great master in colouring and execution; but to have fallen infinitely below him in judgment and delicacy. With Titian expired the grand and comprehensive views of human nature; and nothing but the fascinating charms of his colouring survived. The Venetian artists degraded the dignity of historic painting by mean and uncharacteristic agents. Turk's heads were placed on apostolic shoulders; and painters' mistresses, by a violent metamorphosis, were turned into holy virgins. Yet, with such pal pable incongruities, it is almost impossible to resist the fascinating charm of their colouring. To common eyesit seems to atone for, if not to sanctify, every extravagance of the artist. This general character of the school is not, however, without great and honourable exceptions; and amongst these stands the famous piece of the Crucifixion, from the pencil of Tintorretto. The ominous and terrific twilight, and the sanguine aspect of the heavens, fill the mind of the spectator with fearful apprehensions, and indicate that more than mortal suffers. The merits of Paolo Veronese demand more particular notice. We shall conclude the account of the Venetian school, with some few slight and imperfect sketches of this artist. Such notices must, from their very nature, be slight and unsatisfactory. It is not in the power of words to express those diversities of light and shadow, which the eye only is capable of comprehending. Paolo Cagliari, better known by the name of Paolo Veronese, was born at Verona in the year 1530. His uncle, Antonio Badili, superintended his early education, and directed his attention, first to the works of nature, and then to the pencil of Titian. On a superficial view, this would appear to be all that was essential to a young artist: nature, the great repository from whence his materials are drawn; and the works of the most consummate pencil in the delineation of her colours. But we have already seen, that between these two extremes there are many stages that oppose formidable obstacles; and all of which must be surmounted. This only seems to bring to immediate connexion things so remote, and is the great nursery of hopes and disappointments. Every attempt of the young artist admonishes him that something essential and preparatory has been neglected, and that the phantom approached so near only to elude the grasp when sought after. "Ter conatus ibi collo brachia circum: Ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago So necessary is the knowledge of antique, a defect that Titian improved his style so much, that the doge conferred on him the order of knighthood. One of his most celebrated pieces was the marriage of Cana It was placed in the convent of St. George at Venice, and contains upwards of one hundred and fifty heads. He likewise executed a beautiful piece at Pesaro, the subject of which was the calling of St. Andrew to the apostleship. The procurators of St. Mark prepared a large gold chain for the most exquisite painting; and six eminent artists contended for the prize. Titian and Sansovini were appointed judges; and the chain was awarded to Veronese. He was so proud of this victory, that he wore the gold chain on public days as a badge of distinction. He died in the year 1588, in the fifty-eighth yearof his age. The annexed engraving, which ist he best of this artist, within our reach, represents the story of Perseus and Andromeda. Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, boasted that she excelled Juno or the Nereids in beauty. Neptune, to revenge this indignity, sent a sea-monster to ravage the country, The oracle of Jupiter Ammon, being consulted, answered that it was necessary Andromeda should be chained to a rock, and exposed to the fury of the sea-monster, to appease the anger of the gods. As the animal ran from the sea to devour his prey, he was slain by Perseus. Perseus appears to strike the monster at the moment its jaws are opened to devour him. The figure of the destroyer is admirably drawn; and that of Andromeda is well conceived. Her face and attitude express strong symptoms of dread; and she contemplates with fear and anxiety the combat on which her life depends. The colouring is excellent. The picture was formerly in the cabinet of Louis XIV, and considered one of the choicest in that collection. The figures are of the natural size. |