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of the wall.

The marble panels are decorated with bas-reliefs of satyrs and heathen divinities celebrating pagan sacrifices— a suggestive background to the sacrifice which consecrated the religion of Christ.

SCREEN II

673. "SALVATOR MUNDI."

Antonello da Messina1 (Venetian: 1444-1493).

Christ as "the Saviour of the world" stands with his fingers on the edge of a parapet, giving the blessing and gazing into eternity. A picture of interest as being the earliest known work (it is dated 1465) of Antonello, of Messina in Sicily, who is famous as the man by whom the art of painting in oils, as perfected by the Van Eycks (see XI. 186, p. 275), was introduced into Venice. Antonello learnt the art probably from the Flemish painters, who are known to have been at Naples in the middle of the fifteenth century. This picture, both in conception and in the ruddy complexion peculiar to the school of Van Eyck (see XI. 222 and 290, pp. 274, 276), suggests a Flemish influence. Notice also the pentimenti (or corrections): the right hand and border of the tunic were originally higher, and their forms, obliterated by the painter, have now in course of time disappeared. This again shows the hand of an inexperienced artist. Later on Antonello settled in Venice, where he perhaps imparted his secret (which, however, was no secret) to the brothers Bellini,2 and in his turn imbibed Venetian influences (see for instance 1141).

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Antonello da Messina (Venetian: 1444-1493). The third in date of Antonello's pictures in the Gallery1477, two years later than the very similar picture at Antwerp. Notice the harmonious colouring, and the expression of abandon and lassitude, following more poignant grief, in the Virgin's attitude, with her arms falling down on each knee.

1 The interesting account of Antonello given by Vasari is now discredited by the most competent critics (see especially Morelli, pp. 376-390). 2 It is interesting also to note the cartellino, or little card at the foot of the picture, on which Antonello inscribes his name and the date. This cartellino was taken as a model by Giovanni Bellini and subsequent Venetian artists (see e.g. 189 and 280).

1141. SUPPOSED PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST.

Antonello da Messina (Venetian: 1444-1493).

The second in date of Antonello's pictures-1474, by which time he had assimilated the Venetian manner. The portrait is the more interesting from the probability that it is of the painter himself. The inscription which so stated is said to have been sawn off by a former owner to fit the picture into a frame. "It is the likeness of a man who is entirely selfpossessed, nowise an idealist, yet one who would never be prompted to impetuous action. He has plenty of intelligence; nothing would escape those clear gray eyes;-scarcely, however, do they seem as if they would penetrate below the outward show of things. Considered from a technical point of view, the same subdued feeling is apparent. In the Louvre masterpiece (which this picture at once recalls), Antonello evidently braced himself for a supreme effort; in the National Gallery portrait we have an excellent example of his powers at his best period" (Times, May 31, 1883).

631. PORTRAIT OF A LADY.

Francesco Bissolo (Treviso: painted 1500-1528).

By one of Bellini's pupils and imitators. Observe the rich dress of a Byzantine stuff embroidered with strange animals, such as one sees in the old mosaics at Venice. The lady wears too a long gold chain, as the Venetian women do to this day.

1121. PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN.

Unknown (Venetian: time of Bellini). This portrait, when it hung in Hamilton Palace, used to be called a Leonardo. Mr. Armstrong (Notes on the National Gallery, p. 24) gives it unhesitatingly to Basaiti (see 599, p. 178).

1106. THE RESURRECTION.

Francesco Mantegna (Paduan: about 1470-1517). Francesco was the son, pupil, and assistant of his father Andrea. This and 639 are apparently companion pictures.

639. "NOLI ME TANGERE"

Francesco Mantegna (Paduan : about 1470-1517).

For the subject, see 270, p. 152.

1160. THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI.

Unknown (Venetian: time of Bellini).

736. A VENETIAN SENATOR.

Francesco Bonsignori1 (Veronese: 1455-1519).

A portrait of a senator, from the life, "in his habit as he stood," a branch of art in which this painter excelled. He has been called indeed "the modern Zeuxis," after the famous Greek painter whose painted grapes deceived the birds. For so life-like were Bonsignori's pictures—says Vasari in his entertaining account of this painter—that on one occasion a dog rushed at a painted dog on the artist's canvas, whilst on another a bird flew forward to perch itself on the extended arm of a painted child.

1120. ST. JEROME IN THE DESERT.

Cima da Conegliano (Venetian: painted 1489-1517).
See under 300, p. 156.

Another of the numerous St. Jerome pictures: see under 694 and II. 227, pp. 162, 41. The saint has his usual company of animals. His lion is frowning, somewhat with the same expression as in 227-as if to deprecate the penance which his master is about to inflict on himself. On the branch of the tree above is a hawk, looking on with the expression of a superior person—one quite too sagacious to countenance such madness. Notice lastly the serpent which crawls from beneath the rock on which the Cross is placed.

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Marco Basaiti (Venetian: painted 1500-1520). The scenery, says Gilbert (Cadore, p. 42), is that of Serravalle in Titian's country-Serravalle, " the true gate of the hills," with walls and towers rising steeply on the hill-side. The way in which the old masters thus consigned their saints and anchorites to the hill-country is very typical of the mediaval view of landscape. "The idea of retirement from the world for 1 Called incorrectly, by Vasari, Monsignori.

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at once a sanctity and a terror, in the mediæval mind, which were altogether different from anything that it had possessed in the un-Christian periods. Just in so much as it appeared necessary for the noblest men to retire to the hill-recesses before their missions could be accomplished, or their spirits perfected, in so far did the daily world seem by comparison to be pronounced profane and dangerous; and to those who loved that world, and its work, the mountains were thus voiceful with perpetual rebuke. And thousands of hearts, which might otherwise have felt that there was loveliness in the wild landscape, shrank from it in dread, because they knew that the monk retired to it for penance, and the hermit for contemplation" (Modern Painters, vol. iii. pt. iv. ch. xiv. § 10).

776. ST. ANTHONY AND ST. GEORGE.

Vittore Pisano (Veronese: 1380-1451).

The earliest picture of the Veronese School in the Gallery. Vittore Pisano, or Pisanello, a pupil probably of Altichiero, an older master of the Veronese School, was famous as the inventor of a method of casting medals; but though better known now as a medallist, in his own day he was equally famous as a painter. In the frame of this picture are inserted casts from two of his medals, and it will be noticed that the lower one-a profile of himself is inscribed Pisanus Pictor, Pisano the Painter. The medal above is that of Leonello d'Este, his patron, for whom this picture was probably painted, and whose portrait by a pupil of Pisano hangs in Room V. (770, p. 85). Another evidence of Pisano's practice as a medallist will be noticed in the gilt embossed work of St. George's sword and spurs.

The subject of the picture-a meeting between St. George and St. Anthony, with a vision of the Virgin and Child above-is not to be found in the legends of the saints. But St. George appears to have been a favourite subject with the artistprobably because of the way in which his armour lent itself to medallion-like treatment. There is a good instance of frank anachronism in the large Tuscan hat of Pisano's own day which he quaintly makes St. George wear. Perhaps too the painter chose St. George partly because he involved a horse and a dragon, and Pisano, says Vasari, "took especial pleasure in the delineation of animals.” This may have given him a weakness for the boar of good St. Anthony-the hermit saint whose temptations have passed into

a proverb. The saint carries a bell, for "it is said that the wicked spirits that be in the region of the air fear much when they hear the bells ringen," and a staff, another means of exorcising the devil; whilst the boar, now tamed into service, is symbolical of the demon of sensuality which St. Anthony vanquished. And here perhaps we find the clue to the idea in the picture. For the dragon whom St. George slew represents the same sensual enemy. St. George conquered by fighting, St. Anthony by fasting. The two saints now meet when "each on his course alone" has "worked out each a way." The old man, whose life has been spent in struggle, greets the triumphant youth with curious surprise; and St. George too, with the thoughtful look on his face, will have much to say and learn. But over them both, as to all who overcome, the heavens open in beatific vision; for though there be diversity of gifts, it is the same spirit.

269. A KNIGHT IN ARMOUR.

Giorgione (Venetian: 1477-1511).

Giorgio Barbarelli, of Castelfranco, called Giorgione from his handsome stature,1 is one of the greatest of the old masters, and exercised a greater influence upon the artists of his time than any other painter (see Morelli, p. 42). His greatness cannot, however, be seen here; though this one little picture of his has a certain interest as being a highlyfinished-study for the knight (St. Liberale), in his altar-piece at his native Castelfranco-one of his acknowledged masterpieces, and, according to Mr. Ruskin, one of the two best pictures in the world.2

Notice "the bronzed, burning flesh" of the knight—"the right Giorgione colour on his brow "”—characteristic of a race of seamen (Modern Painters, vol. i. pt, ii. sec. v. ch. 1. § 19, and see above, p. 127).

1 Born half-way between the mountains and the sea-that young George of Castelfranco-of the Brave Castle :-Stout George they called him, George of Georges, so goodly a boy he was-Giorgione" (Modern Painters, vol. v. pt. ix. ch. ix. § 1).

2 Lecture at Oxford, 1884 (reported in the Pall Mall Gazette, November 10). A reproduction of the picture is published by the Arundel Society. The authenticity of this study has been called in question, but on somewhat inconclusive grounds. Thus Richter, pp. 86, 87, points out how highly finished it is, and that in certain respects it differs from the figure in the altar-piece. He concludes therefore that it is a later copy. But do artists never make elaborate studies? and is not an artist as likely to vary his design, as a copyist his model?

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