Holy Family," by Murillo, in the Walpole Gallery of the Hermitage, in St. Petersburg. Copy owned by Mrs, Phoebe A. Hearst. Photograph by Mr. O. V. Lange. ter's thought were these sweet incidents of human nature. It will be well to remember also that at the close of the sixteenth century, there was a lapse into neglect of the spirit of devotion in sacred art, except in Spain, where Murillo once more touched the theme, not only with a hand guided by the faith and love of the earliest artists, but with a hand of incomparably greater skill. So, along the thread of historic sequence shall be strung the beads of our rosary of artists, whose creations are here presented, begin manifestations found such expression as the general use for the first time of the title La Madonna, the multiplication of churches and pictures in her honor, and the introduction by the Dominicans of the rosary. The first bead upon our rosary bears the name of Fra Angelico (1387-1455) who, in the seclusion of the cloister, among the Dominican prethren of Saint Mark, remained true to the traditions and mode of expression of the middle ages, yet the beauty and feeling of his nature found a fresh interpretation. Critics vie with each other in poetic Botticelli's "Annunciation," in the Uffizi Gallery, by Fachinetti, Padre, Florence. Copy owned by Mrs. A. A. Pennoyer of Berkeley. ist of the present century. He was the originator of the manner of drawing in crayon pursued by him and was the only one who ever succeeded in copying with rare fidelity the work of Fra Angelico. We are told that this mystic monk of Fiesole often painted, while on his knees in tears, with an exquisite execution, which in him was an act of faithful piety even when bestowed upon his miniatures and his manuscript work, for which he refused all ness, beauty and dignity, marked by repose and serenity, not wholly free from tender wonder at the holy child, a bit of heaven on her stainless breast. The entire treatment reveals the purity and reverence of spirit of "Il Beato," the Blessed One, as his fellow-monks surnamed him. Although the reproduction preserves the delicate modeling and the impressive harmony, it can give no idea of the imperishable freshness and "Madonna and Child." Andrea Del Sarto, Florentine School. Crocker Art Gallery. Photograph by A. K. Varney, Sacramento. The second picture is from a copy of "The Annunciation" by Botticelli (1447-1510). The original hangs in the Uffizi Gallery between the "Madonna of the Magnificat" and the "Madonna of the Pomegranate," in the place of honor, the center of the main wall of the room called the "Hall of the Ancient Masters." The copy was painted for Mrs. A. A. Pennoyer of Berkeley, by Luigi Fachi of Florence; they filled the background with glimpses of fair Italian landscapes, trees, ferry-boats, blue sky, rivers and mountains, which draw the eye far into the distance and seem to bring, as in this picture of Botticelli's, the tender, mystical event of the Annunciation into the midst of everyday life. It was realism, often exquisitely fresh "Madonna and Child." Luini, Bernardino, Milanese School. Crocker Art Gallery. are also the device of Florence), but still it was realism, in the sense of using nature directly, with an earnest determination to record and to make other people see exactly what they saw. Nothing was done for effect, nothing was done merely for winged spirit with all dignity. And the angel-messenger fresh from Paradise, with the dew yet wet on the lilies, with the rush of the whirlwind yet upon his garments, is a human creature, winged, radiant, yet grave The richly sculptured and serious withal. |