cyprus2 and on the left1 the merchants who had carried off the ass bring propitiatory gifts1 which the saint rejects1 and other men are seen felling wood and loading the lion4 ,on the inner shutters or wings of the central picture1 are represented1 on the right1 the three other doctors1--,st4 ,augustine1 with the flaming heart2 ,st4 ,ambrose1 with the bee-hive2 both habited as bishops2 and ,st4 ,gregory1 wearing his tiara1 and holding a large book 7his famous ,homilies7 in his hand4 ,on the left1 three apostles with their proper attributes1 ,st4 ,andrew1 ,st4 ,thomas1 and ,st4 ,bartholomew2 on the other side are represented1 to the right1 ,st4 ,henry ,,ii4 holding a church 7the cathedral of ,bamberg71 and a sword1 his proper attributes2 and his wife ,st4 ,cunegunda4#bed ,on the left ,st4 ,elizabeth of ,hungary and ,st4 ,martin4 ,there are besides1 to close in the whole1 two outer doors3 on the inner side1 to the right1 ,st4 ,joseph and ,st4 ,kilian2#bee on the left1 ,st4 ,catherine and ,st4 ,ursula2 and on the exterior of the whole the mass of ,st4 ,gregory1 with various personages and objects connected with the ,passion of ,christ4 ,the whole is about six feet high1 dated #aeaa1 and may bear a comparison1 for elaborate and multifarious detail and exquisite painting1 with the famous ,van ,eyck altar-piece in ,st4 ,john's ,church at ,ghent4#bef #b4 ,in his character of patron1 ,st4 ,jerome is a frequent subject of sculpture4 ,there is a ,gothic figure of him in ,henry the ,seventh's ,chapel1 habited in the cardinal's robes1 the lion fawning upon him4 ,when ,st4 ,jerome is represented in his second great character1 as the translator of the ,scriptures1 he is usually seated in a cave or in a cell1 busied in reading or in writing2 he wears a loose robe thrown over his wasted form2 and either he looks down intent on his book1 or he looks up as if awaiting heavenly inspiration3 sometimes an angel is dictating to him4 99 99 99 99 99 #a4 ,in an old ,italian print1 which ,i have seen1 he is seated on the ground reading1 in spectacles2--an anachronism frequent in the old painters4 ,sometimes he is seated under the shade of a tree2 or within a cavern1 writing at a rude table formed of a stump of a tree1 or a board laid across two fragments of rock2 as in a beautiful picture by ,ghirlandajo1 remarkable for its solemn and tranquil feeling4#beg #b4 ,very celebrated is an engraving of this subject by ,albert ,drer4 ,the scene is the interior of a cell1 at ,bethlehem2 two windows on the left pour across the picture a stream of sunshine1 which is represented with wonderful effect4 ,st4 ,jerome is seen in the background1 seated at a desk1 most intently writing his translation of the ,scriptures2 in front the lion is crouching1 and a fox is seen asleep4 ,these two animals are here emblems2--the one1 of the courage and vigilance1 the other of the wisdom or acuteness1 of the saint4 ,the execution of this print is a miracle of ,art1 and it is very rare4 ,there is an exquisite little picture by ,elzheimer copied from it1 and of the same size1 at ,hampton ,court4 ,i need hardly observe1 that here the rosary and the pot of holy water are anachronisms1 as well as the cardinal's hat4 ,by ,albert ,drer we have also ,st4 ,jerome writing in a cavern2 and ,st4 ,jerome reading in his cell3 both woodcuts4 #c4 ,even more beautiful is a print by ,lucas v4 ,leyden1 in which ,st4 ,jerome is reclining in his cell and reading intently2 the lion licks his foot4 #d4 ,in a picture by ,lucas ,cranach1 ,albert of ,brandenburg1 elector of ,mayence 7#aebg71 is represented in the character of ,st4 ,jerome1 seated in the wilderness1 and writing at a table formed of a plank laid across two stumps of trees3 he is in the cardinal-robes2 and in the foreground a lion1 a hare1 a beaver1 a partridge1 and a hind1 beautifully painted1 express the solitude of his life4 ,in the background the caravan of merchants is seen entering the gate of the monastery1 conducted by the faithful lion4 #e4 ,the little picture by ,domenichino1 in our ,national ,gallery1 represents ,st4 ,jerome looking up from his book1 and listening to the accents of the angel4 #f4 ,in a picture by ,tiarini1#beh it is ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist1 and not an angel1 who dictates while he writes4 #g4 ,in a picture by ,titian1 ,st4 ,jerome1 seated1 holds a book1 and gazes up at a crucifix suspended in the skies2 the lion is drinking at a fountain4 ,out of twenty prints of ,st4 ,jerome after ,titian1 there are at least eight which represent him at study or writing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is in the double character of ,doctor of the ,church1 and translator of the ,scriptures1 that we find ,st4 ,jerome so frequently introduced into pictures of the ,madonna1 and grouped with other saints4 ,two of the most celebrated pictures in the world suggest themselves here as examples3--#a4 #8,the ,madonna della ,pesce' of ,raphael2 where the ,virgin1 seated on a raised throne1 holds the ,infant ,christ in her arms2 on her right hand1 the archangel ,raphael presents the young ,tobias1 who holds the fish1 the emblem of ,christianity or ,baptism4 ,on the other side kneels ,st4 ,jerome1 holding an open book1 his beard sweeping to his girdle2 the lion at his feet2 the ,infant ,christ1 while he bends forward to greet ,tobias1 has one hand upon ,st4 ,jerome's book3 the whole is a beautiful and expressive allegory4#bei #b4 ,correggio's picture1 called #8,the ,st4 ,jerome of ,parma1' represents the ,infant ,christ on the knees of his mother3 ,mary ,magdalene bends to kiss his feet3 ,st4 ,jerome stands in front1 presenting his translation of the ,scriptures4 ,illustration3 #he ,st4 ,jerome doing ,penance 7,titian7 ,the penitent ,st4 ,jerome seems to have been adopted throughout the ,christian ,church as the approved symbol of ,christian penitence1 self-denial1 and self-abasement4 ,no devotional subject1 if we except the #8,madonna and ,child' and the #8,magdalene1' is of such perpetual recurrence4 ,in the treatment it has been infinitely varied4 ,the scene is generally a wild rocky solitude3 ,st4 ,jerome1 half naked1 emaciated1 with matted hair and beard1 is seen on his knees before a crucifix1 beating his breast with a stone4 ,the lion is almost always introduced1 sometimes asleep1 or crouching at his feet2 sometimes keeping guard1 sometimes drinking at a stream4 ,the most magnificent example of this treatment is by ,titian3#bfj ,st4 ,jerome1 kneeling on one knee1 half supported by a craggy rock1 and holding the stone1 looks up with eager devotion to a cross1 artlessly fixed into a cleft in the rock2 two books lie on a cliff behind2 at his feet are a skull and hour-glass2 and the lion reposes in front4 ,the feeling of deep solitude1 and a kind of sacred horror breathed over this picture1 are inconceivably fine and impressive4 ,another by ,titian1 but inferior1 is in the ,louvre2 and there are at least twelve engravings of ,st4 ,jerome doing penance1 after the same painter3 among them a superb landscape1 in which are seen a lion and a lioness prowling in the wilderness1 while the saint is doing penance in the foreground4 ,by ,agostino ,caracci there is a famous engraving of #8,st4 ,jerome doing penance in a cave1' called from its size the great ,st4 ,jerome4 ,but to particularise further would be endless3 ,i know scarcely any ,italian painter since the fifteenth century who has not treated this subject at least once4 ,the ,spanish painters have rendered it with a gloomy power1 and revelled in its mystic significance4 ,in the ,spanish gallery of the ,louvre ,i counted at least twenty ,st4 ,jeromes3 the old ,german painters and engravers also delighted in it1 on account of its picturesque capabilities4 ,albert ,drer represents ,st4 ,jerome kneeling before a crucifix1 which he has suspended against the trunk of a massy tree2 an open book is near it2 he holds in his right hand a flint-stone1 with which he is about to strike his breast1 all wounded and bleeding from the blows already inflicted2 the lion crouches behind him1 and in the distance is a stag4 ,the penitent ,st4 ,jerome is not a good subject for sculpture2 the undraped1 meagre form1 and the abasement of suffering1 are disagreeable in this treatment3 yet such representations are constantly met with in churches4 ,the famous colossal statue by ,torrigiano1 now in the ,museum at ,seville1 represents ,st4 ,jerome kneeling on a rock1 a stone in one hand1 a crucifix in the other4 ,at ,venice1 in the ,frari1 there is a statue of ,st4 ,jerome1 standing1 with the stone in his hand and the lion at his feet2 too majestic for the ,penitent4 ,there are several other statues of ,st4 ,jerome at ,venice1 from the ,liberi and ,lombardi schools1 all fine as statues2 but the penitent saint is idealised into the patron-saint of penitents4 ,when figures of ,st4 ,jerome as penitent are introduced in ,madonna pictures1 or in the ,passion of ,christ1 then such figures are devotional1 and symbolical1 in a general sense1 of ,christian repentance4 ,there is an early picture of the ,crucifixion1 by ,raphael1#bfa in which he has placed ,st4 ,jerome at the foot of the cross1 beating his breast with a stone7#hf74 ,illustration3 #hf ,st4 ,jerome1 as ,penitent1 in a ,crucifixion 7,raphael7 ,the pictures from the life of ,st4 ,jerome comprise a variety of subjects3--#a4 #8,he receives the cardinal's hat from the ,virgin3' sometimes it is the ,infant ,christ1 seated in the lap of the ,virgin1 who presents it to him4 #b4 #8,he disputes with the ,jewish doctors on the truth of the ,christian religion2' in a curious picture by ,juan de ,valdes4#bfb ,he stands on one side of a table in an attitude of authority3 the rabbis1 each of whom has a demon looking over his shoulder1 are searching their books for arguments against him4 #c4 #8,st4 ,jerome1 while studying ,hebrew in the solitude of ,chalcida1 hears in a vision the sound of the last trumpet1 calling men to judgment4' ,this is a common subject1 and styled #8,the ,vision of ,st4 ,jerome4' ,i have met with no example earlier than the fifteenth century4 ,in general he is lying on the ground1 and an angel sounds the trumpet from above4 ,in a composition by ,ribera he holds a pen in one hand and a penknife in the other3 he seems to have been arrested in the very act of mending his pen by the blast of the trumpet3 the figure of the saint1 wasted even to skin and bone1 and his look of petrified amazement1 are very fine1 notwithstanding the commonplace action4 ,in a picture by ,subleyras1 in the ,louvre1 ,st4 ,jerome is gazing upwards1 with an astonished look2 three archangels sound their trumpets from above4 ,in a picture by ,antonio ,pereda1 at ,madrid1 ,st4 ,jerome not only hears in his vision the sound of the last trump1 he sees the dead arise from their graves around him4 ,lastly1 by way of climax1 ,i may mention a picture in the ,louvre1 by a modern ,french painter1 ,sigalon3 ,st4 ,jerome is in a convulsive fit1 and the three angels1 blowing their trumpets in his ears1 are like furies sent to torment and madden the sinner1 rather than to rouse the saint4 99 99 99 99 99 ,while doing penance in the desert1 ,st4 ,jerome was sometimes haunted by temptations1 as well as amazed by terrors4 #d4 ,domenichino1 in one of the frescoes in ,st4 ,onofrio1 represents the particular kind of temptation by which the saint was in imagination assailed3 while he is fervently praying and beating his breast1 a circle of beautiful nymphs1 seen in the background1 weave a graceful dance4 ,vasari has had the bad taste to give us a penitent ,st4 ,jerome with ,venus and ,cupids in the background3 one arch little ,cupid takes aim at him2--an offensive instance of the extent to which1 in the sixteenth century1 classical ideas had mingled with and depraved ,christian ,art4#bfc #e4 ,guido4 #8,st4 ,jerome translating the ,scriptures while an angel dictates3' life size and very fine 7except the angel1 who is weak1 and reminds one of a water-nymph#bfd72 in his pale manner4 99 99 99 99 99 #f4 ,domenichino4 #8,st4 ,jerome is flagellated by an angel for preferring ,cicero to the ,hebrew writings3' also in the ,st4 ,onofrio4 ,the ,cicero1 torn from his hand1 lies at his feet4 ,here the saint is a young man1 and the whole scene is represented as a vision4 #g4 ,but ,st4 ,jerome was comforted by visions of glory1 as well as haunted by terrors and temptations4 ,in the picture by ,parmigiano1 in our ,national ,gallery1 ,st4 ,jerome is sleeping in the background1 while ,st4 ,john the ,baptist points upwards to a celestial vision of the ,virgin and ,child1 seen in the opening heavens above3 the upper part of this picture is beautiful1 and full of dignity2 but the saint is lying stretched on the earth in an attitude so uneasy and distorted1 that it would seem as if he were condemned to do penance even in his sleep2 and the ,st4 ,john has always appeared to me mannered and theatrical4 ,illustration3 #hg ,st4 ,jerome and the ,lion 7,coll' ,antonio da ,fiore7 ,naples #h4 ,the story of the lion is often represented4 ,st4 ,jerome is seated in his cell1 attired in the monk's habit and cowl2 the lion approaches1 and lays his paw upon his knee2 a cardinal's hat and books are lying near him2 and1 to express the self-denial of the saint1 a mouse is peeping into an empty cup 7#hg74bfe ,in another example1 by ,vittore ,carpaccio1 the lion enters the cell1 and three monks1 attendants on ,st4 ,jerome1 flee in terror4 99 99 99 99 99 #i4 ,the ,last ,communion of ,st4 ,jerome is the subject of one of the most celebrated pictures in the world1--the ,st4 ,jerome of ,domenichino1 which has been thought worthy of being placed opposite to the ,transfiguration of ,raphael1 in the ,vatican4 ,the aged saint--feeble1 emaciated1 dying--is borne in the arms of his disciples to the chapel of his monastery1 and placed within the porch4 ,a young priest sustains him2 ,st4 ,paula1 kneeling1 kisses one of his thin bony hands2 the saint fixes his eager eyes on the countenance of the priest1 who is about to administer the sacrament1--a noble dignified figure in a rich ecclesiastical dress2 a deacon holds the cup1 and an attendant priest the book and taper2 the lion droops his head with an expression of grief2 the eyes and attention of all are on the dying saint1 while four angels1 hovering above1 look down upon the scene4 ,agostino ,caracci1 in a grand picture now in the ,bologna ,gallery1 had previously treated the same subject with much feeling and dramatic power3 but here the saint is not so wasted and so feeble2 ,st4 ,paula is not present1 and the lion is tenderly licking his feet4 ,older than either1 and very beautiful and solemn1 is a picture by ,vittore ,carpaccio1 in which the saint is kneeling in the porch of a church1 surrounded by his disciples1 and the lion is seen outside4 #aj4 #8,the ,death of ,st4 ,jerome4' ,in the picture by ,starnina he is giving his last instructions to his disciples1 and the expression of solemn grief in the old heads around is very fine4 ,in a ,spanish picture he is extended on a couch1 made of hurdles1 and expires in the arms of his monks4 ,in a very fine anonymous print1 dated #afad1 ,st4 ,jerome is dying alone in his cell 7this version of the subject is contrary to all authority and precedent73 he presses to his bosom the ,gospel and the crucifix2 the lion looks up in his face roaring1 and angels bear away his soul to heaven4 #aa4 #8,the ,obsequies of ,st4 ,jerome4' ,in the picture by ,vittore ,carpaccio1 the saint is extended on the ground before the high altar1 and the priests around are kneeling in various attitudes of grief or devotion4 ,the lion is seen on one side4#bff 99 99 99 99 99 ,i will mention here some other pictures in which ,st4 ,jerome figures as the principal personage4 ,st4 ,jerome introducing ,charles ,v4 into ,paradise is the subject of a large fresco1 by ,luca ,giordano1 on the staircase of the ,escurial4 ,st4 ,jerome conversing with two nuns1 probably intended for ,st4 ,paula and ,st4 ,marcella4#bfg ,the sleep of ,st4 ,jerome4 ,he is watched by two angels1 one of whom1 with his finger on his lip1 commands silence4#bfh 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is worth remarking1 that in the old ,venetian pictures ,st4 ,jerome does not wear the proper habit and hat of a cardinal1 but an ample scarlet robe1 part of which is thrown over his head as a hood 7#hh74 ,illustration3 #hh ,venetian ,st4 ,jerome 99 99 99 99 99 ,the history of ,st4 ,jerome1 in a series1 is often found in the churches and convents of the ,jeronymites1 and generally consists of the following subjects1 of which the fourth and sixth are often omitted3-- #a4 ,he is baptized4 #b4 ,he receives the cardinal's hat from the ,virgin4 #c4 ,he does penance in the desert1 beating his breast with a stone4 #d4 ,he meets ,st4 ,augustine4 #e4 ,he is studying or writing in a cell4 #f4 ,he builds the convent at ,bethlehem4 #g4 ,he heals the wounded lion4 #h4 ,he receives the ,last ,sacrament4 #i4 ,he dies in the presence of his disciples4 #aj4 ,he is buried4 99 99 99 99 99 ,considering that ,st4 ,jerome has ever been venerated as one of the great lights of the ,church1 it is singular that so few churches are dedicated to him4 ,there is one at ,rome1 erected1 according to tradition1 on the very spot where stood the house of ,santa ,paula1 where she entertained ,st4 ,jerome during his sojourn at ,rome in #chb4 ,for the high altar of this church1 ,domenichino painted his masterpiece of the ,communion of ,st4 ,jerome already described4 ,the embarkation of ,saint ,paula1 to follow her spiritual teacher ,st4 ,jerome to the ,holy ,land1 is the subject of one of ,claude's most beautiful sea pieces1 now in the collection of the ,duke of ,wellington2 another picture of this subject1 the figures as large as life1 is in the ,brera1 by a clever ,cremonese painter1 ,giuseppe ,bottoni4 99 99 99 99 99 ,st4 ,jerome has detained its long2 the other ,fathers are1 as subjects of ,art1 much less interesting4 ,,st4 ,,ambrose4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,ambrosius4 ,ital4 ,sant' ,ambrogio4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,ambroise4 ,ger4 ,der ,heilige ,ambrosius4 ,patron ,saint of ,milan4 7,april #d1 ,a4,d4 #cig47 ,we can hardly imagine a greater contrast than between the stern1 enthusiastic1 dreaming1 ascetic ,jerome1 and the statesman-like1 practical1 somewhat despotic ,,ambrose4 ,this extraordinary man1 in whose person the priestly character assumed an importance and dignity till then unknown1 was the son of a prefect of ,gaul1 bearing the same name1 and was born at ,treves in the year #cdj4 ,it is said that1 when an infant in the cradle1 a swarm of bees alighted on his mouth1 without injuring him4 ,the same story was told of ,plato and of ,archilochus1 and considered prophetic of future eloquence4 ,it is from this circumstance that ,st4 ,ambrose is represented with the bee-hive near him4 ,young ,ambrose1 after pursuing his studies at ,rome with success1 was appointed prefect of milia and ,liguria 7,piedmont and ,genoa71 and took up his residence at ,milan4 ,shortly afterwards the ,bishop of ,milan died1 and the succession was hotly disputed between the ,catholics and the ,arians4 ,ambrose appeared in his character of prefect1 to allay the tumult2 he harangued the people with such persuasive eloquence that they were hushed into respectful silence2 and in the midst a child's voice was heard to exclaim1 #8,ambrose shall be bishop6' ,the multitude took up the cry as though it had been a voice from heaven1 and compelled him to assume the sacred office4 ,he attempted to avoid the honour thus laid upon him by flight1 by entreaties1--pleading that1 though a professed ,christian1 he had never been baptized3 in vain6 the command of the emperor enforced the wishes of the people2 and ,ambrose1 being baptized1 was1 within eight days afterwards1 consecrated bishop of ,milan4 ,he has since been regarded as the patron saint of that city4 ,he began by distributing all his worldly goods to the poor2 he then set himself to study the sacred writings1 and to render himself in all respects worthy of his high dignity4 #8,the ,old and the ,new ,testament1' says ,mr4 ,milman1 #8met in the person of ,ambrose3 the implacable hostility to idolatry1 the abhorrence of every deviation from the established formulary of belief2--the wise and courageous benevolence1 the generous and unselfish devotion to the great interests of humanity4' ,he was memorable for the grandeur and magnificence with which he invested the ceremonies of worship2 they had never been so imposing4 ,he particularly cultivated music1 and introduced from the ,east the manner of chanting the service since called the ,ambrosian chant4 99 99 99 99 99 ,two things were especially remarkable in the life and character of ,st4 ,ambrose4 ,the first was the enthusiasm with which he advocated celibacy in both sexes3 on this topic1 as we are assured1 he was so persuasive1 that mothers shut up their daughters lest they should be seduced by their eloquent bishop into vows of chastity4 ,the other was his determination to set the ecclesiastical above the sovereign or civil power3 this principle1 so abused in later times1 was in the days of ,ambrose the assertion of the might of ,christianity1 of mercy1 of justice1 of freedom1 over heathenism1 tyranny1 cruelty1 slavery4 ,the dignity with which he refused to hold any communication with the ,emperor ,maximus1 because he was stained with the blood of ,gratian1 and his resolute opposition to the ,empress ,justina1 who interfered with his sacerdotal privileges1 were two instances of this spirit4 ,but the most celebrated incident of his life is his conduct with regard to the ,emperor ,theodosius1 the last great emperor of ,rome2--a man of an iron will1 a despot1 and a warrior4 ,that he should bend in trembling submission at the feet of an unarmed priest1 and shrink before his rebuke1 filled the whole world with an awful idea of the supremacy of the ,church1 and prepared the way for the ,hildebrands1 the ,perettis1 the ,caraffas of later times4 ,with regard to ,st4 ,ambrose1 this assumption of moral power1 this high prerogative of the priesthood1 had hitherto been without precedent1 and in this its first application it certainly commands our respect1 our admiration1 and our sympathy4 ,theodosius1 with all his great qualities1 was subject to fits of violent passion4 ,a sedition1 or rather a popular affray1 had taken place in ,thessalonica2 one of his officers was ill-treated1 and some lives lost4 ,theodosius1 in the first moment of indignation1 ordered an indiscriminate massacre of the inhabitants1 and seven thousand human beings--men1 women1 and children--were sacrificed4 ,the conduct of ,ambrose on this occasion was worthy of a ,christian prelate3 he retired from the presence of the emperor1 and wrote to him a letter1 in which1 in the name of ,christ1 of his ,church1 and of all the bishops over whom he had any influence1 he denounced this inhuman act with the strongest expressions of abhorrence1 and refused to allow the sovereign1 thus stained with innocent blood1 to participate in the sacraments of the ,church2--in fact1 excommunicated him4 ,in vain the emperor threatened1 supplicated2 in vain he appeared with all his imperial state before the doors of the cathedral of ,milan1 and commanded and entreated entrance4 ,the doors were closed2 and even on ,christmas-day1 when he again as a suppliant presented himself1 ,ambrose appeared at the porch1 and absolutely forbade his entrance1 unless he should choose to pass into the sanctuary over the dead body of the intrepid bishop4 ,at length1 after eight months of interdict1 ,ambrose consented to relent1 on two conditions3 the first1 that the emperor should publish an edict by which no capital punishment could be executed till thirty days after conviction of a crime2 the second1 that he should perform a public penance4 ,the emperor submitted2 and1 clothed in sackcloth1 grovelling on the earth1 with dust and ashes on his head1 lay the master of the world before the altar of ,christ1 because of innocent blood hastily and wrongfully shed4 ,this was a great triumph1 and one of incalculable results--some evil1 some good4 ,another incident in the life of ,st4 ,ambrose should be recorded to his honour4 ,in his time1 #8the first blood was judicially shed for religious opinion'--and the first man who suffered for heresy was ,priscilian1 a noble ,spaniard3 on this occasion1 ,st4 ,ambrose and ,st4 ,martin of ,tours raised their protest in the name of ,christianity against this dreadful precedent2 but the animosity of the ,spanish bishops prevailed1 and ,priscilian was put to death2 so early were bigotry and cruelty the characteristics of the ,spanish hierarchy6 ,ambrose refused to communicate with the few bishops who had countenanced this transaction3 the general voice of the ,church was against it4 ,the man who had thus raised himself above all worldly power was endued by popular enthusiasm with supernatural privileges3 he performed cures2 he saw visions4 ,at the time of the consecration of the new cathedral at ,milan1 a miraculous dream revealed to him the martyrdom of two holy men1 ,gervasius and ,protasius1 and the place where their bodies reposed4 ,the remains were disinterred1 conveyed in solemn procession to the cathedral1 and deposited beneath the high altar2 and ,st4 ,gervasius and ,st4 ,protasius became1 on the faith of a dream1 distinguished saints in the ,roman calendar4 ,ambrose died at ,milan1 in #cig1 in the attitude and the act of prayer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there were many poetical legends and apologues relating to ,st4 ,ambrose current in the middle ages4 ,it is related that an obstinate heretic who went to hear him preach1 only to confute and mock him1 beheld an angel visible at his side1 and prompting the words he uttered2 on seeing which1 the scoffer was of course converted2 a subject represented in his church at ,milan4 ,one day1 ,ambrose went to the prefect ,macedonius1 to entreat favour for a poor condemned wretch2 but the doors were shut against him1 and he was refused access4 ,then he said1 #8,thou1 even thou1 shalt fly to the church for refuge1 and shalt not enter6' and a short time afterwards1 ,macedonius1 being pursued by his enemies1 fled for sanctuary to the church2 but1 though the doors were wide open1 he could not find the entrance1 but wandered around in blind perplexity till he was slain4 ,of this incident ,i have seen no picture4 ,on another occasion1 ,st4 ,ambrose1 coming to the house of a nobleman of ,tuscany1 was hospitably received2 and he inquired concerning the state of his host3 the nobleman replied1 #8,i have never known adversity2 every day hath seen me increasing in fortune1 in honours1 in possessions4 ,i have a numerous family of sons and daughters1 who have never cost me a pang of sorrow2 ,i have a multitude of slaves1 to whom my word is law2 and ,i have never suffered either sickness or pain4' ,then ,ambrose rose hastily from table1 and said to his companions1 #8,arise6 fly from this roof1 ere it fall upon us2 for the ,lord is not here6' and scarcely had he left the house1 when an earthquake shook the ground1 and swallowed up the palace with all its inhabitants4 ,i have seen this story in a miniature1 but cannot at this moment refer to it4 ,st4 ,ambrose falls asleep1 or into a trance1 while celebrating mass1 and sees in the spirit the obsequies of ,st4 ,martin of ,tours3 the sacristan strikes him on the shoulder to wake him4 ,this is the subject of a very old mosaic in his church at ,milan4 ,when ,st4 ,ambrose was on his death-bed1 ,christ visited him and comforted him2 ,honorat1 bishop of ,vercelli1 was then in attendance on him1 and having gone to sleep1 an angel waked him1 saying1 #8,arise1 for he departs in this hour2' and ,honorat was just in time to administer the sacrament and see him expire4 ,others who were present beheld him ascend to heaven1 borne in the arms of angels4 99 99 99 99 99 ,devotional pictures of ,st4 ,ambrose alone as patron saint do not often occur4 ,in general he wears the episcopal pallium with the mitre and crosier as bishop3 the bee-hive is sometimes placed at his feet2 but a more frequent attribute is the knotted scourge with three thongs4 ,the scourge is a received emblem of the castigation of sin3 in the hand of ,st4 ,ambrose it may signify the penance inflicted on the ,emperor ,theodosius2 or1 as others interpret it1 the expulsion of the ,arians from ,italy1 and the triumph of the ,trinitarians4 ,it has always this meaning1 we may presume1 when the scourge has three knots1 or three thongs4 ,i have seen figures of ,st4 ,ambrose holding two human bones in his hand4 ,when this attribute occurs 7as in a picture by ,vivarini1 ,venice ,acad471 it alludes to the discovery of the relics of ,gervasius and ,protasius4 ,among the few representations of ,st4 ,ambrose as patron saint1 the finest beyond all comparison is that which adorns his chapel in the ,frari at ,venice1 painted conjointly by ,b4 ,vivarini and ,basaiti 7,a4,d4 #adih74 ,he is seated on a throne1 raised on several steps1 attired in his episcopal robes and mitre1 and bearing the triple scourge in his hand4 ,he has a short grey beard1 and looks straight out of the picture with an expression of stern power2--nothing here of the benignity and humility of the ,christian teacher6 ,around his throne stands a glorious company of saints3 on the right1 ,st4 ,george in complete armour2 ,st4 ,john the ,baptist2 a young saint1 bearing a sword and palm1 with long hair1 and the most beautiful expression of mild serene faith1 whom ,i suppose to be ,st4 ,theodore2 ,st4 ,sebastian2 and another figure behind1 part of the head only seen4 ,on the left1 ,st4 ,maurice1 armed2 the three ,doctors1 ,st4 ,gregory1 ,st4 ,augustine1 ,st4 ,jerome1 and two other saints partly seen behind1 whose personality is doubtful4 ,all these wait round ,st4 ,ambrose1 as guards and counsellors round a sovereign2 two lovely little angels sit on the lower step of the throne hymning his praise4 ,the whole picture is wonderful for colour1 depth1 and expression1 and shows to what a pitch of excellence the ,vivarini family had attained in these characteristics of the ,venetian school1 long before it had become a school4 ,most of the single figures of ,st4 ,ambrose represent him in his most popular character1 that of the stern adversary of the ,arians4 ,i remember 7in the ,frari at ,venice7 a picture in which ,st4 ,ambrose in his episcopal robes is mounted on a white charger1 and flourishing on high his triple scourge4 ,the ,arians are trampled under his feet1 or fly before him4 ,i have seen an old print1 in which he is represented with a short grey beard1 stern countenance1 and wearing the bishop's mitre3 underneath is the inscription #8,antiquis ejus imaginibus ,mediolani olim depictis ad vivum expressa2' but it seems certain that no authentic portrait of him exists4 ,his church at ,milan1 the ,basilica of ,sant' ,ambrogio ,maggiore1 one of the oldest and most interesting churches in ,christendom1 was founded by him in #chg1 and dedicated to all the ,saints4 ,though rebuilt in the ninth century and restored in the seventeenth1 it still retains the form of the primitive ,christian churches 7like some of those at ,rome and ,ravenna71 and the doors of cypress wood are traditionally regarded as the very doors which ,st4 ,ambrose closed against the ,emperor ,theodosius1 brought hither from the ancient cathedral4 ,within this venerable and solemn old church may be seen one of the most extraordinary and best-preserved specimens of ,medival ,art3 it is the golden shrine or covering of the high altar1 much older than the famous pala d' oro at ,venice2 and the work1 or at least the design1 of one man3#bfi whereas the pala is the work of several different artists at different periods4 ,on the front of the altar1 which is all of plates of gold1 enamelled and set with precious stones1 are represented in relief scenes from the life of our ,saviour3 on the sides1 which are of silver-gilt1 angels1 archangels1 and medallions of ,milanese saints4 ,on the back1 also of silver-gilt1 we have the whole life of ,st4 ,ambrose1 in a series of small compartments1 most curious and important as a record of costume and manners1 as well as an example of the state of ,art at that time4 ,i have never seen any engraving of this monument1 but ,i examined it carefully4 ,in the centre stand the ,archangels ,michael and ,gabriel1 in the ,byzantine style2 and below them1 ,st4 ,ambrose blesses the donor1 ,bishop ,angelbertus1 and the goldsmith ,wolvinus4 ,around1 in twelve compartments1 we have the principal incidents of the life of ,st4 ,ambrose1 the figures being1 as nearly as ,i can recollect1 about six inches high4 #a4 ,bees swarm round his head as he lies in his cradle4 #b4 ,he is appointed prefect of the ,ligurian provinces4 #c4 ,he is elected ,bishop of ,milan in #cge4 #d4 ,he is baptized4 #e4 ,he is ordained4 #f4 and #g4 ,he sleeps1 and beholds in a vision the obsequies of ,st4 ,martin of ,tours4 #h4 ,he preaches in the cathedral1 inspired by angels4 #i4 ,he heals the sick and lame4 #aj4 ,he is visited by ,christ4 #aa4 ,an angel wakes the bishop of ,vercelli1 and sends him to ,st4 ,ambrose4 #ab4 ,ambrose dies1 and angels bear away his soul to heaven4 ,i was surprised not to find in his church what we consider as the principal event of his life--his magnanimous resistance to the ,emperor ,theodosius4 ,in fact1 the grand scene between ,ambrose and ,theodosius has never been so popular as it deserves to be3 considered merely as a subject of painting1 it is full of splendid picturesque capabilities2 for grouping1 colour1 contrast1 background1 all that could be desired4 ,in the great picture by ,rubens1#bgj the scene is the porch of the church4 ,on the left the emperor1 surrounded by his guards1 stands irresolute1 and in a supplicatory attitude1 on the steps2 on the right and above1 ,st4 ,ambrose is seen1 attended by the ministering priests1 and stretches out his hand to repel the intruder4 ,there is a print1 after ,andrea del ,sarto1 representing ,theodosius on his knees before the relenting prelate4 ,in the ,louvre is a small picture1 by ,subleyras1 of the reconciliation of ,ambrose and ,theodosius4 ,in our ,national ,gallery is a small and beautiful copy1 by ,vandyck1 of the great picture by ,rubens4 ,as joint patrons of ,milan1 ,st4 ,ambrose and ,st4 ,carlo ,borromeo are sometimes represented together1 but only in late pictures4 ,there is a statue of ,st4 ,ambrose1 by ,falconet1#bga in the act of repelling ,theodosius1 which is mentioned by ,diderot1 with a commentary so characteristic of the ,french anti-religious feeling of that time1--a feeling as narrow and one-sided in its way as the most bigoted puritanism1--that ,i am tempted to extract it2 only premising1 that if1 after the slaughter at ,ismal1 ,catherine of ,russia had been placed under the ban of ,christendom1 the world would not have been the worse for such an exertion of the priestly power4 ,c'est ce fougneux vque qui osa fermer les portes de l'glise a ,thodose1 et qui un certain souverain de par le monde ,frederic of ,prussia qui dans la guerre passe avoit une si bonne envie de faire un tour dans la rue des prtres1 et une certaine souveraine ,catherine of ,russia qui vient de dbarrasser son clerg de toute cette richesse inutile qui l'empchoit d'tre respectable1 auroient fait couper la barbe et les oreilles1 en lui disant3 #8,apprenez1 monsieur l'abb1 que le temple de votre ,dieu est sur mon domain1 et que si mon prdcesseur vous a accord par grce les trois arpens de terrain qu'il occupe1 je puis les reprendre et vous envoyer porter vos autels et votre fanatisme ailleurs4 ,ce lieu-ci est la maison du ,pre commun des hommes1 bons ou mchans1 et je veux entrer quand il me plaira4 ,je ne m'accuse point vous2 quand je daignerois vous consulter1 vous n'en savez pas assez pour me conseiller sur ma conduite1 et de quel front vous immiscez-veus d'en juger8' ,mais le plat empereur ne parla pas ainsi1 et l'vque savoit bien qui il avoit faire4 ,le statuaire nous l'a montr dans le moment de son insolent apostrophe4' ,in ,diderot's criticisms on ,art1 which are often quoted even now1 there is in general a far better taste than prevailed in his time1 and much good sense2 but a low tone of sentiment when he had to deal with imaginative or religious ,art1 and an intolerable coarseness--#8most mischievous foul sin in chiding sin4' ,,st4 ,,augustine4 ,st4 ,austin4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,augustinus4 ,ital4 ,sant' ,agostino4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,augustin4 7,aug4 #bh1 ,a4,d4 #dcj47 ,st4 ,augustine1 the third of the ,doctors of the ,church1 was born at ,tagaste1 in ,numidia1 in #ced4 ,his father was a heathen2 his mother1 ,monica1 a ,christian4 ,endowed with splendid talents1 a vivid imagination1 and strong passions1 ,augustine passed his restless youth in dissipated pleasures1 in desultory studies1 changing from one faith to another1 dissatisfied with himself and unsettled in mind4 ,his mother1 ,monica1 wept and prayed for him1 and1 in the extremity of her anguish1 repaired to the bishop of ,carthage4 ,after listening to her sorrows1 he dismissed her with these words3 #8,go in peace2 the son of so many tears will not perish6' ,augustine soon afterwards went to ,rome1 where he gained fame and riches by his eloquence at the bar2 but he was still unhappy and restless1 nowhere finding peace either in labour or in pleasure4 ,from ,rome he went to ,milan2 there1 after listening for some time to the preaching of ,ambrose1 he was1 after many struggles1 converted to the faith1 and was baptized by the bishop of ,milan1 in presence of his mother1 ,monica4 ,on this occasion was composed the hymn called the #8,te ,deum1' still in use in our ,church2 ,st4 ,ambrose and ,st4 ,augustine reciting the verses alternately as they advanced to the altar4 ,augustine1 after some time spent in study1 was ordained priest1 and then bishop of ,hippo1 a small town and territory not far from ,carthage4 ,once installed in his bishopric1 he ever afterwards refused to leave the flock intrusted to his care1 or to accept of any higher dignity4 ,his life was passed in the practice of every virtue3 all that he possessed was spent in hospitality and charity1 and his time was devoted to the instruction of his flock1 either by preaching or writing4 ,in #dcj1 after he had presided over his diocese for thirty-five years1 the city of ,hippo was besieged by the ,vandals2 in the midst of the horrors that ensued1 ,augustine refused to leave his people1 and died during the siege1 being then in his seventy-sixth year4 ,it is said that his remains were afterwards removed from ,africa to ,pavia1 by ,luitprand1 king of the ,lombards4 ,his writings in defence of ,christianity are numerous and celebrated2 and he is regarded as the patron saint of theologians and learned men4 ,of his glorious tomb1 in the ,cathedral of ,pavia1 ,i can only say that its beauty as a work of art astonished me4 ,i had not been prepared for anything so rich1 so elegant in taste1 and so elaborate in invention4 ,it is of the finest florid ,gothic1 worked in white marble1 scarcely discoloured by time4 ,augustine lies upon a bier1 and angels of exquisite grace are folding his shroud around him4 ,the basso-relievos represent the events of his life2 the statues of the evangelists1 apostles1 and other saints connected with the history of the ,church1 are full of dignity and character4 ,it comprises in all #bij figures4 ,this magnificent shrine is attributed by ,cicognara to the ,jacobelli of ,venice1 and by ,vasari to the two brothers ,agostino and ,agnolo of ,siena2 but he does not speak with certainty1 and the date #acfb seems to justify the supposition of ,cicognara1 the ,sienese brothers being then eighty or ninety years old4 ,single figures of ,st4 ,augustine are not common2 and when grouped with others in devotional pictures1 it is not easy to distinguish him from other bishops2 for his proper attribute1 the heart flaming or transpierced1 to express the ardour of his piety or the poignancy of his repentance1 is very seldom introduced3 but when a bishop is standing with a book in his hand1 or a pen1 accompanied by ,st4 ,jerome1 and with no particular attribute1 we may suppose it to be ,st4 ,augustine2 and when the title of one of his famous writings is inscribed on the book1 it of course fixes the identity beyond a doubt4 #a4 ,b4 ,vivarini4 ,st4 ,augustine seated on a throne1 as patron saint1 mitred and robed2 alone1 stern1 and majestic4#bgb #b4 ,dosso ,dossi4 ,st4 ,augustine throned as patron1 attended by two angels2 he looks like a jovial patriarch4#bgc #c4 ,f4 ,filippo ,lippi4 ,st4 ,augustine writing in his chamber2 no emblem1 no mitre2 yet the personalit so marked1 that one could not mistake him either for ,ambrose or ,jerome4#bgd #d4 ,andrea del ,sarto4 ,st4 ,augustine as doctor2 before him stand ,st4 ,dominic and ,st4 ,peter ,martyr2 beside him ,st4 ,laurence1 listening2 in front kneel ,st4 ,sebastian and ,mary ,magdalen4#bge #e4 ,v4 ,carpaccio4 ,st4 ,augustine standing2 a fine1 stern1 majestic figure2 he holds his book and scourge4#bgf #f4 ,paris ,bordone4 ,the ,virgin and ,child enthroned2 the ,virgin places on the head of ,st4 ,augustine1 who kneels before her1 the jewelled mitre4#bgg #g4 ,florigerio4 ,st4 ,augustine1 as bishop1 and ,st4 ,monica1 veiled1 stand on each side of the ,madonna4#bgh 99 99 99 99 99 ,as a series of subjects1 the history of ,st4 ,augustine is not commonly met with2 yet certain events in his life are of very frequent occurrence4 ,i shall begin with the earliest4 #a4 ,monica brings her son to school2 the master receives him2 the scholars are sitting in a row conning their hornbooks4 ,the names of ,monica and ,augustine are inscribed in the glories round their heads4 ,this is a very curious little oval picture of the early part of the fourteenth century4#bgi ,benozzo ,gozzoli has painted the same subject in a large fresco in the church of ,san ,geminiano at ,volterra 7,a4,d4 #adfj74 ,monica presents her son to the schoolmaster1 who caresses him2 in the background a little boy is being whipped1 precisely in the same attitude in which correction is administered to this day in some of our schools4 #b4 ,st4 ,augustine under the fig-tree meditating1 with the inscription1 #8,dolores anim salutem parturientes2' and the same subject varied1 with the inscription1 ,tolle1 lege4 ,he tells us in his ,confessions1 that while still unconverted and in deep communion with his friend ,alypius on the subject of the ,scriptures1 the contest within his mind was such that he rushed from the presence of his friend and threw himself down beneath a fig-tree1 pouring forth torrents of repentant tears2 and he heard a voice1 as it were the voice of a child1 repeating several times1 #8,tolle1 lege1' #8,take and read2' and returning to the place where he had left his friend1 and taking up the sacred volume1 he opened it at the verse of ,st4 ,paul's ,epistle to the ,romans1 #8,not in rioting and drunkenness1 not in chambering and wantonness1 not in strife and envying2 but put ye on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and make not provision for the flesh4' ,considering that this was the voice of ,god1 he took up the religious profession1 to the great joy of his mother and his friend4 #c4 ,c4 ,procaccino4 ,the ,baptism of ,st4 ,augustine in the presence of ,st4 ,monica4 ,this is a common subject in chapels dedicated to ,st4 ,augustine or ,st4 ,monica4#bhj #d4 ,as the supposed founder of one of the four great religious communities1 ,st4 ,augustine is sometimes represented as giving the rules to his ,order3 or in the act of writing them1 while his monks stand around1 as in a picture by ,carletto ,cagliari3#bha both are common subjects in the houses of the ,augustine friars4 ,the habit is black4#bhb #e4 ,st4 ,augustine dispensing alms1 generally in a black habit1 and with a bishop's mitre on his head4 #f4 ,st4 ,augustine1 washing the feet of the pilgrims1 sees ,christ descend from above to have his feet washed with the rest2 a large picture in the ,bologna ,academy by ,desubleo1 a painter whose works1 with this one exception1 are unknown to me4 ,the saint wears the black habit of an ,augustine friar1 and is attended by a monk with a napkin in his hand4 ,i found the same subject in the ,louvre1 in a ,spanish picture of the seventeenth century2 above is seen a church 7like the ,pantheon7 in a glory1 and ,christ is supposed to utter the words1 #8,tibi commendo ,ecclesiam meam4'#bhc #g4 ,st4 ,augustine1 borne aloft by angels in an ecstatic vision1 beholds ,christ in the opening heavens above1 ,st4 ,monica kneeling below4 ,this fine picture1 by ,vandyck1 is or was in the gallery of ,lord ,methuen at ,corsham3 and at ,madrid there is another example1 by ,murillo3 ,st4 ,augustine kneeling in an ecstasy sees a celestial vision2 on one hand the ,saviour crucified1 on the other the ,virgin and angels4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 #hi ,the ,vision of ,st4 ,augustine 7,murillo7 ,this1 however1 is not the famous subject called1 in general1 #h4 #8,the ,vision of ,st4 ,augustine1' which represents a dream or vision related by himself4 ,he tells us that while busied in writing his ,discourse on the ,trinity1 he wandered along the sea-shore lost in meditation4 ,suddenly he beheld a child1 who1 having dug a hole in the sand1 appeared to be bringing water from the sea to fill it4 ,augustine inquired what was the object of his task8 ,he replied1 that he intended to empty into this cavity all the waters of the great deep4 #8,impossible6' exclaimed ,augustine4 #8,not more impossible1' replied the child1 #8than for thee1 ,o ,augustine6 to explain the mystery on which thou art now meditating4' ,no subject from the history of ,st4 ,augustine has been so often treated1 yet ,i do not remember any very early example4 ,it was adopted as a favourite theme when ,art became rather theological than religious1 and more intent on illustrating the dogmas of churchmen than the teaching of ,christ4 ,during the #afth and #agth centuries we find it everywhere1 and treated in every variety of style2 but the motif does not vary1 and the same fault prevails too generally1 of giving us a material fact1 rather than a spiritual vision or revelation4 ,augustine1 arrayed in his black habit or his episcopal robes1 stands on the sea-shore1 gazing with an astonished air on the ,infant ,christ1 who pauses1 and looks up from his task1 holding a bowl1 a cup1 a ladle1 or a shell in his hand4 ,thus we have it in ,murillo's picture--the most beautiful example ,i have seen3 the child is heavenly1 but not visionary1 #8palpable to feeling as to sense4' ,in ,garofalo's picture of this subject1 now in our ,national ,gallery1 ,augustine is seated on a rock by the margin of the sea1 habited in his episcopal robes1 and with his books and writing implements near him2 and while he gazes on the mysterious child1 the ,virgin appears amid a choir of angels above3 behind ,augustine stands ,st4 ,catherine1 the patron saint of theologians and scholars3 the little red figure in the background represents ,st4 ,stephen1 whose life and actions are eloquently set forth in the homilies of ,st4 ,augustine3 the introduction of ,st4 ,catherine1 ,st4 ,stephen1 and the whole court of heaven1 gives the picture a visionary character4 ,rubens has painted this subject with all his powerful reality3 here ,augustine wears the black habit of his ,order4 ,vandyck in his large grand picture has introduced ,st4 ,monica kneeling1 thus giving at once the devotional or visionary character4#bhd ,albert ,drer has designed and engraved the same subject4 ,the most singular treatment is the classical composition of ,raphael1 in one of the small chiaro-scuro pictures placed significantly under the #8,dispute of the ,sacrament4' ,st4 ,augustine is in a ,roman dress1 bare-beaded1 and on horseback2 his horse starts and rears at the sight of the miraculous child4 ,there is something at once picturesque and mystical in this subject1 which has rendered it a favourite with artists and theologians2 yet there is always1 at least in every instance ,i can recollect1 something prosaic and literal in the treatment which spoils the poetry of the conception4 #i4 #8,st4 ,augustine and ,st4 ,stephen bury #8,count ,orgaz'--the masterpiece of ,domenico el ,greco1 once in the ,cathedral of ,toledo1 now in the ,madrid ,gallery4 ,this ,conde de ,orgaz1 as ,mr4 ,ford tells us in his ,handbook1 lived in #acab1 and had repaired a church in his lifetime1 and therefore ,st4 ,stephen and ,st4 ,augustine came down from heaven to lay him in his tomb1 in presence of ,christ1 the ,virgin1 and all the court of heaven4 #8,the black and gold armour of the dead ,count is equal to ,titian2 the red brocades and copes of the saints are admirable2 less good are the ,virgin and celestial groups4 ,i have before mentioned the reason why ,st4 ,augustine and ,st4 ,stephen are often represented in companionship4 ,st4 ,monica is often introduced into pictures of her son1 where she has1 of course1 the secondary place2 her dress is usually a black robe1 and a veil or coif1 white or grey1 resembling that of a nun or a widow4 ,i have met with but one picture where she is supreme2 it is in the ,carmine at ,florence4 ,st4 ,monica is seated on a throne and attended by twelve holy women or female saints1 six on each side4 ,the very dark situation of this picture prevented me from distinguishing individually the saints around her1 but ,monica herself as well as the other figures have that grandiose air which belongs to the painter--,filippo ,lippi4 ,i saw in the atelier of the painter ,ary ,scheffer1 in #ahde1 an admirable picture of ,st4 ,augustine and his mother ,monica4 ,the two figures1 not quite full length1 are seated2 she holds his hand in both hers1 looking up to heaven with an expression of enthusiastic undoubting faith2-- #8the son of so many tears cannot be cast away6' ,he also is looking up with an ardent1 eager1 but anxious1 doubtful expression1 which seems to say1 #8,help thou my unbelief6' ,for profound and truthful feeling and significance1 ,i know few things in the compass of modern ,art that can be compared to this picture4#bhe ,,st4 ,,gregory4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,gregorius ,magnus4 ,ital4 ,san ,gregorio ,magno or ,papa4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,grgoire4 ,ger4 ,der ,heilige ,gregor4 7,march #ab1 ,a4,d4 #fjd47 ,the fourth ,doctor of the ,latin ,church1 ,st4 ,gregory1 styled1 and not without reason1 ,gregory the ,great1 was one of those extraordinary men whose influence is not only felt in their own time1 but through long succeeding ages4 ,the events of his troubled and splendid pontificate belong to history2 and ,i shall merely throw together here such particulars of his life and character as may serve to render the multiplied representations of him both intelligible and interesting4 ,he was born at ,rome in the year #edj4 ,his father1 ,gordian1 was of senatorial rank3 his mother1 ,sylvia1 who1 in the history of ,st4 ,gregory1 is almost as important as ,st4 ,monica in the story of ,st4 ,augustine1 was a woman of rare endowments1 and1 during his childish years1 the watchful instructress of her son4 ,it is recorded that when he was still an infant she was favoured by a vision of ,st4 ,antony1 in which he promised to her son the supreme dignity of the tiara4 ,gregory1 however1 commenced his career in life as a lawyer1 and exercised during twelve years the office of prtor or chief magistrate of his native city2 yet1 while apparently engrossed by secular affairs1 he became deeply imbued with the religious enthusiasm which was characteristic of his time and hereditary in his family4 ,immediately on the death of his father he devoted all the wealth he had inherited to pious and charitable purposes1 converted his paternal home on the ,celian ,hill into a monastery and hospital for the poor1 which he dedicated to ,st4 ,andrew3 then1 retiring to a little cell within it1 he took the habit of the ,benedictine ,order1 and gave up all his time to study and preparation for the duties to which he had devoted himself4 ,on the occasion of a terrific plague which almost depopulated ,rome1 he fearlessly undertook the care of the poor and sick4 ,pope ,pelagius having died at this time1 the people with one voice called upon ,gregory to succeed him3 but he shrank from the high office1 and wrote to the ,emperor ,maurice1 entreating him not to ratify the choice of the people4 ,the emperor sent an edict confirming his election1 and thereupon ,gregory fled from ,rome1 and bid himself in a cave4 ,those who went in search of him were directed to the place of his concealment by a celestial light1 and the fugitive was discovered and brought back to ,rome4 ,no sooner had he assumed the tiara1 thus forced upon him against his will1 than he showed himself in all respects worthy of his elevation4 ,while he asserted the dignity of his station1 he was distinguished by his personal humility3 he was the first pope who took the title of #8,servant of the ,servants of ,god2' he abolished slavery throughout ,christendom on religious grounds2 though enthusiastic in making converts1 he set himself against persecution2 and when the ,jews of ,sardinia appealed to him1 he commanded that the synagogues which had been taken from them1 and converted into churches1 should be restored4 ,he was the first who sent missionaries to preach the ,gospel in ,england1 roused to pity by the sight of some ,british captives exposed for sale in the market at ,rome4 ,shocked at the idea of an eternity of vengeance and torment1 if he did not originate the belief in purgatory1 he was at least the first who preached it publicly1 and made it an article of faith4 ,in his hatred of war1 of persecution1 of slavery1 he stepped not only in advance of his own time1 but of ours4 ,he instituted the celibacy of the clergy1 one of the boldest strokes of ecclesiastical power2 he reformed the services of the ,church2 defined the model of the ,roman liturgy1 such as it has ever since remained--the offices of the priests1 the variety and change of the sacerdotal garments2 he arranged the music of the chants1 and he himself trained the choristers4 #8,experience1' says ,gibbon1 #8had shown him the efficacy of these solemn and pompous rites to soothe the distress1 to confirm the faith1 to mitigate the fierceness1 and to dispel the dark enthusiasm of the vulgar2 and he readily forgave their tendency to promote the reign of priesthood and superstition4' ,if1 at a period when credulity and ignorance were universal1 he showed himself in some instances credulous and ignorant1 it seems hardly a reproach to one in other respects so good and so great4 ,his charity was boundless1 and his vigilance indefatigable3 he considered himself responsible for every sheep of the flock intrusted to him2 and when a beggar died of hunger in the streets of ,rome1 he laid himself under a sentence of penance and excommunication1 and interdicted himself for several days from the exercise of his sacerdotal functions4 ,such was ,st4 ,gregory the ,great1 the last pope who was canonised3 celestial honours and worldly titles have often been worse--seldom so well--bestowed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,during the last two years of his life1 his health1 early impaired by fasts and vigils1 failed entirely1 and he was unable to rise from his couch4 ,he died in #fjd1 in the fourteenth year of his pontificate4 ,they still preserve1 in the church of the ,lateran at ,rome1 his bed1 and the little scourge with which he was wont to keep the choristers in order4 ,the monastery of ,st4 ,andrew1 which he founded on the ,celian ,hill1 is now the church of ,san ,gregorio4 ,to stand on the summit of the majestic flight of steps which leads to the portal1 and look across to the ruined palace of the ,csars1 makes the mind giddy with the rush of thoughts4 ,there1 before us1 the ,palatine ,hill--pagan ,rome in dust3 here1 the little cell1 a few feet square1 where slept in sackcloth the man who gave the last blow to the power of the ,csars1 and first set his foot as sovereign on the cradle and capital of their greatness4 ,st4 ,gregory was in person tall and corpulent1 and of a dark complexion1 with black hair1 and very little beard4 ,he speaks in one of his epistles of his large size1 contrasted with his weakness and painful infirmities4 ,he presented to the monastery of ,st4 ,andrew his own portrait1 and those of his father1 and his mother ,st4 ,sylvia3 they were still in existence #cjj years after his death1 and the portrait of ,gregory probably furnished that particular type of physiognomy which we trace in all the best representations of him1 in which he appears of a tall1 large1 and dignified person1 with a broad full face1 black hair and eyebrows1 and little or no beard4 ,as he was1 next to ,st4 ,jerome1 the most popular of the ,four ,doctors1 single figures of him abound4 ,they are variously treated3 in general1 he bears the tiara as pope1 and the crosier with the double cross1 in common with other papal saints2 but his peculiar attribute is the dove1 which in the old pictures is always close to his ear4 ,he is often seated on a throne in the pontifical robes1 wearing the tiara3 one hand raised in benediction2 in the other a book1 which represents his homilies1 and other famous works attributed to him3 the dove either rests on his shoulder1 or is hovering over his head4 ,he is thus represented in the fine statue1 designed1 as it is said1 by ,m4 ,angelo1 and executed by ,cordieri1 in the chapel of ,st4 ,barbara1 in ,san ,gregorio1 ,rome2 and in the picture over the altar-piece of his chapel1 to the right of the high altar4 ,in the ,salviati ,chapel1 on the left1 is the #8,st4 ,gregory in prayer1' by ,annibal ,caracci4 ,he is seen in front bareheaded1 but arrayed in the pontifical habit1 kneeling on a cushion1 his hands outspread and uplifted2 the dove descends from on high2 the tiara is at his feet1 and eight angels hover around3--a grand1 finely-coloured1 but1 in sentiment1 rather cold and mannered picture4#bhf ,by ,guercino1 ,st4 ,gregory seated on a throne1 looking upwards1 his hand on an open book1 in act to turn the leaves2 the dove hovers at his shoulder3 to the left stands ,st4 ,francis ,xavier2 on the right1 and more in front1 ,st4 ,ignatius ,loyola4 ,behind ,st4 ,gregory is an angel playing on the viol1 in allusion to his love and patronage of sacred music2 in front an infant angel holds the tiara4 ,the type usually adopted in figures of ,st4 ,gregory is here exaggerated into coarseness1 and the picture altogether appears to me more remarkable for ,guercino's faults than for his beauties4#bhg 99 99 99 99 99 ,several of the legends connected with the history of ,st4 ,gregory are of singular interest and beauty1 and have afforded a number of picturesque themes for ,art3 they appear to have arisen out of his exceeding popularity4 ,they are all expressive of the veneration in which he was held by the people2 of the deep impression left on their minds by his eloquence1 his sanctity1 his charity2 and of the authority imputed to his numerous writings1 which commonly said to have been dictated by the ,holy ,spirit4 99 99 99 99 99 #a4 ,john the deacon1 his secretary1 who has left a full account of his life1 declares that he beheld the ,holy ,ghost in the form of a dove perched upon his shoulder while he was writing or dictating his famous homilies4 ,this vision1 or rather figure of speech1 has been interpreted as a fact by the early painters4 ,thus1 in a quaint old picture in the ,bologna ,gallery1 we have ,st4 ,gregory seated on a throne writing1 the celestial dove at his ear4 ,a little behind is seen ,john the deacon1 drawing aside a curtain1 and looking into the room at his patron with an expression of the most nave astonishment4 #b4 ,the ,archangel ,michael1 on the cessation of the pestilence1 sheathes his sword on the summit of the ,mole of ,hadrian4 ,i have never seen even a tolerable picture of this magnificent subject4 ,there is a picture in the ,vatican1 in which ,gregory and a procession of priests are singing litanies1 and in the distance a little ,mola di ,adriano1 with a little angel on the summit2--curious1 but without merit of any kind4 #c4 ,the ,supper of ,st4 ,gregory4 ,it is related that when ,gregory was only a monk1 in the ,monastery of ,st4 ,andrew1 a beggar presented himself at the gate1 and requested alms3 being relieved1 he came again and again1 and at length nothing was left for the charitable saint to bestow1 but the silver porringer in which his mother1 ,sylvia1 had sent him a potage2 and he commanded that this should be given to the mendicant4 ,it was his custom1 when he became pope1 to entertain every evening at his own table twelve poor men1 in remembrance of the number of our ,lord's apostles4 ,one night1 as he sat at supper with his guests1 he saw1 to his surprise1 not twelve1 but thirteen seated at his table4 ,and he called to his steward1 and said to him1 #8,did ,i not command thee to invite twelve8 and behold1 there are thirteen6' ,and the steward told them over1 and replied1 #8,holy ,father1 there are surely twelve only6' and ,gregory held his peace2 and after the meal1 he called forth the unbidden guest1 and asked him1 #8,who art thou8' ,and he replied1 #8,i am the poor man whom thou didst formerly relieve2 but my name is the ,wonderful1 and through me thou shalt obtain whatever thou shalt ask of ,god4' ,then ,gregory knew that he had entertained an angel 7or1 according to another version of the story1 our ,lord himself74 ,this legend has been a frequent subject in painting1 under the title of #8,the ,supper of ,st4 ,gregory4' ,in the fresco in his church at ,rome1 it is a winged angel who appears at the supper-table4 ,in the fresco of ,paul ,veronese1 one of his famous banquet-scenes1 the stranger seated at the table is the ,saviour habited as a pilgrim4#bhh ,in the picture painted by ,vasari1 his masterpiece1 now in the ,bologna ,gallery1 he has introduced a great number of figures and portraits of distinguished personages of his own time1 ,st4 ,gregory being represented under the likeness of ,clement ,,vii4 ,the unbidden guest1 or angel1 bears the features of the ,saviour4 ,this is one of many beautiful mythic legends1 founded on the words of ,st4 ,paul in which he so strongly recommends hospitality as one of the virtues3 #8,be not forgetful to entertain strangers3 for thereby some have entertained angels unawares4' 7,heb4 xiii4 #b47 ,or1 as ,massinger has rendered the apostolic precept1-- ,learn all1 ,by this example1 to look on the poor ,with gentle eyes1 for in such habits often ,angels desire an alms4 #d4 ,the ,mass of ,st4 ,gregory4 ,on a certain occasion1 when ,st4 ,gregory was officiating at the mass1 one who was near him doubted the real presence2 thereupon1 at the prayer of the saint1 a vision is suddenly revealed of the crucified ,saviour himself1 who descends upon the altar1 surrounded by the instruments of his passion4 ,this legend has been a popular subject of painting from the beginning of the fifteenth century1 and is called #8,the ,mass of ,st4 ,gregory4' ,i have met with it in every variety of treatment and grouping2 but1 however treated1 it is not a pleasing subject4 ,st4 ,gregory is seen officiating at the altar1 surrounded by his attendant clergy4 ,sometimes several saints are introduced in a poetical manner1 as witnesses of the miracle3 as in an old picture ,i saw in the gallery of ,lord ,northwick2--the crucified ,saviour descends from the cross1 and stands on the altar1 or is upborne in the air by angels2 while all the incidental circumstances and instruments of the ,passion1--not merely the crown of thorns1 the spear1 the nails1 but the kiss of ,judas1 the soldiers' dice1 the cock that crew to ,peter1--are seen floating in the air4 ,as a specimen of the utmost navet in this representation may be mentioned ,albert ,drer's woodcut4 ,the least offensive and most elegant in treatment is the marble bas-relief in front of the altar in the ,chapel of ,st4 ,gregory at ,rome4 99 99 99 99 99 #e4 ,the miracle of the ,brandeum4 ,the ,empress ,constantia sent to ,st4 ,gregory requesting some of the relics of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4 ,he excused himself1 saying that he dared not disturb their sacred remains for such a purpose1 but he sent her part of a consecrated cloth 7,brandeum7 which had enfolded the body of ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist4 ,the empress rejected this gift with contempt3 whereupon ,gregory1 to show that such things are hallowed not so much in themselves as by the faith of believers1 laid the ,brandeum on the altar1 and after praying he took up a knife and pierced it1 and blood flowed as from a living body4 ,this incident1 called the #8miracle dei ,brandei1' has also been painted4 ,andrea ,sacchi has represented it in a grand picture now in the ,vatican2 the mosaic copy is over the altar of ,st4 ,gregory in ,st4 ,peter's4 ,gregory holds up to view the bleeding cloth1 and the expression of astonishment and conviction in the countenances of the assistants is very fine4 #f4 ,st4 ,gregory releases the soul of the ,emperor ,trajan4 ,in a little picture in the ,bologna ,academy1 he is seen praying before a tomb1 on which is inscribed ,,trajano ,,imperador2 beneath are two angels raising the soul of ,trajan out of the flames4 ,such is the usual treatment of this curious and poetical legend1 which is thus related in the ,legenda ,aurea3--#8,it happened on a time1 as ,trajan was hastening to battle at the head of his legions1 that a poor widow flung herself in his path1 and cried aloud for justice1 and the emperor stayed to listen to her2 and she demanded vengeance for the innocent blood of her son1 killed by the son of the emperor4 ,trajan promised to do her justice when he returned from his expedition4 8,but1 ,sire10 answered the widow1 8should you be killed in battle1 who then will do me justice80 8,my successor10 replied ,trajan4 ,and she said1 8,what will it signify to you1 great emperor1 that any other than yourself should do me justice8 ,is it not better that you should do this good action yourself than leave another to do it80 ,and ,trajan alighted1 and having examined into the affair1 he gave up his own son to her in place of him she had lost1 and bestowed on her likewise a rich dowry4 ,now1 it came to pass that as ,gregory was one day meditating in his daily walk1 this action of the ,emperor ,trajan came into his mind1 and he wept bitterly to think that a man so just should be condemned as a heathen to eternal punishment4 ,and entering into a church he prayed most fervently that the soul of the good emperor might be released from torment4 ,and a voice said to him1 8,i have granted thy prayer1 and ,i have spared the soul of ,trajan for thy sake2 but because thou hast supplicated for one whom the justice of ,god had already condemned1 thou shalt choose one of two things3 either thou shalt endure for two days the fires of purgatory1 or thou shalt be sick and infirm for the remainder of thy life40 ,gregory chose the latter1 which sufficiently accounts for the grievous pains and infirmities to which this great and good man was subjected1 even to the day of his death4' ,this story of ,trajan was extremely popular in the middle ages3 it is illustrative of the character of ,gregory1 and the feeling which gave rise to his doctrine of purgatory4 ,dante twice alludes to it2 he describes it as one of the subjects sculptured on the walls of ,purgatory1 and takes occasion to relate the whole story3-- 444 ,there was storied on the rock ,th' exalted glory of the ,roman prince1 ,whose mighty worth moved ,gregory to earn ,his mighty conquest--,trajan the ,emperor4 ,a widow at his bridle stood attired ,in tears and mourning4 ,round about them troop'd ,full throng of knights3 and overhead in gold ,the eagles floated1 struggling with the wind4 ,the wretch appear'd amid all these to say3 #8,grant vengeance1 ,sire6 for1 woe beshrew this heart1 ,my son is murder'd6' ,he1 replying1 seem'd3 #8,wait now till ,i return4' ,and she1 as one ,made hasty by her grief3 #8,o ,sire1 if thou ,dost not return8'--#8,where ,i am1 who then is1 ,may right thee4'--#8,what to thee is others' good1 ,if thou neglect thy own8'--#8,now comfort thee1' ,at length he answers4 #8,it beseemeth well ,my duty be perform'd1 ere ,i move hence4 ,so justice wills2 and pity bids me stay4' ,cary's ,,dante1 ,purg4 x4 ,it was through the efficacy of ,st4 ,gregory's intercession that ,dante afterwards finds ,trajan in ,paradise1 seated between ,king ,david and ,king ,hezekiah4 7,par4 xx47 ,as a subject of painting1 the story of ,trajan was sometimes selected as an appropriate ornament for a hall of justice4 ,we find it sculptured on one of the capitals of the pillars of the ,ducal ,palace at ,venice3 there is the figure of the widow kneeling1 somewhat stiff1 but very simple and expressive1 and over it in rude ancient letters--#8,trajano ,imperador1 che die justizia a la ,vedova4' ,in the ,town ,hall of ,ceneda1 near ,belluna1 are the three ,judgments 7i tre ,giudizi71 painted by ,pompeo ,amalteo3 the ,judgment of ,solomon1 the ,judgment of ,daniel1 and the ,judgment of ,trajan4 ,it is painted in the ,town ,hall of ,brescia by ,giulio ,campi1 one of a series of eight righteous judgments4 ,i found the same subject in the church of ,st4 ,thomas of ,canterbury at ,verona4 #8,the son of the ,emperor ,trajan trampling over the son of the widow' is a most curious composition by ,hans ,schaufelein4#bhi 99 99 99 99 99 #g4 ,there was a monk1 who1 in defiance of his vow of poverty1 secreted in his cell three pieces of gold4 ,gregory1 on learning this1 excommunicated him1 and shortly afterwards the monk died4 ,when ,gregory heard that the monk had perished in his sin1 without receiving absolution1 he was filled with grief and horror2 and he wrote upon a parchment a prayer and a form of absolution1 and gave it to one of his deacons1 desiring him to go to the grave of the deceased and read it there3 on the following night the monk appeared in a vision1 and revealed to him his release from torment4 ,this story is represented in the beautiful bas-relief in white marble in front of the altar of his chapel2 it is the last compartment on the right4 ,the obvious intention of this wild legend is to give effect to the doctrine of purgatory1 and the efficacy of prayers for the dead4 ,st4 ,gregory's merciful doctrine of purgatory also suggested those pictures so often found in chapels dedicated to the service of the dead1 in which he is represented in the attitude of supplication1 while on one side1 or in the background1 angels are raising the tormented souls out of the flames4 ,in ecclesiastical decoration ,i have seen the two popes1 ,st4 ,gelasius1 who reformed the calendar in #did1 and ,st4 ,celestinus1 who arranged the discipline of the monastic orders1 added to the series of beatified ,doctors of the ,church4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,four ,,greek ,,fathers4 ,the ,four ,greek ,fathers are ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 ,st4 ,basil the ,great1 ,st4 ,athanasius1 and ,st4 ,gregory ,nazianzen4 ,to these1 in ,greek pictures1 a fifth is generally added1 ,st4 ,cyril of ,alexandria4 ,from the time of the schism between the ,eastern and ,western ,churches1 these venerable personages1 who once exercised such an influence over all ,christendom1 who preceded the ,latin ,fathers1 and were in fact their teachers1 have been almost banished from the religious representations of the west of ,europe4 ,when they are introduced collectively as a part of the decoration of an ecclesiastical edifice1 we may conclude in general1 that the work is ,byzantine and executed under the influence of ,greek artists4 ,a signal example is the central dome of the baptistery of ,st4 ,mark's at ,venice1 executed by ,greek artists of the #abth and #acth centuries4 ,in the four spandrils of the vault are the ,greek ,fathers seated1 writing 7if ,i well remember71 and in the purest ,byzantine style of art4 ,they occupy the same places here that we find usually occupied by the ,latin ,doctors in church decoration3 each has his name inscribed in ,greek characters4 ,we have exactly the same representation in the ,cathedral of ,monreale at ,palermo4 ,the ,greek ,fathers have no attributes to distinguish them1 and the general custom in ,byzantine ,art of inscribing the names over each figure renders this unnecessary3 in general1 each holds a book1 or1 in some instances1 a scroll1 which represents his writings2 while the right hand is raised in benediction1 in the ,greek manner1 the first and second finger extended1 and the thumb and third finger forming a cross4 ,according to the formula published by ,m4 ,didron1 each of the ,greek ,fathers bears on a scroll the first words of some remarkable passage from his works3 thus1 ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom has #8,god1 our ,god1 who hath given us for food the bread of life1' c43 ,st4 ,basil1 #8,none of those who are in the bondage of fleshly desires are worthy1' c43 ,st4 ,athanasius1 #8,often1 and anew1 do we flee to thee1 ,o ,god1' c43 ,st4 ,gregory ,nazianzen1 #8,god1 the holy among the holies1 the thrice holy1' c43 and ,st4 ,cyril1 #8,above all1 a ,virgin without sin or blemish1' c4 ,illustration3 ,the five ,greek ,fathers4 ,the ,greek bishops do not wear mitres2 consequently1 when in the ,italian or ,german pictures ,st4 ,basil or any of his companions wear the mitre1 it is a mistake arising from the ignorance of the artist4 ,the ,fathers of the ,greek ,church have been represented by ,domenichino at ,grotta ,ferrata1 placed over the cornice and under the evangelists1 their proper place3 they are majestic figures1 with fine heads1 and correctly draped according to the ,greek ecclesiastical costume4 ,they are placed here with peculiar propriety1 because the convent originally belonged to the ,greek order of ,st4 ,basil1 and the founder1 ,st4 ,nilus1 was a ,greek4#bij ,the etched outline1 from a beautiful ancient ,greek miniature1 will give an accurate idea of the characteristic figures and habits of the ,greek ,fathers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,as separate devotional and historical representations of these ,fathers do sometimes1 though rarely1 occur1 ,i shall say a few words of them individually4 ,,st4 ,,john ,,chrysostom4 ,lat4 ,sanctus ,johannes ,chrysostom4 ,ital4 ,san ,giovanni ,crisostomo1 ,san ,giovanni ,bocca d' ,oro4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,jean ,chrysostome4 ,died ,sept4 #ad1 ,a4,d4 #djg4 ,his festival is celebrated by the ,greeks on the #acth of ,november1 and by the ,latin ,church on the #bgth of ,january4 ,st4 ,john1 called ,,chrysostom1 or ,,of ,,the ,,golden ,,mouth1 because of his extraordinary eloquence1 was born at ,antioch in #cdd4 ,his parents were illustrious1 and the career opened to him was of arts and arms2 but from his infancy the bent of his mind was peculiar4 ,he lost his father when young2 his mother ,arthusia1 still in the prime of her life1 remained a widow for his sake1 and superintended his education with care and intelligence4 ,the remark of ,sir ,james ,mackintosh that #8all distinguished men have had able mothers1' appears especially true of the great churchmen and poets4 ,the mother of ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom ranks with the ,monicas and ,sylvias1 already described4 ,john1 at the age of twenty1 was already a renowned pleader at the bar4 ,at the age of twenty-six1 the disposition to self-abnegation and the passion for solitude1 which had distinguished him from boyhood1 became so strong1 that he wished to retire altogether from the world2 his legal studies1 his legal honours1 had become hateful to him3 he would turn hermit4 ,for a time his mother's tears and prayers restrained him4 ,he has himself recorded the pathetic remonstrance in which she reminded him of all she had done and suffered in her state of widowhood for his sake1 and besought him not to leave her4 ,for the present he yielded3 but two years later he fled from society1 and passed five or six years in the wilderness near ,antioch1 devoting himself solely to the study of the ,scriptures1 to penance and prayer2 feeding on the wild vegetables1 and leading a life of such rigorous abstinence that his health sank under it1 and he was obliged to return to ,antioch4 ,all this time he was not even an ordained priest2 but shortly after he had emerged from the desert1 ,flavian1 bishop of ,antioch1 ordained him1 and appointed him preacher4 ,at the moment of his consecration1 according to the tradition1 a white dove descended on his head1 which was regarded as the sign of immediate inspiration4 ,he then entered on his true vocation as a ,christian orator1 the greatest next to ,paul4 ,on one occasion1 when the people of ,antioch had offended the ,emperor ,theodosius1 and were threatened with a punishment like that which had fallen on ,thessalonica1 the eloquence of ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom saved them3 he was so adored by the people1 that when he was appointed patriarch of ,constantinople1 it was necessary to kidnap him1 and carry him off from ,antioch by a force of armed soldiers1 before the citizens had time to interfere4 ,from the moment he entered on his high office at ,constantinople1 he became the model of a ,christian bishop4 ,humble1 self-denying1 sleeping on a bare plank1 content with a little bread and pulse1 he entertained with hospitality the poor and strangers3 indefatigable as a preacher1 he used his great gift of eloquence to convert his hearers to what he believed to be the truth3 he united the enthusiasm and the imagination of the poet1 the elegant taste of the scholar1 the logic of the pleader1 with the inspired earnestness of one who had authority from above4 ,he was1 like ,st4 ,jerome1 remarkable for his influence over women2 and his correspondence with one of his female converts and friends1 ,olympias1 is considered one of the finest of his works remaining to us3 but1 inexorable in his denunciations of vice1 without regard to sex or station1 he thundered against the irregularities of the monks1 the luxury and profligacy of the ,empress ,eudosia1 and the servility of her flatterers1 and brought down upon himself the vengeance of that haughty woman1 with whom the rest of his life was one long contest4 ,he was banished3 the voice of the people obliged the emperor to recall him4 ,persisting in the resolute defence of his church privileges1 and his animadversions on the court and the clergy1 he was again banished2 and1 on his way to his distant place of exile1 sank under fatigue and the cruel treatment of his guards1 who exposed him1 bareheaded and bare-footed1 to the burning sun of noon3 and thus he perished1 in the tenth year of his bishopric1 and the sixty-third of his age4 ,gibbon adds1 that1 at the pious solicitation of the clergy and people of ,constantinople1 his relics1 thirty years after his death1 were transported from their obscure sepulchre to the royal city4 ,the ,emperor ,theodosius advanced to receive them as far as ,chalcedon1 and1 falling prostrate on the coffin1 implored1 in the name of his guilty parents1 ,arcadius and ,eudosia1 the forgiveness of the injured saint4#8 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is owing1 ,i suppose1 to the intercourse of ,venice with the ,east1 that one of her beautiful churches is dedicated to ,san ,gian ,grisostomo1 as they call him there1 in accents as soft and sonorous as his own ,greek4 ,over the high altar is the grandest devotional picture in which ,i have seen this saint figure as a chief personage4 ,it is the masterpiece of ,sebastian del ,piombo1#bia and represents ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom throned and in the act of writing in a great book2 behind him1 ,st4 ,paul4 ,in front1 to the right1 stands ,st4 ,john the ,baptist1 and behind him ,st4 ,george as patron of ,venice2 to the left ,mary ,magdalene1 with a beautiful ,venetian face2 behind her1 ,st4 ,catherine1 patroness of ,venice3 close to ,st4 ,j4 ,chrysostom stands ,st4 ,lucia holding her lamp2 she is here the type of celestial light or wisdom4#bib ,this picture was for a long time attributed to ,giorgione4 ,there was also a very fine majestic figure of this saint by ,rubens1 in the collection of ,m4 ,schamp3 he is in the habit of a ,greek bishop2 in one hand he holds the sacramental cup1 and the left hand rests on the ,gospel3 the celestial dove hovers near him1 and two angels are in attendance4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i cannot quit the history of ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom without alluding to a subject well known to collectors and amateurs1 and popularly called #8,la ,pnitence de ,st4 ,jean ,chrysostome4' ,it represents a woman undraped1 seated in a cave1 or wilderness1 with an infant in her arms2 or lying on the ground with a new-born infant beside her2 in the distance is seen a man with a glory round his head1 meagre1 naked1 bearded1 crawling on his hands and knees in the most abject attitude2 beneath1 or at the top1 is inscribed ,s4 ,,johannes ,,crisostomus4 ,for a long time this subject perplexed me exceedingly1 as ,i was quite unable to trace it in any of the biographies of ,chrysostom1 ancient or modern3 the kindness of a friend1 learned in all the byways as well as the highways of ,italian literature1 at length assisted me to an explanation4 ,illustration3 #ij ,the ,penance of ,st4 ,chrysostom 7,albert ,drer7 ,the bitter enmity excited against ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom in his lifetime1 and the furious vituperations of his adversary1 ,theophilus of ,alexandria1 who denounced him as one stained by every vice1 #8hostem humanitatis1 sacrilegorum principem1 immundum dmonem1' as a wretch who had absolutely delivered up his soul to ,satan1 were apparently disseminated by the monks4 ,jerome translated the abusive attack of ,theophilus into ,latin2 and long after the slanders against ,chrysostom had been silenced in the ,east1 they survived in the ,west4 ,to this may be added the slaughter of the ,egyptian monks by the friends of ,chrysostom in the streets of ,constantinople2 which1 ,i suppose1 was also retained in the traditions1 and mixed up with the monkish fictions4 ,it seems to have been forgotten who ,john ,chrysostom really was2 his name only survived in the popular ballads and legends as an epitome of every horrible crime2 and to account for his being1 notwithstanding all this1 a saint1 was a difficulty which in the old legend is surmounted after a very original1 and1 ,i must needs add1 a very audacious fashion4 #8,i have1' writes my friend1 #8three editions of this legend in ,italian1 with the title ,la ,historia di ,san ,giovanni ,boccadoro4 ,it is in ottava rima1 thirty-six stanzas in all1 occupying two leaves of letter-press4 ,it was originally composed in the fifteenth century1 and reprinted again and again1 like the ballads and tales hawked by itinerant ballad-mongers1 from that day to this1 and as well known to the lower orders as 8,jack the ,giant-killer0 here4 ,i will give you the story as succinctly and as properly as ,i can4 ,a gentleman of the high roads1 named ,schitano1 confesses his robberies and murders to a certain ,frate1 who absolves him1 upon a solemn promise not to do three things-- ,che tu non facci falso sacramento1 ,n homicidio1 n adulterare4 ,schitano thereupon takes possession of a cave1 and turns ,romito 7,hermit7 in the wilderness4 ,a neighbouring king takes his daughter out hunting with him2 a white deer starts across their path2 the king dashes away in pursuit ten miles or more1 forgetting his daughter2 night comes on2 the princess1 left alone in the forest1 wanders till she sees a light1 and knocks for admittance at the cave of ,schitano4 ,he fancies at first that it must be the 8,demonio10 but at length he admits her after long hesitation1 and turns her horse out to graze4 ,her beauty tempts him to break one of his vows2 the fear of discovery induces him to violate another by murdering her1 and throwing her body into a cistern4 ,the horse1 however1 is seen by one of the cavaliers of the court1 who knocks and inquires if he has seen a certain 8donzella0 that way8 ,the hermit swears that he has not beheld a ,christian face for three years1 thus breaking his third vow2 but1 reflecting on this three-fold sin with horror1 he imposes on himself a most severe penance 78un' aspra penitenza071 to wit-- ,di stare sette anni nell' aspro diserto4 ,pane non manger n ber vino1 ,n mai risguarder il ciel scoperto1 ,non parler ,hebraico n ,latino1 ,per fin che quel ch' io dico non certo1 ,che un fantin di sei di porga favella1 8,perdonato t' ha ,dio2 va alla tua cella40 ,that is1 he swears that for seven years he will neither eat bread nor drink wine1 nor look up in the face of heaven1 nor speak either ,hebrew or ,latin1 until it shall come to pass that an infant of seven days old shall open its mouth and say1 8,heaven hath pardoned thee--go in peace40 ,so1 stripping off his clothes1 he crawls on hands and knees like the beasts of the field1 eating grass and drinking water4 #8,nor did his resolution fail him--he persists in this 8aspra penitenza0 for seven years-- ,sette anni e sette giorni nel diserto2 ,come le bestie andava lui carpone1 ,e mai non risguard il ciel scoperto1 ,peloso egli era a modo d' un montone2 ,spine e fango il suo letto era per certo1 ,del suo peccato havea contrizione2 ,e ogni cosa facea con gran fervore1 ,per purgar il suo fallo e grand' errore4 ,in the meantime it came into the king's head to draw the covers where the hermit was leading this life4 ,the dogs of course found1 but neither they nor the king could make anything of this new species of animal1 8che pareva un orso40 ,so they took him home in a chain and deposited him in their zoological collection1 where he refused meat and bread1 and persisted in grazing4 ,on new year's day the queen gives birth to a son1 who1 on the seventh day after he is born1 says distinctly to the hermit1-- ,torna alla tua cella1 ,che ,dio t' ha perdonato il tuo peccato1 ,levati su1 ,romito6 ova favella6 ,but the hermit does not speak as commanded2 he makes signs that he will write4 ,the king orders the inkstand to be brought1 but there is no ink in it3 so ,schitano at once earns his surname of ,boccadoro 7,chrysostom7 by a simple expedient3 he puts the pen to his mouth1 wets it with his saliva1 and writes in letters of gold-- ,onde la penna in bocca si metteva1 ,e a scrivere cominci senza dimoro1 ,col sputo1 lettere che parevan d' oro6 #8,after seven years and seven days1 he opens his golden mouth in speech1 and confesses his foul crimes to the king2 cavaliers are despatched in search of the body of the princess2 as they approach the cavern they hear celestial music1 and in the end they bring the donzella out of the cistern alive and well1 and very sorry to leave the blessed ,virgin and the angels1 with whom she had been passing her time most agreeably3 she is restored to her parents with universal festa e allegrezza1 and she announces to the hermit that he is pardoned and may return to his cell1 which he does forthwith1 and ends in leading the life of a saint1 and being beatified4 ,the 8discreti auditori0 are invited to take example-- ,da questo ,santo pien di leggiadria ,che ,iddio sempre perdona a' peccatori1 and are finally informed that they may purchase this edifying history on easy terms1 to wit1 a halfpenny-- ,due quattrini dia senza far pi parole4 ,the price1 however1 rose2 for in the next century the line is altered thus3-- ,pero ciascun che comperarne vuole1 ,tre quattrini mi dia senza pi parole4' ,the woodcuts prefixed to the ballad represent this saintly ,nebuchadnezzar on all fours1 surprised by the king with his huntsmen and dogs2 but no female figure1 as in the ,german prints1 in which the ,german version of the legend has evidently been in the mind of the artists4 ,it differs in some respects from the ,italian ballad4 ,i shall therefore give as much of it here as will explain the artistic treatment of the story4 #8,when ,john ,chrysostom was baptized1 the ,pope#bic stood godfather4 ,at seven years old he went to school1 but he was so dull and backward1 that he became the laughing-stock of his schoolfellows4 ,unable to endure their mockery1 he took refuge in a neighbouring church1 and prayed to the ,virgin2 and a voice whispered1 8,kiss me on the mouth1 and thou shalt be endowed with all learning40 ,he did so1 and1 returning to the school1 he surpassed all his companions1 so that they remained in astonishment3 as they looked1 they saw a golden ring or streak round his mouth1 and asked him how it came there8 and when he told them1 they wondered yet more4 ,thence he obtained the name of ,chrysostom4 ,john was much beloved by his godfather the ,pope1 who ordained him priest at a very early age2 but the first time he offered the sacrifice of the mass1 he was struck to the heart by his unworthiness1 and resolved to seek his salvation in solitude2 therefore1 throwing off his priestly garments1 he fled from the city1 and made his dwelling in a cavern of the rock1 and lived there a long while in prayer and meditation4 #8,now not far from the wilderness in which ,chrysostom dwelt1 was the capital of a great king2 and it happened that one day1 as the princess his daughter1 who was young and very fair1 was walking with her companions1 there came a sudden and violent gust of wind1 which lifted her up and carried her away1 and set her down in the forest1 far off2 and she wandered about till she came to the cave of ,chrysostom1 and knocked at the door4 ,he1 fearing some temptation of the devil1 would not let her in2 but she entreated1 and said1 8,i am no demon1 but a ,christian woman2 and if thou leavest me here1 the wild beasts will devour me60 ,so he yielded perforce1 and arose and let her in4 ,and he drew a line down the middle of his cell1 and said1 8,that is your part1 this is mine2 and neither shall pass this line40 ,but this precaution was in vain1 for passion and temptation overpowered his virtue2 he over-stepped the line1 and sinned4 ,both repented sorely2 and ,chrysostom1 thinking that if the damsel remained longer in his cave it would only occasion further sin1 carried her to a neighbouring precipice1 and flung her down4 ,when he had done this deed1 he was seized with horror and remorse2 and he departed and went to ,rome to his godfather the ,pope1 and confessed all1 and entreated absolution4 ,but his godfather knew him not2 and1 being seized with horror1 he drove him forth1 and refused to absolve him4 ,so the unhappy sinner fled to the wilderness1 and made a solemn vow that he would never rise from the earth nor look up1 but crawl on his hands and knees1 until he had expiated his great sin and was absolved by ,heaven4 #8,when he had thus crawled on the earth for fifteen years1 the queen brought forth a son2 and when the ,pope came to baptize the child1 the infant opened its mouth and said1 8,i will not be baptized by thee1 but by ,st4 ,john20 and he repeated this three times3 and none could understand this miracle2 but the ,pope was afraid to proceed4 ,in the meantime1 the king's huntsmen had gone to the forest to bring home game for the christening feast3 there1 as they rode1 they beheld a strange beast creeping on the ground2 and not knowing what it might be1 they threw a mantle over it and bound it in a chain and brought it to the palace4 ,many came to look on this strange beast1 and with them came the nurse with the king's son in her arms2 and immediately the child opened its mouth and spake1 8,john1 come thou and baptize me60 ,he answered1 8,if it be ,god's will1 speak again60 ,and the child spoke the same words a second and a third time4 ,then ,john stood up2 and the hair and the moss fell from his body1 and they brought him garments2 and he took the child1 and baptized him with great devotion4 #8,when the king heard his confession1 he thought1 8,perhaps this was my daughter1 who was lost and never found20 and he sent messengers into the forest to seek for the remains of his daughter1 that her bones at least might rest in consecrated ground4 ,when they came to the foot of the precipice1 there they found a beautiful woman seated1 naked1 and holding a child in her arms2 and ,john said to her1 8,why sittest thou here alone in the wilderness80 ,and she said1 8,dost thou not know me8 ,i am the woman who came to thy cave by night1 and whom thou didst hurl down this rock60 ,then they brought her home with great joy to her parents4#8#bid ,this extravagant legend becomes interesting for two reasons3 it shows the existence of the popular feeling and belief with regard to ,chrysostom1 long subsequent to those events which aroused the hatred of the early monks2 and it has been1 from its popular notoriety1 embodied in some rare and valuable works of art1 which all go under the name of #8the ,penance or ,penitence of ,johannes ,chrysostom or ,crisostomos4' #a4 ,a rare print by ,lucas ,cranach1 composed and engraved by himself4 ,in the centre is an undraped woman reclining on the ground against a rock1 and contemplating her sleeping infant1 which is lying on her lap2 a stag1 a hind crouching1 a pheasant feeding near her1 express the solitude of her life2 in the background is #8the savage man' on all fours1 and browsing3 here1 he has no glory round his head4 ,the whole composition is exceedingly picturesque4 #b4 ,a rare and beautiful print by ,b4 ,beham1 and repeated by ,hans ,sebald ,beham1 represents a woman lying on the ground with her back turned to the spectator2 a child is near her2 ,chrysostom is seen crawling in the background1 with the glory round his head4 #c4 ,a small print by ,albert ,drer1 also exquisitely engraved 7from which ,i give a sketch74 ,here the woman is sitting at the entrance of a rocky cave1 feeding her child from her bosom3 in the background the #8savage man' crawling on all fours1 and a glory round his head4 ,this subject has been called ,st4 ,genevive of ,brabant2 but it is evidently the same as in the two last-named compositions4 ,all these prints1 being nearly contemporaneous1 show that the legend must have been particularly popular about this time 7#aeji-aebj74 ,there is also an old ,french version of the story which ,i have not seen4 ,,st4 ,,basil ,,the ,,great4 ,lat4 ,st4 ,basilius ,magnus4 ,ital4 ,san ,basilio ,magno4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,basile4 7,june #ad1 ,a4,d4 #chj47 ,st4 ,basil1 called the ,great1 was born at ,cesarea in ,cappadocia1 in the year #cbh4 ,he was one of a family of saints4 ,his father ,st4 ,basil1 his mother ,st4 ,emmelie1 his two brothers ,st4 ,gregory of ,nyssa and ,st4 ,peter of ,sebaste1 and his sister ,st4 ,macrina1 were all distinguished for their sanctity1 and renowned in the ,greek calendar4 ,the ,st4 ,basil who takes rank as the second luminary of the ,eastern ,church1 and whose dogmatical and theological works influenced the faith of his own age1 and consequently of ours1 was the greatest of all4 ,but1 notwithstanding his importance in the ,greek ,church1 he figures so seldom in the productions of ,western ,art1 that ,i shall content myself with relating just so much of his life and actions as may render the few representations of him interesting and intelligible4 ,he owed his first education to his grandmother ,st4 ,macrina the elder1 a woman of singular capacity and attainments1 to whom he has in various parts of his works acknowledged his obligations4 ,for several years he pursued his studies in profane learning1 philosophy1 law1 and eloquence1 at ,constantinople1 and afterwards at ,athens1 where he had two companions and fellow-students of very opposite character3 ,gregory of ,nazianzen1 afterwards the ,saint2 and ,julian1 afterwards the ,apostate4 ,the success of the youthful ,basil in all his studies1 and the reputation he had obtained as an eloquent pleader1 for a time swelled his heart with vanity1 and would have endangered his salvation but for the influence of his sister1 ,st4 ,macrina1 who in this emergency preserved him from himself1 and elevated his mind to far higher aims than those of mere worldly science and worldly distinction4 ,from that period1 and he was then not more than twenty-eight1 ,basil turned his thoughts solely to the edification of the ,christian ,church2 but first he spent some years in retreat among the hermits of the desert1 as was the fashion of that day1 living1 as they did1 in abstinence1 poverty1 and abstracted study2 acknowledging neither country1 family1 home1 nor friends1 nor fortune1 nor worldly interests of any kind1 but with his thoughts fixed solely on eternal life in another world4 ,in these austerities he1 as was also usual1 consumed and ruined his bodily health2 and remained to the end of his life a feeble wretched invalid1--a circumstance which was supposed to contribute greatly to his sanctity4 ,he was ordained priest in #cfb1 and bishop of ,cesarea in #cgj2 his ordination on the #adth of ,june being kept as one of the great feasts of the ,eastern ,church4 ,on the episcopal throne he led the same life of abstinence and humility as in a cavern of the desert2 and contended for the doctrine of the ,trinity against the ,arians1 but with less of vehemence1 and more of charity1 than the other ,doctors engaged in the same controversy4 ,the principal event of his life was his opposition to the ,emperor ,valens1 who professed ,arianism1 and required that1 in the ,church of ,cesarea1 ,basil should perform the rites according to the custom of the ,arians4 ,the bishop refused3 he was threatened with exile1 confiscation1 death3 he persisted4 ,the emperor1 fearing a tumult1 resolved to appear in the church on the day of the ,epiphany1 but not to communicate4 ,he came1 hoping to overawe the impracticable bishop1 surrounded by all his state1 his courtiers1 his guards4 ,he found ,basil so intent on his sacred office as to take not the slightest notice of him2 those of the clergy around him continued to chant the service1 keeping their eyes fixed in the profoundest awe and respect on the countenance of their bishop4 ,valens1 in a situation new to him1 became agitated3 he had brought his oblation2 he advanced with it2 but the ministers at the altar1 not knowing whether ,basil would accept it1 dared not take it from his hands4 ,valens stood there for a moment in sight of all the people1 rejected before the altar1--he lost his presence of mind1 trembled1 swooned1 and would have fallen to the earth1 if one of the attendants had not received him in his arms4 ,a conference afterwards took place between ,basil and the emperor2 but the latter remained unconverted1 and some concessions to the ,catholics was all that the bishop obtained4 ,st4 ,basil died in #cgi1 worn out by disease1 and leaving behind him many theological writings4 ,his epistles1 above all1 are celebrated1 not only as models of orthodoxy1 but of style4 ,of ,st4 ,basil1 as of ,st4 ,gregory and ,st4 ,john ,chrysostom1 we have the story of the ,holy ,ghost1 in visible form as a dove of wonderful whiteness1 perched on his shoulder1 and inspiring his words when he preached4 ,st4 ,basil is also celebrated as the founder of ,monachism in the ,east4 ,he was the first who enjoined the vows of poverty1 chastity1 and obedience2 and his ,rule became the model of all other monastic ,orders4 ,there is1 in fact1 no other ,order in the ,greek ,church1 and when either monks or nuns appear in a ,greek or a ,russian picture they must be ,basilicans1 and no other3 the habit is a plain black tunic with a cowl1 the tunic fastened round the waist with a girdle of cord or leather4 ,such is the dress of the ,greek caloyer1 and it never varies4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the devotional figures of ,st4 ,basil represent him1 or ought to represent him1 in the ,greek pontificals1 bareheaded1 and with a thin worn countenance1 as he appears in the etching of the ,greek ,fathers4 99 99 99 99 99 #8,the ,emperor ,valens in the church at ,cesarea1' an admirably picturesque subject1 has received as little justice as the scene between ,ambrose and ,theodosius4 ,when the ,french painter ,subleyras was at ,rome in #agde1 he raised himself to name and fame by his portrait of ,benedict ,,xiv41#bie and received1 through the interest of his friend ,cardinal ,valenti1 the commission to paint a picture for one of the mosaics in ,st4 ,peter's4 ,the subject selected was the ,emperor ,valens fainting in presence of ,st4 ,basil4 ,we have all the pomp of the scene3--the altar1 the incense1 the richly attired priests on one side2 on the other1 the ,imperial court4 ,it is not easy to find fault1 for the picture is well drawn1 well composed1 in the mannered taste of that time2 well coloured1 rather tenderly than forcibly2 and ,lanzi is enthusiastic in his praise of the draperies2 yet1 as a whole1 it leaves the mind unimpressed4 ,as usual1 the original sketch for this picture far excels the large composition4#bif ,the prayers of ,st4 ,basil were supposed by the ,armenian ,christians1 partly from his sanctity1 and partly from his intellectual endowments1 to have a peculiar1 almost resistless1 power2 so that he not only redeemed souls from purgatory1 but even lost angels from the abyss of hell4 #8,on the sixth day of the creation1 when the rebellious angels fell from heaven through that opening in the firmament which the ,armenians call ,arocea1 and we the ,galaxy1 one unlucky angel1 who had no participation in their sin1 but seems to have been entangled in the crowd1 fell with them4' 7,a moral1 ,i presume1 on the consequences of keeping bad company47 #8,and this unfortunate angel was not restored till he had obtained1 it is not said how1 the prayers of ,st4 ,basil4 ,his condition meantime1 from the sixth day of the creation to the fourth century of the ,christian era1 must have been even more uncomfortable than that of ,klopstock's repentant demon in 8,the ,messiah40' 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are many other beautiful legendary stories of ,st4 ,basil1 but1 as ,i have never met with them in any form of ,art1 ,i pass them over here4 ,one of the most striking has been versified by ,southey in his ballad-poem1 #8,all for ,love4' ,it would afford a great variety of picturesque subjects4 ,,st4 ,,athanasius4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,athanasius1 ,pater ,orthodoxi4 ,ital4 ,sant' ,atanasio4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,athanase4 7,may #b1 ,a4,d4 #cgc47 ,st4 ,athanasius1 whose famous ,creed remains a stumbling-block in ,christendom1 was born at ,alexandria1 about the year #bih2 he was consequently the eldest of the ,greek ,fathers1 though he does not in that ,church take the first rank4 ,he1 like the others1 began his career by the study of profane literature1 science1 and eloquence2 but1 seized by the religious spirit of the age1 he1 too1 fled to the desert1 and became1 for a time1 the pupil of ,st4 ,anthony4 ,he returned to ,alexandria1 and was ordained deacon4 ,his first appearance as a public character was at the celebrated council of ,nice 7,a4,d4 #cbe71 where he opposed ,arius and his partisans with so much zeal and eloquence1 that he was thenceforth regarded as the great pillar of orthodoxy4 ,he became ,bishop of ,alexandria the following year2 and the rest of his life was a perpetual contest with the ,arians4 ,the great schism of the early ,church blazed at this time in the ,east and in the ,west1 and ,athanasius1 by his invincible perseverance and intrepidity1 procured the victory for the ,catholic party4 ,he died in #cgb1 after having been ,bishop of ,alexandria forty-six years1 of which twenty years had been spent in exile and tribulation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is curious that1 notwithstanding his fame and his importance in the ,church1 ,st4 ,athanasius should be1 as a patron and a subject of ,art1 of all saints the most unpopular4 ,he figures1 of course1 as one of the series of ,greek ,doctors2 but ,i have never met with any separate representation of him1 and ,i know not any church dedicated to him1 nor any picture representing the vicissitudes of his unquiet life1 fraught as it was with strange reverses and picturesque incidents4 ,such may exist1 but in ,western ,art1 at least1 they have never been prominent4 ,according to the ,greek formula1 he ought to be represented old1 bald-headed1 and with a long white beard1 as in the etching4 ,,st4 ,,gregory ,,nazianzen4 ,gr4 ,st4 ,gregory ,theologos4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,gregorius ,nazianzenus4 ,ital4 ,san ,gregorio ,nazianzeno4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,grgoire de ,naziance4 ,ger4 ,st4 ,gregor von ,nazianz4 7,may #i1 ,a4,d4 #cij47 ,this ,doctor1 like ,st4 ,basil1 was one of a family of saints2 his father1 ,st4 ,gregory1 having been bishop of ,nazianzus before him2 his mother1 ,st4 ,nonna1 famous for her piety2 and two of his sisters1 ,st4 ,gorgonia and ,st4 ,cesarea1 also canonized4 ,gregory was born about the year #cbh2 and his mother1 who fondly believed that he had been granted to her prayers1 watched over his early education1 and guided his first steps in piety and literature4 ,when a boy1 he had a singular dream1 which he has related himself4 ,he beheld in his sleep two virgins of celestial beauty2 they were clothed in white garments1 and their faces shone upon him like two stars out of heaven3 they took him in their arms and kissed him as if he had been their child4 ,he1 charmed by their virgin beauty and their caresses1 asked who they were1 and whence they came8 ,one of them replied1 #8,i am called ,chastity1 and my sister here is ,temperance2 we come to thee from ,paradise1 where we stand continually before the throne of ,christ1 and taste ineffable delights3 come to us1 my son1 and dwell with us for ever2' and having spoken thus1 they left him and flew upwards to heaven4 ,he followed them with longing eyes till they disappeared1 and as he stretched his arms towards them he awoke4 ,this dream--how natural in a boy educated between a tender mother1 who had shielded him1 as only mothers can1 against all sinful temptations1 and a lovely and saintly sister6--he regarded as a direct revelation from heaven3 it decided his future life1 and he made a vow of perpetual continence and temperance4 ,like the other ,greek doctors1 he began by the study of profane literature and rhetoric4 ,he went to ,athens1 where he formed an enduring friendship with ,st4 ,basil1 and pursued his studies with ,julian1 afterwards ,csar and ,apostate4 ,after leaving ,athens1 in his thirtieth year1 he was baptized2 and1 devoting himself solemnly to the service of ,god and the study of the ,scriptures1 like his friend ,basil1 he destroyed his health by his austerities and mortifications3 he confesses that they were wholly repugnant to his nature --a nature sensitive1 imaginative1 poetical2 but this of course only added to their merit and efficacy4 ,his aged father withdrew him from his solitude1 and ordained him as his coadjutor3 in #cfb he succeeded to the bishopric of ,nazianzus3 but great part of his time was still spent at ,constantinople1 whither he was invited to preach against the ,arians4 ,it was a strange spectacle to see1 in the capital of the world1 a man1 from a distant province and an obscure town1 of small shrunken stature1 bald-headed1 wrinkled1 haggard with vigils and fasting1 poor1 ill-clothed1 and in his address unpolished and abrupt1 stand up to oppose himself to a luxurious court and prevalent sect4 ,the people began by stoning him2 but at length his earnestness and eloquence overcame all opposition4 ,religious disputes were the fashion at that time in ,constantinople1 not merely among the priesthood1 but among the laity1 the lawyers1 and above all the women1 who were heard1 in assemblies and at feasts1 at home and abroad1 declaiming and arguing on the most abstruse mysteries of the evangelical doctrine1 till they lost temper and modesty3--so true it is1 that there is nothing new under the sun4 ,this was in #cgh1 and ,st4 ,gregory found more difficulty in silencing their squabbles than in healing the schisms of the ,church4 ,he was ordained ,bishop of ,constantinople by the favour of ,theodosius2 but1 unable to endure the odious cabals and uncharitable contests which at that time distracted and disgraced ,christianity1 he resigned his sacred office1 and retired to a small paternal estate1 where he lived1 with his usual self-denial and austerity1 till his death4 ,he composed in his retreat a number of beautiful poems in his native ,greek3 he was1 in fact1 the earliest ,christian poet on record4 ,these poems are not hymns only1 but lyrics1 in which he poured forth his soul1 his aspirations1 his temptations1 his joys1 his sufferings1 his plaintive supplications to ,christ1 to aid him in his perpetual combats against a too vivid imagination1 and feelings and passions which not even age and penance had subdued4 99 99 99 99 99 ,st4 ,gregory ,nazianzen ought to be represented as an old man wasted by fasting and vigils1 with a bald head1 a long beard of a reddish colour1 and eyebrows the same4 ,he is always the last in a series of the ,four ,greek ,fathers1 and1 though often occurring in ,greek ,art1 the popularity of ,st4 ,gregory the ,,great has completely banished ,st4 ,gregory the ,,poet from ,western ,art4 ,there remains1 however1 a very valuable and singular monument to the honour of ,st4 ,gregory ,nazianzen1 in the ,greek ,,ms4 of his sermons preserved in the ,imperial ,library at ,paris1 and adorned with ,byzantine miniatures1 which must once have been beautiful and brilliant3 ruined as they are1 they present some of the most ancient examples which remain to us of the treatment of many sacred subjects from the ,old and the ,new ,testament1 and give a high idea of the classic taste and the skill of the ,byzantine limners of the ninth century4 ,besides the sacred subjects1 we have numerous scenes interspersed from the life of ,gregory himself1 his friend ,st4 ,basil1 and the ,emperor ,theodosius4 ,as these are subjects which are exceptional1 ,i need not describe them4 ,of the style of the miniatures ,i have already spoken1 and given one example 7v4 p4 #ge74 ,,st4 ,,cyril4 ,lat4 ,s4 ,cyrillus4 ,ital4 ,san ,cirillo4 ,fr4 ,st4 ,cyrille4 7,jan4 #bh1 ,a4,d4 #ddd47 ,st4 ,cyril1 ,patriarch of ,alexandria from the year #dab to #ddd1 was famous in his time as deeply engaged in all the contests which disturbed the early ,christian ,church4 ,he has left a great number of theological writings1 which are regarded as authority in matters of faith4 ,he1 appears to have been violent against the so-called heresies of that day1 and opposed ,nestorius with the same determined zeal and inexorable firmness with which ,athanasius had opposed ,arius4 ,the ascendency of ,cyril was disgraced by the death of the famous female mathematician and philosopher ,hypatia1 murdered with horrible cruelty1 and within the walls of a church1 by the fanatic followers of the ,patriarch1 if he did not himself connive at it4 ,he is much more venerated in the ,greek than in the ,latin ,church4 ,in the ,greek representations he is the only bishop who has his head covered2 he wears a veil or hood1 coming over his head1 falling down on his shoulders1 and the front embroidered with a cross1 as in the illustration4 ,with the ,greek ,fathers ,i conclude the list of those saints who are generally represented in their collective character1 grouped1 or in a series4 ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene1 ,st4 ,martha1 ,st4 ,lazarus1 ,st4 ,marmn1 ,st4 ,marcella1 ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt1 and the ,beatified ,penitents4 ,,st4 ,,mary ,,magdalene4 ,lat4 ,sancta ,maria ,magdalena4 ,ital4 ,santa ,maria ,maddalena4 ,fr4 ,la ,madeleine4 ,la ,sainte ,demoiselle pcheresse4 7,july #bb1 ,a4,d4 #fh47 ,patroness of ,provence1 of ,marseilles1 and of frail and penitent women4 ,of all the personages who figure in history1 in poetry1 in art1 ,mary ,magdalene is at once the most unreal and the most real3--the most unreal1 if we attempt to fix her identity1 which has been a subject of dispute for ages2 the most real1 if we consider her as having been1 for ages1 recognised and accepted in every ,christian heart as the impersonation of the penitent sinner absolved through faith and love4 ,in this1 her mythic character1 she has been surrounded by associations which have become fixed in the imagination1 and which no reasoning1 no array of facts1 can dispel4 ,this is not the place to enter into disputed points of biblical criticism2 they are quite beside our present purpose4 ,whether ,mary ,magdalene1 #8out of whom ,jesus cast seven devils1' ,mary of ,bethany1 and the #8woman who was a sinner1' be1 as some authorities assert1 three distinct persons1 or1 as others affirm1 one and the same individual under different designations1 remains a question open to dispute1 nothing having been demonstrated on either side1 from ,scripture or from tradition2 and ,i cannot presume even to give an opinion where doctors--and doctors of the ,church1 too--disagree2 ,origen and ,st4 ,chrysostom taking one side of the question1 ,st4 ,clement and ,st4 ,gregory the other4 ,fleury1 after citing the opinions of both sides1 thus beautifully sums up the whole question3--#8,il importe de ne pas croire tmrairement ce que l'vangile ne dit point1 et de ne pas mettre la religion suivre aveuglement toutes les opinions populaires3 la foi est trop prcieuse pour la prodiguer ainsi2 mais la charit l'est encore plus2 et ce qui est le plus important1 c'est d'viter les disputes qui peuvent l'altrer tant soit peu4' ,and this is most true2--in his time the fast hold which the ,magdalene had taken of the affections of the people was not to be shaken by theological researches and doubts4 ,here critical accuracy was nothing less than profanation and scepticism1 and to have attacked the sanctity of the ,blessed ,mary ,magdalene would have embittered and alienated many kindly and many believing spirits4 ,it is difficult to treat of ,mary ,magdalene2 and this difficulty would be increased infinitely if it were absolutely necessary to enter on the much-vexed question of her scriptural character and identity3 one thing only appeals certain1--that such a person1 whatever might have been her veritable appellation1 did exist4 ,the woman who1 under the name of ,mary ,magdalene1--whether that name be rightfully or wrongfully bestowed1--stands before us1 sanctified in the imagination and in the faith of the people in her combined character of ,sinner and of ,saint1 as the first-fruits of ,christian penitence1--is a reality1 and not a fiction4 ,even if we would1 we cannot do away with the associations inseparably connected with her name and her image4 ,of all those to whom much has been forgiven1 she was the first3 of all the tears since ruefully shed at the foot of the cross of suffering1 hers were the first3 of all the hopes which the ,resurrection has since diffused through nations and generations of men1 hers were the first4 ,to her sorrowful image how many have looked up through tears1 and blessed the pardoning grace of which she was the symbol--or rather the impersonation6 ,of the female saints1 some were the chosen patrons of certain virtues--others of certain vocations2 but the accepted and glorified penitent threw her mantle over all1 and more especially over those of her own sex1 who1 having gone astray1 were recalled from error and from shame1 and laid down their wrongs1 their sorrows1 and their sins in trembling humility at the feet of the ,redeemer4 ,nor is it only the popularity of ,mary ,magdalene as the representative and the patroness of repentant sinners which has multiplied her image through all ,christendom4 ,as a subject for painting1 ,whether the fair one sinner it or saint it1 it is rich in picturesque capabilities4 ,it combines all that can inspire1 with all that can chasten the fancy2 yet1 when we review what has been done1 how inadequate the result6 ,in no class of subjects have the mistakes of the painters1 even the most distinguished1 been so conspicuous as in the representation of the penitent ,magdalene2 and it must be allowed that1 with all its advantages and attractions1 it is a subject full of perils and difficulties4 ,where the penitent prevails1 the saint appears degraded2 where the wasted1 unclad form is seen attenuated by vigils and exposed in haggard unseemliness1 it is a violation of that first great rule of ,art which forbids the repulsive and the painful4 ,and herein lies the fault of the earlier schools1 and particularly of the old ,greek and ,german painters2--their matter-of-fact ugliness would be intolerable1 if not redeemed by the intention and sentiment4 ,on the other hand1 where sensual beauty has obviously been the paramount idea in the artist's work1 defeating its holiest purpose and perverting its high significance1 the violation of the moral sentiment is yet more revolting4 ,this is especially the fault of the later painters1 more particularly of the schools of ,venice and ,bologna3 while the ,french painters are yet worse1 adding affectation to licentiousness of sentiment2 the ,abb ,mry exclaims with reasonable and pious indignation against that #8air de galanterie' which in his time was regarded as characteristic of ,mary ,magdalene4 ,the #8larmoyantes' penitents of ,greuze--,magdalenes la ,pompadour--are more objectionable to my taste than those of ,rubens4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i shall give the legend of the ,magdalene here as it was accepted by the people1 and embodied by the arts1 of the middle ages1 setting aside those ,eastern traditions which represent the ,mary of ,bethany and the ,magdalene as distinct personages1 and place the death and burial-place of ,mary ,magdalene at ,ephesus4 ,our business is with the ,western legend1 which has been the authority for ,western ,art4 ,this legend1 besides attributing to one individual1 and blending into one narrative1 the very few scattered notices in the ,gospels1 has added some other incidents1 inconceivably wild and incredible1 leaving her1 however1 the invariable attributes of the frail loving woman1 the sorrowing penitent1 and the devout enthusiastic saint4 ,mary ,magdalene was of the district of ,magdala1 on the shores of the sea of ,galilee1 where stood her castle1 called ,magdalon2 she was the sister of ,lazarus and of ,martha1 and they were the children of parents reputed noble1 or1 as some say1 of royal race4 ,on the death of their father1 ,syrus1 they inherited vast riches and possessions in land1 which were equally divided between them4 ,lazarus betook himself to the military life2 ,martha ruled her possessions with great discretion1 and was a model of virtue and propriety1-- perhaps a little too much addicted to worldly cares3 ,mary1 on the contrary1 abandoned herself to luxurious pleasures1 and became at length so notorious for her dissolute life1 that she was known through all the country round only as #8,,the ,,sinner4' ,her discreet sister1 ,martha1 frequently rebuked her for these disorders1 and at length persuaded her to listen to the exhortations of ,jesus1 through which her heart was touched and converted4 ,the seven demons which possessed her1 and which were expelled by the power of the ,lord1 were the seven deadly sins to which she was given over before her conversion4 ,on one occasion ,martha entertained the ,saviour in her house1 and1 being anxious to feast him worthily1 she was #8cumbered with much serving4' ,mary1 meanwhile1 sat at the feet of ,jesus1 and heard his words1 which completed the good work of her conversion2 and when1 some time afterwards1 he supped in the house of ,simon the ,pharisee1 she followed him thither1 #8and she brought an alabaster box of ointment1 and began to wash his feet with tears1 and did wipe them with the hair of her head1 and kissed his feet1 and anointed them with ointment2 and ,he said unto her1 ,thy sins are forgiven4' ,she became afterwards one of the most devoted of his followers2 #8ministered to him of her substance2' attended him to ,calvary1 and stood weeping at the foot of the cross4 ,she1 with the other ,mary1 watched by his tomb1 and was the first to whom he appeared after the resurrection2 her unfaltering faith1 mingled as it was with the intensest grief and love1 obtained for her this peculiar mark of favour4 ,it is assumed by several commentators that our ,saviour appeared first to ,mary ,magdalene because she1 of all those whom he had left on earth1 had most need of consolation3--#8,the disciples went away to their own home2 but ,mary stood without the sepulchre1 weeping4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,thus far the notices in the ,gospel and the suggestions of commentators3 the old ,provenal legend then continues the story4 ,after the ascension1 ,lazarus with his two sisters1 ,martha and ,mary2 with ,maximin1 one of the seventy-two disciples1 from whom they had received baptism2 ,cedon1 the blind man whom our ,saviour had restored to sight2 and ,marcella1 the handmaiden who attended on the two sisters1 were by the heathens set adrift in a vessel without sails1 oars1 or rudder2 but1 guided by ,providence1 they were safely borne over the sea till they landed in a certain harbour which proved to be ,marseilles1 in the country now called ,france4 ,the people of the land were pagans1 and refused to give the holy pilgrims food or shelter2 so they were fain to take refuge under the porch of a temple2 and ,mary ,magdalene preached to the people1 reproaching them for their senseless worship of dumb idols2 and though at first they would not listen1 yet being after a time convinced by her eloquence1 and by the miracles performed by her and by her sister1 they were converted and baptized4 ,and ,lazarus became1 after the death of the good ,maximin1 the first bishop of ,marseilles4 ,these things being accomplished1 ,mary ,magdalene retired to a desert not far from the city4 ,it was a frightful barren wilderness1 in the midst of horrid rocks and caves3 and here for thirty years she devoted herself to solitary penance for the sins of her past life1 which she had never ceased to bewail bitterly4 ,during this long seclusion1 she was never seen or heard of1 and it was supposed that she was dead4 ,she fasted so rigorously1 that but for the occasional visits of the angels1 and the comfort bestowed by celestial visions1 she must have perished4 ,every day during the last years of her penance1 the angels came down from heaven and carried her up in their arms into regions where she was ravished by the sounds of unearthly harmony1 and beheld the glory and the joy prepared for the sinner that repenteth4 ,one day a certain hermit1 who dwelt in a cell on one of those wild mountains1 having wandered farther than usual from his home1 beheld this wondrous vision--the ,magdalene in the arms of ascending angels1 who were singing songs of triumph as they bore her upwards2 and the hermit1 when he had a little recovered from his amazement1 returned to the city of ,marseilles1 and reported what he had seen4 ,according to some of the legends1 ,mary ,magdalene died within the walls of the ,christian church1 after receiving the sacrament from the hand of ,st4 ,maximin2 but the more popular accounts represent her as dying in her solitude1 while angels watched over and ministered to her4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the middle of the thirteenth century was an era of religious excitement all over the south of ,europe4 ,a sudden fit of penitence--#8una subita compunzione1' as an ,italian author calls it--seized all hearts2 relics and pilgrimages1 and penances and monastic ordinances1 filled all minds4 ,about this period1 certain remains1 supposed to be those of ,mary ,magdalene and ,lazarus1 were discovered at a place since called ,st4 ,maximin1 about twenty miles north of ,toulon4 ,the discovery strongly excited the devotion and enthusiasm of the people2 and a church was founded on the spot by ,charles1 ,count of ,provence 7the brother of ,st4 ,louis71 as early as #abgi4 ,a few years afterwards1 this prince was vanquished and taken prisoner by the king of ,aragon1 and when at length set free after a long captivity1 he ascribed his deliverance particularly to the intercession of his chosen patroness1 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,this incident greatly extended her fame as a saint of power2 and from this time we may date her popularity1 and those sculptural and pictorial representations of her1 under various aspects1 which1 from the fourteenth century to the present time1 have so multiplied1 that scarcely any ,catholic place of worship is to be found without her image4 ,in fact1 it is difficult for us1 in these days1 to conceive1 far more difficult to sympathise with1 the passionate admiration and devotion with which she was regarded by her votaries in the middle ages4 ,the imputed sinfulness of her life only brought her nearer to them4 ,those who did not dare to lift up their eyes to the more saintly models of purity and holiness1--to the martyrs who had suffered in the cause of chastity1--took courage to invoke her intercession4 ,the extravagant titles bestowed upon her in the middle ages--#8l'amante de ,jsus-,christ1' #8la bien-aime du ,sauveur1' #8la trs-saincte demoiselle pcheresse1'--and others which ,i should hardly dare to transcribe1 show the spirit in which she was worshipped1 particularly in the south of ,france1 and the kind of chivalrous sentiment which mingled with the devotion of her adorers4 ,i found in an old ,french sermon a eulogium of ,mary ,magdalene1 which for its eloquence and ingenuity seems to me without a parallel4 ,the preacher1 while acknowledging the excesses which brought her a penitent to the feet of ,christ1 is perfectly scandalised that she should be put on a par with common sinners of the same class1 and that on the faith of a passage in ,st4 ,luke1 #8on a os fltrir une des plus belles mes qui soient jamais sorties des mains du ,crateur6' ,he rather glorifies her as a kind of ,aspasia1 to whom1 indeed1 he in a manner compares her4#big ,the traditional scene of the penance of the ,magdalene1 a wild spot between ,toulon and ,marseilles1 is the site of a famous convent called ,la ,sainte ,beaume 7which in the ,provenal tongue signifies ,holy ,cave71 formerly a much frequented place of pilgrimage4 ,it is built on the verge of a formidable precipice2 near it is the grotto in which the saint resided2 and to ,mount ,pilon1 a rocky point about six hundred feet above the grotto1 the angels bore her seven times a day to pray4 ,this convent was destroyed and pillaged at the commencement of the ,french ,revolution4 ,it was filled with relics and works of art1 referring to the life and the worship of the ,magdalene4 ,but the most sumptuous fane ever erected to her special honour is that which1 of late years1 has arisen in the city of ,paris4 ,the church1 or rather the temple1 of ,la ,madeleine stands an excelling monument1 if not of modern piety1 at least of modern ,art4 ,it is built on the model of the temple of ,jupiter at ,athens3-- ,that noble type is realised again ,in perfect form2 and dedicate--to whom8 ,to a poor ,syrian girl of lowliest name-- ,a hapless creature1 pitiful and frail ,as ever wore her life in sin and shame6 ,r4 ,m4 ,,milnes4 ,the saint1 whether she were #8the lowly ,syrian girl' or the #8,princess of ,magdala1' would be equally astonished to behold herself thus honoured with a sort of pagan magnificence in the midst of a luxurious capital1 and by a people more remarkable for scoffing than for praying4 ,even in the successive vicissitudes of this splendid edifice there is something strange4 ,that which is now the temple of the lowly penitent was1 a few years ago1 ,le ,temple de la ,gloire4 ,let us now turn to those characteristic representations with which painting and sculpture have made us familiar1 and for which both ,scripture and legendary tradition have furnished the authority and the groundwork4 ,these are so numerous and so infinitely varied that ,i find it necessary here1 as in the case of ,st4 ,jerome1 to arrange them under several heads4 ,the devotional representations may be divided into two classes4 #a4 ,those which represent the ,magdalene as patron saint4 #b4 ,those which represent her penitence in the desert4 ,the historical subjects may also be divided into two classes4 #a4 ,those scenes from ,gospel story in which ,mary ,magdalene figures as a chief or conspicuous personage4 #b4 ,the scenes taken from her legendary life4 ,in all these subjects the accompanying attribute is the alabaster box of ointment2 which has a double significance3 it may be the perfume which she poured over the feet of the ,saviour1 or the balm and spices which she had prepared to anoint his body4 ,sometimes she carries it in her hand1 sometimes it stands at her feet1 or near her2 frequently1 in later pictures1 it is borne by an attendant angel4 ,the shape varies with the fancy of the artist2 it is a small vase1 a casket1 a box1 a cup with a cover2 more or less ornamented1 more or less graceful in form2 but always there--the symbol at once of her conversion and her love1 and so peculiar that it can leave no doubt of her identity4 ,her drapery in the ancient pictures is usually red1 to express the fervour of her love2 in modern representations1 and where she figures as penitent1 it is either blue or violet2 violet1 the colour of mourning and penitence--blue1 the colour of constancy4 ,to express both the love and the sorrow1 she sometimes wears a violet-coloured tunic and a red mantle4 ,the luxuriant hair ought to be fair or golden4 ,dark-haired ,magdalenes1 as far as ,i can remember1 belong exclusively to the ,spanish school4 #a4 ,when exhibited to us as the patron saint of repentant sinners1 ,mary ,magdalene is sometimes a thin wasted figure with long dishevelled hair1 of a pale golden hue1 falling over her shoulders almost to the ground2 sometimes a skin or a piece of linen is tied round her loins1 but not seldom her sole drapery is her long redundant hair4 ,the most ancient single figure of this character to which ,i can refer is an old picture in the ,byzantine manner1 as old perhaps as the thirteenth century1 and now in the ,academy at ,florence4 ,she is standing as patroness1 covered only by her long hair1 which falls in dark brown masses to her feet3 the colour1 ,i imagine1 was originally much lighter4 ,she is a meagre1 haggard1 grim-looking figure1 and holds in her hand a scroll1 on which is inscribed in ancient ,gothic letters-- ,ne despectetis ,vos qui peccare soletis ,exemplo meo ,vos reparate ,deo4#bih ,rude and unattractive as is this specimen of ancient ,art1 ,i could not look at it without thinking how often it must have spoken hope and peace to the soul of the trembling sinner1 in days when it hung1 not in a picture-gallery to be criticised1 but in a shrine to be worshipped4 ,around this figure1 in the manner of the old altar-pieces1 are six small square compartments containing scenes from her life4 ,illustration3 #ia ,mary ,magdalene 7,donatello7 ,the famous statue carved in wood by ,donatello1 in point of character may be referred to this class of subjects3 she stands over her altar in the ,baptistery at ,florence1 with clasped hands1 the head raised in prayer2 the form is very expressive of wasting grief and penance1 but too meagre for beauty4 #8,egli1 la volle specchio alle penitenti1 non incitamento alla cupidizia degli sguardi1 come avenne ad altri artisti1' says ,cicognara2 and1 allowing that beauty has been sacrificed to expression1 he adds1 #8but if ,donatello had done all1 what would have remained for ,canova8' ,that which remained for ,canova to do1 he has done2 he has made her as lovely as possible1 and he has dramatised the sentiment3 she is more the penitent than the patron saint4 ,the display of the beautiful limbs is chastened by the humility of the attitude--half kneeling1 half prostrate2 by the expression of the drooping head--#8all sorrow's softness charmed from its despair4' ,her eyes are fixed on the cross which lies extended on her knees2 and she weeps--not so much her own past sins1 as the sacrifice it has cost to redeem them4 ,this is the prevailing sentiment1 or1 as the ,germans would call it1 the motive of the representation1 to which ,i should feel inclined to object as deficient in dignity and severity1 and bordering too much on the genre and dramatic style3 but the execution is almost faultless4 ,very beautiful is another modern statue of the penitent ,magdalene1 executed in marble for the ,count d',espagnac1 by ,m4 ,henri de ,triqueti4 ,she is half seated1 half reclining on a fragment of rock1 and pressing to her bosom a crown of thorns1 at once the mourner and the penitent3 the sorrow is not for herself alone4 ,illustration3 #ib ,mary ,magdalene 7,lucas v4 ,leyden7 ,but1 in her character of patron saint1 ,mary ,magdalene was not always represented with the squalid or pathetic attributes of humiliation and penance4 ,she became idealised as a noble dignified creature bearing no traces of sin or of sorrow on her beautiful face2 her luxuriant hair bound in tresses round her head2 her drapery rich and ample2 the vase of ointment in her hand or at her feet1 or borne by an angel near her4 ,not unfrequently she is attired with the utmost magnificence1 either in reference to her former state of worldly prosperity1 or rather1 perhaps1 that with the older painters1 particularly those of the ,german school1 it was a common custom to clothe all the ideal figures of female saints in rich habits4 ,in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries such representations of the ,magdalene are usual both in ,italian and ,german ,art4 ,a beautiful instance may be seen in a picture by ,signorelli1 in the ,cathedral of ,orvieto1 where she is standing in a landscape1 her head uncovered1 and the rich golden hair partly braided1 partly flowing over her shoulders2 she wears a magnificent tunic embroidered with gold1 over it a flowing mantle descending to her feet2 she holds the vase with her left hand1 and points to it with her right4 ,if it were not for the saintly aureole encircling her head1 this figure1 and others similar to it1 might be mistaken for ,pandora4 ,see1 for example1 the famous print by ,lucas v4 ,leyden1 where she stands on clouds with an embroidered coif and flowing mantle1 holding the vase in her left hand1 and lifting the cover with her right 7in the sketch it is reversed73 and in the half-length by ,leonardo1 or one of his school4 ,the want of a religious sentiment gives such figures a very heathen and ,pandora look1 so that the aureole alone fixes the identity4 ,this is not the case with a noble ,magdalene by ,dennis ,calvert1 in the ,manfrini ,palace at ,venice4 ,she is standing in a fine bold landscape2 one hand sustains her ample crimson drapery1 the other holds her vase2 her fair hair falls in masses over her shoulders1 and she looks down on her worshippers with a serious dignified compassion4 ,this is one of the finest pictures of the later ,bologna school1 finer and truer in sentiment than any of the ,caracci and ,guido ,magdalenes4 ,in this her wholly divine and ideal character of saint and intercessor1 ,mary ,magdalene is often most beautifully introduced as standing near the throne of the ,virgin1 or as grouped with other saints4 ,in two of the most famous pictures in the world she is thus represented4 ,in the ,st4 ,cecilia of ,raphael1 she stands on the left1 ,st4 ,paul being on the right of the principal figure2 they are here significant of the conversion of the man through power1 of the woman through love1 from a state of reprobation to a state of reconcilement and grace4 ,st4 ,paul leans in deep meditation on his sword4 ,mary ,magdalene is habited in ample drapery of blue and violet1 which she sustains with one hand1 and bears the vase in the other4 ,she looks out of the picture with a benign countenance and a particularly graceful turn of the head4 ,raphael's original design for this picture 7engraved by ,marc ,antonio7 is1 however1 preferable in the sentiment given to the ,magdalene3 she does not look out of the picture1 but she looks up3 she also hears the divine music which has ravished ,st4 ,cecilia4 ,in the picture she is either unconscious or inattentive4 ,in the not less celebrated ,st4 ,jerome of ,correggio she is on the left of the ,madonna1 bending down with an expression of the deepest adoration to kiss the feet of the infant ,christ1 while an angel behind holds up the vase of ointment3 thus recalling to our minds1 and shadowing forth in the most poetical manner1 that memorable act of love and homage rendered at the feet of the ,saviour4 ,parmigiano has represented her1 in a ,madonna picture1 as standing on one side1 and the prophet ,isaiah on the other4 ,lord ,ashburton has a fine picture by ,correggio1 in which we have the same ideal representation3 she is here grouped with ,st4 ,peter1 ,st4 ,margaret1 and ,st4 ,leonardo4 ,there are two classes of subjects in which ,mary ,magdalene is richly habited1 and which must be carefully distinguished2 those above described1 in which she figures as patron saint1 and those which represent her before her conversion1 as the votary of luxury and pleasure4 ,in the same manner we must be careful to distinguish those figures of the penitent ,magdalene which are wholly devotional in character and intention1 and which have been described in the first class1 from those which represent her in the act of doing penance1 and which are rather dramatic and sentimental than devotional4 99 99 99 99 99 #b4 ,the penance of the ,magdalene is a subject which has become1 like the penance of ,st4 ,jerome1 a symbol of ,christian penitence1 but still more endeared to the popular imagination by more affecting and attractive associations1 and even more eminently picturesque1--so tempting to the artists1 that by their own predilection for it they have assisted in making it universal4 ,in the display of luxuriant female forms1 shadowed 7not hidden7 by redundant fair hair1 and flung in all the abandon of solitude1 amid the depth of leafy recesses1 or relieved by the dark umbrageous rocks2 in the association of love and beauty with the symbols of death and sorrow and utter humiliation2 the painters had ample scope1 ample material1 for the exercise of their imagination1 and the display of their skill3 and what has been the result8 ,they have abused these capabilities even to licence2 they have exhausted the resources of ,art in the attempt to vary the delineation2 and yet how seldom has the ideal of this most exquisite subject been--,i will not say realised--but even approached8 ,we have ,magdalenes who look as if they never could have sinned1 and others who look as if they never could have repented2 we have ,venetian ,magdalenes with the air of courtesans1 and ,florentine ,magdalenes with the air of ,ariadnes2 and ,bolognese ,magdalenes like sentimental ,niobes2 and ,french ,magdalenes1 moiti galantes1 moiti dvotes2 and ,dutch ,magdalenes1 who wring their hands like repentant washerwomen4 ,the ,magdalenes of ,rubens remind us of nothing so much as of the #8unfortunate ,miss ,bailey2' and the ,magdalenes of ,van ,dyck are fine ladies who have turned ,methodists4 ,but ,mary ,magdalene1 such as we have conceived her1 mournful yet hopeful1--tender yet dignified1--worn with grief and fasting1 yet radiant with the glow of love and faith1 and clothed with the beauty of holiness1--is an ideal which painting has not yet realised4 ,is it beyond the reach of ,art8 ,we might have answered this question1 had ,raphael attempted it2--but he has not4 ,his ,magdalene at the feet of ,christ is yet unforgiven--the forlorn castaway1 not the devout penitent4 ,the ,magdalene doing penance in her rocky desert first became a popular subject in the sixteenth century2 in the seventeenth it was at the height of favour4 ,there are two distinct versions of the subject1 infinitely varied as to detail and sentiment3 either she is represented as bewailing her sins1 or as reconciled to ,heaven4 ,in the former treatment she lies prostrate on the earth1 or she is standing or kneeling at the entrance of the cave 7in some of the old illuminated missals the upper part of her body is seen emerging from a cave1 or rather a hole in the ground71 the hands clasped1 or extended towards heaven2 the eyes streaming with tears2 the long yellow hair floating over the shoulders4 ,the crucifix1 the skull1 and sometimes the scourge1 are introduced as emblems of faith1 mortality1 and penance2 weeping angels present a crown of thorns4 ,in the latter treatment she is reading or meditating2 the expression is serene or hopeful2 a book lies beside the skull2 angels present the palm1 or scatter flowers2 a vision of glory is seen in the skies4 ,the alabaster box is in all cases the indispensable attribute4 ,the eyes are usually raised1 if not in grief1 in supplication or in aspiration4 ,the #8uplifted eye' as well as the #8loose hair' became a characteristic2 but there are some exceptions4 ,the conception of character and situation1 which was at first simple1 became more and more picturesque1 and at length theatrical--a mere vehicle for sentiment and attitude4 #a4 ,the earliest example ,i can remember of the ,penitent ,magdalene1 dramatically treated1 remains as yet unsurpassed1--the reading ,magdalene of ,correggio1 in the ,dresden ,gallery4 ,this lovely creation has only one fault the virginal beauty is that of a ,psyche or a ,seraph4 ,in ,oelenschlger's drama of #8,correggio1' there is a beautiful description of this far-famed picture2 he calls it #8,die ,gottinn des ,waldes ,frmmigkeit1'--the goddess of the religious solitude4 ,and in truth1 if we could imagine ,diana reading instead of hunting1 she might have looked thus4 ,oelenschlger has made poetical use of the tradition that ,correggio painted this ,magdalene for a poor monk who was his confessor or physician2 and thus he makes ,silvestro comment on the work3-- ,what a fair picture6-- ,this dark o'erhanging shade1 the long fair hair1 ,the delicate white skin1 the azure robe1 ,the full luxuriant life1 the grim death's head1 ,the tender womanhood1 and the great book3-- ,these various contrasts have you cunningly ,brought into sweetest harmony4 ,but truer1 at least nobler in sentiment1 is the ,magdalene by the same painter 7in the ,manfrini ,palace1 ,venice71 of the same size and similarly draped in dark blue2 but here standing at the entrance of her cave4 ,she leans her elbow on the book which lies on the rock1 and appears to be meditating on its contents4 ,the head1 seen in front1 is grand and earnest1 with a mass of fair hair1 a large wide brow1 and deep1 deep eyes full of mystery4 ,the expression of power in this head pleases me especially1 because true to the character1 as ,i conceive it4 ,doch ist es schn von einem ,weibe1 mein' ich1 ,einmal gefallen wieder sich zu heben2 ,es gibt sehr wen'ge ,mnner1 die das knnen6 ,yes6 it is good to see a hapless woman1 ,that once has fallen1 redeem herself6 ,in truth1 ,there be few men1 methinks1 could do as much4 ,correggio1 ,act i4 ,scene #a4 ,i do not know why this lovely ,manfrini picture should be so much less celebrated than the ,dresden ,magdalene3 while the latter has been multiplied by copies and engravings1 ,i do not remember a single print after the ,manfrini ,magdalene4 ,there is a bad feeble copy in the ,louvre2#bii ,i know no other4 #b4 ,there is a celebrated picture by ,timoteo della ,vite1 in the ,bologna ,gallery4 ,she is standing before the entrance of her cavern1 arrayed in a crimson mantle2 her long hair is seen beneath descending to her feet2 the hands joined in prayer1 the head declined on one side1 and the whole expression that of girlish innocence and simplicity1 with a touch of the pathetic4 ,a mendicant1 not a ,magdalene1 is the idea suggested2 and1 for myself1 ,i confess that at the first glance ,i was reminded of the little ,red-,riding-,hood1 and could think of no sin that could have been attributed to such a face and figure1 beyond the breaking of a pot of butter3 yet the picture is very beautiful4 ,illustration3 #ic ,mary ,magdalene 7,timoteo della ,vite7 #c4 ,the ,magdalene of ,titian was so celebrated in his own time1 that he painted at least five or six repetitions of it1 and copies and engravings have since been multiplied4 ,the eyes1 swimming in tears1 are raised to heaven2 the long dishevelled hair floats over her shoulders2 one hand is pressed on her bosom1 the other rests on the skull2 the forms are full and round1 the colouring rich2 a book and a box of ointment lie before her on a fragment of rock4 ,she is sufficiently woeful1 but seems rather to regret her past life than to repent of it1 nor is there anything in the expression which can secure us against a relapse4 ,titian painted the original for ,charles ,v4 ,his idea of the pose was borrowed1 as we are told1 from an antique statue1 and his model was a young girl1 who being fatigued with long standing1 the tears ran down her face1 and ,titian attained the desired expression4'767 ,his idea therefore of ,st4 ,mary ,magdalene was the fusion of an antique statue and a girl taken out of the streets2 and with all its beauties as a work of art--and very beautiful it is--this chef-d'uvre of ,titian is1 to my taste1 most unsatisfactory4 #d4 ,cigoli's ,magdalene is seated on a rock1 veiled only by her long hair1 which falls over the whole figure2 the eyes1 still wet with tears1 are raised to heaven2 one arm is round a skull1 the right hand rests on a book which is on her knees4 #e4 ,the ,magdalene of ,carlo ,cignani1 veiled in her dishevelled hair1 and wringing her hands1 is also most affecting for the fervent expression of sorrow2 both these are in the ,florence ,gallery4#cjj #f4 ,guido1 regarded as the painter of ,magdalenes par excellence1 has carried this mistake yet farther2 he had ever the classical ,niobe in his mind1 and his saintly penitents1 with all their exceeding loveliness1 appear to me utterly devoid of that beauty which has been called #8the beauty of holiness2' the reproachful grandeur of the ,niobe is diluted into voluptuous feebleness2 the tearful face1 with the loose golden hair and uplifted eyes1 of which he has given us at least ten repetitions1 however charming as art--as painting1 are unsatisfactory as religious representations4 ,i cannot except even the beautiful study in our ,national ,gallery1 nor the admired full-length in the ,sciarra ,palace1 at ,rome2 the latter1 when ,i saw it last1 appeared to me poor and mannered1 and the pale colouring not merely delicate1 but vapid4 ,a head of ,mary ,magdalene reading1 apparently a study from life1 is1 however1 in a grand style4#cja ,illustration3 #id ,mary ,magdalene 7,murillo7 #g4 ,murillo's ,magdalene1 in the ,louvre1 kneeling1 with hands crossed on her bosom1 eyes upraised1 and parted lips1 has eager devout hope as well as sorrow in the countenance4 #h4 ,but turn to the ,magdalene of ,alonzo ,cano1 which hangs near3 drooping1 negligent of self2 the very hands are nerveless1 languid1 dead4#cjb ,nothing but woe1 guilt1 and misery are in the face and attitude3 she has not yet looked into the face of ,christ1 nor sat at his feet1 nor heard from his lips1 #8,woman1 thy sins be forgiven thee1' nor dared to hope2 it is the penitent only3 the whole head is faint1 and the whole heart sick4 #i4 ,but the beautiful ,magdalene of ,annibal ,caracci has heard the words of mercy2 she has memories which are not of sin only2 angelic visions have already come to her in that wild solitude3 she is seated at the foot of a tree2 she leans her cheek on her right hand1 the other rests on a skull2 she is in deep contemplation2 but her thoughts are not of death3 the upward ardent look is full of hope1 and faith1 and love4 ,the fault of this beautiful little picture lies in the sacrifice of the truth of the situation to the artistic feeling of beauty--the common fault of the school2 the forms are large1 round1 full1 untouched by grief and penance4 ,illustration3 #ie ,mary ,magdalene 7,annibal ,caracci7 #aj4 ,vandyck's ,magdalenes have the same fault as his ,madonnas2 they are not feeble nor voluptuous1 but they are too elegant and ladylike4 ,i remember1 for example1 a ,deposition by ,vandyck1 and one of his finest pictures1 in which ,mary ,magdalene kisses the hand of the ,saviour quite with the air of a princess4 ,the most beautiful of his penitent ,magdalenes is the half-length figure with the face in profile1 bending with clasped hands over the crucifix2 the skull and knotted scourge lie on a shelf of rock behind2 underneath is the inscription1 #8,fallit gratia1 et vana est pulchritudo2 mulier timens ,dominum ipsa laudabitur4' 7,prov4 xxxi4 #cj47 #aa4 ,rubens has given us thirteen ,magdalenes1 more or less coarse2 in one picture#cjc she is tearing her hair like a disappointed virago2 in another1 the expression of grief is overpowering1 but it is that of a woman in the house of correction4 ,from this sweeping condemnation ,i must make one exception2 it is the picture known as #8,the ,four ,penitents4'#cjd ,in front the ,magdalene bows down her head on her clasped hands with such an expression of profound humility as ,rubens only1 when painting out of nature and his own heart1 could give4 ,christ1 with an air of tender yet sublime compassion1 looks down upon her3--#8,thy sins be forgiven thee6' ,behind ,christ and the ,magdalene stand ,peter1 ,david1 and ,didymus1 the penitent thief2 the faces of these three1 thrown into shadow to relieve the two principal figures1 have a self-abased1 mournful expression4 ,i have never seen anything from the hand of ,rubens at once so pure and pathetic in sentiment as this picture1 while the force and truth of the painting are1 as usual1 wonderful4 ,no one should judge ,rubens who has not studied him in the ,munich ,gallery4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,,historical ,,subjects from the life of ,mary ,magdalene are either scriptural or legendary2 and the character of the ,magdalene1 as conceived by the greatest painters1 is more distinctly expressed in those scriptural scenes in which she is an important figure1 than in the single and ideal representations4 ,the illuminated ,gospels of the ninth century furnish the oldest type of ,mary1 the penitent and the sister of ,lazarus1 but it differs from the modern conception of the ,magdalene4 ,she is in such subjects a secondary scriptural personage1 one of the accessories in the history of ,christ1 and nothing more3 no attempt was made to give her importance1 either by beauty1 or dignity1 or prominence of place1 till the end of the thirteenth century4 ,the sacred subjects in which she is introduced are the following3-- #a4 ,jesus at supper with ,simon the ,pharisee4--#8,and she began to wash his feet with tears1 and did wipe them with the hair of her head1 and kissed his feet1 and anointed them with ointment4' 7,luke vii4 #cj47 #b4 ,christ is in the house of ,martha and ,mary4--#8,and she sat at ,jesus' feet1 and heard his words2 but ,martha was cumbered with much serving4' 7,luke x4 #ci1 #dj47 #c4 ,the ,raising of ,lazarus4--#8,lord1 if thou hadst been here1 my brother had not died4' 7,john xi4 #cb47 #d4 ,the ,crucifixion4--#8,now there stood by the cross ,mary ,magdalene4' 7,john xix4 #be2 ,matt4 xxvii4 #ef47 #e4 ,the ,deposition from the ,cross4--#8,and ,mary ,magdalene1 and the mother of ,jesus1 beheld where he was laid4' 7,mark xv4 #dg47 #f4 ,the ,maries at the ,sepulchre4--#8,and there was ,mary ,magdalene and the other ,mary1 sitting over against the sepulchre4' 7,matt4 xxvii4 #fa47 #g4 ,christ appears to ,mary ,magdalene in the ,garden1 called the ,noli me tangere4--#8,touch me not1 for ,i am not yet ascended to my ,father4' 7,john xx4 #ag47 ,in the first1 second1 and last of these subjects1 the ,magdalene is one of the two principal figures1 and necessary to the action2 in the others she is generally introduced1 but in some instances omitted2 and as all belong properly to the life of ,christ1 ,i shall confine myself now to a few remarks on the characteristic treatment of the ,magdalene in each4 #a4 ,the supper with ,simon has been represented in every variety of style4 ,the earliest and simplest ,i can call to mind is the fresco of ,taddeo ,gaddi in the ,rinuccini ,chapel at ,florence4 ,the ,magdalene bends down prostrate on the feet of the ,saviour2 she is in a red dress1 and her long yellow hair flows down her back2 the seven devils by which she was possessed are seen above1 flying out of the roof of the house in the shape of little black monsters4 ,raphael1 when treating the same subject1 thought only of the religious significance of the action1 and how to express it with the utmost force and the utmost simplicity4 ,there are few figures--our ,saviour1 the ,pharisee1 four apostles1 and two attendants3 ,mary ,magdalene1 in front1 bends over the feet of ,christ1 while her long hair half conceals her face and almost sweeps the ground2 nothing can exceed the tenderness and humility of the attitude and the benign dignity of ,christ4 ,as an example of the most opposite treatment1 let us turn to the gorgeous composition of ,paul ,veronese2 we have a stately banquet-room1 rich architecture1 a crowd of about thirty figures2 and the ,magdalene is merely a beautiful female with loose robes1 dishevelled tresses1 and the bosom displayed3 this gross fault of sentiment is more conspicuous in the large picture in the ,durazzo ,palace at ,genoa than in the beautiful finished sketch in the collection of ,mr4 ,rogers4#cje ,a fine sketch by the same painter1 but quite different1 is at ,alton ,towers4 ,the composition of ,rubens1 of which a very fine sketch is in the ,windsor collection1 is exceedingly dramatic3 the dignity of ,christ and the veneration and humility of the ,magdalene are admirably expressed2 but the disdainful surprise of some of the assistants1 and the open mockery of others1--the old man in spectacles peering over to convince himself of the truth1--disturb the solemnity of the feeling3 and this fault is even more apparent in the composition of ,philippe de ,champagne1 where a young man puts up his finger with no equivocal expression4 ,in these two examples the moment chosen is not #8,thy sins are forgiven thee1' but the scepticism of the ,pharisee becomes the leading idea3 #8,this man1 if he were a prophet1 would have known who and what manner of woman this is4' #b4 ,christ in the house of ,martha and ,mary4 ,of this beautiful subject ,i have never seen a satisfactory version2 in the fresco by ,taddeo ,gaddi in the ,rinuccini ,chapel the subject becomes legendary rather than scriptural4 ,mary ,magdalene is seated at the feet of ,christ in an attitude of attention2 ,martha seems to expostulate2 three of the disciples are behind2 a little out of the principal group1 ,st4 ,marcella1 also with a glory round her head1 is seen cooking4 ,at ,hampton ,court there is a curious picture of this subject by ,hans ,vries1 which is an elaborate study of architecture3 the rich decoration of the interior has been criticised2 but1 according to the legend1 ,martha and ,mary lived in great splendour2 and there is no impropriety in representing their dwelling as a palace1 but a very great impropriety in rendering the decorations of the palace more important than the personages of the scene4 ,in a picture by ,old ,bassano1 ,christ is seen entering the house2 ,mary ,magdalene goes forward to meet him2 ,martha points to the table where ,lazarus sits composedly cutting a slice of sausage1 and in the corner ,st4 ,marcella is cooking at a fire4 ,in a picture by ,rubens1 the treatment is similar4 ,the holy sisters are like two ,flemish farm servants1 and ,christ--but ,i dare not proceed3--in both these instances1 the colouring1 the expression1 the painting of the accessories--the vegetables and fruit1 the materials and implements for cooking a feast--are as animated and true to nature as the conception of the whole scene is trivial1 vulgar1 and1 to a just taste1 intolerably profane4 ,one of the most modern compositions of this scene which has attracted attention is that of ,overbeck1 very simple and poetical1 but deficient in individual expression4 #c4 ,the raising of ,lazarus was selected by the early ,christians as an emblem1 both of the general resurrection1 and the resurrection of our ,saviour1 at a time that the resurrection of the ,saviour in person was considered a subject much too solemn and mysterious to be dealt with by the imitative arts4 ,in its primitive signification1 as the received emblem of the resurrection of the dead1 we find this subject abounding in the catacombs1 and on the sarcophagi of the third and fourth centuries4 ,the usual manner of representation shows the dead man swathed like a mummy1 under the porch of a temple resembling a tomb1 to which there is an ascent by a flight of steps4 ,christ stands before him1 and touches him with a wand4 ,sometimes there are two figures only1 but in general ,mary ,magdalene is kneeling by4 ,there is one instance only in which ,christ stands surrounded by the apostles1 and the two sisters are kneeling at his feet3--#8,lord1 hadst thou been here1 my brother had not died4'#cjf ,in more modern ,art this subject loses its mystic signification1 and becomes simply a scriptural incident4 ,it is treated like a scene in a drama1 and the painters have done their utmost to vary the treatment4 ,but1 however varied as regards the style of conception and the number of personages1 ,martha and ,mary are always present1 and1 in general1 ,mary is at the feet of our ,saviour4 ,the incident is of course one of the most important in the life of ,christ1 and is never omitted in the series1 nor yet in the miracles of our ,saviour4 ,but1 from the beginning of the fourteenth century1 it forms one of the scenes of the story of ,mary ,magdalene4 ,the fresco of ,giovanni da ,milano at ,assisi contains thirteen figures1 and the two sisters kneeling at the feet of ,christ have a grand and solemn simplicity2 but ,mary is not here in any respect distinguished from ,martha1 and both are attired in red4 ,in the picture in our ,national ,gallery1 the kneeling figure of ,mary looking up in the face of ,jesus1 with her grand severe beauty and earnest expression1 is magnificent3 but here1 again1 ,mary of ,bethany is not ,mary ,magdalene1 nor the woman #8who was a sinner2' and ,i doubt whether ,michael ,angelo intended to represent her as such4 ,on the other hand1 the ,caracci1 ,rubens1 and the later painters are careful to point out the supposed identity1 by the long fair hair1 exposed and dishevelled1 the superior beauty and the superior prominence and importance of the figure1 while ,martha stands by1 veiled1 and as a secondary personage4 99 99 99 99 99 #d4 ,in the ,crucifixion1 where more than the three figures 7the ,redeemer1 the ,virgin1 and ,st4 ,john7 are introduced1 the ,magdalene is almost always at the foot of the cross1 and it is said that ,giotto gave the first example4 ,sometimes she is embracing the cross1 and looking up with all the abandonment of despairing grief1 which is more picturesque than true in sentiment2 finer in feeling is the expression of serene hope tempering the grief4 ,in ,rubens' famous #8,crucifixion' at ,antwerp1 she has her arms round the cross1 and is gazing at the executioner with a look of horror3 this is very dramatic and striking1 but the attention of the penitent ought to be fixed on the dying ,saviour1 to the exclusion of every other thought or object4 ,in ,vandyck's #8,crucifixion1' the face of the ,magdalene seen in front is exquisite for its pathetic beauty4 ,sometimes the ,virgin is fainting in her arms4 ,the box of ointment is frequently placed near1 to distinguish her from the other ,maries present4 99 99 99 99 99 #e4 ,in the ,descent or ,deposition from the ,cross1 and in the ,entombment1 ,mary ,magdalene is generally conspicuous4 ,she is often supporting the feet or one of the hands of the ,saviour2 or she stands by weeping2 or she sustains the ,virgin2 or 7which is very usual in the earlier pictures7 she is seen lamenting aloud1 with her long tresses disordered1 and her arms outspread in an ecstasy of grief and passion2 or she bends down to embrace the feet of the ,saviour1 or to kiss his hand2 or contemplates with a mournful look one of the nails1 or the crown of thorns1 which she holds in her hand4 ,in the ,piet1 of ,fra ,bartolomeo1 in the ,pitti ,palace1 the prostrate abandonment in the figure of the ,magdalene1 pressing the feet of ,christ to her bosom1 is full of pathetic expression2 in the same gallery is the ,piet by ,andrea del ,sarto1 where the ,magdalene1 kneeling1 wrings her hands in mute sorrow4 ,but in this1 as in other instances1 ,raphael has shown himself supreme3 there is a wonderful little drawing by him1 in which ,nicodemus and others sustain the body of the ,saviour1 while ,mary ,magdalene lies prostrate bending her head over his feet1 which she embraces2 the face is wholly concealed by the flowing hair1 but never was the expression of overwhelming love and sorrow conveyed with such artless truth4 #f4 ,the ,maries at the ,sepulchre4 ,the women who carry the spices and perfumes to the tomb of ,jesus are called1 in ,greek ,art1 the ,myrrhophores1 or myrrh-bearers3 with us there are usually three1 ,mary ,magdalene1 ,mary the mother of ,james and ,john1 and ,mary ,salome4 ,in ,matthew1 two women are mentioned2 in ,mark1 three2 in ,luke1 the number is indefinite2 and in ,john1 only one is mentioned1 ,mary ,magdalene4 ,there is scarcely a more beautiful subject in the whole circle of ,scripture story than this of the three desolate affectionate women standing before the tomb in the grey dawn1 while the majestic angels are seen guarding the hallowed spot4 ,i give1 as one of the earliest examples1 a sketch from the composition of ,duccio3 the rules of perspective were then unknown1--but what a beautiful simplicity in the group of women6 how fine the seated angel6--#8,the angel of the ,lord descended from heaven1 and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it4' ,i have seen one instance1 and only one1 in which the angel is in the act of descending2 in general1 the version according to ,st4 ,john is followed1 and the #8two men in shining garments' are seated within the tomb4 ,there is a famous engraving1 after a design by ,michael ,angelo1 called #8,the three ,maries going to the ,sepulchre3' it represents three old women veiled1 and with their backs turned--very awful2 but they might as well be called the three ,fates1 or the three ,witches1 as the three ,maries4 ,the subject has never been more happily treated than by ,philip ,veit1 a modern ,german artist1 in a print which has become popular2 he has followed the version of ,matthew3 #8,as it began to dawn1 came ,mary ,magdalene and the other ,mary to see the sepulchre4' ,the attitude of motionless sorrow2 the anxious expectant looks1 fixed on the tomb2 the deep shadowy stillness2 the morning light just breaking in the distance1 are very truly and feelingly expressed4 #g4 ,the #8,noli me tangere' is the subject of many pictures2 they do not vary in the simplicity of the motif1 which is fixed by tradition1 and admits but of two persons4 ,the composition of ,duccio1 as one of the series of the ,passion of ,christ1 is extremely grand2 and the figure of ,mary1 leaning forward as she kneels1 with outstretched hands1 full of expression4 ,the old fresco of ,taddeo ,gaddi1 in the ,rinuccini ,chapel1#cjg is also exquisite4 ,two of the finest in conception and treatment are1 notwithstanding1 in striking contrast to each other4 ,one is the ,titian in the collection of ,mr4 ,rogers3#cjh the ,magdalene1 kneeling1 bends forward with eager expression1 and one hand extended to touch him3 the ,saviour1 drawing his linen garment round him1 shrinks back from her touch--yet with the softest expression of pity4 ,besides the beauty and truth of the expression1 this picture is transcendent as a piece of colour and effect2 while the rich landscape and the approach of morning over the blue distance are conceived with a sublime simplicity4 ,not less a miracle of ,art1 not less poetical1 but in a far different style1 is the ,rembrandt in the ,queen's ,gallery3 at the entrance of the sepulchre the ,saviour is seen in the habiliments of a gardener1 and ,mary ,magdalene at his feet1 adoring4 ,this picture exhibits1 in a striking degree1 all the wild originality and peculiar feeling of ,rembrandt3 the forms and characters are common2 but the deep shadow of the cavern tomb1 the dimly-seen supernatural beings within it1 the breaking of the dawn over the distant city1 are awfully sublime1 and worthy of the mysterious scene4 ,barroccio's great altar-piece1 which came to ,england with the ,duke of ,lucca's pictures1 once so famous1 and well known from the fine engraving of ,raphael ,morghen1 is poor compared with any of these3 ,christ is effeminate and commonplace1--,mary ,magdalene all in a flutter4 ,i now leave these scriptural incidents1 to be more fully considered hereafter1 and proceed to the fourth class of subjects pertaining to the life of the ,magdalene--those which are taken from the wild ,provenal legends of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries4 #a4 #8,la ,danse de la ,madeleine' is the title given to a very rare and beautiful print by ,lucas v4 ,leyden4 ,it represents ,mary ,magdalene abandoned to the pleasures of the world4 ,the scene is a smiling and varied landscape2 in the centre ,mary ,magdalene1 with the anticipative glory round her head1 is seen dancing along to the sound of a flute and tabor1 while a man in a rich dress leads her by the hand3 several groups of men and women are diverting themselves in the foreground2 in the background1 ,mary ,magdalene1 with a number of gay companions1 is chasing the stag2 she is mounted on horseback1 and has again the glory round her head3 far in the distance she is seen borne upwards by the angels4 ,this singular and suggestive composition is dated #aeai4 ,there is a fine impression in the ,british ,museum4 #b4 #8,mary ,magdalene rebuked by her sister ,martha for her vanity and luxury4' ,i believe ,i am the first to suggest that the famous picture in the ,sciarra ,palace1 by ,leonardo da ,vinci1 known as #8,modesty and ,vanity1' is a version of this subject4 ,when ,i saw it1 this idea was suggested1 and no other filled my mind4 ,the subject is one often treated1 and here treated in ,leonardo's peculiar manner4 ,the attitude of the veiled figure is distinctly that of remonstrance and rebuke2 the other1 decked and smiling1 looks out of the picture holding flowers in her hand1 as yet unconvinced1 unconverted3 the vase of ointment stands near her4 ,in other pictures there is no doubt as to the significance of the subject2 it has been gracefully treated in a picture by ,giovanni ,lopicino1 now in the gallery of the ,belvedere at ,vienna4 ,she is seated at her toilette2 her maid is binding her luxuriant hair2 ,martha1 standing by1 appears to be remonstrating with great fervour4 ,there is a pretty picture by ,elisabetta ,sirani of the same scene1 similarly treated4 #c4 #8,mary ,magdalene conducted by her sister ,martha to the feet of ,jesus4' ,of this most beautiful subject1 ,i know but one composition of distinguished merit4 ,it is by ,raphael1 and exists only in the drawing1 and the rare engraving by ,marc ,antonio4 ,christ sits within the porch of the ,temple1 teaching four of his disciples who stand near him4 ,martha and ,mary are seen ascending the steps which lead to the portico3 ,martha1 who is veiled1 seems to encourage her sister1 who looks down4 ,i observe that ,passavant and others are uncertain as to the subject of this charming design3 it has been styled #8,the ,virgin ,mary presenting the ,magdalene to ,christ2' but with any one who has carefully considered the legend1 there can be no doubt as to the intention of the artist4 #8,mary ,magdalene listening to the preaching of our ,saviour1 with ,martha seated by her side1' is one of the subjects in the series by ,gaudenzio ,ferrari at ,vercelli3 it is partly destroyed4 ,we have the same subject by ,f4 ,zucchero2 ,mary1 in a rich dress1 is kneeling at the feet of the ,saviour1 who is seated under a portico2 ,martha1 veiled1 stands near her1 and there are numerous spectators and accessories4 #d4 #8,the ,magdalene renouncing the ,vanities of the ,world' is also a very attractive subject4 ,in a picture by ,guido she has partly divested herself of her rich ornaments1 and is taking some pearls from her hair1 while she looks up to heaven with tearful eyes4 ,in a sketch by ,rubens1 in the ,dulwich ,gallery1 she is seated in a forest solitude1 still arrayed in her worldly finery1 blue satin1 pearls1 c41 and wringing her hands with an expression of the bitterest grief4 ,the treatment1 as usual with him1 is coarse1 but effective4 ,in his large picture at ,vienna1 with the figures life-size1 ,mary is spurning with her feet a casket of jewels1 and throwing herself back with her hands clasped in an agony of penitence3 while ,martha sits behind1 gazing on her with an expression so demurely triumphant as to be almost comic4 ,there is an exquisite little picture by ,gerard ,douw in the ,berlin ,gallery1 in which the ,magdalene1 in a magnificent robe of crimson and sables1 is looking up to heaven with an expression of sorrow and penitence2 the table before her is covered with gold and jewels4 #8,mary ,magdalene renouncing the ,world1' by ,le ,brun1 is a famous picture1 now in the ,louvre4 ,she looks up to heaven with tearful eyes1 and is in the act of tearing off a rich mantle2 a casket of jewels lies overturned at her feet4 ,this picture is said to be the portrait of ,madame de la ,vallire1 by whose order it was painted for the church of the ,carmelites at ,paris1 where she had taken refuge from the court and from the world4 ,it has that sort of theatrical grace and grandeur1 that mannered mediocrity1 characteristic of the painter and the time4#cji ,there is a ,magdalene in the ,gallery at ,munich by ,le ,brun1 which is to me far preferable2 and this1 and not the ,paris one1 ,i presume to be the portrait of the ,duchesse de la ,vallire4 ,in a picture by ,franceschini she has flung off her worldly ornaments1 which lie scattered on the ground1 and holds a scourge in her hand1 with which she appears to have castigated herself3 she sinks in the arms of one of her attendant maidens1 while ,martha1 standing by1 seems to speak of peace1 and points towards heaven3 the figures are life-size4#caj ,none of these pictures1 with the exception of the precious ,leonardo in the ,sciarra ,palace1 have any remarkable merit as pictures4 ,the scenes between ,mary and ,martha are capable of the most dramatic and effective illustration1 but have never yet been worthily treated4 #e4 #8,the embarkation of the ,magdalene in ,palestine1 with ,martha1 ,lazarus1 and the others1 cast forth by their enemies in a vessel without sails or rudder1 but miraculously conducted by an angel1' is another subject of which ,i have seen no adequate representation4 ,there is a mediocre picture by ,curradi in the ,florence ,gallery4 ,among the beautiful frescoes of ,gaudenzio ,ferrari in the ,church of ,st4 ,cristoforo at ,vercelli1 is the voyage of the ,magdalene and her companions1 and their disembarkation at ,marseilles4#caa #f4 #8,mary ,magdalene preaching to the inhabitants of ,marseilles' has been several times represented in the sculpture and stained glass of the old cathedrals in the south of ,france4 ,in the ,htel de ,cluny there is a curious old picture in distemper attributed to ,king ,ren of ,provence1 the father of our ,margaret of ,anjou1 and famous for his skill as a limner4 ,mary ,magdalene is standing on some steps1 arrayed in loose white drapery1 and a veil over her head4 ,she is addressing earnestly a crowd of listeners1 and among them we see ,king ,ren and his wife ,jeanne de ,laval on thrones with crown and sceptre3--a trifling anachronism of about #adjj years1 but it may be taken in a poetical and allegorical sense4 ,the port of ,marseilles is seen in the background4 ,the same subject has been classically treated in a series of bas-reliefs in the porch of the ,certosa at ,pavia3 there is a mistake1 however1 in exhibiting her as half naked1 clothed only in a skin1 and her long hair flowing down over her person3 for she was at this time the missionary saint1 and not yet the penitent of the desert4 ,illustration3 #if ,the ,assumption of the ,magdalene 7,albert ,drer7 #g4 #8,mary ,magdalene borne by angels above the summit of ,mount ,pilon1' called also #8,the ,assumption of the ,magdalene1' is a charming subject when treated in the right spirit4 ,unfortunately1 we are oftener reminded of a ,pandora1 sustained by a group of ,cupids1 or a ,venus rising out of the sea1 than of the ecstatic trance of the reconciled penitent4 ,it was very early a popular theme4 ,in the treatment we find little variety4 ,she is seen carried upwards very slightly draped1 and often with no other veil than her redundant hair1 flowing over her whole person4 ,she is in the arms of four1 five1 or six angels4 ,sometimes one of the angels bears the alabaster box of ointment2 far below is a wild mountainous landscape1 with a hermit looking up at the vision1 as it is related in the legend4 ,the illustration is from a fine woodcut of ,albert ,drer 7#if74 ,in a hymn to the ,magdalene1 by an old ,provenal poet 7,balthazar de la ,burle7 there is a passage describing her ascent in the arms of angels1 which1 from its vivid graphic navet1 is worthy of being placed under this print of ,albert ,drer3-- ,ravengat lou jour los anges la portavan ,ben plus hault que lou roc4 ,jamais per mauvais temps que fessa ne freddura1 ,autre abit non avia que la sien cabellura1 ,que como un mantel d'or tant eram bels e blonds ,la couvria de la testa fin al bas des talons4 ,the fresco by ,giulio ,romano1 in which she is reclining amid clouds1 and sustained by six angels1 while her head is raised and her arms extended with the most ecstatic expression1 was cut from the walls of a chapel in the ,trinit di ,monte1 at ,rome1 and is now in our ,national ,gallery4 ,one of the finest pictures ever painted by ,ribera is the ,assumption of the ,magdalene in the ,louvre1 both for beauty of expression and colour4 ,she is here draped1 and her drapery well managed4 ,the ,spanish painters never fell into the mistake of the ,italians2 they give us no ,magdalenes which recall the idea of a ,venus ,meretrix4 ,the rules of the ,inquisition were here absolute1 and held the painters in wholesome check1 rendering such irreligious innovations inadmissible and unknown4 ,in the ,turin ,gallery there is an ,assumption of the ,magdalene by ,dennis ,calvert1 admirably painted1 in which she is carried up by four ,apollo-like angels1 who1 with their outstretched arms1 form a sort of throne on which she is seated3 she is herself most lovely1 draped in the thin undress of a ,venus2 and the whole composition1 at first view1 brought to my fancy the idea of a ,venus rising from the sea1 throned in her shell and sustained by nymphs and cupids4 ,in general1 the early painters1 ,albert ,drer1 ,vivarini1 ,lorenzo di ,credi1 ,benedetto ,montagna1 represent her in an upright position1 with hands folded in prayer1 or crossed over her bosom1 and thus soaring upwards1 without effort of will or apparent consciousness2 while the painters of the seventeenth century 7with whom this was a favourite subject7 strained their imagination to render the form and attitude voluptuously graceful1 and to vary the action of the attendant angels1 until1 in one or two instances1 the representation became at once absurdly prosaic and offensively theatrical4 ,f4 ,zucchero1 ,cambiasi1 ,lanfranco1 ,carlo ,maratti1 have all given us versions of this subject in a florid1 mannered style4 ,over the high altar of the ,madeleine1 at ,paris1 is the same subject in a marble group1 by ,marochetti1 rather above life-size4 ,two angels bear her up1 while on each side an archangel kneels in adoration4 99 99 99 99 99 #h4 ,the ,last ,communion of the ,magdalene is represented in two different ways1 according to the two different versions of the story3 in the first1 she expires in her cave1 and angels administer the last sacraments2 one holds a taper1 another presents the cup1 a third the wafer4 ,this has been painted by ,domenichino4 ,in the other version1 she receives the sacrament from the hand of ,st4 ,maximin1 who wears the episcopal robes1 and the ,magdalene kneels before him1 half-naked1 emaciated1 and sustained by angels3 the scene is the porch of a church4 #i4 ,the ,magdalene dying in the ,wilderness1 extended on the bare earth1 and pressing the crucifix to her bosom1 is a frequent subject in the seventeenth century4 ,one of the finest examples is the picture of ,rustichino in the ,florence ,gallery4 ,the well-known #8,dying ,magdalene' of ,canova has the same merits and defects as his ,penitent ,magdalene4 ,i saw a picture at ,bologna by ,tiarini1 of which the conception appeared to me very striking and poetical4 ,the ,virgin1 #8,la ,madre ,addolorata1' is seated1 and holds in her hand the crown of thorns1 which she contemplates with a mournful expression2 at a little distance kneels ,mary ,magdalene with long dishevelled hair1 in all the abandonment of grief4 ,st4 ,john stands behind1 with his hands clasped1 and his eyes raised to heaven4 ,when the ,magdalene is introduced into pictures of the #8,incredulity of ,thomas1' it is in allusion to a famous parallel in one of the ,fathers1 in which it is insisted1 #8that the faith of ,mary ,magdalene1 and the doubts of ,thomas1 were equally serviceable to the cause of ,christ4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,among the many miracles imputed to the ,magdalene1 one only has become popular as a subject of ,art4 ,besides being extremely nave and poetical1 it is extremely curious as illustrating the manners of the time4 ,it was probably fabricated in the fourteenth century1 and intended as a kind of parable1 to show that those who trusted in ,mary ,magdalene1 and invoked her aid1 might in all cases reckon upon her powerful intercession4 ,it is thus related3-- #8,soon after ,mary ,magdalene landed in ,provence1 a certain prince of that country arrived in the city of ,marseilles with his wife1 for the purpose of sacrificing to the gods2 but they were dissuaded from doing so by the preaching of ,mary ,magdalene3 and the prince one day said to the saint1 8,we greatly desire to have a son4 ,canst thou obtain for us that grace from the ,god whom thou preachest80 ,and the ,magdalene replied1 8,if thy prayer be granted1 wilt thou then believe80 ,and he answered1 8,yes1 ,i will believe40 ,but shortly afterwards1 as he still doubted1 he resolved to sail to ,jerusalem to visit ,st4 ,peter1 and to find out whether his preaching agreed with that of ,mary ,magdalene4 ,his wife resolved to accompany him3 but the husband said1 8,how shall that be possible1 seeing that thou art with child1 and the dangers of the sea are very great80 ,but she insisted1 and1 throwing herself at his feet1 she obtained her desire4 ,then1 having laden a vessel with all that was necessary1 they set sail2 and when a day and a night were come and gone1 there arose a terrible storm4 ,the poor woman was seized prematurely with the pains of childbirth2 in the midst of the tempest she brought forth her first-born son1 and then died4 ,the miserable father1 seeing his wife dead1 and his child deprived of its natural solace1 and crying for food1 wrung his hands in despair1 and knew not what to do4 ,and the sailors said1 8,let us throw this dead body into the sea1 for as long as it remains on board the tempest will not abate40 ,but the prince1 by his entreaties1 and by giving them money1 restrained them for a while4 ,just then1 for so it pleased ,god1 they arrived at a rocky island1 and the prince laid the body of his wife on the shore1 and1 taking the infant in his arms1 he wept greatly1 and said1 8,o ,mary ,magdalene6 to my grief and sorrow didst thou come to ,marseilles6 ,why didst thou ask thy ,god to give me a son only that ,i might lose both son and wife together8 ,o ,mary ,magdalene6 have pity on my grief1 and1 if thy prayers may avail1 save at least the life of my child60 ,then he laid down the infant on the bosom of the mother1 and covered them both with his cloak1 and went on his way1 weeping4 ,and when the prince and his attendants had arrived at ,jerusalem1 ,st4 ,peter showed him all the places where our ,saviour had performed his miracles1 and the hill on which he had been crucified1 and the spot from whence he had ascended into heaven4 ,having been instructed in the faith by ,st4 ,peter1 at the end of two years the prince embarked to return to his own country1 and passing near to the island in which he had left his wife1 he landed in order to weep upon her grave4 #8,now1 wonderful to relate6--his infant child had been preserved alive by the prayers of the blessed ,mary ,magdalene2 and he was accustomed to run about on the sands of the sea-shore1 to gather up pebbles and shells2 and when the child1 who had never beheld a man1 perceived the strangers1 he was afraid1 and ran and hid himself under the cloak which covered his dead mother2 and the father1 and all who were with him1 were filled with astonishment2 but their surprise was still greater when the woman opened her eyes1 and stretched out her arms to her husband4 ,then they offered up thanks1 and all returned together to ,marseilles1 where they fell at the feet of ,mary ,magdalene1 and received baptism4 ,from that time forth1 all the people of ,marseilles and the surrounding country became ,christians4' ,the picturesque capabilities of this extravagant but beautiful legend will immediately suggest themselves to the fancy2--the wild sea-shore --the lovely naked infant wandering on the beach--the mother1 slumbering the sleep of death1 covered with the mysterious drapery--the arrival of the mariners--what opportunity for scenery and grouping1 colour and expression6 ,it was popular in the ,giotto school1 which arose and flourished just about the period when the enthusiasm for ,mary ,magdalene was at its height2 but later painters have avoided it1 or1 rather1 it was not sufficiently accredited for a ,church legend2 and ,i have met with no example later than the end of the fourteenth century4 ,the old fresco of ,taddeo ,gaddi in the ,s4 ,croce at ,florence will give some idea of the manner in which the subject was usually treated4 ,in the foreground is a space representing an island2 water flowing round it1 the water being indicated by many strange fishes4 ,on the island a woman lies extended with her hands crossed upon her bosom2 an infant lifts up the mantle1 and seems to show her to a man bending over her2 the father on his knees1 with hands joined1 looks devoutly up to heaven2 four others stand behind expressing astonishment or fixed attention4 ,in the distance is a ship1 in which sits a man with a long white beard1 in red drapery2 beside him another in dark drapery3 beyond is a view of a port with a lighthouse1 intended1 ,i presume1 for ,marseilles4 ,the story is here told in a sort of ,chinese manner as regards the drawing1 composition1 and perspective2 but the figures and heads are expressive and significant4 ,in the ,chapel of the ,magdalene at ,assisi1 the same subject is given with some variation4 ,the bark containing the pilgrims is guided by an angel1 and the infant is seated by the head of the mother1 as if watching her4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the life of ,mary ,magdalene in a series of subjects1 mingling the scriptural and legendary incidents1 may often be found in the old ,french and ,italian churches1 more especially in the chapels dedicated to her3 and ,i should think that among the remains of ancient painting now in course of discovery in our own sacred edifices they cannot fail to occur4#cab ,in the mural frescoes1 in the altar-pieces1 the stained glass1 and the sculpture of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries1 such a series perpetually presents itself2 and1 well or ill executed1 will in general be found to comprise the following scenes3-- #a4 ,her conversion at the feet of the ,saviour4 #b4 ,christ entertained in the house of ,martha3 ,mary sits at his feet to hear his words4 #c4 ,the raising of ,lazarus4 #d4 ,mary ,magdalene and her companions embark in a vessel without sails1 oars1 or rudder4 #f4 ,steered by an angel1 they land at ,marseilles4 #f4 ,mary ,magdalene preaches to the people4 #g4 ,the miracle of the mother and child4 #h4 ,the penance of the ,magdalene in a desert cave4 #i4 ,she is carried up in the arms of angels4 #aj4 ,she receives the sacraments from the hands of an angel or from ,st4 ,maximin4 #aa4 ,she dies1 and angels bear her spirit to heaven4#cac ,the subjects vary of course in number and in treatment1 but1 with some attention to the foregoing legend1 they will easily be understood and discriminated4 ,such a series was painted by ,giotto in the ,chapel of the ,bargello at ,florence 7where the portrait of ,dante was lately discovered71 but they are nearly obliterated2 the miracle of the mother and child is1 however1 to be distinguished on the left near the entrance4 ,the treatment of the whole has been imitated by ,taddeo ,gaddi in the ,rinuccini ,chapel at ,florence1 and by ,giovanni da ,milano and ,giottino in the ,chapel of the ,magdalene at ,assisi2 on the windows of the ,cathedrals of ,chartres and ,bourges2 and in a series of bas-reliefs round the porch of the ,certosa of ,pavia1 executed in the classical style of the sixteenth century4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on reviewing generally the infinite variety which has been given to these favourite subjects1 the life and penance of the ,magdalene1 ,i must end where ,i began2 in how few instances has the result been satisfactory to mind or heart1 or soul or sense6 ,many have well represented the particular situation1 the appropriate sentiment1 the sorrow1 the hope1 the devotion3 but who has given us the character8 ,a noble creature1 with strong sympathies1 and a strong will1 with powerful faculties of every kind1 working for good or evil such a woman ,mary ,magdalene must have been1 even in her humiliation2 and the feeble1 girlish1 commonplace1 and even vulgar women who appear to have been usually selected as models by the artists1 turned into ,magdalenes by throwing up their eyes and letting down their hair1 ill represent the enthusiastic convert or the majestic patroness4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i must not quit the subject of the ,magdalene without some allusion to those wild legends which suppose a tender attachment 7but of course wholly pure and ,platonic7 to have existed between her and ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist4#cad ,in the enthusiasm which ,mary ,magdalene excited in the thirteenth century1 no supposition that tended to exalt her was deemed too extravagant3 some of her panegyrists go so far as to insist that the marriage at ,cana1 which our ,saviour and his mother honoured by their presence1 was the marriage of ,st4 ,john with the ,magdalene2 and that ,christ repaired to the wedding-feast on purpose to prevent the accomplishment of the marriage1 having destined both to a state of greater perfection4 ,this fable was never accepted by the ,church2 and among the works of art consecrated to religious purposes ,i have never met with any which placed ,st4 ,john and the ,magdalene in particular relation to each other1 except when they are seen together at the foot of the cross1 or lamenting with the ,virgin over the body of the ,saviour3 but such was the popularity of these extraordinary legends towards the end of the thirteenth and in the beginning of the fourteenth century1 that ,i think it possible such may exist1 and1 for want of this key1 may appear hopelessly enigmatical4 ,illustration3 ,martha presents her sister ,mary to our ,lord4 ,in a series of eight subjects which exhibit the life of ,st4 ,john prefixed to a copy of the ,revelation1#cae there is one which ,i think admits of this interpretation4 ,the scene is the interior of a splendid building sustained by pillars4 ,st4 ,john is baptizing a beautiful woman1 who is sitting in a tub2 she has long golden hair4 ,on the outside of the building seven men are endeavouring to see what is going forward3 one peeps through the key-hole2 one has thrown himself flat on the ground1 and has his eye to an aperture2 a third1 mounted on the shoulders of another1 is trying to look in at a window2 a fifth1 who cannot get near enough1 tears his hair in an agony of impatience2 and another is bawling into the ear of a deaf and blind comrade a description of what he has seen4 ,the execution is ,french1 of the fourteenth century2 the taste1 it will be said1 is also ,french2 the figures are drawn with a pen and slightly tinted3 the design is incorrect2 but the vivacity of gesture and expression1 though verging on caricature1 is so true1 and so comically dramatic1 and the whole composition so absurd1 that it is impossible to look at it without a smile4 ,,st4 ,,martha4 ,ital4 ,santa ,marta1 ,vergine1 ,albergatrice di ,cristo4 ,fr4 ,sainte ,marthe1 la ,travailleuse4 ,patroness of cooks and housewives4 7,june #bi1 ,a4,d4 #hd47 ,martha has shared in the veneration paid to her sister4 ,the important part assigned to her in the history of ,mary has already been adverted to2 she is always represented as the instrument through whom ,mary was converted1 the one who led her first to the feet of the ,saviour4 #8,which thing1' says the story1 should not be accounted as the least of her merits1 seeing that ,martha was a chaste and prudent virgin1 and the other publicly contemned for her evil life2 notwithstanding which1 ,martha did not despise her1 nor reject her as a sister1 but wept for her shame and admonished her gently and with persuasive words2 and reminded her of her noble birth1 to which she was a disgrace1 and that ,lazarus1 their brother1 being a soldier1 would certainly get into trouble on her account4 ,so she prevailed1 and conducted her sister to the presence of ,christ1 and afterwards1 as it is well known1 she lodged and entertained the ,saviour in her own house4#8#caf ,according to the ,provenal legend1 while ,mary ,magdalene converted the people of ,marseilles1 ,martha preached to the people of ,aix and its vicinity4 ,in those days the country was ravaged by a fearful dragon1 called the ,tarasque1 which during the day lay concealed in the river ,rhone4 ,martha overcame this monster by sprinkling him with holy water1 and having bound him with her girdle 7or1 as others say1 her garter71 the people speedily put an end to him4 ,the scene of this legend is now the city of ,tarascon1 where there is1 or was1 a magnificent church1 dedicated to ,st4 ,martha1 and richly endowed by ,louis ,,xi4 ,the same legends assure us that ,st4 ,martha was the first who founded a monastery for women2 the first1 after the blessed ,mother of ,christ1 who vowed her virginity to ,god2 and that when she had passed many years in prayer and good works1 feeling that her end was near1 she desired to be carried to a spot where she could see the glorious sun in heaven1 and that they should read to her the history of the passion of ,christ2 and when they came to the words1 #8,father1 into thy hands ,i commend my spirit1' she died4 ,as ,mary ,magdalene is the patroness of repentant frailty1 so ,martha is the especial patroness of female discretion and good housekeeping4 ,in this character1 she is often represented with a skimmer or ladle in her hand1 or a large bunch of keys is attached to her girdle4 ,for example1 in a beautiful old ,german altar-piece attributed to ,albert ,drer1#cag she is standing in a magnificent dress1 a jewelled turban1 and holding a well-known implement of cookery in her hand4 ,in a missal of ,henry ,,viii41#cah she is represented with the same utensil1 and her name is inscribed beneath4 ,in general1 however1 her dress is not rich but homely1 and her usual attributes as patron saint are the pot of holy water1 the asperge in her hand1 and a dragon bound at her feet4 ,in the chapels dedicated to the ,magdalene1 she finds her appropriate place as pendant to her sister1 generally distinguished by her close coif and by being draped in blue or dark brown or grey2 while the ,magdalene is usually habited in red4 ,when attended by her dragon1 ,st4 ,martha is sometimes confounded with ,st4 ,margaret1 who is also accompanied by a dragon3 but it must be remembered that ,st4 ,margaret bears a crucifix or palm1 and ,st4 ,martha the pot of holy water2 and in general the early painters have been careful to distinguish these attributes4 ,st4 ,martha1 besides being a model of female discretion1 sobriety1 and chastity1 and the patroness of good housewives1 was1 according to the old legends1 the same woman who was healed by ,christ1 and who in gratitude erected to his honour a bronze statue1 which statue is said to have existed in the time of ,eusebius1 and to have been thrown down by ,julian the ,apostate4#cai ,when ,martha and ,mary stand together as patronesses1 one represents the active1 the other the contemplative1 ,christian life4 ,martha is generally introduced among the holy women who attend the crucifixion and entombment of our ,lord4 ,in a most beautiful ,entombment by ,ambrogio ,lorenzetti1 ,martha kisses the hand of the ,saviour1 while ,mary ,magdalene is seen behind with outspread arms3 ,lazarus and ,maximin stand at the head of the ,saviour4 99 99 99 99 99 ,lazarus1 the brother of ,martha and ,mary1 is revered as the first bishop and patron saint of ,marseilles1 and is generally represented with the mitre and stole4 ,there are at least fifty saints who wear the same attire2 but when a figure in episcopal robes is introduced into the same picture1 or the same series1 with ,martha and ,mary1 it may be presumed1 if not otherwise distinguished1 to be ,st4 ,lazarus3 sometimes1 but rarely1 the introduction of a bier1 or his resurrection1 in the background1 serves to fix the identity4 ,grouped with these three saints1 we occasionally find ,st4 ,marcella 7or ,martilla71 who accompanied them from the ,east1 but who is not distinguished by any attribute2 nor is anything particular related of her1 except that she wrote the life of ,martha1 and preached the ,gospel in ,sclavonia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are beautiful full-length figures of ,mary1 ,martha1 ,lazarus1 and ,marcella1 in the ,brera at ,milan1 painted by one of the ,luini school1 and treated in a very classical and noble style2 draped1 and standing in niches to represent statues4 ,at ,munich are the separate figures of ,mary1 ,martha1 and ,lazarus1 by ,grnewald3 ,lazarus is seen standing by his bier2 ,mary1 in the rich costume of a ,german lady of rank1 presents her vase2 and ,martha is habited like a ,german hausfrau1 with her dragon at her feet4 ,they are much larger than life1 admirably painted1 and full of character1 though somewhat grotesque in treatment4 ,over the altar of the church #8,la ,major' at ,marseilles1 stands ,lazarus as bishop2 ,mary on the right1 and ,martha on the left3 underneath these three statues runs a series of bas-reliefs containing the history of ,lazarus4 #a4 ,he is recalled to life4 #b4 ,seated on the edge of his tomb1 he addresses the spectators4 #c4 ,he entertains ,christ4 #d4 ,the arrival at ,marseilles4 #e4 ,he preaches to the people4 #f4 ,he is consecrated bishop4 #g4 ,he suffers martyrdom4 ,in a tabernacle or triptica by ,nicol ,frumenti 7,a4,d4 #adfa71cbj the central compartment represents the raising of ,lazarus1 who has the truest and most horrid expression of death and dawning life ,i ever beheld4 ,on the volet to the right is the supper in the house of ,levi1 and the ,magdalene anointing the feet of the ,saviour2 on the left volet1 ,martha meets him on his arrival at ,bethany3 #8,lord1 if thou hadst been here1 my brother had not died4' ,in the chapel of ,mary ,magdalene at ,assisi1 we find1 besides the history of her life1 full-length figures of ,mary1 ,martha1 ,lazarus1 and ,maximin4 ,mary1 a beautiful dignified figure1 as usual in rich red drapery1 stands to the right of the altar1 holding out her hand to a kneeling ,franciscan3 on the left ,martha stands in grey drapery with a close hood3 ,lazarus and ,maximin as bishops4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this will give an idea of the manner in which these personages are either grouped together or placed in connection with each other4 ,,st4 ,,mary ,,of ,,egypt4 ,ital4 ,santa ,maria ,egiziaca ,penitente4 ,fr4 ,sainte ,marie l'gyptienne1 ,la ,gipesienne1 ,la ,jussienne4 7,april #b1 ,a4,d4 #dcc47 ,i place the story of ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt here1 for though she had no real connection with the ,magdalene1 in works of art they are perpetually associated as les bienheureuses pcheresses1 and in their personal and pictorial attributes not unfrequently confounded4 ,the legend of ,mary ,egyptiaca is long anterior to that of ,mary ,magdalene4 ,it was current in a written form so early as the sixth century1 being then received as a true history2 but it appears to have been originally one of those instructive parables or religious romances which1 in the early ages of the ,church1 were composed and circulated for the edification of the pious4 ,in considering the manners of that time1 we may easily believe that it may have had some foundation in fact4 ,that a female anchoret of the name of ,mary lived and died in a desert of ,palestine near the river ,jordan--that she there bewailed her sins in solitude for a long course of years1 and was accidentally discovered--is a very ancient tradition1 supported by contemporary evidence4 ,the picturesque1 miraculous1 and romantic incidents with which the story has been adorned1 appear to have been added to enhance the interest2 and1 in its present form1 the legend is attributed to ,st4 ,jerome4 #8,towards the year of our ,lord #cfe1 there dwelt in ,alexandria a woman whose name was ,mary1 and who in the infamy of her life far exceeded ,mary ,magdalene4 ,after passing seventeen years in every species of vice1 it happened that one day1 while roving along the sea-shore1 she beheld a ship ready to sail1 and a large company preparing to embark4 ,she inquired whither they were going8 ,they replied that they were going up to ,jerusalem1 to celebrate the feast of the true cross4 ,she was seized with a sudden desire to accompany them2 but having no money1 she paid the price of her passage by selling herself to the sailors and pilgrims1 whom she allured to sin by every means in her power4 ,on their arrival at ,jerusalem1 she joined the crowds of worshippers who had assembled to enter the church2 but all her attempts to pass the threshold were in vain2 whenever she thought to enter the porch1 a supernatural power drove her back in shame1 in terror1 in despair4 ,struck by the remembrance of her sins1 and filled with repentance1 she humbled herself and prayed for help2 the interdiction was removed1 and she entered the church of ,god1 crawling on her knees4 ,thenceforward she renounced her wicked and shameful life1 and1 buying at a baker's three small loaves1 she wandered forth into solitude1 and never stopped or reposed till she had penetrated into the deserts beyond the ,jordan1 where she remained in severest penance1 living on roots and fruits1 and drinking water only2 her garments dropped away in rags piecemeal1 leaving her unclothed2 and she prayed fervently not to be left thus exposed3 suddenly her hair grew so long as to form a covering for her whole person 7or1 according to another version1 an angel brought her a garment1 from heaven74 ,thus she dwelt in the wilderness1 in prayer and penance1 supported only by her three small loaves1 which1 like the widow's meal1 failed her not1 until1 after the lapse of forty-seven years1 she was discovered by a priest named ,zosimus4 ,of him she requested silence1 and that he would return at the end of a year1 and bring with him the elements of the holy sacrament1 that she might confess and communicate1 before she was released from earth4 ,and ,zosimus obeyed her1 and returned after a year2 but not being able to pass the ,jordan1 the penitent1 supernaturally assisted1 passed over the water to him2 and1 having received the sacrament with tears1 she desired the priest to leave her once more to her solitude1 and to return in a year from that time4 ,and when he returned he found her dead1 her hands crossed on her bosom4 ,and he wept greatly2 and1 looking round1 he saw written in the sand these words3--8,o ,father ,zosimus1 bury the body of the poor sinner1 ,mary of ,egypt6 ,give earth to earth1 and dust to dust1 for ,christ's sake60 ,he endeavoured to obey this last command1 but being full of years1 and troubled and weak1 his strength failed him1 and a lion came out of the wood and aided him1 digging with his paws till the grave was sufficiently large to receive the body of the saint1 which being committed to the earth1 the lion retired gently1 and the old man returned home1 praising ,god1 who had shown mercy to the penitent4' 99 99 99 99 99 ,in single figures and devotional pictures1 ,mary of ,egypt is portrayed as a meagre1 wasted1 aged woman1 with long hair1 and holding in her hand three small loaves4 ,sometimes she is united with ,mary ,magdalene1 as joint emblems of female penitence2 and not in painting only1 but in poetry1-- ,like redeemed ,magdalene1 ,or that ,egyptian penitent1 whose tears ,fretted the rock1 and moisten'd round her cave ,the thirsty desert4 ,thus they stand together in a little rare print by ,marc' ,antonio1 the one distinguished by her vase1 the other by her three loaves4 ,sometimes1 when they stand together1 ,mary ,magdalene is young1 beautiful1 richly dressed2 and ,mary of ,egypt1 a squalid1 meagre1 old woman1 covered with rags3 as in a rare and curious print by ,israel von ,mecken4#cba 99 99 99 99 99 ,pictures from her life are not common4 ,the earliest ,i have met with is the series painted on the walls of the ,chapel of the ,bargello1 at ,florence1 above the life of ,mary ,magdalene3 they had been whitewashed over4 ,in seeking for the portrait of ,dante1 this whitewash has been in part removed2 and it is only just possible for those acquainted with the legend to trace in several compartments the history of ,mary of ,egypt4 #a4 ,detached subjects are sometimes met with4 ,in the church of ,san ,pietro-in-,p1 at ,cremona1 they preserve relics said to be those of ,mary of ,egypt3 and over the altar there is a large picture by ,malosso1 representing the saint at the door of the ,temple at ,jerusalem1 and repulsed by a miraculous power4 ,she is richly dressed1 with a broad-brimmed hat1 and stands on the step1 as one endeavouring to enter1 while several persons look on1--some amazed1 others mocking4 #b4 ,mary of ,egypt doing penance in the desert is easily confounded with the penitent ,magdalene4 ,where there is no skull1 no vase of ointment1 no crucifix near her1 where the penitent is aged1 or at least not young and beautiful1 with little or no drapery1 and black or grey hair1 the picture may be presumed to represent ,mary of ,egypt1 and not the ,magdalene1 however like in situation and sentiment4 ,there is a large fine picture of this subject at ,alton ,towers4 #c4 ,the first meeting of ,mary and the hermit ,zosimus has been painted by ,ribera3 in this picture her hair is grey and short1 her skin dark and sunburnt1 and she is clothed in rags4 #d4 ,in another picture by the same painter she is passing over the ,jordan by the help of angels2 she is seen floating in the air with her hands clasped1 and ,zosimus is kneeling by4 ,this subject might easily be confounded with the ,assumption of the ,magdalene1 but the sentiment ought to distinguish them2 for1 instead of the ecstatic trance of the ,magdalene1 we have merely a miraculous incident3 the figure is but little raised above the waters1 and the hermit is kneeling on the shore4#cbb #e4 ,st4 ,mary receives the last communion from the hands of ,zosimus4 ,i have known this subject to be confounded with the last communion of the ,magdalene4 ,the circumstances of the scene1 as well as the character1 should be attended to4 ,mary of ,egypt receives the sacrament in the desert2 a river is generally in the background3 ,zosimus is an aged monk4 ,where the ,magdalene receives the sacrament from the hands of ,maximin1 the scene is a portico or chapel with rich architecture1 and ,maximin wears the habit of a bishop4 #f4 ,the death of ,mary of ,egypt4 ,zosimus is kneeling beside her1 and the lion is licking her feet or digging her grave4 ,the presence of the lion distinguishes this subject from the death of ,mary ,magdalene4 ,illustration3 #ig ,the ,death of ,mary of ,egypt ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt was early a popular saint in ,france1 and particularly venerated by the ,parisians1 till eclipsed by the increasing celebrity of the ,magdalene4 ,she was styled1 familiarly1 ,la ,gipesienne 7the ,gipsy71 softened by time into ,la ,jussienne4 ,the street in which stood a convent of reformed women1 dedicated to her1 is still la ,rue ,jussienne4 ,we find her whole story in one of the richly painted windows of the cathedral of ,chartres2 and again in the #8,vitraux de ,bourges1' where the inscription underneath is written #8,segiptiaca4' ,among the best modern frescoes which ,i saw at ,paris1 was the decoration of a chapel in the church of ,st4 ,merry1 dedicated to ,ste4 ,marie l'gyptienne3 the religious sentiment and manner of middle-age ,art are as usual imitated1 but with a certain unexpected originality in the conception of some of the subjects which pleased me4 #a4 ,on the wall1 to the right1 she stands leaning on the pedestal of the statue of the ,madonna in a meditative attitude1 and having the dress and the dark complexion of an ,egyptian dancing-girl2 a crowd of people are seen behind entering the gates of the ,temple1 at which she alone has been repulsed4 #b4 ,she receives the communion from the hand of ,zosimus1 and is buried by a lion4 ,on the left-hand wall4 #c4 ,her apotheosis4 ,she is borne aloft by many angels1 two of whom swing censers1 and below is seen the empty grave watched by a lion4 #d4 ,underneath is a group of hermits1 to whom the aged ,zosimus is relating the story of the penitence and death of ,st4 ,mary of ,egypt4 ,i do not in general accept modern representations as authorities1 nor quote them as examples2 but this resuscitation of ,mary of ,egypt in a city where she was so long a favourite saint1 appears to me a curious fact4 ,her real existence is doubted even by the writers of that ,church which1 for fourteen centuries1 has celebrated her conversion and glorified her name4 ,yet the poetical1 the moral significance of her story remains2 and1 as ,i have reason to know1 can still impress the fancy1 and1 through the fancy1 waken the conscience and touch the heart4 ,there were several other legends current in the early ages of ,christianity1 promulgated1 it should seem1 with the distinct purpose of calling the frail and shining woman to repentance4 ,if these were not pure inventions1 if the names of these beatified penitents retained in the offices of the ,church must be taken as evidence that they did exist1 it is not less certain that the prototype in all these cases was the reclaimed woman of the ,scriptures1 and that it was the pitying charity of ,christ which first taught men and angels to rejoice over the sinner that repenteth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the legend of ,,mary1 the niece of the hermit ,abraham#cbc must not be confounded with that of ,mary of ,egypt4 ,the scene of this story is placed in the deserts of ,syria4 ,the anchoret ,abraham had a brother1 who lived in the world and possessed great riches1 and when he died1 leaving an only daughter1 she was brought to her uncle ,abraham1 apparently because of his great reputation for holiness1 to be brought up as he should think fit4 ,the ideas of this holy man1 with regard to education1 seem to have been those entertained by many wise and religious people since his time2 but there was this difference1 that he did not show her the steep and thorny way to heaven1 and choose for himself #8the primrose path of dalliance4' ,instead of applying to his charge a code of morality as distinct as possible from his own1 he1 more just1 only brought up his niece in the same ascetic principles which he deemed necessary for the salvation of all men4 ,mary1 therefore1 being brought to her uncle when she was only seven years old1 he built a cell close to his own1 in which he shut her up2 and1 through a little window1 which opened between their cells1 he taught her to say her prayers1 to recite the ,psalter1 to sing hymns1 and dedicated her to a life of holiness and solitude1 praying continually that she might be delivered from the snares of the arch-enemy1 and keeping her far1 as he thought1 from all possibility of temptation2 while he daily instructed her to despise and hate all the pleasures and vanities of the world4 ,thus ,mary grew up in her cell till she was twenty years old3 then it happened that a certain youth1 who had turned hermit and dwelt in that desert1 came to visit ,abraham to receive his instructions2 and he beheld through the window the face of the maiden as she prayed in her cell1 and heard her voice as she sang the morning and the evening hymn2 and he was inflamed with desire of her beauty1 till his whole heart became as a furnace for the love of her2 and forgetting his religious vocation1 and moved thereto by the devil1 he tempted ,mary1 and she fell4 ,when she came to herself1 her heart was troubled2 she beat her breast and wept bitterly1 thinking of what she had been1 what she had now become2 and she despaired1 and said in her heart1 #8,for me there is no hope1 no return2 shame is my portion evermore6' ,so she fled1 not daring to meet the face of her uncle1 and went to a distant place1 and lived a life of sin and shame for two years4 ,now1 on the same night that she fled from her cell1 ,abraham had a dream2 and he saw in his dream a monstrous dragon1 who came to his cell1 and finding there a beautiful white dove1 devoured it1 and returned to his den4 ,when the hermit awoke from his dream he was perplexed1 and knew not what it might portend2 but again he dreamt1 and he saw the same dragon1 and he put his foot on its head1 and crushed it1 and took from its maw the beautiful dove1 and put it in his bosom1 and it came to life again1 and spread its wings and flew towards heaven4 ,then the old man knew that this must relate to his niece ,mary2 so he took up his staff1 and went forth through the world seeking her everywhere4 ,at length he found her1 and seeing her overpowered with shame and despair1 he exhorted her to take courage1 and comforted her1 and promised to take her sin and her penance on himself4 ,she wept and embraced his knees1 and said1 #8,o my father6 if thou thinkest there is hope for me1 ,i will follow thee whithersoever thou goest1 and kiss thy footsteps which lead me out of this gulf of sin and death6' ,so he prayed with her1 and reminded her that ,god did not desire the death of a sinner1 but rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live2 and she was comforted4 ,and the next morning ,abraham rose up and took his niece by the hand1 leaving behind them her gay attire and jewels and ill-gotten wealth4 ,and they returned together to the cell in the wilderness4 ,from this time did ,mary lead a life of penitence and of great humility1 ministering to her aged uncle1 who died glorifying ,god3 after his death1 she lived on many years1 praising ,god1 and doing good in humbleness and singleness of heart1 and having favour with the people2 so that from all the country round they brought the sick1 and those who were possessed1 and she healed them1--such virtue was in her prayers1 although she had been a sinner6 ,nay1 it is written1 that even the touch of her garment restored health to the afflicted4 ,at length she died1 and the angels carried her spirit out of the shadow and the cloud of sin1 into the glory and the joy of heaven4 ,although the legend of ,mary the ,penitent is accepted by the ,church1 which celebrates her conversion on the #bith of ,october1 effigies of her must be rare2 ,i have never met with any devotional representation of her4 ,a print attributed to ,albert ,drer represents the hermit ,abraham bringing back his penitent niece to his cell4#cbd ,in the ,louvre are two large landscapes by ,philippe de ,champagne1 which in poetry and grandeur of conception come near to those of ,niccol ,poussin2 both represent scenes from the life of ,mary the ,penitent4 ,in the first1 amid a wild and rocky landscape1 is the cell of ,abraham1 and ,mary1 sitting within it1 is visited by the young hermit who tempted her to sin3 in the second1 we have the same wilderness1 under another aspect2 ,mary1 in a rude secluded hut1 embowered in trees1 is visited by pilgrims and votaries1 who bring to her on their shoulders and on litters1 the sick and the afflicted1 to be healed by her prayers4 ,the daughter of ,champagne1 whom he tenderly loved1 was a nun at ,port-,royal1 and ,i think it probable that these pictures 7like others of his works7 were painted for that celebrated convent4 99 99 99 99 99 ,st4 ,thais1 a renowned ,greek saint1 is another of these #8bienheureuses pcheresses1' not the same who sat at ,alexander's feast1 and fired ,persepolis1 but a firebrand in her own way4 ,st4 ,pelagia1 called ,pelagia ,meretrix and ,pelagia ,mima 7for she was also an actress71 is another4 ,these ,i pass over without further notice1 because ,i have never seen nor read of any representation of them in ,western ,art4 ,st4 ,afra1 who sealed her conversion with her blood1 will be found among the ,martyrs4 ,poets have sung1 and moralists and sages have taught1 that for the frail woman there was nothing left but to die2 or if more remained for her to suffer1 there was at least nothing left for her to be or do3 no choice between sackcloth and ashes and the livery of sin4 ,the beatified penitents of the early ,christian ,church spoke another lesson2 spoke divinely of hope for the fallen1 hope without self-abasement or defiance4 ,we1 in these days1 acknowledge no such saints3 we have even done our best to dethrone ,mary ,magdalene2 but we have martyrs1--#8by the pang without the palm1'--and one at least among these who has not died without lifting up a voice of eloquent and solemn warning2 who has borne her palm on earth1 and whose starry crown may be seen on high even now1 amid the constellations of ,genius4 ,illustration ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode ,,and ,,co41 ,,new-,,street ,,square ,,and ,,parliament ,,street ,,footnotes3 #a ,milman1 ,hist4 of ,christianity1 iii4 #edj4 #b ,venice2 ,,ss4 ,giovanni e ,paolo4 #c ,siena2 ,san ,domenico4 #d ,rome2 ,vatican4 #e ,dresden ,gal4 #f ,the ,saints who do not appear in these volumes will be found in the #8,legends of the ,monastic ,orders4' #g #8,avant le #eme sicle le nimbe chrtien ne se voit pas sur les monuments authentiques4' 7,didron1 ,iconographie1 p4 #aja47 #h ,a metal circle1 like a round plate1 was fastened on the head of those statues placed in the open air1 to defend them from the rain or dust4 ,some of the ancient glories are very like those plates1 but ,i do not think they are derived from them4 #i ,i believe these coloured glories to be symbolical1 but am not sure of the application of the colours4 ,among the miniatures of the ,hortus ,deliciarum1 painted in #aahj1 is a representation of the celestial paradise1 in which the virgins1 the apostles1 the martyrs1 and confessors wear the golden nimbus2 the prophets and the patriarchs1 the white or silver nimbus2 the saints who strove with temptation1 the red nimbus2 those who were married have the nimbus green1 while the beatified penitents have theirs of a yellowish white1 somewhat shaded4 7,didron1 ,iconographie ,chrtienne1 p4 #afh47 #aj ,in the example of ,st4 ,jerome1 a lion may have originally typified any hinderance in the way of study or of duty2 in allusion to the text1 #8,the slothful man saith1 ,there is a lion by the way4' ,prov4 xxvi4 #ac4 #aa ,vide #8,legends of the ,madonna4' #ab ,in the ,spanish schools the colour of our ,saviour's mantle is generally a deep rich violet4 #ac ,bologna ,gal4 #ad #b ,sam4 xiv4 #ag4 #ae ,gen4 xxxii4 #a1 #b2 ,ps4 ciii4 #ba2 #a ,kings xxii4 #ai2 ,job i4 #f4 #af ,gen4 xxii4 #aa2 ,exod4 xiv4 #ai2 ,num4 xx4 #af2 ,gen4 xxi4 #ag2 ,judg4 xiii4 #c2 #b ,kings i4 #c2 ,ps4 xxxiv4 #g2 ,judith xiii4 #bj4 #ag #b ,sam4 xxiv4 #af2 #b ,kings xix4 #ce2 ,gen3 xviii4 #h2 ,num4 xxii4 #ca2 #a ,chron4 xxi4 #af2 ,gen4 xix4 #ac4 #ah ,calmet4 #ai ,matt4 xxvi4 #ec2 ,heb4 xii4 #bb2 ,matt4 xxii4 #cj2 ,luke xx4 #cf2 ,matt4 xix4 #bd2 ,luke i4 #aa2 ,acts v4 #ai1 et passim2 ,luke xv4 #aj2 #a ,peter i4 #ab2 ,luke xvi4 #bb2 ,heb4 i4 #ad2 #a ,cor4 xi4 #aj2 ,matt4 i4 #bj1 xvi4 #bg1 xxv4 #ca4 #bj ,rom4 viii4 #ch2 ,col4 i4 #af2 ,ephes4 i4 #ba4 #ba ,i know not whether it be necessary to observe here1 that in early ,art the souls of the blessed are not represented as angels1 nor regarded as belonging to this order of spiritual beings1 though ,i believe it is a very common notion that we are to rise from the dead with the angelic attributes as well as the angelic nature4 ,for this belief there is no warrant in ,scripture1 unless ,mark xii4 #be be so interpreted4 #bb ,now in the ,collection of ,prince ,wallerstein at ,kensington ,palace4 #bc ,vasari1 p4 #fdh4 ,fl4 edit4 #bd ,i saw in the palace of the ,bishop of ,norwich an elegant little bas-relief in alabaster1 exhibiting the nine choirs1 each represented by a single angel4 ,the first 7the ,seraphim7 hold the sacramental cup2 the ,cherubim1 a book2 the ,thrones1 a throne2 the ,principalities1 a bunch of lilies2 the ,archangels are armed4 ,the other attributes are not clearly made out4 ,the figures have been ornamented with painting and gilding1 now partially worn off1 and the style is of the early part of the fifteenth century4 ,it appeared to me to have formed one of the compartments of an altar-piece4 #be ,as in the picture in our ,national ,gallery1 ,no4 #aj4 #bf ,vatican3 ,raphael's fresco4 #bg v4 ,purg4 c4 viii42 ,par4 c4 xxxi42 ,purg4 c4 xxiv4 #bh ,the ,cherubim in the upper lights of the painted windows at ,st4 ,michael's1 ,coventry1 and at ,cirencester1 are represented each standing on a white wheel with eight spokes4 ,they have six wings1 of peacocks' feathers1 of a rich yellow colour4 ,a white cross surmounts the forehead1 and both arms and legs are covered with short plumage4 ,the extremities are human and bare4 ,at ,cirencester the ,cherubim hold a book2 at ,coventry a scroll4 #bi ,in the sacristy of the ,vatican4 #cj ,in the ,louvre4 #ca ,in the ,cathedral at ,orvieto4 #cb ,in the ,frari at ,venice4 #cc ,gen4 xviii41 xlviii4 #af4 #cd ,purg4 c4 viii4 #ce #a ,kings vi4 #bc4 #cf ,,ms4 #ajth century4 ,paris1 ,bibl4 ,nationale4 #cg ,,ms4 #acth century1 ,breviaire de ,st4 ,louis4 #ch ,paris4 ,bibl4 ,nat41 ,no4 #eaj4 ,g4 ,,ms4 #ci ,as in the legend of ,prometheus4 7,plato1 ,protag4 p4 #cbj47 #dj ,sutherland ,gallery4 #da ,as in ,raphael's fresco in the ,vatican4 #db ,as in the picture by ,allston1 painted for ,lord ,egremont1 and now at ,petworth4 #dc ,as in a picture by ,f4 ,bol4 #dd ,see #8,legends of the ,madonna1' p4 #ahj4 #de ,for several curious and interesting particulars relative to these subjects1 see the #8,legends of the ,madonna1' pp4 #bdg1 #bef4 #df ,the picture is1 ,i suspect1 not by ,poussin1 but by ,stella4 ,there is another1 similar1 by ,guido2 ,louvre1 #ajeg4 #dg ,ciampini1 p4 #aca1 ,a4,d4 #cid4 #dh ,greek ,,ms4 ,a4,d4 #hfg4 #di ,paris1 ,bib4 ,nat41 ,no4 #eaj4 #ej ,in the ,academy at ,florence3 they must have formed the side wings to an enthroned ,madonna and ,child4 #ea ,gallery of the ,vatican4 #eb ,s4 ,maria del ,popolo1 ,rome4 #ec ,the mosaics in the dome of the ,chigi chapel are so ill lighted that it is difficult to observe them in detail1 but they have lately been rendered cheaply accessible in the fine set of engravings by ,gruner1 an artist who in our day has revived the pure and correct design and elegant execution of ,marc ,antonio4 #ed ,as in the fresco in the ,vatican4 #ee ,see the engraving under this title by ,marc ,antonio2 it is properly ,st4 ,cecilia1 and not ,st4 ,flicit4 #ef ,it is now in the ,lanti chapel in the church of the ,lateran4 #eg ,mr4 ,ruskin remarks very truly1 that in early ,christian art there is a certain confidence1 in the way in which angels trust to their wings1 very characteristic of a period of bold and simple conception4 ,modern science has taught us that a wing cannot be anatomically joined to a shoulder2 and in proportion as painters approach more and more to the scientific as distinguished from the contemplative state of mind1 they put the wings of their angels on more timidly1 and dwell with greater emphasis on the human form with less upon the wings1 until these last become a species of decorative appendage1 a mere sign of an angel4 ,but in ,giotto's time an angel was a complete creature1 as much believed in as a bird1 and the way in which it would or might cast itself into the air and lean hither and thither on its plumes1 was as naturally apprehended as the manner of flight of a chough or a starling4 ,hence ,dante's simple and most exquisite synonym for angel1 8,bird of ,god20 and hence also a variety and picturesqueness in the expression of the movements of the heavenly hierarchies by the earlier painters1 ill replaced by the powers of foreshortening and throwing naked limbs into fantastic positions1 which appear in the cherubic groups of later times4' ,the angels from the ,campo ,santo at ,pisa1 numbered #ab1 #ba1 and #cb1 are instances of this bird-like form4 ,they are ,uccelli di ,dio4 ,those numbered #bg1 #bh1 and #cg are examples of the later treatment4 #eh ,a4,d4 #aceb4 ,florence1 ,s4 ,maria ,novella4 #ei ,greek mosaic1 ,a4,d4 #aagd4 #fj ,,ms4 of the ,book of ,revelation1 fourteenth century4 ,trinity ,college1 ,dublin4 #fa ,coll4 of the ,duke of ,sutherland4 #fb ,htel de ,cluny1 #cii4 #fc v4 ,il perfetto ,legendario4 #afei4 #fd ,the ,gnostics taught that the universe was created by the ,seven ,great ,angels1 who ranked next to the ,eons1 or direct emanations from ,god3 #8and when a distribution was afterwards made of things1 the chief of the creating angels had the people of the ,jews particularly to his share2 a doctrine which in the main was received by many ancients4'--,see ,lardner's #8,history of the ,early ,heresies4' ,i have alluded to the angel pictured as the agent in creation 7p4 #ci71 but the ,seven creating ,angels ,i have not met with in art4 ,this was one of the ,gnostic fancies condemned by the early ,church4 #fe ,le ,livre des ,angeles de ,dieu1 ,,ms4 ,paris ,bibl4 ,nat4 #ff ,dr4 ,arnold has some characteristic remarks on the half-human effigies of ,satan2 he objects to the ,miltonic representation3--#8,by giving a human likeness1 and representing him as a bad man1 you necessarily get some image of what is good1 as well as of what is bad1 for no man is entirely evil4'--#8,the hoofs1 the horns1 the tail1 were all useful in this way1 as giving you an image of something altogether disgusting2 and so ,mephistophiles1 and the utterly contemptible and hateful character of the ,little ,master in ,sintram1 are far more true than the ,paradise ,lost4'--,life1 vol4 ii4 #fg ,vatican ,,mss41 ,no4 #afac1 ,a4,d4 #ihi4 #fh ,a4,d4 #acfe4 ,eremitani4 ,padua4 #fi ,greek ,apocalypse ,,ms4 ,paris ,bibl4 ,nat4 #gj ,siena ,acad4 #ga ,by ,marco di ,ravenna4 ,bartsch1 xiv4 #ajf4 #gb ,brescia4 ,s4 ,maria delle ,grazie4 #gc ,milan1 ,brera4 #gd ,boissere ,gallery4 #ge ,a4,d4 #adjj4 ,engraved in ,lusinio's #8,early ,florentine ,masters4' #gf ,milan4 ,brera4 #gg ,psalter of ,st4 ,louis4 ,bib4 de l',arsenal1 ,paris4 #gh ,see ante1 p4 #aaa1 for the figure of ,st4 ,michael4 #gi ,st4 ,ephrem1 ,bib4 ,orient4 tom4 i4 p4 #gh4 ,de ,beausobre1 vol4 ii4 p4 #ag4 #hj ,didron1 ,manuel grec41 p4 #aja4 #ha ,judges vi4 #aa4 #hb #b ,sam4 xxiv4 #af4 #hc ,calmet4 #hd ,de ,oratione1 cap4 xii4 #he ,bottari1 ,tab4 xxii4 ,on the early ,christian sarcophagi1 as ,i have already observed1 there are no winged angels4 ,in the oft-repeated subject of the #8,three ,children in the burning fiery furnace1' the fourth figure1 when introduced1 may represent a son of ,god1--i4e4 an angel2 or the ,son of ,god1 i4e4 ,christ1 as it has been interpreted in both senses4 #hf ,bel and the ,dragon1 #bf4 #hg ,bottari1 #ae1 #di1 #hd4 #hh ,see #8,legends of the ,madonna4' #hi #8,the stone on which stood the angel ,gabriel when he announced to the most ,blessed ,virgin the great mystery of the ,incarnation1' is among the relies enumerated as existing in the church of the ,santa ,croce at ,rome4 #ij ,in ,paradise he sings for ever the famous salutation3-- ,cantando ,ave ,maria gratia plena ,dinanzi a lei le sue ali distese4 ,,dante1 ,par4 #cb4 #ia ,see the ,ursuline ,manual4 #8,when an angel anciently appeared to the patriarchs or prophets1 he was received with due honour as being exalted above them1 both by nature and grace2 but when an archangel visited ,mary1 he was struck with her superior dignity and pre-eminence1 and1 approaching1 saluted her with admiration and respect4 ,though accustomed to the lustre of the highest heavenly spirits1 yet he was dazzled and amazed at the dignity and spiritual glory of her whom he came to salute ,mother of ,god1 while the attention of the whole heavenly court was with rapture fixed upon her4' #ib ,the ,annunciation and the ,death of the ,virgin1 and the office and character of the announcing angel in both subjects1 are fully treated and illustrated in the #8,legends of the ,madonna1' pp4 #agi1 #ccd4 #ic ,as in a very curious print by #8,le ,graveur de #adff2' and there are other instances4 #id ,chants ,royaux4 ,paris ,bibl4 ,nat4 ,,ms4 ,no4 #f1ihi4 #ie ,mr4 ,stirling entitles this picture #8,an ,angel appearing to a ,bishop at his prayers4' #if ,in the church of ,s4 ,marziale1 ,venice4 #ig ,passavant's ,rafael1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #f1 #aej4 #ih ,madrid ,gallery4 #ii ,louvre1 ,no4 #ceh4 #ajj ,in our ,national ,gallery4 #aja ,rupertus1 ,commentar4 in ,apocal4 c4 #d4 ,mark xvi4 #af4 #ajb ,fl4 ,acad4 #ajc ,there is a small and beautiful picture by ,giulio ,romano in the ,belvedere at ,vienna1 representing the emblems of the ,four ,evangelists grouped in a picturesque manner1 which was probably suggested by ,raphael's celebrated picture1 which is in the ,pitti palace at ,florence4 #ajd ,grosvenor ,gallery4 #aje ,dresden ,gallery4 ,no4 #hbh4 #ajf ,paris1 ,bib4 du ,roi1 ,no4 #eaj4 #ajg ,a4,d4 #acgg4 ,eng4 in ,rossini1 pl4 #bd4 #ajh ,designed by ,titian1 and executed by ,f4 ,zuccati4 #aji ,it is so like ,giorgione in sentiment and colour that it has been attributed to him4 ,for this expressive votive group1 see the frontispiece to vol4 ii41 and the legends of the four patron saints above mentioned4 #aaj ,beneath the monument of ,nicol ,orsini1 in the ,,ss4 ,giovanni-e-,paolo at ,venice4 ,a very remarkable and beautiful picture of this class is in the ,berlin ,gallery 7,no4 #caf74 ,st4 ,mark1 enthroned and holding his gospel open on his knees1 is instructing three of the ,procuradori di ,san ,marco1 who kneel before him in their rich crimson dresses1 and listen reverently4 #aaa ,venice ,ducal ,palace4 #aab ,fl4 ,gal4 #aac ,venice ,acad4 #aad ,brera1 ,milan4 #aae ,brera1 ,milan4 #aaf ,a4,d4 #aejj4 ,scuola di ,s4 ,marco1 ,venice4 #aag ,fl4 ,gal4 #aah ,the ,procuradori had the charge of the church and the treasury of ,st4 ,mark4 #aai ,sanuto1 ,vite de' ,duci ,veneti4 #abj ,acad4 ,venice4 #aba ,acad4 ,venice4 #abb ,ibid4 #abc ,venice1 ,ducal ,palace4 #abd ,the little black ,virgin of the ,monte della ,guardia1 near ,bologna1 ,i saw carried in grand procession through the streets of that city1 in ,may #ahdg4 ,the following inscription is engraved on a tablet in the church of ,san ,domenico and ,san ,sisto at ,rome3 #8,here at the high altar is preserved that image of the most blessed ,mary1 which1 being delineated by ,st4 ,luke the ,evangelist1 received its colours and form divinely4 ,this is that image with which ,st4 ,gregory the ,great 7according to ,st4 ,antonine71 as a suppliant1 purified ,rome2 and the pestilence being dispelled1 the angel messenger of peace1 from the summit of the castle of ,adrian1 commanding the ,queen of ,heaven to rejoice1 restored health to the city4' ,a ,virgin in the ,ara ,cli pretends to the same honour3 both these are black and ugly1 while that in the ,s4 ,maria in ,cosmedino is of uncommon dignity and beauty4 ,see #8,legends of the ,madonna1' ,introduction1 p4 xli4 #abe ,,ms4 ,a4,d4 #aejj4 ,paris1 ,bib4 ,imp4 #abf ,f4 ,rizi4 ,a4,d4 #affj4 #abg ,as in the ,missal of ,henry ,,viii4 ,bodleian1 ,oxford4 #abh ,both among the fine lithographs of the ,boissere ,gallery4 7v4 ,nos4 #e1 #ae1 #be47 #abi ,acad4 ,bologna4 #acj ,muse1 ,marseilles4 #aca ,leigh ,court1 ,gal4 of ,mr4 ,miles4 #acb ,petersburg1 ,gal4 of ,prince ,narishken4 ,eng4 by ,mller4 #acc ,munich ,gal4 #acd ,westmin4 ,abbey4 #ace ,rome1 ,s4 ,maria-sopra-,minerva4 #acf v4 #8,legends of the ,madonna4' #acg ,brera1 ,milan4 #ach ,we find among the relics exhibited on great occasions in the church of the ,s4 ,croce at ,rome #8the cup in which ,st4 ,john1 the apostle and evangelist1 by command of ,domitian the emperor1 drank poison without receiving any injury2 which afterwards being tasted by his attendants1 on the instant they fell dead4' #aci ,vatican ,,mss41 tenth century4 #adj ,,mss41 ninth century4 ,paris ,nat4 ,library4 #ada ,vatican1 ,christian ,museum4 #adb ,johannis ,brompton ,cronicon1 #iee4 #adc ,dart's ,hist4 of ,westminster4 #add v4 ,legend of ,st4 ,edward the ,confessor in the #8,legends of the ,monastic ,orders1' p4 #ii4 #ade ,rome4 ,s4 ,m4 in ,trastevere4 ,s4 ,prassede4 ,s4 ,clemente4 ,s4 ,cecilia4 #adf ,bottari1 ,tab4 xxviii4 #adg ,the churches in the eastern provinces of ,france1 particularly in ,champagne1 exhibit marked traces of the influence of ,greek ,art in the eleventh and twelfth centuries4 #adh ,a4,d4 #dea4 ,ciampini1 ,vet4 ,mon4 p4 #a1 c4 iv4 #adi ,matt4 xix4 #bh2 and ,luke xxii4 #cj4 #aej ,i must refer the reader to ,mr4 ,cockerell's illustrations and restorations of the rich and multifarious and significant sculpture of ,wells ,cathedral4 #aea ,luke xxii4 #cj4 #aeb ,venice ,acad41 fourteenth century4 #aec ,rosini1 vol4 iii4 p4 #ge4 #aed ,convent of ,chilandari1 ,mount ,athos4 #aee ,vatican1 ,sala del ,pozzo4 #aef ,vatican4 #aeg ,greek ,,ms41 ninth century4 ,paris1 ,bibl4 du ,roi1 ,no4 #eaj4 #aeh ,a set of martyrdoms is in the ,frankfort ,museum2 another is mentioned in ,bartsch1 viii4 #bb4 #aei ,eusebius says that all the ,apostles suffered martyrdom2 but this is not borne out by any ancient testimony4--,lardner's ,cred4 of ,gospel ,hist4 vol4 viii4 p4 #ha4 #afj ,they were fortunately engraved for ,d',agincourt's ,histoire de l',art1 before they were destroyed by fire4 #afa ,st4 ,guthlac's ,book4 ,ethelwold's ,benedictional4 #afb ,as in the mosaic on the tomb of ,otho ,,ii4 7,lateran ,mus474 #afc ,bottari1 ,tab4 xxv4 #afd ,one of the finest ,i have ever seen is the #8,saint ,pierre au ,donateur1' by ,gaudenzio ,ferrari2 holding his keys 7both of gold71 he presents a kneeling votary1 a man of middle age1 who probably bore his name4 ,the head of ,st4 ,peter is very characteristic1 and has an energetic pleading expression1 almost demanding what he requires for his votary4 ,the whole picture is extremely fine4 7,turin ,gallery1 ,no4 #ai47 #afe ,milan1 ,brera 7,no4 #ahi74 #aff ,what ,st4 ,clement says is to this purpose3 that ,st4 ,peter's hearers at ,rome were desirous of having his sermons writ down for their use2 that they made their request to ,mark to leave them a written memorial of the doctrine they had received by word of mouth2 that they did not desist from their entreaties till they had prevailed upon him2 and ,st4 ,peter confirmed that writing by his authority1 that it might be read in the churches4'--,,lardner1 ,cred41 vol4 i4 p4 #bej4 #afg ,fl4 ,gal4 #afh ,brera1 ,milan4 #afi ,gian ,bellini3 ,venice4 ,s4 ,m4 de' ,frari4 #agj ,vienna ,gal4 #aga ,bartsch1 vi4 #ib4 #agb #8,le ,christ la ,colonne4' ,louvre1 ,no4 #eej4 #agc ,tab4 xxi4 #agd ,hampton ,court4 #age ,madrid ,gal41 ,no4 #aad4 #agf ,bridgewater ,gal4 #agg ,cathedral at ,malines4 #agh ,gal4 of the ,hague4 #agi ,this picture1 formerly in the ,brera1 is now in ,england1 in the gallery of ,lord ,ward4 ,it is the finest and most characteristic specimen of the master ,i have ever seen4 #ahj ,it is signed ,m,,dula1 and attributed to ,giulio della ,mendula2 a painter 7except through this picture7 unknown to me4 #aha ,brancacci ,chapel1 ,florence4 #ahb ,berlin ,gal41 ,no4 #cac4 #ahc ,louvre1 ,no4 #fhe4 #ahd ,as in the ,greek mosaics in the ,cathedral of ,monreale1 near ,palermo4 #ahe ,several such pictures are in the royal collections at ,windsor and ,hampton ,court4 #ahf ,moore makes a characteristic remark on this fresco2 he is amazed at the self-denial of the painter who could cross this fine group with the black iron bars which represent the prison4 #ahg ,some ,protestant writers have set aside ,st4 ,peter's ministry at ,rome1 as altogether apocryphal2 but ,gieseler1 an author by no means credulous1 considers that the historical evidence is in favour of the tradition 7v4 ,text-book of ,eccles4 ,hist4 p4 #ec74 ,this is the more satisfactory because1 even to ,protestants1 it is not agreeable to be at ,rome and to be obliged to reject certain associations which add to the poetical1 as well as to the religious1 interest of the place4 #ahh ,he represented her as a resuscitation of the famous ,helen of ,troy1 which is said to have suggested to ,goethe the resuscitation of ,helena in the second part of #8,faust4' #ahi ,,ms41 ,vatican1 ,no4 #fdji4 #ajth century4 #aij ,in the sacristy of the ,vatican4 #aia ,in the ,brancacci ,chapel at ,florence4 #aib ,in the ,gallery of the ,vatican4 #aic ,vatican4 ,capella ,paolina4 #aid v4 ,il perfetto ,legendario4 #aie ,there was an oratory in the church of the ,franciscans at ,varallo1 in which they celebrated a yearly festival in honour of ,st4 ,petronilla4 ,while ,gaudenzio ,ferrari was painting there the series of frescoes in the chapel of the crucifixion on the ,sacro ,monte1 he promised to paint for the festival an effigy of the saint4 ,the eve of the day arrived1 and still it was not begun3 the people murmured1 and reproached him1 which he affected to treat jestingly2 but he arose in the night1 and with no other light than the beams of the full moon1 executed a charming figure of ,st4 ,petronilla1 which still exists4 ,she stands holding a book1 a white veil over her head1 and a yellow mantle falling in rich folds3 she has no distinctive emblem4 #8,gaudenzio1 che in una bella notte d'estate dipinse fra ruvide muraglie una ,santa tutta grazia e pudore mentre un pallido raggio di luna sbucato dalla frondosa chioma d'albero dolcemente gl'irradia la fronte calva e la barba rossiccia1 presenta un non so che di ideale e di romanzesco che veramente rapisce4'--,opere di ,gaudenzio ,ferrari1 ,no4 #ba4 7,maggi1 ,turin4 ,it is to be regretted that in this valuable work neither the pages nor the plates are numbered47 #aif ,second or third century4 ,bosio1 p4 #eai4 #aig v4 ,mnter's ,sinnbilder1 p4 #ce4 #aih v4 ,zani4 ,enc4 delle ,belle ,arti4 #aii ,in the gallery of ,mr4 ,miles1 at ,leigh ,court4 #bjj ,those who consult the engravings by ,santi ,bartoli and ,landon must bear in mind that almost all the references are erroneous4 ,see ,passavant's #8,rafael1' ii4 #bde4 #bja ,the clergy who permitted ,sir ,james ,thornhill to paint the cupola of ,st4 ,paul's with ,scripture scenes1 refused to admit any other paintings into the church4 ,perhaps they were justified2 but not by the plea of ,bishop ,terrick--the fear of idolatry4 #bjb ,this series1 the most important work of the painter1 ,hans ,schaufelein1 is not mentioned in ,kugler's ,handbook4 ,it is engraved in outline in the #8,new ,florence ,gallery1' published in #ahcg4 #bjc #8,st4 ,paul prevents his jailor from killing himself' 7,acts xvi47 has been lately painted by ,claude ,hall1 and is now in the ,louvre4 7cole franaise1 ,no4 #bhc47 #bjd ,in the ,dresden ,gal41 ,no4 #hba4 #bje ,bartsch1 vii4 #gi4 #bjf ,thologie des ,peintres4 #bjg ,in several ancient pictures and bas-reliefs the cross has the usual form1 but he is not nailed--always bound with cords1 as in the ancient bas-relief over the portal of his church at ,vercelli4 #bjh ,gallery of the ,vatican4 #bji ,munich1 #cfc4 #baj ,in the collection of ,mr4 ,miles at ,leigh ,court4 #baa ,hermogenes was the name of a famous ,gnostic teacher and philosopher2 thence1 ,i suppose1 adopted into this legend4 #bab v4 ,southey1 #8,pilgrim of ,compostella4' #bac ,passavant's ,rafael1 ,i4 #ejh4 #bad ,duomo1 ,siena4 #bae ,belvedere1 ,vienna4 #baf ,venice ,acad4 #bag ,rome1 ,s4 ,maria-in-,trastevere4 ,a4,d4 #acig4 #bah ,stirling's #8,artists of ,spain1' ii4 p4 #gec4 #bai ,legenda ,aurea4 #bbj ,gallery of ,antwerp4 #bba ,passavant's ,rafael1 ,,ii4 #aaf4 #bbb ,eng4 by ,audran4 #bbc ,gal4 ,vatican4 #bbd ,fl4 ,acad4 #bbe ,fl4 ,gal4 #bbf ,florence1 ,casa ,ruccellai4 #bbg ,the romantic ,legend of the sacratissima cintola1 #8the most sacred girdle of the ,virgin1' is given at length in the #8,legends of the ,madonna1' p4 #cdd4 #bbh #8,very soon after the ,lord was risen1 he went to ,james1 and showed himself to him4 ,for ,james had solemnly sworn that he would eat no bread from the time that he had drunk the cup of the ,lord till he should see him risen from among them that sleep4 8,bring10 saith the ,lord1 8a table and bread40 ,he took bread1 and blessed and brake it1 and then gave it to ,james the ,just1 and said to him1 8,my brother1 eat thy bread2 for the ,son of man is risen from among them that sleep40'--,st4 ,jerome1 as quoted in ,lardner1 ,lives of the ,apostles1 chap4 xvi4 #bbi ,matt4 xiii4 #ee2 ,mark xv4 #dj4 #bcj ,fl4 ,gal4 #bca ,fl4 ,acad4 #bcb ,see ,ford's #8,handbook of ,spain2' also ,goethe's #8,theory of ,colours1' translated by ,sir ,c4 ,eastlake4 #8,when a yellow colour is communicated to dull and coarse surfaces1 such as common cloth1 felt1 or the like1 on which it does not appear with full energy1 the disagreeable effect alluded to is apparent4 ,by a slight and scarcely perceptible change1 the beautiful impression of fire and gold is transformed into one not undeserving the epithet foul1 and the colour of honour and joy reversed to that of ignominy and aversion4 ,to this impression1 the yellow hats of bankrupts1 and the yellow circles on the mantles of ,jews1 may have owed their origin4' 7,p4 #cjh47 #bcc ,fl4 ,gal4 #bcd ,manfrini ,p41 ,venice4 #bce ,fl4 ,acad4 #bcf ,in the gallery of ,lord ,charlemont1 ,dublin4 #bcg ,,ms41 ,no4 #gbjf4 ,bib4 du ,roi4 #bch ,florence1 ,s4 ,maria ,novella4 ,it is clear that the extravagant legends which refer to ,judas ,iscariot were the inventions of the middle ages1 and are as little countenanced by the writings of the early fathers as by the ,gospels4 ,eusebius says1 that #8,christ gave like gifts to ,judas with the other apostles2 that once our ,saviour had good hopes of him on account of the power of the free will1 for ,judas was not of such a nature as rendered his salvation impossible2 like the other apostles1 he might have been instructed by the ,son of ,god1 and might have been a sincere and good disciple4' 7,quoted in ,lardner1 vol4 viii4 p4 #gg47 ,the ,mahometans believe that ,christ did not die1 that he ascended alive into heaven1 and that ,judas was crucified in his likeness4 7,curzon1 p4 #ahe47 #bci ,the ,greek expression1 #8leaning on his bosom1 or on his lap1' is not1 ,i believe1 to be taken literally1 being used to signify an intimate and affectionate intercourse4 #bdj ,florence ,acad4 #bda ,in the series of compositions from the life of ,christ1 now in the ,academy at ,florence2 beautifully and faithfully engraved by ,p4 ,nocchi4 #bdb ,this is also observable in the ,last ,supper by ,nicol ,petri in the ,san ,francesco at ,pisa4 #bdc ,for a signal example1 see ,stirling's #8,artists of ,spain1' p4 #dic4 #bdd ,for some remarks on the subject of the ,pentecost1 v4 #8,legends of the ,madonna1' p4 #cbe4 #bde ,acad4 ,venice4 ,giovanni ed ,antonio da ,murano4 #addj4 #bdf ,as ,i have frequent occasion to refer to pictures painted for the ,scuole of ,venice1 it may be as well to observe that the word scuola1 which we translate school1 is not a place of education1 but a confraternity for charitable purposes1--visiting the sick1 providing hospitals1 adopting orphans1 redeeming prisoners and captives1 c4 ,in the days of the republic these schools were richly supported and endowed1 and the halls1 churches1 and chapels attached to them were often galleries of art3 such were the schools of ,st4 ,mark1 ,st4 ,ursula1 ,st4 ,roch1 the ,carit and others4 ,unhappily1 they exist no longer2 the ,french seized on their funds1 and ,austria does not like confraternities of any kind4 ,the ,scuola della ,carit is now the ,academy of ,arts4 #bdg ,acad4 ,venice4 ,gio4 da ,udine4 #bdh ,frankfort ,museum4 #bdi ,we missed the opportunity1 now never more to be recalled1 of obtaining this admirable picture when it was sold out of the ,fesch collection4 #bej ,i believe the figure called ,st4 ,bonaventura1 to represent ,st4 ,jerome1 because1 in accordance with the usual scheme of ecclesiastical decoration1 the greatest of the four ,latin ,fathers would take the first place1 and the cardinal's hat and the long flowing beard are his proper attribute2 whereas there is no example of a ,st4 ,bonaventura with a beard1 or wearing the monastic habit without the ,franciscan cord4 ,the ,arundel ,society have engraved this fine figure under the name of ,st4 ,bonaventura4 #bea ,dresden ,gal4 #beb ,imp4 ,gal41 ,st4 ,petersburg4 #bec ,vienna ,gal4 #bed ,in the catalogue1 ,st4 ,cunegunda is styled ,st4 ,elizabeth ,queen of ,hungary1 and ,st4 ,elizabeth of ,hungary is styled ,st4 ,elizabeth ,queen of ,portugal4 #bee ,irish ,bishop of ,wrtzburg1 and ,patron1 ,a4,d4 #fhi4 #bef #8,in this picture we recognise the master to whom ,albert ,drer was indebted for his education2 indeed1 ,wohlgemuth here surpasses his great scholar in the expression of gentleness and simplicity1 particularly in the heads of some of the female saints4'--,handbook of ,painting3 ,german1 ,flemish1 and ,dutch ,schools1 p4 #aaa4 #beg ,florence1 ,ogni ,santi4 #beh ,bologna1 ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore4 #bei ,the picture1 originally at ,naples1 was purchased or appropriated by ,philip ,,iv4 for the ,church of the ,escurial1 which belonged to the ,jeronymites4 #bfj ,milan1 ,brera4 #bfa ,collection of ,lord ,ward4 #bfb ,louvre1 ,sp4 ,gal4 #bfc ,p4 ,pitti1 ,florence4 #bfd ,lichtenstein ,gal4 #bfe ,kugler pronounces this to be a ,flemish picture 7v4 #8,handbook1' p4 #aij74 #bff ,the three frescoes by ,carpaccio are in the ,church of ,san ,giorgio de' ,schiavoni at ,venice4 #bfg ,it was in the ,standish ,gal4 in the ,louvre4 #bfh ,engraved by ,loli4 #bfi ,wolvinus1 ,a4,d4 #hcb4 #8,his name seems to indicate that he was of ,teutonic race--a circumstance which has excited much controversy amongst the modern ,italian antiquaries4'--,murray's ,handbook4 #bgj ,belvedere ,gal41 ,vienna4 #bga ,paris1 ,invalides4 #bgb ,,ss4 ,giovan e ,paolo1 ,venice4 #bgc ,brera1 ,milan4 #bgd ,fl4 ,gal4 #bge ,pitti ,pal4 ,this fine picture was painted for the ,agostini4 #bgf ,brera1 ,milan4 #bgg ,berlin ,gal4 #bgh ,acad41 ,venice4 #bgi ,vatican1 ,christian ,museum4 #bhj ,cremona4 #bha ,belvedere1 ,vienna4 #bhb v4 #8,legends of the ,monastic ,orders1' p4 #aia4 #bhc ,i believe this picture was afterwards in the possession of ,mr4 ,dennistoun1 of ,dennistoun4 ,mr4 ,stirling mentions it as a fine specimen of ,murillo's second style4 #bhd ,once in ,lord ,methuen's ,gallery at ,corsham4 #bhe ,it was in the possession of ,her ,majesty the ,ex-,queen of the ,french1 who paid for it #be1jjj;f4 #bhf ,there is a duplicate in the ,bridgewater ,gallery4 #bhg ,sutherland ,gal4 #bhh ,vicenza4 ,s4 ,maria del ,monte4 #bhi ,bartsch1 ,le ,peintre ,graveur1 vii4 #bfd4 #bij ,for an account of ,st4 ,nilus1 and the foundation of ,grotta ,ferrata1 see the #8,legends of the ,monastic ,orders4' #bia ,according to ,sansovino1 begun by ,giorgione and finished by ,sebastian4 #bib ,dante1 ,inf4 c4 xi4 #bic ,the ,greek word ,papa1 here translated der ,papst 7the ,pope71 betrays the ,eastern origin of the story4 ,it is the general title of the ,greek priesthood1 and means simply a priest1 elevated in the ,german legend into #8the ,pope4' #bid ,koburgher1 #8,legendensammlung1' #adhh1 p4 #cbe4 ,heller's #8,leben und ,werke ,albrecht ,drer's1' p4 #ddj4 #bie ,sutherland ,gal4 #bif #8,la ,messe de saint ,basile4' ,louvre1 cole franaise1 ,no4 #ejh4 #big #8,pour vous ramener des ides plus favorables la ,madeleine1 vous transportant au temps et aux circonstances o vcut cette clbre ,isralite1 je pourrais vous dire1 ,,messieurs1 que l'antiquit1 ne jugeant pas quitable d'exiger plus de vertu du sexe rput pour le plus faible1 ne croyait pas les femmes dshonores de ce qui ne dshonorait pas les hommes ses yeux2 qu'elle a d'ailleurs toujours t bien moins svre des sentiments qui1 naissant avec nous1 lui paraissaient une partie de nous-mmes1 et qu'elle n'attacha jamais aucune ide fltrissante aux suites d'une passion qu'elle trouvait presque aussi pardonnable que naturelle4 ,les grces de la beaut taient alors regardes comme les autres talents2 et l'art de plaire1 aussi autoris que les autres arts1 loin d'inspirer de l'loignement1' c4 ,after describing1 in glowing terms1 her splendid position in the world1 her illustrious rank1 her understanding1 #8droit1 solide1 et dlicat1' her #8grce1' her #8esprit1' her wondrous beauty1 particularly her superb hair1 #8cultiv avec tant de soin1 arrang avec tant d'art2'--and lamenting that a creature thus nobly gifted should have been cast away upon the same rock which had shipwrecked the greatest1 the most illustrious1 of her compatriotes1 #8le fort ,samson1 le preux ,david1 le sage ,salomon2' he goes on to describe1 with real eloquence1 and in a less offensive strain of panegyric1 her devotion at the foot of the cross1 her pious visit to the tomb by break of day1 braving the fury of the guards1 the cruelty of the ,jews1 and taking the place of the apostles1 who were dispersed or fled4 ,and thus he winds up with a moral1 most extraordinary when we recollect that it was preached from a pulpit by a grave doctor in theology3-- #8,jeunes personnes qui vivez encore dans l'innocence6 apprenez donc de la ,madeleine combien grands sont les prils de la jeunesse1 de la beaut1 de tous les dons purement naturels2 souvenez-vous que le dsir excessif de plaire est toujours dangereux1 rarement innocent1 et qu'il est bien difficile de donner beaucoup de sentiments1 sans en prendre soi-mme4 ,a la vue des faiblesses de la jeune ,isralite1 comprenez de quelle importance est1 pour vous1 la garde de votre cur2 et quels dsordres il vous expose1 si vous ne vous accoutumez le contrarier sans cesse1 en tous ses penchants4 #8,femmes mondaines1 et peut-tre voluptueuses6 apprenez de la ,madeleine revenir de vos carts2 ils ont t1 dans vous1 le fruit de la faiblesse humaine2 que votre retour soit le fruit de votre correspondance la grce4 ,et pourriez-vous ou vous proposer un modle plus digne d'tre suivi que celui que vous prsente ,madeleine1 ou trouver ailleurs un motif plus puissant de le suivre8 #8,et vous qui1 fires d'une rserve que vous ne devez peut-tre qu' votre insensibilit1 vous en faites un rempart1 l'abri duquel vous croyez pouvoir mpriser toute la terre1 et dont la mondanit de ,madeleine elle-mme a peut-tre scandalis la prcieuse vertu6 femmes plus vaines que sages6 apprenez de notre ,sainte1 qu'il n'y a que la grce de ,dieu et une attention continuelle sur nous-mmes qui puissent nous aider constamment contre la pente qui nous prcipite vers le mal2 et craignez qu'on ne puisse vous dire1 son sujet1 ce quo ,saint ,augustin disait une dvote de votre caractre1 pleine d'elle-mme et mdisante3 8,plt ,dieu que vous eussiez donn dans les mmes excs dont vous croyez si volontiers les autres capables6 vous seriez moins loigne du royaume de ,dieu2 du moins vous auriez de l'humanit60' ,le ,brun's ,magdalene is just the ,magdalene described by this preacher3 both one and the other are as like the ,magdalene of ,scripture as ,leo ,x4 was like ,st4 ,peter4 #bih ,the original ,latin distich runs thus3-- ,ne desperetis vos qui peccare soletis1 ,exemploque meo vos reparate ,deo4 #bii ,it was in the ,standish ,gallery belonging to ,louis-,philippe1 and now dispersed4 #cjj ,there is a beautiful half-length female figure1 attributed to ,correggio1 and engraved under the title of #8,gismunda' weeping over the heart of her lover1 in the collection of the ,duke of ,newcastle4 ,the duplicate in the ,belvedere ,gallery at ,vienna is there styled a ,magdalene1 and attributed correctly to ,francesco ,furini4 #cja ,lichtenstein ,gal4 #cjb ,these two pictures were sold out of the ,louvre with ,king ,louis-,philippe's pictures4 #cjc ,turin ,gallery4 #cjd ,munich ,gallery1 ,no4 #bff4 ,there is an inferior repetition in the ,royal ,gallery at ,turin4 #cje ,the great picture formerly in the ,durazzo ,palace is now in the ,royal ,gallery at ,turin4 ,it is wonderful for life and colour1 and dramatic feeling--a masterpiece of the painter in his characteristic style4 #cjf ,bottari1 ,tab4 xxx4 #cjg ,santa ,croce1 ,florence4 #cjh ,this beautiful and valuable picture has been bequeathed by the poet to the ,national ,gallery4 #cji ,the print by ,edelinck is considered as the masterpiece of that celebrated engraver4 #caj ,dresden ,gal4 #caa ,see p4 #cgi1 note4 #cab ,there are about #aej churches in ,england dedicated in honour of ,mary ,magdalene4 #cac ,there is a fine series of frescoes from the life of ,mary ,magdalene by ,gaudenzio ,ferrari1 in the church of ,st4 ,cristoforo at ,vercelli4 #a4 ,mary and ,martha are seated1 with a crowd of others1 listening to ,christ1 who is preaching in a pulpit4 ,martha is veiled and thoughtful3 ,mary1 richly dressed1 looks up eagerly4--,half destroyed4 #b4 ,mary anoints the feet of the ,saviour3 she lays her head down on his foot with a tender humiliation3 in the background the ,maries at the sepulchre and the ,noli me tangere4--,this also in great part ruined4 #c4 ,the legend of the ,prince of ,provence and his wife1 who are kneeling before ,lazarus and ,mary4 ,martha is to the left1 and ,marcella behind4 ,in the background are the various scenes of the legend3--the embarkation2 the scene on the island2 the arrival at ,jerusalem2 the return to ,marseilles with the child4 ,this is one of the best preserved1 and the heads are remarkably fine4 #d4 ,mary ,magdalene sustained by angels1 her feet resting between the wings of one of them1 is borne upwards4 ,all the upper part of the figure is destroyed4 ,in the background are the last communion and burial of the ,magdalene4 ,i saw these frescoes in ,october #ahee4 ,they suffered greatly from the siege in #afch1 when several bombs shattered this part of the wall1 and will soon cease to exist4 ,they are engraved in their present state in ,pianazzi's #8,opere di ,gaudenzio ,ferrari1' ,no4 #ai4 #cad ,bayle1 ,dict4 ,hist42 ,molanus1 lib4 iv41 de ,hist4 ,sacrar4 ,s4 ,mag41 cap4 xx4 p4 #dbh2 ,thomasium1 prefat4 #gh4 ,the authority usually cited is ,abdius1 a writer who pretended to have lived in the first century1 and whom ,bayle styles #8the most impudent of legendary impostors4' #cae ,paris1 ,bibliothque du ,roi1 ,,ms4 #gjac1 fourteenth century4 #caf ,il ,perfetto ,legendario4 #cag ,queen's ,gal4 #cah ,bodleian ,,mss41 ,oxford4 #cai ,it is perhaps in reference to this tradition that ,st4 ,martha has become the patroness of an order of charitable women1 who serve in the hospitals1 particularly the military hospitals1 in ,france and elsewhere1--her brother ,lazarus having been a soldier4 #cbj ,fl4 ,gal4 #cba ,b4 ,museum4 #cbb ,it was in the ,sp4 ,gal4 in the ,louvre1 now dispersed4 #cbc ,santa ,maria ,penitente4 #cbd #8,leben und ,werke ,von ,albrecht ,drer1' ,no4 #bjfg4