Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/descriptivecatalOOstra A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF A Collection of Pictures, SELECTED FROM THE ROMAN, FLORENTINE, LOMBARD, VENETIAN, NEAPOLITAN, FLEMISH, FRENCH awd SPANISH Schools. To which are added, REMARKS on the principal PAINTERS and their Works. WITH A C ATA LOGUE ofThirty-two D R AW i NG S, from capital Paintings of great Makers. Collc&ed and drawn, during a Journey of feveral Years in Italy, By ROBERT STRANGE, Member of the Royal Academy of Painting at Paris 5 of the Aca- demies of Rome, ' Florence, Eoiogna 5 ProfelTor of the Royal Academy of Parma, and a Director of the Royal Society of Artifts of Great-Britain. LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR, in C^Ie-ftreet., Leicefier.fi elds; fold by E. and Q. D I L L Y, in the Poultry j and J. ROBSON, t* New Bond-Greet. M DCC LXJX, INTRODUCTION. TH E following catalogue is offered to the public with great deference to their judgment; and if the remarks which are made on many of the principal painters, or the opinion which is given of their works, fhould prove acceptable, my labour will be fufficiently recompenfed. I do not prefume to didlate to thofe who are converfant in painting, and who will have an opportunity of exercifing their own judgment. But there are many lovers of painting, even among my own friends and acquaintance, who, ffom liv- ing at a diftance, cannot have the fa- tisfa&ion of examining this collection, yet would be glad to fee an account of it : there are others who may b^ in- a duced, ii INTRODUCTION, duced, by this defcription, to feek a fur- ther and more profitable gratification of their curiofity : and there are young lo- vers of the art, who may not be difpleafed with the obfcrvations which are offered $ which, when illuftrated by the pidtures themielves, may ferve to improve their .fade for the great works of the Italian fchools. Since the time of the memorable revi- val of the arts in the fifteenth century, Italy, without doubt, is the country which has produced the mofl celebrated painters. There are none who have penetrated fo deep as they into the fecrets of this, art, or reached to fuch a height in the fublime. A purity and corre&nefs of defign, the moft. noble expreflions, ele- gant forms, juft proportions, elevated ideas, and a fertility of genius, give & fupcriority to their produftions, which no other artifis have been able to attain. It is only by fludying and meditating upon the INTRODUCTION, w the works of the Italian matters, that we can realbnably expe6t to form a true tafte, and to defend ourfelves againft the 9 o definitive and capricious forcery of fafhion, which changes almoft with the feafons, and of which the moffc applauded and fineft efforts, in the ipace of a few years, generally appear to be, what they really are, unnatural and ridiculous. Influenced by thefe confiderations, af- ter having experienced the favour and protection of the public, in the reception which they gave to feveral engravings which I executed after capital, paintings of great mafters, I refolved to undertakq a journey into Italy ; where I forefaw that I might be able to make fuch a collection of drawings, as would furniflh matter of ftill greater entertainment for the public, and would gratify that fpecies of tafte which I faw, with great plealure, was every day rifing higher, and diffuf;ng itfelf farther in this opulent, country ; and J a 2 flatter iv INTRODUCTION. flatter myfelf that my hopes have not been difappointed, I employed feveral years in travelling through, and refiding fome time in all the. principal cities of Italy i where, both in the churches, and jn the palacesof the great, I met with many excellent pidtures, which appeared to me to be highly worthy of being made more generally known. I attached myfelf prin- cipally to the moft agreeable fubje&s, and efpecially to fuch of thofe as had not been already engraved, or only imper- fectly. Jn the execution of the drawings which I have made from thofe pidtures, I had peculiar advantages through the fa- vour and munificence of feveral princes and other configurable perfonages in Italy (which I fhall ever remember with grati- tude) and I everted all t}ie ability I was mafter of : infomuch that, if I have nop vainly flattered myfelf, I have been happy enough even to preferve the peculiar cha- rafter of each mafter; a circumftance ef- fentially pecefiary in works of this nature. INTRODUCTION. v In a ihort time after I went abroad/- 1 was fortunate enough to meet with a few excellent pictures, which were to be fold. They were fuch as I thought I could wiih to engrave, and confequently entered more immediately into my plan. This induced me to purchafe them, Elated with the prolpeft which this atifpi- WQiiS beginning prefented to my imagi- nation, I forthwith took the refolution of proceeding to form a collection of pic-* tures, upon a principle different from "What the generality of purchafers had hitherto followed ; viz. a colle&ion fe- le&ed from the various fchools, which, during the two laft: centuries and upwards, have made a figure in Europe ; compre- hending, if pcfffibkv fpecimens of the molt remarkable painters who eftablifhed, or did honour to thofe fchoals« If I had at firftforefeen the numberlefs difficulties, the labour and folicitude, and the ' un- avoidable expence that muft attend the acgompli&menj: of an undertaking of this nature. vi INTRODUCTI ON. nature, even under the moft favourable* cir- cumftances, I fhould perhaps have been difcouraged from the attempt : but I was fired with a love for the arts ; whatever I faw that was excellent I coveted ; and, from time where reigns with decency, an agreeable, and, if I may be allowed the expreilion, even a voluptuous pleafure. What con- tributes to render his works ineftimable, is a pencil, whofe frefnnefs of colour, and delicacy of touch, is admirable : but he may be reprehended with overfinifhing many of his piftures. A L B A N t The three Marys at the Sepulchre. £No. i. This picture, which I efteem as one of the moft capital in the colleftion, from the beauty of the compolition, the cor- reftnefs of defign, and the force and harmony of colouring, appears to be one of the moft ftudied which the author painted about the time of his leaving the fchool MrVSTRANGE's Pictures. 3 fchool of the Carracci : and, indeed, we find fuch a fpirit of the great Anni- bal throughout the whole, as, joined toi the natural delicacy of Albani's pen- cil, puts this conjedture beyond a doubt. The expreflion, in the different characters which compofe this pifture, exceeds any thing we meet with in the other works of Albani. Mary Magdalane, who kneels upon her approach to the Sepulchre, did' penetrated with the deepeft affliction, yet maintains a fuperior greatnefs. We are particularly charmed with the graceful variety and fimplicity in the whole of the angel ; there is an elegance throughout this figure which we feldom meet with in paint- ing j and there are evert beauties in it which may be compared with the antique. The draperies and latldfcape are likewile painted with great tafte, freedom, and judgment. Two feet two inches and a half wide, by one foot ten inches high; B 2 ALBANI. 4 CATALOGUE of ALBANI. A holy Family with Angels. [No. ft. This pitfture confifts of a Madona, with the child Handing by her knee ; on one fide is St. Jofeph, holding in his hands a book ^ on the other, are two angels in at- titudes of adoration ; that on the fore- ground is painted much in the ftile of Domenichino. There is great compofure in the figure of the Madona ^ the cha- racter of the head is extremely agreeable, and partakes both of the Roman and Bolog;nefe fchools. The Chrift is beauti- fully painted ; there is a Ihortnefs in the lower part of the figure, which is pecu- liar to Albani's boys. Two angels are de- fending with fruits and flowers. The fcene is a beautiful landfcape, and the whole is highly finifhed, and painted, with freedom and fpirit. Eleven inches and a quarter high, by nine inches wide, ALBANI. Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 5 ALBA N I. A holy Family, [No. 3. This fmall picture is agreeably com- pofed, and in the tone of its colouring partakes much of the ftile of the three Marys but it was painted at an earlier period. The principal figures are the Madona, with the child (landing by her knee ; on one fide is St. jofeph, and on the other St. Elizabeth. There is a fimi- litude of character between the head of the Chrift in this and in the preceding pic- ture : we find too, as in the other, the fame fhortnefs in the lower pait of this figure. The charafter of the St. Elizabeth is much in the ftile of the Carracci ; and the whole is painted with that force of colour which is found in the works of Annibal and his followers. . Seven inches fquare. ALEX- 6 CATALOGUE of ALEX ANDR1NI. [No. 4 and 5. Two fpirited ftudies of friars of the Carthulian order, probably intended for Jarge pictures, The one leaning on a book, with a firing of beads in his hand, feems to haye fallen afleep : the other is contemplating a crucifix. This painter was a Milanefe, and an imitator of the Carracci ; for we find in thefe ftudies much of the charafter of Agoftino. One foot ten inches and a half high, by one foot two inches wide. GIACOMO daPONTE da BASSANO. So called from the place of his nativity in the Venetian territories. He was born at Baflano, in 1510, and died there in 1592. It was neither by corredtnefs of defign, nor greatnefs of expreffion j it was ftiil Jcfs by oblerving the ruleg of art, or intro- ' - ducing Mr. STRANG E's Pictures. 7 during noblenefs into his compofitions, that Baffano attained to the reputation in painting which he enjoys : he owes it en- tirely to the brilliancy of his colouring, and the fpirited delicacy of his pencil; which, when employed in flelh or dra- pery, or in the multitude of animals, and diverfity of utenfils to be met with in his pictures, become illufion itfelf, B A S S A N O. [No. 6 and 7. It is prefumed there are not two more agreeable pictures of this matter to be found. One of them reprefents the birth of St. John ; and the other, the prefenta- tion in the temple. They are admirably coloured, painted with the utmoft tafte and freedom, and the effect of light and fhadow is well exprefled. One foot five inches and a quarter high, by one foot one inch wide. B 4 JACQUES 5 CATALOGUE of JACQUES BLANCHARD, Born at Paris in 1600, died in the fame city in 1638. Diana, [No. 8. This picture is well compofed, and the drapery judicioufly varied. The charac- ter of the head is beautiful, and painted with tafte and freedom. The two boys with the greyhound, form a moft pleafing groupe. Blanchard was a great admirer of the Italian matters, and lived feveral years in that country; and, indeed, if we make allowance for the ftile of drawing, which rather inclines to the tafte of the French fchool, this has the appear- ance of an Italian pi<5ture. One foot half an inch high, by ten in- ches and a half wide. GIOVANNI Mr. STR AN GE's Pictures. 9 GIOVANNI FRANCESCO GRIMALDI, commonly cailed, BOLOGNESE, Born at Bologna in 1606, died at Rome in 1680, He ftudied under the Carracci, and hav- ing a peculiar genius for landfcape, he devoted himfelf entirely to that branch. He acquired an amazing facility of pencil His colouring was vigorous, and his touch eafy and fpirited, which his drawings with the pen abundantly demonftrate, he having multiplied them exceedingly. BOLOGNESE. a landscape, with the story of Narcissus. [No. 9. By a force of colour, and freedom in the execution of the trees, this pifture partakes much of the ftiie of the Car- racci. The compofition of the landfcape has been calculated to make the fubjeft as interefting as poflible. The figures are ia fo CATALOGUE of in the hiftorical ftile ; well drawn ; and painted with great tafte. Two feet three inches three quarters wide, by one foot ten inches and a quarter high. JOHN BOTH. Born at Utrecht in 1610, died in the fame city in 1650. This painter viuted Italy when young; where, charmed with the landfcapes of Claude Lorrain, he endeavoured to imitate him. His pi&ures are agreeably pencil'd ; remarkable for their fine effe&s; and of a warm and harmonious tone of colour. B O T H. A Landscape. [No. 10. This appears to be a real view; there is a general facility of pencil throughout the whole; it is clear and tranfparent, and the oppofitions in it are pleafing. One foot nine inches and a quarter wide, by one foot three inches high. BAR- Mr, £TRAN GE's Pictures. ii BARTOLOMEO BREENBERG. Born at Utrecht in 1620, died at Rome In 1 660. The following pi6ture characterizes this mafter clearly. The ruins of Rome, and the neighbourhood of that city, em- ployed his pencil for a confiderable time* He poffefled an agreeable manner of co- louring, and had a particular talent in touching his figures and cattle with de- licacy and fpirit. BARTOLOMEO BREENBERG. [No. 1 r. There is fomewhat agreeably interell- ing in the compofition of this fmall pic- ture. It is a view of the monument of Qecilia Metella, fituated near the banks of the Tiber, a few miles diftant from Rome. The fore ground is beautifully enriched with figures. The whole is painted with great tranfparency. The Iky in particular is penciFd with an ele- gance which exceeds any thing of the kind in the works of Wouvermans. A ii CATALOGUE of A circle of fix inches and a half dia- meter. GABR1ELLE & CARLO CALIARI. The latter died in 1596, and the former in 1631. Gabrielie and Carlo Caliari, fons of Paolo Caliari Veronefe, were bred in the fchool of their father: they were chiefly employed in afiifcing him in his large and numerous compofitions infomuch that few of their own inventions are tranf- rnitted to pofterity, and fome of them do even pafs under the name of Paolo* Carlo was fo proinifing a genius, that had he not been cut off in the flower of life* it was believed he' would have furpaflfed ftiit father. Upon the death of Paolo, Gabrielie, after nnifhing what pictures his father had Uft behind him, quitted the arts, and betook himfelf to commerce, in which he arnaued a confiderable for- tune. The following pictures are fpeci- ttizni fufficient to afcertain the abilities of thefe brothers, and how much they me- rit Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 13 rit a rank in the fchool of painting. The works of Gabrielle are fo interwoven with thofe of his father, and fo fcarce, that except a few I met with at Venice, I do not recollefl ever having feen in any other collection a genuine pidhire of this mailer, GABRIELLE CALIARI. Our Saviour on the Cross. [No. 12. His mother is fainting and fupportcd by her fifter and Mary Magdalene; St, John in an attitude cf diftrefs. This groupe of the three women naturally re- calls to our remembrance that in the famous pi6lure of the defcent from the crofs, by Daniel da Volterra at Rome, The fubjeft, though of the melancholy kind, yet in painting has its peculiar beauties—- it is well compofed, and the general harmony of the pifture is agree- able. The attitude of the Magdalene is noble, and gives us an idea of a woman formed with grace and elegance. — The charader of the head is beautiful, though abforbcd 8 i 4 CATALOGUE 6t> abibrbed in grief and affli&ion; and the colouring of it is hardly inferior to Titian. The anatomy of the Chrift is well under- flood, but the character of the defign is Venetian. The extremities of this figure, particularly the hands and feet, are painted with infinite freedom and tafte. Two feet two inches high, by one foot Fix inches and a half wide* CARLO CALIARI. The Marriage of St. Joseph and the Virgin. [No. 13. This pifture exhibits a fcene which is' rich in colouring and efre6t. There is threat fimplicity and innocence in the cha- racter of the Madona ; that of the high prieft is venerable. Many of the ae- ceflary figures are agreeably introduced; and there are even lbme heads not un- worthy the pencil either of Titian or Paolo Veronefe. The two principal figures immediately behind the Virgin are appa- rently painted from nature. Tws Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. i$ Two feet feven inches and a half high, by two feet one inch wide* CARLO CALlARt. The Angels appearing to the Apostles. [No. 14, Though the Venetian fchool in general was lefs ftudious of correctnefs of defign, than either the Roman or Bolognefe ; yet they were always celebrated for the beauty of their colourings their knowledge ill the oppofition of light and fhade, and the facility with which they executed theif large compofitions. This pifture of Car- lo Caliari is a proof of the abilities of its duthor, and by far the moft capital I have feen of a cabinet fize; for force of colour and freedom of pencil it may be compared with the compofitions of Tin- toretc. The characters in general are moftly ideal; that of the St. John is painted in a bold and mafterly ftile; the figure cloathed in white has been ftudicd from nature, as well as feveral others ; the folds 16 CATALOGUE of folds are judicioufly difpofed, and painted with a tafte which renders them not un- worthy of any of the Venetian fchool. Three feet ten inches wide, by three feet three inches high, SIMONE CANTARINI DA PESARO. Born at Pefaro 1612, died at Verona 1648. When Guido had fent to Pefaro and Fano, two cities not far diftant from each other, fome fine pictures which he had painted; Cantarini, who faw them, was ftruck with their excellence ; and though already formed, he immediately took a journey to Bologna, defirous no doubt to become more intimately ac- quainted with this great matter, and in hopes of feeing him paint, to enrich his own manner. On his arrival at Bologna, to remove every fufpicion, he palfed for one who had been juft initiated in paint- ing, and was defirous of . improvement. He was accordingly received ; but in fpite of Mr. STRANG E's Pictures- 17 of this artifice, Guido was not long before he difcovered it, without however dimi~ nifhing the care which he had already fliewn towards the advancement of his difciple ; on the contrary, he was even more zealous to inftruct him. It was en- tirely Cantarini's fault that he did not profit more : but whether it was owing to the good opinion he had of himfelf, or that he was become weary of reftraint, certain it is, that after foolifhly criticizing mafters of the firft order, and even treat- ing them with contempt, he came at length to ufe the fame freedom with Guido, to whom he lay under the greateft obligations, and who at laft difcarded him, when in reality he flood in no further need of a mafter. His pictures foon came into repute, and they were' even confounded with the works of Guido ; many of them, indeed, were equally agreeable. But to fupport his reputation, it required a conduft lefs djffipated than his, and more devoted to C ftudy. i* CATALOGUE of iludy. — He drew upon himfelf a multi- tude of enemies, and by this mifcondud precipitated himfelf into misfortunes which were the caufe of his death. He had a peculiar talent for etching, and a needle no lefs fpirited and graceful than Guido. SIMON C ANTARINI DA PESARO. Our Saviour standing on the Globe, ATTENDED BY CHERUBIMS. [No. 15. This pidture is much in the ftile, and nothing inferior to Guido — it is inimitably coloured — the compofition is extremely agreeable, and the whole appears to have been painted with great facility. There is a delicate expreffion in the heads, par- ticularly in that of the Chrift. An oval, one foot eight inches and an half high,, by eleven inches wide. ANNIBALE Mr. STRANGE's Pictures, 19 ANN IBALE CARRACCL Born at Bologna in 1560, died at Rome in 1609, The fpirit and genius of painting was almoft ready to expire in Italy, when this great artift appeared, who had the merit, in conjunction with his coufin Ludovico and his brother Agoftino, to reftore it again with frefh vigour. He admired and ftudied the works of the incom- parable Correggio \ nor did he require more to animate his genius, and to haften him in the purfuit in which he was engaged. He joined to this fludy the knowledge of nature, of which he never loft fight, not even when tranfplanted to Rome ; where dazzled with the beauties of the antique, he made frefh and fuc- cefsful efforts to appropriate them to his own purpofes. From hence fprung the confiderabie quantity of fine things which he left behind him : they have a flu red to their author the title of one of the moffc learned defigners which ever appeared; C 2 hut 20 CATALOGUE of but this is not enough to his praifej he oueht likewife to be efteemed as one of the greateft compofers. ANNIBALE CARRACCI. St. Gregory praying, attended by Angels. [No. 16. Painting having received its greateft encouragement from the church, the molt ingenious artifts were frequently circum- fcribed in the choice of their fubjedts, and often dictated to by the fuperftitious and the ignorant. Annibale in the following compofition, the large pi&ure of which is efteemed amongft his capital works at Rome, lay doubtlefs under fome reftraints of this nature, by the monks of St. Gre- gorio, who were his employers. We read in one of the Roman legends that St. Gregory, paffing one day by Trajan's forum, and reflecting upon the greatnefs and amiable qualities of that prince, regretted that he had not been a Mr. STRANGE's Pictures, 2% a Chriftian that upon his arrival at St. Peter's, he lamented the ftate of his foul, kneeled and prayed fervently for its being relieved out of purgatory. The -fame author adds further, that at that inftant there appeared to him a vifion from heaven, announcing that his requeft was granted. The point of time which the artift has made ufe of in the reprefen- tation of this fubjedt, will naturally occur to the reader. The compofition will, I believe, be deemed unexceptionable. The union of colours, the correftnefs of defign, the freedom of pencil with which the whole is painted, the precifion with which the extremities are made out, and laftly, the various pentmcntos which may be traced in it, do ail together make it plainly appear that it is the finifhed ftndy from which the large pifture in the church of St. Gregorio at Rome has been painted : as a further proof, I refer the judi- cious fpectator to the print engraved at Rome by Giacpmo Frey, in which, upon C 3 * exami- 22 C AT ALOG.UE of examination, he will find there is fcarce a figure but what will appear to have received fome alteration. We find a general elegance in this ftudy, in which the large pi£ture is deficient, the figures being there coloflal. When obje£b exceed the fize of nature, it is difficult to preferve that grace and purity of out-line which we find conveyed in a fmaller form. It meafures four feet five inches in height, by three feet one and an half in width. The very ingenious Mr. Rogers will foon publifh a work, wherein there is a print engraved from one of his Majefty's drawings, which is a ftudy of Annibale's, prior to the above compofition ; but of which he feems to have adopted in this no part except the figure of St. Gregory 5 and even that with fome alterations. ANNIB ALE CARRACCL Mercury playing Arcos to sleep. [No. 17. From the character of the defign we find in this pifture, it mud have been painted Mr. STRANGE's Pictures, 23 painted at a period when Annibale joined to his Bolognefe manner the ftudy of the antique, which is abundantly confpicuous in this elegant figure of the Mercury:. The idea of Sleep is judicioufly conveyed to us by the attitude of the Argos, his body contracted, and his head almoft in- vifibly funk between his fiioulders. The draperies are painted in a great ftile. The cow particularly, under whofe form the beautiful 16 is concealed, is charac- terized with a fpirited and mafherly pencil. Two feet four inches high, by one foot ten inches three-quarters wide. PIERRE JACQUES CAZES. Born at Paris in 1676, where he died in 1754. Bacchus and Ariadne. [No. 18. The painter of this pifture never hav- ing vifited Italy, we find in it that cha- racter of defign which is peculiar to the French fchool ; neither formed enough upon the ftudy of the antique, nor the C 4 imitation 24 CATALOGUE of imitation of the Italian matters. It will, however, recommend itfelf by the beauty of its colouring, which, in general, is har- monious and tranfparent. Few, even of the French painters, have attained to fo thorough a knowledge of this branch of the art. One foot two inches three-quarters high, by ten inches and a quarter wide, Philippe de Champagne. Born in BrufTels 1602, died in Paris 1674. This artift was endowed with great talents for painting : it was his mif- fortune not to have vifited Italy, and to have formed himfelf upon the great mailers of that country. His genius was univerfal. The city of Paris preferves many hiftorical compofitions of his, wherein he has difplayed great know- ledge of his profefllon. His portraits are uncommonly fine. His ftile of colouring 8 was Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 25 was agreeable, and partakes much of the Flemifh fchool. CHAMPAGNE. Portrait of the great Colbert* [No. 19. This picture of theMecenas of France juftly claims a rank even with the'fineft things of Vanclyck. It is painted in a great ftile, and with that truth and free- dom which we admire in the works of the mod celebrated matters. The hapd is particularly line, and the folds of the dra- pery are difpofed with infinite tafte. Two feet fix inches and an half high, by two feet wide. CARLO CIGNIAN I. Born io Bologna 1628, died at Forli 1719. This excellent painter claims, with great jufticcy a pre-eminence amongft the difciples of Albani : he diftinguifhcd hijnieif as much as his celebrated mafcer, In 26 CATALOGUE of In love with his profefiion, and fenfibly penetrated with the numberlefs difficulties attending the art of painting, he was lefs anxious to produce a quantity of pi&ures, than attentive that none ftiould go out of his pofleffion that were not extreamly iludied, and capable of fupporting the great reputation which he had acquired. Few painters have defigned fo corre&ly, or enriched their compofitions more than he has done ; as we fee few who either poffefTed fuch a force of colouring, or freedom in the execution of their pic- tures. The paintings of the cieling of Forli, which occupied him many years, have acquired him a reputation which will never perifh. CARLO CIGNIANI. Bacchanalian Boys. [No. 20. An agreeable and well compofed little picture ; has great exprefiion in the cha- yafters ; the figures finely grouped the light Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 27 light and fhadow broad, and well under- ftood; and the whole painted with great freedom. An oval, eight inches and an half wide, by fix and an half high, CARLO CIGNIANI. Madona with the Child and St. John. [No. 21. It has been a conftant practice, even amongfl the greateft painters, to improve their ideas from the works of others who have gone before them. , Raphael himfelf had recourfe to the antique, and has frequently taken hints from his cotem- porary Michael Angelo. In his famous picture of the St. Caecilia at Bologna, the Magdalane, which is allowed to be one of the moft elegant figures in painting, was partly taken from an antient bas-relief ; and the fublime charafter of the Cascilia, in the fame picture, has on many occa- fions been adopted both by Guido and Domenichino, Examples of this nature might 28 CATALOGUE of might be cited without end. Correggio is perhaps a fingle inftance to the con- trary. Carlo Cigniani, one of the moft agree- able painters of the Bolognefe fchool, a great admirer and frequent imitator of Correggio, has taken an idea of part of this compofition, from a very capital pifture of that rnafter, of which Spier has given the world an admirable print. I have met with no cabinet pifture of Cigniani, either in the collections of this country, or thofe I have feen abroad, more agreeably compofed, better co- loured, or painted in a more mafterly ftile than this. The character of the Madona is agreeable, and pofTeffed of great dignity : that of the Chrift is lively and expreflive \ and the whole figure is painted with all imaginable force and roundnefs. The forelhortening of the left thigh and foot, and the proje&ion of both, are equal to any thing of the kind in painting. The reflections in this pifture arq Mr. STRANGER Pictures. 29 arc finely underftood j they are judi- cioufly placed, clear, and tranfparent. The head of the St. John merits particu- lar attention : it is painted with a freedom of pencil, and force of colour, which do honour to the fchool of the Carracci. Two feet feven inches and an half high, by two feet three inches and an half wide. SEBASTIANO CONCA. Born at Gaetta 1676, died in the fame city 1764. This artift, who is yet recent in our re- membrance, began to learn the firft ele- ments of defign under Luca Giordano ; but Luca fetting out for Spain, the young Conca entered into the fchool of Solimeni, who compleated his ftudies, by conceal- ing nothing from him and his other fcho- lars, relative to the fecrets of his art. Conca foon diftinguiflhed himfelf, and af- terwards fettled in Rome. He had eafy and fertile genius, to which he joined great 3 o CATALOGUE of great fpirit. He left an incredible num-* ber of large pi&ures behind him— but we fliall be the lefs furprized, when we con- fider, that his life was prolonged beyond the ufual limits of human nature, and that he was, befides, indefatigable. From the example of his mafter, he introduced great richnefs in his piftures ; and per- haps he ftudied more to pleafe from the brilliancy, than from the folidity of his compofitions. It even appears, that he was lefs attentive to the great ftile of drawing, than to give to his figures atti- tudes, which were agreeable and varied. He was, neverthelefs, a great painter, and muft be regarded as one of the laft efforts, which this expiring art has made in Italy, SEBASTIANO CONCA. The virgin and child. [No. 22. Thefe two figures are well compofed. The Madona in one hand holds a fcroll, and Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. . 31 and with the other, tenderly embraces the body of our Saviour. We find in this pi&ure a mixture both of the Roman and Neapolitan fchools. An attempt has likewife been made to imitate Correggio, The drawing is, in general, correal ; the drapery agreeably varied ; and the whole* not only painted with tafte and faci- lity, but with great force and brillian- cy of colour. Nine inches and an half wide, by feven and an half high. ANTONIO ALLEGRI; Commonly called, CORREGGIO. Born at Correggio, 1494, and there died 1534* It happened, that after many ages pair- ed in ignorance, nature, weary of her bond- age, and willing to repair her lofles, by rendering to the arts their original luftre, drew them from that obfcurity into which the barbarifm of the times had plunged 6 them. 32 CATALOGUE or them. There appeared one of thofe rare and happy geniuies, who, guided by in- ftinft alone, and without any afiiftance from thofe who had gone before him, planned out new tracks in fcience^ and be- came the admiration of his cotemporaries; leaving behind him objects worthy the imitation of his fucceffors; Such was Correggio, who, born in a little village, where perhaps no painter had ever exifted, and at a critical period, even in the dawn of the .arts, diffufed a glorious light over painting; which did at that time aftonifh, and ftil! continues to furprize the fpefta- tor. He at once banifhed that fterility of taite, which during fo long a time had disfigured the art of painting ; and, tak- ing a fudden and rapid flight, he raifed himfelf to the fublime. He faw every thing great: he did not introduce into the generality of his compoutions, a mul- titude of figures ; but only fuch as were ufeful and employed. He gave them new Mr. STRANG E's Pictures. 33 new motions, he added to their out-lines certain forms, which perhaps are not al- ways ftri&ly agreeable to the chafte rules of defign ; but they have, however, their captivating allurements. What the poet faid may be here applied ; He fnatch'd a grace beyond the rules of art* The agreeable fmile, and thofe amiable graces, which ever attended his ideas, and which he diffufed with fuch profufion over his characters, may be perhaps taxed with being forced and unnatural ; but they are, however, not lefs feducing : an eafy and flowing pencil, an union and har- mony of colours, peculiar to himfelf, a perfed intelligence of light and fhade, produced by large and broad mafles, give an aftonifhing relief to all the pic- tures he has painted. The works of k, divine painter cannot be too much ft tidi- ed. TJie Carracci were fenfible of it, and reaped confiderable advantages from them. Whoever, from their example, D will 34 CATALOGUE of will refledt on them with attention, may be fure of acquiring the moft important principles of their art. CORREGGIO. Mary Magdalen. [No. 23. After the preceding account of the works of this m after, what could be faid upon the fubjeft of this pi&ure, which would not become a repetition ? I ftiall, however, beg leave to add, that, in my opinion, no other than the pencil 1 of Correggio, could have introduced fuch a peculiar chafa&er of beauty, blended with fo much grace and fweetnefs as we fee in this head — -But that is not all ^ do we not likewife read in the coun- tenance of this figure, the character of contemplation, and the expreflions of < grief and repentance ? The whole fills our mind with an idea of greatnefs; which is peculiar to thjs painter, and to the works of the divine Raphael. An Mr. S T RANGE'S Pictures. 35 An oval, feven inches and a quarter high, by fix and an half wide. CARLO D O L C I. Born in Florence 1616, died in the fame city 1686. Different roads condudt to the per- fection of painting ; but all men do not equally fucceed in them. Some, born with a fertile genius, ftudy only the rich- nefs of compofition; fome attach them- felves folely to beautiful forms, or to the force and harmony of colouring whilft others employ themfelves in the mpre la- borious and painful taflk of finifhing. Of this number was Carlo Dolci: with- out regard to the value of time, he never could refolve to leave his pi&ures till they were finifhed with almoft the fame pre- cifion as thofe of the Dutch and Flemifh mailers, of which Italy affords us but few examples. The extreme delicacy of his pencil, and the beauty of many of his characters, have acquired him a reputation D 2 in 3 tf CATALOGUE of in painting. But however perfedl and however ftudied his pictures are, it muft be allowed, that he laboured more to pleafe the eye ; than to enrich the under- ftanding, by conveying to it ^great or noble ideas. CARLO DOLCI. St. Margaret. [No. 24. In her right hand Ihe holds a book on which ihe reads, and in her left a crofs. This pidure is painted in imitation of Correggio, and partakes fo much of that mafter, that by fome it has even been afcribed to him. There is great fweetnefs and contemplation in the charafter of the head it is agreeably coloured, and painted with that delicacy and care which generally attend the works of this artift. One foot eight inches high, by one foot three and an half wide. DOMENICQ Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 37 DO MEN ICO ZAMPIERI, commonly called DOMENICHINO. Born in Bologna 1581, died at Naples 1641, He was born with a docility of temper, and folidity of judgment but in appear- ance he was rather flow of comprehenfion. It was long before the leaft hopes could be formed of this great artift. Annibale Carracci only, under whom he at length ftudied, knew how to diftinguifli the hidden talents of a fcholar ever liftening to the voice of inftruclion, and whom a .laborious and painful application never difcouraged. Time foon difcovered in this man a painter, jealous of his repu- tation, and capable of expreffing in the characters and the motion of his figures, tne moft fublime paffions, and attitudes the moft difficult to compofe. He made it a rule to reprefent nothing which he faw not in nature, and never to deviate from .that pure fimplicity which belongs to D 3 Jher. 3 8 CATALOGUE of her. Abforbed in the moil profound meditation, he never began a work till his ideas were thoroughly digefted. If he had any failing, it was that of being too fearful of himfelf, and diftruftful of the great abilities he poffefled. DOMENICHINO. St. Apollonia. [No. 25. An half length, and one of the moil agreeable figures I have feen of this matter. Her countenance is elevated ; and her right hand, which is in feme degree forefhortened, is placed upon her breaftj with the other fhe holds the fymbol of her martyrdom. If we con- template the character of this head, we Ihall find in it, befides the charms of female innocence, a fublimity of ex- preffion which cannot fail of engaging the attention of every mind fufceptible of beauty. The graceful fimplicity of this figure, the character cf defign through- out the whole, the force with which it is painted^ Mr. STRAN GE's Pictures. 39 painted, do more than verify the faying of Pouffin, that he knew no painter more intelligent than this artift, fince the days of Raphael. The attitude is compofed in an eafy graceful manner, and the dra- pery varied with infinite tafte and judg- ment. Domenichino, like Raphael, jea- lous of his out-line, determined his extre- mities with the utmoft precifion — they are remarkably fo in this picture, and worthy of the attention of every artift. One foot nine inches three fourths high, by one foot three inches three fourths wide. BATTISTA FERL A View in the Campania Felice. [No. 26. This landfcape gives us a diftant prof- peft of a mod delightful country. The fore-grounds are agreeably varied with figures. Some of them dance to the found of the pipe, others are taking care of their D 4 flocks, 4 o CATALOGUE op flocks, while the more domeftick occu- pations of life are like wife attended to. The whole is painted with great tafte and freedom. An oval, one foot feven inches long, by one foot three high, BATTISTA FERI. The Morning. [No. 27. One of the moft interefting fcenes which Italy can afford. On one fide we have the promontory of Mecasnum, on the other the fliore of Sarentum ; and in the middle the ifland of Capria. There is an effeft in this pifture, which will not yield to the fineft of Claude. - The figures too are well painted, and in reality reprefent the only objeits we now meet with, upon a coaft which was formerly remarkable for being the retreat of the illuftrious Romans, during the inclement heats of fummer. One foot nine inches and an half iong 5 by one foot five and an half high. BATTISTA Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 41 BATTISTA FERI. The Evening. [No. 28. This feems no imaginary compofition ; but the profpeft of a country varied with mountains and vallies, and watered by an agreeable river. It is moft probably in the kingdom of Naples, the painter being a native of that country. The fore ground is enriched with figures, and the whole partakes much of the influence, of a fetting fun. The fize as of the preceding picture. DOMENICO FETI. Born at Rome 1590, died at Venice 1624. Few painters have poflefled a greater freedom of pencil, a more harmonious ftile of colouring, or greater knowledge of expreflion than this artift. If he painted a head of chara&er, he entered Into the detail of it with fuch fpirit, that it produces an aftonifhing relief 5 and that too without the kaft hardnefs, 42 CATALOGUE of fo judicioufly are the tints varied. It is the fame with his large compofitions ; the light and fhade are ingenioufiy ba- lanced; the figures are grouped with fo much art, and the general difpofition is fo well obferved, that they produce the molt ftriking and harmonious effefts, DOMENICO FETI. St. Francis. [No. 29. This pifture merits being confidered as a mafter-piece of painting, and as one of the finefl: fpecimens that can be produced of Domenico Feti. We find in it a cha- racter of defign and expreffion, accom- panied too with a fervour of devotion, which can be equalled by nothing but the fineft works of Guido and the Oarracci. The colouring alfo is admirable, and well adapted to the fubjedb It feems to have been painted much about the fame time with the Guardian Ano;el and the Melan- choly, in the king of France's collection, and Mr. STRANG F/s Pictures. 43 and with a freedom of pencil which muft excite the admiration of every perfon of tafte. One foot ten inches high, by one foot feven wide. MARC- ANTONIO FRANCISCHINL Born at Bologna 1,648, died in the fame city 1 729. The competitions of this ingenious artift, and his tafte of defign, are mudt in the manner of Cigniani, whofe principal fcholar he was \ and tho' his colourini; has not generally the fame degree of force, it cannot be denied that he had a fipe genius ; and merit in containing it within jtift bounds. This merit was fo much the greater that he was furrounded with people, who could never determine the plan of their eompofition ; but crouded figures into their pictures without end, in order to make a greater fhew. But this artift proceeded upon furer principles : from the example pf his mailer, he re- ftedle4 44 CATALOGUE of fle&ed ferioufly before he undertook a work ; and he was ftill more attentive in the execution of it. He decorated many vaft cielings in the different cities of Italy, for which he generally made feparate lludies on cartoons. The cabinets of the curious are likewife furnifhed with his piflures, many of them in the ftile of Albani, and in general extremely agree- able. FRANCISCHINI. The Salutation. [No. 30.' Befides an agreeable pencil, and bril- liancy of colour, we find in this and the following pifture much of the ftyle of the Bolognefe fchool. The Angel might al- moft pafs for a juvenile performance of Albani ; fo nearly has the painter imi- tated him, both in the charadter of the head and the manner in which the figure is attired. One foot two inches high, by eleven inches wide* FRAN- Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 4 £ FRANCISCHINI. Offering of the Shepherds. [No. 31. The compofition of this picture is moft agreeable. Nothing can be more intereft- ing than the charadter of theVirgin, replete as it were, with devotion, with maternal tendernefs and love. There is an elegance in this figure which would do honour to the greateft matter. The St. Jofeph is painted with great tafte and freedom 1 and the. Shepherd, with the Lamb, par- takes much of the character of Guido. The fize as of the preceding pi£ture. LUCA GIORDANO. Born at Naples 1632, died in the fame city 1705. We may fay with propriety of this painter, that he was a real Proteus. There is fcarce a manner into which he did not attempt to transform himfelf. At one time he is Paolo Veronefe, or Tintorett, whofe compositions he imitated even to deception. 4-6 CATALOGUE of deception ; at another, we fancy we fee the pictures of Pietro da Cortona. So perfectly did he transform himfelf into the ftile of Baffano, that it is even diffi- cult for the moft judicious connoifleurs to defend themfelves againft the illufion. Fie feized and retained the ideas of thofe, and many other matters, with a fidelity that is without example. However, it would be injurious to his reputation to imagine he folely employed his talents in thefe and the like deceptions \ they were only the fubje&s of his amufement : he knew better how to fill up his time ; and the prodigious quantity of important compofitions with which he filled Italy and Spain, are evident proofs of his -abi- lities. The deling of the Ricardi pa- lace at Florence, is an admirable inven- tion. Ke poflefied fuch a facility of pen- cil that the colours, fcarce laid upon the canvas, produced as of themfelves their proper effects. No fooner were his fub- je£ta Mr. S T RAN G E's Pictures. 47 je£ts conceived, than his pidtures were finifhed ; and it v/as owing to that ex- tream promptitude that he got the name of Luca fa Prefto, which he ever after- wards retained. LUCA GIORDANO. St. Francis healing the Sick. [No. 32. This picture had been but a fhort time brought from Spain before I became poflefled of it. The compofition is ad- mirable ; and the whole is painted with an aftonifhing relief. It is very obvious that it was done at a time when Luca was enamoured with the works of Mu- rillo ; for the character of this painter is particularly predominant in the figure of the St. Francis, which would indeed do honour to the pencil of the greatefl matter; fo finely is it drawn and coloured. That, and the figure immediately behind it, were undoubtedly painted from nature. The charafter of Sicknefs is finely repre- 8 fented 48 CATALOGUE or fented in the perfon brought to be cured £ and the groupe of cherubims in the air are very like thofe of Murillo. Five feet five inches wide, by four feet five inches high. LUCA GIORDANO. Adoration of the Shepherds. [No. 33* This pi<5ture has, in general, been re- ceived by all who have feen it as one of the moft agreeable and moft interefting compofitions of Luca Giordano. We find in it a general corre&nefs of defign. The characters of the Chrift and the Madona would do no difcredit to the pencil of a Guido; the Angels too are painted in imitation of that matter. There is a ftile and freedom in the St. Jofeph that is even worthy of the Roman fchool. The two figures immediately below him are not inferior to Pietro da Cortona. The old woman, on the oppofite fide of the pi6ture, might even do honour to the 5 pencil Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 49 pencil of Salvator Rofa. The fliepherd behind, and the woman with the bafket of eggs, and the boy kneeling, are all in the painter's natural manner, but drawn with more elegance and tafte than we find in the generality of his works. There is an effe£t in this pidture which is almoft illufion itfelf. The idea of the light proceeding from the Chrift has been, doubtlefs, taken from that famous pic- ture of Correggio, commonly known by the name of the Notte, which has given rife to many agreeable compofitions of this nature. This pidlure is painted with uncommon facility. The tone of colouring is extremely harmonious, tho* perhaps fomewhat too low; but this, with great propriety, fuits the humble retreats of life, in which we are not to expert the fame richnefs and variety which we generally meet with in fcenes of more exalted grandeur. Four feet ten inches and an half high, by four feet one inch wide. E GJO- 5o CATALOGUE of GIOVANNI FRANCESCO BARBIERI, commonly called, GUERCINO. Born at Cento 1500, died in the fame city 1666. It is evident that this artift was born with uncommon talents for painting - 9 for without having ever left the little city which gave him birth, and where there was never any painter of reputation, on having only feen and ftudied an excellent picture of Ludovico Carracci, he made fuch rapid progrefs in the art to which he had devoted himfelf, that on his arri- val at Bologna, as yet a youth, he afto- nifhed thofe who were witnefles of his firft eflays. Having never had an opportu- nity of adopting any particular manner, he acquired one which was much fuited to his genius, and which, by the great mafTes of light and fliade, and the know- ledge he attained to in colouring, pro- duced effects that were extreamly cap- tivating. Much of his life was fpent in his Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 51 his profefiion ; for he was employed in a prodigious number of pi&ures in oil, both for altar-pieces, and fuch as were in- tended to adorn the cabipets of the great ; without, however, reflefling that frefco and grand compofitions were yet more fuitable to his genius \ fuch, for example, as fye painted in the dome of the cathe- dral church of Piacenza, or that wonder- ful cieling of th k e Aurora, which we ad- mire at Rome in the villa LudovicL — Thefe are two m after-pieces which can never be fufficiently extolled. G U E R C I N O. St. William taking the Habit of a Carthusian. [No. 34. This being the original ftudy for the large pifture in the church of St. Grego- rio at Bologna, conveys to us a more perfed idea of the abilities of this mailer than moft cabinet pictures that are to be met with of Guercino. It is painted in E 2 his 52 CATALOGUE of his firfl manner, being a ftile greatly fil- perior to the generality of his works, which were done at a period when a want of tafte in his employers obliged him "to conform with the times, and become a feeble imitator of Guido. The composi- tion of this ftudy is admirable ; the cha* rafters noble and expreffive ; the* pen- ciling free and mafterly and the effe&s of light and (hade are judicioufly oppirfed to each other, arid well underftood. One foot eleven inches high," by one foot four inches and an half wide. GUIDO REN 1. Born at Bologna 1575, died in the fame city 1642. It is not enough to the praife of this great artift to give him the title of painter of the Grages to fum up his chara&er, render him the juftice he unquestion- ably deierves, it may be faid, that with rrgard to firmnefs of pencil, elegance of aut-line/richnefs of draperies, knowledge of Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 5 $ '* v. <«Jl kj>' 1^/ V,/ K I Jh I /-» \ of compofition, and above all, his idea, of grace and beauty, few painters have been comparable to him. He had two man- ners much oppofed to each other; one wai> dark and inclining to Michael An- gdo Carravaggio, which, at that time, ■Was in vogue ; the other was entirely cjtear, more vague, and carried him fome- times to a contrary excefs. But when he obferved the medium, and painted fuch pidtures as the Rape ofDejanira, in the colle&ion of the king of France, and the St. Peter and St. Paul, in the Sampieri palace at Bologna, he is then not only fuperior to himfelf, but he equals even the greateft painters. ufi kG UI DO REN.I. srn^q ig Cleopatra. [No. 35. t^fiurfD M Qu anil \ 1 « u -%L .This is the original ftudy for the large pi&urg in the colleflion of the Princefs dowager of Wales. The compofition of this .figure, being in every refpeft noble, " E 3 » 54 CATALOGUE of is known to the public by a print which I engraved upon my firft arrival in Lon- don. This ftudy, being comprehended in a fmall compafs, was entirely at the com- mand of the artift ^ in which he has ex- preffed great roundnefs, and a general harmony of colours. It is delicately painted clear and tranfparent. The idea of the head is beautiful, and has, doubt- lefs, been a ftudy from the Niobe in the villa Medici at Rome. One foot eight inches and a quarter high, by one foot four inches three- quarters wide, GUIDO REN I. The offspring of Love. [No. 36. I will not take upon me to difpute the intention of the painter in the fubjeft of ' this pifture ; but as it is not characterized with any particular marks of divinity, and as we have rather a fupernumerary quan- tity of Madonas, I judged it no impro- priety Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 55 priety to engrave it under the preceding title. Whilft this affectionate mother watches her tender offspring, who is bu- ried in a calm and profound fleep, fhe abundantly manifefts, in her own coun- tenance, the pleafure with which Hie feels herfelf afFe&ed — Delicate and refined ex- preifions, referved for the pencil of the famous Guido, that incomparable artift, who is j-uftly termed the Painter both of Grace and Sentiment. Two feet wide, by one foot feven inches high. GUIDO R E N I. St. Michael. [No. 37. This fubje6l is well known to the cu- rious, by the print engraved by Giacomo Frey after the large pi&ure in the church of the Capuchins at Rome. Few pic- tures, I believe, ever came from the pen- cil of Guido, either more elegantly painted, or more decifive of the m after, than this E 4 original; $6 CATALOGUE of original ; and its being of a different pro- portion, and the compofition Ids ex- tended, are evident proofs that it was done as a finifhed ftudy for that at Rome. Had it been copied from the large pic- ture, it is to be prefumed it would have been executed without the leaft variation ; nor would particularly almoft a whole arm and hand, which we find there, more than in this ftudy, have been omitted; and by which the compofition is indeed in a manner compleated. The charafter of the St. Michael is truly great; fo per- fectly did Guido poffefs the idea of beauty, that it is even predominant in the countenance of this angel, though agitated with paflion and refentment — His features feem graceful and majeftic; confcious as it were of his divinity, they maintain an air of greatnefs and fupe- * riority. The fpaces around the figure are judicioufly filled up, and the accidental light on the drapery is ingenioufly con- trived to .counterbalance that upon~ the figure. Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures, 57 figltfa : The colouring of this pi&ure is -delicate and harmonious. voirtt Fdur feet one inch high, by two feet ^moilteven inches and an half wide. w&A G UID O REN L The Virgin, with our Saviour asleep. slonw £ florals vnisIuDfow} bluow lor siom e *->rft bnrf rbiri [N °* 38 ' ibfFew painters, I believe, ever exifted who did not, on fome occafions, repeat one or other of their pictures, either on account of the agreeablenefs of the fub- je£t, or the demand they might have had for them. This pidture is painted in a ftile greatly fuperior to the generality of Guido's works. On examining it, our ideas, even of his abilities, are raifed. We find in it fuch a freedom of pencil, added to a force of colouring, as in every refpeft indicates the mailer. The cha- racter of the Chrift is divinely beautiful ; the attitude is eafy and graceful ^ and the general effect of the whole agreeably ftri- oiugri king. 5 3 CATALOGUE of king. This fubjeft is engraved by Blomart, in a circular form ^ but his print gives us no detail of the beauties of this pifture. An oval, three feet feven inches and an half wide, by three feet half aa inch in height. GUIDO REN I. St. Catharine. [No. 39. The whole of this pifture is remarkably graceful. The charafter of the head is beautiful ; and upon a near examination of it, we find it is touched with an amaz- ing delicacy of pencil. There is in the Colonna palace at Rome a repetition of this figure, of which Guido has made a St. Margaret ; for in place of the palm, fhe holds a crofs, and at the corner where the wheel is, he has introduced the head of a monfter, which characterizes St. Margaret. This pidure of the St. Ca- tharine I purchafed before my journey 8 into Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. into Italy. A print from it is nearly finifhed. Three feet three inches and a quarter high, by two feet feven inches wide, FILIPPO LAURO. Born in Rome 1623, died in the famecity 1694* He was in his ftile an agreeable painter? and chiefly confined himfelf to fmall hiftorical compofitions, which were in general the fruits of a happy invention, executed with tafte and a corredlnefs of drawing. His landfcapes are particularly fpirited. FILIPPO LAURO. Venus and Cupid attended by Satyrs. [No. 40. A flight but fpirited little picture of the mafter; the colouring agreeable, and the landfcape touched with freedom. Eleven inches and an half wide, by four inches three quarters high. LEONARDA $£ CATALOGUE o f m LEONARDO DA VINCI. Born in the caftle of Vinci in Tufcany 1443, #ed in France, in the arms of Francis I. 1518. It required a man of as much genius, refinement and univerfal knowledge, as Leonardo da Vinci, to attempt to re- trieve painting from that languishing ftate into which it had been plunged for fo many ages. Cimabue, who is efteemed as its reftorer, and the other artifts who fucceeded him, laboured without prin- ciples. Their works were dry, infipid and taftelefs. Solid and judicious re- flections didated to Leonardo the necefilty of a reformation. He therefore confulted nature ; and nature fuggefled to him the means. She foon taught him, that the beauties with which fhe is adorned, are only to be difcovered by fuch as ftudy them with difcernment; that the charader of heads, as well as the motion of figures, are infinite, and depend upon the know- ledge of the mufcles, which is infeparable from the ftudy of anatomy ^ that the dif- ferent Mr. S TITAN G'E's Pictures- £t ferent paffions of the foul are to be exprefied in the countenance by means of the arrangement of certain features ; that it is . by a juft diftribution of colours, as well as of light and fhadow, thatxibje&s liave relief, and appear natural. Thefe refle&ions Leonardo reduced to rules and principles ; and he was the firft who faithfully obferved them. It is not there- fore to be wondered at, that, abforbed .in fuch profound meditations, he laboured fo little with his own hand and it is to be obferved that he never painted any thing that was not extremely finilhed, and in which he did not aim at perfe&ion. It muft be added, that he had a decifive : tafte for the fciences, and particularly for mathematics, which employed great part of his time. He invented machines; he undertook and compieated many im- portant works which rendered him ufeful to fociety; and he was cherifhed by many princes who fought and cukivarcd his acquaintance. LEONARDO 62 CATALOGUE of LEONARDO DA VINCL Our Saviour disputing with the Doctors. [No. 41. If v/e circumfcribe our ideas of paint* ing, and take a furvey of the arts in their infant ftate about the period of this painter's life, we muffc afcribe to this pidure an infinite portion of merit. As we frequently find a fimilitude of ideas in the works of great men who have been cotemporaries with each other, we may trace in this pifture, befide the natural ftile of Leonardo, fomewhat of the cha- racter of Raphael, particularly in the two heads which are moft remote. The pro- file towards the left of the pidlure ap- pears to have been a portrait ; it is painted with great delicacy, and feems a perfect reprefentation of nature. The character of the Chrift feems ideal, and is compofed of great mildnefs and ferenity. One is naturally fenfible of the difficulty Leo- nardo has laboured under in the exe- cution of this head, affifted only by the ftrength Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. C 3 ftrength of imagination. The hands of this figure are elegantly drawn, and the anatomical parts well underftood. The whole of this picture is painted with in- finite precifion, which was the manner of thofe times, particularly of the old Flo- rentine fchool. Two feet nine inches wide, by two feet two and an half high. CARLO MARAT TL Born at Camerano in the Marche of Ancona 1625, died at Rome 1713, Were I to point out to any one who deftines himfelf to the ftudy of painting, the neceffity of a fevere application during his youth, and to fhew him the advan- tages that would naturally refult from it, I could not pofiibly inftance a more ftriking example than that of Carlo Ma- ratti. Indefatigable in his application, he fpared no pains where it was necefiary to attain knowledge. He was, during his youth, familiarized with a middling fbate of 64 CATALOGUE or of fortune, which contributed to his afl> duity in defigning and painting after the works of the greateft matters, but prin- cipally in the Vatican, after thofe of Ra- phael. For many years he employed the whole day in this exercife y and his even- ings in reflecting on what he had feen and done. Filled with thofe great ideas, he often attempted to put his own on paper — nor was it long before his abilities fhone forth. In the firft piftures which he ex- pofed to the public, the refult of his good condu£t appeared; and the appro- bation he then met with, facilitated his future undertakings. He executed many large piftures, in which he difplayed great knowledge of compofition ; even grace in the attitude of his figures, and a general accuracy of defign. CARLO MAR ATT I. A Madona reading, attended by Angels. [No. 42. This pidlure has great affinity to the St. Csecilia in the Earl of Orford's col- 7 leftion Mr, STRANG E's Pictu res. 65 ie&ion which I have engraved ; and has doubtlefs been the firft ftudy for that of his lordfliip; though the painter, in finifhing the large pi&ure, has deviated from his original intention, by making the head elevated, and adding other figures to the compofition - 9 from which it has now the name of a St. Cecilia. There is a pifturefque and ftriking effect in this ftudy ; the charadter of the prin- cipal figure is agreeable; and it is painted with an uncommon breadth of light and fliade* Eight inches and an half high, by fix inches and a quarter wide. FRANCESCO MILE. Born at Antwerp 1643, died at Paris 1680. A Landscape, Vith the Tomb of Phaeton. [No, 4-2. There is fomething extremely eafy and agreeable in the compofitions of this mafter. They were in general the frqits F - of 66 CATALOGUE of of an happy imagination. He was, when in Italy; a great admirer and imitator of Nicolas Pouffin. The fcene of this pic- ture is upon the banks of the Po. The hiftorical part of it is finely imagined. One foot five inches and an half wide, by one foot two inches high. PIETRO FRANCESCO MOLA. Born at Coldre in the Diocefe of Come in the Millanefe 1&12, died at Rome 1688. It was happy for this artift, that during his youth he undertook a journey to Lombardy and Venice, where he acquired a tafte for colouring; which he never would have known had he remained at Rome, and continued to follow the man- ner of Giofeppe d'Arpino, who was his firft mafter. He would infallibly have remained a middling painter; whereas by means of the beauty of his colouring, hq has abundantly diftinguiflied himfelf. A firm and an exprefiive pencil, an excellent body of colour, pure and delicate tints properly Mr. STRANG E's Pictures. 67 properly placed, without crudity or hard- nefs, a perfect knowledge of light and fliadow,^ give to the piftures of Mola fuch a brightnefs, that they appear as if lighted by the dire£b rays of the fun. An imitator of Giorgione more than any other mafter, he had the advantage over him of defigning more correftly ; and he was not lefs admirable than that painter in the conduit of his landfcapes. With regard to their compofitions there is no comparifon to be made ; thofe of Mola are infinitely more rich and agreeable. FRANCESCO MOLA, A Landscape with the Magdalene. [No. 44. This is an agreeable fpecimen of the mafter; painted with great breadth of colour, and facility of penciling. The figure is expreffive, and approaches nearly to the ftile of Guercino. Ten inches and a quarter high, by eight and an half wide. F ? FRAN- 6S CATALOGUE or FRANCESCO MOLA. Magdalene in the Desart, a Moon- light. [No. 45. The general efFeft of this pidlure is agreeable, and the trees are touched in a fpirited and pieturefque manner. An oval, eight inches high, by fix and an half wide. GIOVANNI BATTISTA MOLA. A Landscape, with the Story of Hagar. [No. 46. This painter was brother to Francefco Mola, and both were fcholars of Albani. There is great force and harmony in the execution of this pidture. The local co- louring is extremely well underftood. The maffes are broad, and well oppofed to each other. The general tone of the pidure partakes much of the Bolognefe fchooL One Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. 69 One foot five inches and a quarter wide, by one foot two inches high. BARTOLOMEO MURILLO. Born in the villa of Pilas near Seville 1613, died at Seville 1685. During a confiderable time, painting and the name of Murillo had difficulty to furpafs the bounds which feparate Spain from the other countries of Europe. That kingdom, and Seville in particular, remained the depofitaries of the works of this great artift ; and were alone to decide upon their merit. But, no fooner had a few of his pidtures been tranfported be- yond the mountains, but the reputation of this painter became univerfal. It was determined that his pencil was inimitable. It may be faid that he was a painter by inftindh He made a journey indeed to Madrid, where he ftudied the works of Titian, Rubens and Vandyck; and he was Jikewife affifted by fome advice he re- F 3 ceived 1 70 CATALOGUE of ceived from the celebrated Velafquez ; but it was principally by the exertion of his own talents that he made fuch a happy progrefs as to defer ve being ranked amongft the firfl genius's in painting. Greatnefs of chara&er, and a more agree- able choice of nature in his compofitions, would have made him a ftill more ac- complifhed painter; but fo feducing are the charms of colouring, that it will often fo cover faults, that they fhall pafs unobferved. MURILLO, Our Saviour in the Character of a Shepherd. [No. 47. Few people, I believe, converfant in painting are ftrangers now to the uncom- mon abilities of this artift, and to the merit which the world in general have afcribed- to his labours. This pifture alone would be fufficient to fecure him a place amongft the greateft painters. The fubjeft Mr. STRANGER Pictures. ;i fubjeft of it is interefting; and it is compofed in an eafy graceful manner. Our Saviour holds in his hands a wreath of thorns, as the fymbol of his future fufferings. In confidering this figure, our attention, nay even our affeftions are engaged ; we fee a character truly noble, pious and refigned ; an expreflion fuitable to the chriftian idea of a Divinity. The corredlnefs and tafte with which the head is painted is remarkable. There is a harmony of colours throughout the whole, which muft give pleafure to every judge in painting. The light too is moft judicioufly difpofed; for befides a facility of pencil, there is a truth in this pi£ture, which can only be exceeded by nature. Two feet fix inches wide, by two feet half an inch high. PAOLO CATALOGUE of PAOLO C A LIAR I, commonly called PAOLO VERONESE. Born at Verona 1532,, died at Venice 1588. The impreffion which the works of this famous painter made upon the Carracci, when they undertook ajourney to Venice, with an intention to ftudy colour- ing and compofition from the piftures of the great mafters of this fchool, forms a prejudice which is decifive in favour of their excellence. Seized with admiration at the fight of the vaft and magnificent compofitions of Paolo Veronefe, and not lefs aftonifhed at the fertility of his genius and the freedom of his pencil, they al- moil forgot Correggio, whom they had hitherto adored ; and indeed when we confider the immenfe quantity of fine things with which he has enriched the churches and palaces of Venice, it is dif- ficult to comprehend that the life of a fmgle man, and which was not extremely long, Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 73 Ipng, fliould have been fufficient to com- plete them. The pi&ure alone of the marriage of Cana in the refe£tory of St. Giorgio Maggiore, which has merit enough to immortalize its author — has likewife fufficient matter to occupy for a long time the moft a£tive pencil; fo carefully and delicately is it painted, and filled with figures equally varied and interefting. PAOLO VERONESE. The Birth of St. John. [No. 48. The ingenious invention of this fub- jeft, the variety of agreeable figures, the difpofition of the various groupes, and the harmonious effeft of light and fliade throughout the whole, renders it altoge- ther amongft the moft defireable pi&ures of Paolo Veronefe. We meet with few extenfive compofitions of any mafter, wherein we do not find fome one figure which may be obje&ed to. In this pic- ture 74 CATALOGUE of tore the eye is in general pleafed : an aflcmbJage of elegant forms, graceful at- titudes, and agreeable expreffions, equally intereft us. All is executed with fpirit, and with truth. The adtions of the fi- gures are well contrafcedj the drapery compofed with tafte and variety ; and the human form judicioufly preferved throughout the whole. It is prefumed that this picture was painted after the author's return from Rome to Venice ; for w;e find in it a corredlnefs of defign, which does not always predominate in his works — There are even forms in it which may be compared to the antique. The character of the figure affiftant to the St. Elizabeth, is worthy of the pencil of Par- niegiano. Two feet eight inches high, by two feet one and an half wide. PAT ELL. PtfR. S TRANGE's Pictures. 75 PATELL A Landscape. [No. 49* A romantic, and at the fame time, a pleafing compofition. There is a delicacy and freedom of pencil in the trees, which will even admit of being compared to many piftures of Claude, The figures too are well painted. A circle of one foot eleven inches and an half diameter. PATELL. A Landscape. [No. 50. This fmall pifture is painted with great force, brilliancy of colour, and ftrong pppofition of light and fhade. The trees are pencilled with freedom. Ten inches wide, by feven and an half high. NICOLAS POUSSIN. Born at Andeli, a city of Normandy, 1594, died at Rome 1665* When we confider the character of Pouffin, the tafte he had for the antique, and ?6 CATALOGUE of and for the works of the great painters with which Italy abounded, we fnall find that the climate of Rome was more fuit- able to his genius than that of his own country ; nor did he hefitate to give it the preference : and, if in the courfe of things he abfented himfelf for fome time, It was with regret, and with a refolution of returning again to that city, fo dear to Mm, and where he enjoyed that tranqui- lity and fatisfadion he fo much courted. On his firft arrival at Rome, his mind was already furnifned with poetical ideas ; and his eafy and agreeable pencil had already attained the art of colouring. At that time he had ftudied the works of Titian. Af~ fociated with his friend Fiamingo, the ce- lebrated fculptor, he ftudied the antique with great care ; and foon after this, his pictures auumed a character cf gravity, which perhaps introduced itfelf at the expence of colouring : that, doubtiefs, gave way to a learned and judicious man- ner, which like wife gained in fentiment and Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. yy and expreffion. The pictures of Pouffin became more interefting than ever, by the choice of his fubjefts, and a religious oblervance of the manners and cuftoms of the people he introduced : we even fancy them prefent, and we are tempted to interrogate the different perfonages he brings upon the fcene. NICOLAS POUSSIN. The Deluge. [No. 51. This picture, of a circular form, was in all probability intended as a ftudy for one of a larger fize. It is well compofed, and is the firft thought, of a great artift, executed with tafle and freedom- The fubjeft is of the melancholy kind, which is abundantly expreffed in the forepart of the picture. The action of the figure cloathed in blue is fine and the infercion of the muicles is well underftood, and executed with judgment. The dead body floating upon the water, is finely fore- fhortened: 78 CATALOGUE fhortened; and, it is evident, that the painter has taken his idea from the beau- tiful figure of one of the fons of Niobe, in the villa Medici at Rome. A circle, three feet one inch and an half in diameter. NICOLAS POUSSIN. Flight into Egypt. [No. 52. There is a propriety in the inventions of this matter, which always pleafes. They are not only agreeable, but inftruc- tive. The figures here are painted-with great tafte. The compofition of the whole is elegant, particularly the form of the Virgin. The back ground too is poetically imagined. One foot four inches high, by one foot three-quarters of an inch wide. NICOLAS POUSSIN. Dead Christ. No. 53. This is a moft interefting compofition of Nicola. The figure of the Chrift is ad- 7 mirably Mr. STRANG E's Pictures. 79 mirably drawn, and exprefies thecharaftcr of Death as well as can poffibly be ima- gined. The Virgin, who partly fupports the body, is fainting ; while the Magda- lane, eager to aflift her, prefents us with a fine a6lion, and a profile expreffive of the grief ftie feels, and is much in the charadter of the antique. The St. John is fitting behind, and, by his attitude, appears to be in the utmoft agony of grief — the expreflion of his countenance is perhaps carried to an extreme 5 the aftion, however, muft fl • e ioDBTfBO sdi "io looxlii ">di m bsmr >J ?hiwg ^lA z& mnm oi yri an bud ?y£vi* G3 RAF- 86 CATALOGUE of RAFFAELLO da URBINO. Born at Urbino 1483, died at Rome 1520. The different branches of painting ill whicH the celebrated Apelles excelled* and which rendered his name fo illuftri- ous with antiquity, leem, in thefe latter ages, to have been united in the perfon of the divine Raphael, to juftify the an- tient writers, and fliow that in the praifes which they gave to the works of this great artift of Greece, there was nothing exaggerated. They have affirmed, that never painter diffufed more grace in his compofitions, nor elegance in the difpo- fing of his figures j that their motions were fo jnft and fo natural, that one was. tempted to believe they were alive ; that he treated every fubjed with noblenefs and with dignity, and often in a manner fo pathetic, that the fpe&ators were af- fected with the moft Angular impreffions ; that his pidures engaged and interefted, by the* truth of their expreffions, and the Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 87 the art with which they moved the paf. fions of the foul ; that, in fhort, thofe rare and perfed produftions excited the defire of kings, and became the objects of the jealoufy of cities which could not poffefs them. Is there any thing in what has been here faid, which is not applica- ble to Raphael, and which does not cha- racterize him in the ftrongeft manner ? Let a man of judgment enter into the apartments of the Vatican ; let him exa- mine the fublime pidtures which decorate thofe walls ; or, in the fame manner, let him confider attentively the invaluable cartoons of the A£ts of the Apoftles, which are the glory of the Britifli nation, and fay if he can refrain from acknow- ledging that he finds there affembled every fpecies of beauty and perfection which were admired in the works of the Grecian painter ? What is not lefs furprizing, each of thofe artifts poffeffcd the fame qualities of ---heart and mind : they were efteemed by the great ; they made their G 4 art 88 CATALOGUE of art refpe&able ; they exercifed it with dignity ; and each has his name fo writ- ten in the book of Fame, as never to be obliterated. onml ihft •RAFFAELL E. ji bsfi^inoD bit i ivh^td riomrnoDnu The Virgin, with our Saviour and St. John. [No. 58. Two feet one inch and an half high, by ; one foot eight inches wide. As the following letters leave me no room to fay any thing upon this pi&ure, I will fubmit them to the judgment of the public, and fhall only take notice of the reafons which induced me to addrefs myfelf to their refpe&ive authors. Soon after my arrival from abroad, I ' was folicited by feveral lovers -of paint- ing, to fhew them this pi£lure of Raphael, of which I am happily poffeffed ; and I - readily complied with their requeft. EHi- ring the courfe of our converfation,. Tin- • formed them of fome circumftances whiclj Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. $9 paft between Mr. Mengs the painter and myfelf, relative to this fubjeft, Amongft other things I told {hem that he, upon his firft feeing it, as a great admirer of the works of this incomparable artift, teftified uncommon pleafure ; that he confefied it to be on,e of the fineft pictures which he Jiad ever feen of Raphael, and that he believed it to be aipongft the laft which he had painted ; that during Mr. Mengs's converfation and mine, he mentioned to me his being acquainted with the compo- fition, by his having feen a copy of it fome years before at Naples, which, tho* indifferent, yet he faid had raifed his opi- nion of the original. Thefe and fome other circumftances I related to the gen- tlemen above mentioned. It was but a fliort time after this, that I was informed of various reports concerning this pic- ture; fome fignifying that Raphael had never painted upon cloth (although Va- &ri and feveral inftances teftify the con- trary) 90 CATALOGUE op trary) others again infmuating that the pi6ture which I poiTefs imift be the copy, and that the one which Mr. Mengs men* tioned his having feen at Naples was the original. Thefe circumftances determined me to write to Mr. Mariette and Mr. Mengs, both of whom had frequently feen and admired this pifture. My letter to Mr. Mariette was chiefly to have his opi- nion relative to the groundlefs prejudice entertained by fame people here ; viz. that Raphael never painted upon cloth. My letter to Mr. Mengs was to beg he would recoiled where he had feen the copy which he mentioned to me, telling him my reafon for this enquiry. The re- putation of Mr. Mariette, as a very com- petent judge in painting, is well efta- bliftied over Europe ; and his extreme love for the arts can only be equalled by the uncommon abilities he has difplayed in his various writings upon that fubje£h Mr. Mengs is univerfally acknowledged as Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 91 as one of the firft artifts of this age he ftudied Raphael in the Vatican, from his earlieft youth, and has entirely formed himfelf upon the paintings of that divine artift. The anfwers of thefe gentlemen will, I flatter myfelf, fatisfy the genera- lity of my readers. A Monfieur Monfieur STRANGE. Monsieur, QJJAND on a examine avec autant cT attention que je 1'ai fait, Pexcellent ta- bleau de Raphael qui vous appartient, et que vous m'avez fait voir dans un de vos derniers voyages a Paris; on n 5 en perd pas fitot le fouvenir. II eft demeure tellement prcfent a mon efprit, que je m'imagine l'avoir encore entre les mains, et je m'en rappelle avec plaifir toutes les beautes. Je ne vois que le feul Raphael auquel on puifle raifonnablement en faire honneur. Quel autre en eiret que ce grand artifte etoit capable de rnettre dans un 92 CATALOGUE of un efpace fi borne, ct avec trois figures feulement, autant de dignite qu'il y en a dans ce rare morceau, N'y trouve t-on pas dans les airs de tetes et dans les atti- tudes de chaque figure, cette grace et cette fublimite de caradtere qu'il a pofiede dans un fi eminent degre, et qui lui etoient en quelque fajon naturelles ? La precifion du deffein y eft foutenue d'une touche fine et exprefiive, et celle-ci voilee par un termine et une fonte de couleur admirable, fait paroitre les objets de relief fans la moindre fecherefle, ce qui ne fe rencontre pas toujours dans les peintures de Ra- phael meme les plus renommees. C'eft I ces traits decififs et frappans que le peiotre fe fait reconnoitre, pour ce qu'il eft, et c'eft fur eux feuls que doivent tomber les reflexions que feront fur ce tableau les vrais connoifieurs. Ne vous allarmez done point fi vqus rencontrez dans votre chemin, de ces gens qui ne s'attachent qu' a Tecorce, et qui fur des fignes fort equivoques et encore plus arbitrages' Mr, STR ANGE's Pictures. 93 arbitrages, s'arrogent le droit de decider de Porigirialite des ouvrages des maitres de Tart. De ce que votre tableau eft peint fur toille, et que tous ceux de Raphael qu'ils ont eu occafion de voir, le font fur des planches de bois, ils vou- dront peut-etre en inferer qu'il appartient a un autre maitre; mais ils n'eft rien de fi aife que de combattre et de detruire cettc objeftion; il faudroit pour qu'elle put acquerir un degre d'evidence, qu'il fut bien conflate que generalement tous les peintres qui etoient contemporains de Raphael, n'avoient point encore eflaye de coucher leurs couleurs fur des toilies* qu'aucun d'eux n'avoit peint jufqu'alors que fur des murailles ou fur des fuper* ficies folides, telles qu'en offrent le bob ou les meteaux, et il n'eft rien de plus contraire a la verite. Les peintres Ve- ttitiens, a commencer au Georgion, qui a devancede quelques annees Raphael, peig- nirent plus frequemment fur la toile que fur le bois. Le Correge, le. Farme&n, et 94 CATALOGUE of et tous les autrespeintresde laLambardie, quelques uns meme de l'Ecole Floren- tine, exercerent aflez indiftindtement leur pinceau fur ces differentes matieres> L'ufage de la toille ne pouvoit etre ignore de Raphael, lui qui avoit dans fon cabinet ufte peinture qu' Albert Durer lui avoit envoyee en prefent, et qui etoit executee fur une toille. Beaucoup d'autres tableaux d'une execution pareille avoient du paffer a Rome entre les mains des amateurs, ils avoient certainement pique la curiofite de Raphael, et comme on fcait qu'il fe plioit volontiers a tout ce qu'il voyoit faire a d'autres et qui lui paroiffoit devoir contribuer a la perfection de Tart; ce feroit lui faire injure, et mettre en defaut fa fagacite, que de douter un moment qu'il n'ait quelquefois emprunte la toille, au lieu du bois, pour fervir de fond a fes peintures et qu'il n'ait voulu tenter s'ij n'en pourroit pas tirer quelque fruit. Je n'ai jamais fait fur cela de recherches, parce que la chofe examinee pour ce qu'elle Mr. STRAMGE's Pictures- 05 qu'elle vaut, ne m'a pas fembl£ cTune affez grahde importance ; mais je penfe, que fi Ton entreprenoit de verifier le fait* il ne feroit pas impoffible de le faire tourner a votre avantage et a une plus ample confirmation de Fauthenticite de votre tableau. Tenez-vous en done a Fanalyfe que nous en avons fait enfemble 3 et aux obfervations que cet examen a fait naitre, et continuez fans fcrupule, de regarder ce rare et precieux bijou avee des yeux jaloux et avec toute la diftindioi> qu'il merite, J'ai Fhonneur d'etre bien fincerement Monfieur, Votre tres humble et tres Obeifiant ferviteur, a Paris ce 3.1 Jan. *7 6 9- MARIETTE. TRAN- 96 CATALOGUE of TRANSLATION. Sir, WHOEVER has examined with as much attention as I did, the excellent pic- ture of Raphael which you poffefs, and which you {hewed me in one of your laft journies to Paris;, cannot fo foon lofe the remembrance of it. J Tis fo ftrongly fixed in my imagination, that it feems to be ftill before me y and I recoiled all its beauties with pleafure. I fee but Ra- phael alone, to whom one can reafonably afcfibe the honour of it. Who, indeed, except this great artift, was capable of introducing into fo confined a fpace, with three figures only, fo much dignity as appears in this exquifite piece ? Do we i>Ot there perceive, in the airs of the heads, and in the attitudes of every figure, that grace and that fublimity of charafler, which he pofTeffed in fo eminent a degree, and which was in fome meafure natural Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 97 natural to him ? The precifion of defign is fupported in it by a delicate and ex* preflive touch; and this is fo artfully managed by a harmony of colours which' is admirable, that it makes the objefts appear relieved without the leaft drynefs ; a quality not always found even in the moft renown'd performances of Raphael. It is by thefe decifive and ftriking cha- ratteriftics, that the painter makes himfelf known ; and it is upon thefe only, that the reflections which true connoiffeurs will make on this pidhire, ought to be founded. Be not then alarmed if you meet with perfons who attend only to fuperficial things; and who from very doubtful, and ftill more arbitrary figns, affume to themfelves a right of deciding upon the originality of the works of great mafters. Becaufe your pjdture is painted on cloth, and all thofe of Raphael, which the perfons in queftion have had an opportunity of feeing, are on v(ood ; they would perhaps in£er, that it muft be H the 98 CATALOGUE of the production of fome other mafter. But there is nothing fo eafy as to attack and overthrow this objection for, in order to eftablifh their opinion, it muft be afcertained, that (generally fpeaking) the painters cotemporary •with Raphael, were not yet acquainted with the manner of painting on cloth; that all at that time painted only on walls, or fuch folid iurfaces as wood and metals afford them % but there is nothing more contrary to truth — The Venetian painters (to begin with Georgione who lived fome years before Raphael) painted oftener on cloth than on wood. Correggio, Parmegiano, and all the other painters of Lombardy, fome even of the Florentine fchool, ufed to employ their pencils indifcriminately upon thefe different materials. The pra&ice of painting on cloth could not be unknown to Raphael, who had in his own cabinet a pidture, fent him as a prefent by Albert Durer, which was executed upon cloth. Many other pic- $ tures r Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 99 tures, painted in the like manner, muft have gone to Rome, and muft have been in the hands of the lovers of painting: certainly, thefe could not fail to excite the curiofity of Raphael. And as it is well known that he readily complied with whatever he faw done by others, which he fuppofed might contribute to the perfeftion of the art; it would be injurious to his memory, and detracting from his good fenfe, to doubt, even for a moment, that he fometimes painted on cloth, inftead of wood ; and tried whether or not he might not thereby reap fome advantage. I have never made an inquiry into this matter, becaufe I did not think it important enough. However, I am of opinion, that Ihould this affair be duly examined into, it would be no ways im- poffible to fhew, that it might turn to your advantage, and to a more ample confirmation of the authenticity of your pidture. Adhere then to the examen which we have made of it together, H 2 and ioo CATALOGUE of and to the obfervations which that exami- nation has given rife to; and continue, without fcruple, to look upon this rare and precious jewel with jealous eyes, and with all the diftindlion it deferves. I have the honour of being, Very fincerely, SIR, Your moft humble and Moft obedient fervant, Paris, 31 Jan, 1769. MARIETTE. Madrid, 29 deGen. 1769, Illuftriffimo mio Sig. Sig. e Prone. Colmo. R I C E V O una fua gentil ma lettera iti data 27 de Decembre proflimo paflato, dalla quale rilevo la grata notizia del di lei ottimo ftato di falute, e che continua ad arichir il publico con le fue eccellente opere : io fono anziofo di vedere il divino quadrodelCorreggio, di Parma, intagliato 2 da Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures, ioi da V. S. lima. Ricevei alcune opere fue per mano del Sig. Couper, che mi hanno fatto un fommo piacer, e de quali le rendo infinite grazie. Sono reftato meravigliato di fentire dalla di lei lettera, che fi trovi perfone che voglino mettere in dubio Poriginalita del quadro di Rafaele che ella mi fees vedere a Roma, perche io fono perfua- fifiimo che egli e vero originale di Ra- faele: non mi foviene dove ho veduto copia di quello a Napoli, ma fe vi fofle Poriginale di quello, mene ramenterei infallantemente; ma ficome il fuo e cer- tamente originale, poco importa, e nulla leva a quello, ancorche vi foffe exiftente un altro. Li conofcitori che fanno conto fe un quadro e dipinto o in tavola o in tela fanno vedere che hanno poco conofci- mento nelP arte della pittura. A Drefden mia patria vi e un quadro che il defunto Re di Polonia compro a Piacenza per la fomma di ventiquatro mila Zecchini, il H 3 quale 102 CATALOGUE of quale e dipinto di inano di Rafaele, e lo defcrive il Vafari, e quefto quadro e dipinto in una tella incolata fopra la tavola, d'onde fi vede che non vi e regola, ma che li pittori hanno operato fecondo lor fantafia. Mi racomando alia di lei ftimabile amicizia, e mi protefto con la maggior venerazione, Di V. S. illma. ' Umo. dmo. ed obbmo. fervitore, ANTONIO RAFAEL MENGS. Illjno. S f . Rob° # Strange. TRANSLATION. Madrid, 29th of Jan. 1769. S I R, I have juft received your moft obliging letter of the 27th of laft December, by which I am informed of the good ftate of your health j and that you continue to enrich the world with your excellent works. Mr.. STRAN GE's Pictures. 103 works. I am anxious to fee the divine picture of Corrcggio at Parma, engraved by you. By the hands of Mr. Couper I received fome of your works, which gave me the higheft pleafure; and for which I return you infinite thanks. I was aftonifhed to hear by your letter* that there are fome who would raife doubts about the originality of the picture by Raphael, which you (hewed me at Rome ; as I am thoroughly con- vinced that it is truly an original by Raphael I do not recollect in what part of Naples I faw a copy of that picture; but had it been the original I infallibly fhould have remembered it: as your pic- ture is certainly an original, it fignifies little; and no ways would detraft from it, although another were exiftingo Thofe connoiffeurs who make it of coniequence, whether a pifture be painted on wood or on cloth, plainly demonftrate that they have but little knowledge in the art of Jr3 4 paintingo 104 CATALOGUE of painting. In Drefden, my native city, there is a pidture which the late King of Poland purchafed, in Piacenza, for the fum of twenty-four thoufand fequins*; which is painted by the hand of Ra- phael, and which Vafari defcribes^ and this picture is painted on cloth pafted on wood. Hence we fee that there is no rule in this particular; but that painters did what their fancy directed. I recommend myfelf to your friendfliip, and remain with great veneration, Your moft obedient and Molt humble fervant, ANTONIO RAFAEL MENGS. Mr. Robert Strange. * i2,oool. flerling f Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 105 REMBRANDT. Born near Leyden 1606, died 1668. The Entombing of Lazarus. [No. 59; The compofition of this pidlure is extremely fine, and the characters re- markable for expreflion ; though we muft neither expe£t to find an elegance of out- line, nor the tafte of the antique. Rem- brandt, though born with a happy genius for painting, was a ftranger to both. He followed nature ftridtly, but it was that of his own country; fo that his figures for the rnoft part are deficient in elegance. His pidhires are however conceived with the rnoft lively imagination. He poflefled above all others a fovereign knowledge of light and ihade^ of which this pidture is an example. One foot three inches and an half wide, by one foot ha}f an inch high. GIO- %o6 CATALOGUE or GIOVANNI FRANCESCO ROMANELLL Born at Viterbo 1612, died in the fame city 1662. It is not fufficient that we are born with talents, but it is required that our man- ners be anfwerable to them. If they are honourable, they procure to us friends and benefactors, who intereft themfelves in our advancement, by becoming our patrons and our protectors. Romanelli proved what I affirm, and may be cited as an example. His integrity of manners gained him the efteem of all who knew him, and in particular that of Cardinal Barberini. This eminent patron gave him an afylum in his own palace; and, which was ftill more advantageous to him, facilitated his entry into the celebrated fchool of Pietro da Cortona. It was there, that, applying himfelf to ftudy, and preferving his purity of manners, he acquired that grace which renders his compofitions in general fo agreeable. If he Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 107 he did not attain that fire which animated the works of his mailer, he at leaft di- ftinguifhed Kimfeff by that elegant fimpli- city which reigns in the generality of his own. He diffufed through his pi&ures a fweetnefs and grace, which not only pre- dominates in the countenances, but in the attitudes and motion of the figures whicli he employs. The fame fweetnefs extends even to the tone of his colouring, which is extremely harmonious and is particularly confpicuous in his frefco paintings. ROMANELLI. Virgin and Child, with an Angel PRESENTING FRUIT. [No. 6o. There are few painters more agreeable than this m after. The picture before us is an example. It is painted with great delicacy, fpirit and corre&nefs. The drapery is compofed with fimplicity and tafte - y and the characters of the principal figures are-interefting. An 10S CATALOGUE of An oflagon, feven inches three quar- ters high, by fix and an half wide. Sir PETER PAUL RUBENS. Born at Cologne in 1577, died at Antwerp in 1640. Neither the favour in which Rubens lived with princes, and other diftinguifhed perfonages ; nor his fuperior talents for negotiation, which entitled him to appear in a public character at the courts of crowned heads ; nor his profound erudi- tion, and the diftinguifhed employments which were the recompence of his fervices ; will ever do him fo much honour as paint- ing procured him, to the ftudy of which he preferably devoted himfelf, and exercifed it with amazing fuccefs. Italy, where he made a long abode, furniflhed him abundantly with the means of in- ftrufling himfelf. Mantua, which re- ceived him firft, prefented him with the aftonifhing and ingenious paintings of Giulio Romano— It was here his genius was Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. 109 was fired. He went afterwards to Venice, where he flu died the works of Titian, Tintorett, and Paolo Veronefe. A tafte for colouring, and for the rich compofi- tions of thefe matters, here took poflef- fion of him. The ftudies which he made at Rome were upon the point of perfect- ing his defign, which was vifible by fome of his firft productions ; but the charms of colouring predominated, and, when he returned to his own country, nature not preienting him with the fame idea of beauty, and he continuing to confult her, he was lefs attentive to fine forms than to exprefs, with all the rich- nefs of colouring, his figures, fuch as he faw them, frequently overcharged, if I may ufe the expreflion, de trop dfembon point. He principally excelled in the magnificence of his compofitions, and in the knowledge of light and fhadow, which he reduced to certain rules, and from which he reaped the greateft advantage. As an able artift he likewife received con- fiderable no CATALOGUE of fiderable afliftance from a brilliant and numerous fchool, which he formed, and without which it would have been impol- fible for him, however laborious and ex- peditious he was, to have executed the prodigious quantity of piftures he left behind him. Of thefe, though many- were not wholly painted by himfelf, there are none that did not pafs through his hands, and receive his laft touches^ which alone required a force of genius, and an affiduity, of which there is fcarce any example. RUBENS. Seneca dying in the Bath. [No. 6i. This head, for greatnefs of expreffion, force of colouring, and the facility with which it is painted, is beyond doubt one of the fined fpecimens that can be feen of this great mailer. The character ap- proaches nearly to the antique and the painter has moft happily exprefled the fortitude and the rcfignation, as well as the Mr. STRANGE's Pictures, hi the agony of the dying man. The local colouring is finely underftood. The tints are employed feparately, and with that judgment and freedom which prevents their being confounded with each other ; and it is owing to this management that they retain their original beauty, and that tranfparency which they had the very day they came from the pencil of Rubens. The ftudy of this head is alone fufficient to form a great colourift. An oval, one foot feven inches high* , by one foot five inches wide, ANDREA SACCHL Born at Nettuno in 1599* died at Rome 1661. The indifferent opinion which this ar- tift entertained of himfelf, an ill placed timidity, a want of refolution, which he could feldom overcome, have often with- held his hands, and deprived the world of many fine things which reflection, ftudy,, and ii2 CATALOGUE of and a natural tafte for what was truly beautiful, rendered him capable of pro- ducing. He was the favourite difciple of Albani ; and the immortal works of Ra- phael and Dominichino, for which all his life-time he preferved an efteem that almoft carried him to adoration, unfolded thofe talents which his matter had the ability to diftinguilh, and from which he fore- told that he would become one of the greateft artifts of the age. Andrea Sacchi having happily verified that opi- nion, and having acquired a diftinguifhed reputation in Rome, fignalized himfelf by works, whofe noble fimplicity was their chief ornament. He united innocence with grace ; the airs of his figures were eafy and agreeable ; his defign was pure and without affeftation ; and the tone of his colouring, without being extremely vigorous, acquired a fweetnefs and deli- cacy which produced great harmony. It was thus that, almoft in fpite of himfelf, he Mr. STRANGER Pictures. I4f he occupied the diftinguifhed rank to which Albani had formerly deftined him. ANDREA S A C C H I. A Boy's Head. [No. 62. One of the moft fpirited (Indies I have feen ; it has much the character of na- ture, knowledge in the' principles of co- louring, and a breadth of light and ihadow* Nine inches three-quarters high, by nine inches wide. S A L V A T O R ROSA. Born at Naples 1 6 1 5, died at Rome 1673. It may be attributed rather to a degree of vanity thatSalvatpr Rofa imagined his fmall pictures, reprefenting landfcapes and fea-pieces, were not worthy of his pencil £ and that his large hiftorical compo- fitions alone would tranfmit his name to pofterity as a great painter. But the I public. ii4 CATALOGUE of public, who are feldom deceived in their judgment, did not adopt this way of thinking they equally admired every thing which came from the hands of this great artift : they render jultice to hb large competitions, which are in general wonderfully executed, and with a fpirit and freedom of pencil peculiar to himfelf. His fmaller pictures are, not with reafon, lefs admired ^ where we meet with figures which are touched with all imaginable fpirit and art, and become the principal ornament of his landfcapes. Sometimes this painter reprefents a Ihore, covered with veffels of various kinds, and dif- ferently employed. Sometimes we meet with immenfe rocks heaped on each other, interfperfed with branches of trees, and the whole walhed with a fea, alter- nately calm and tempeftuous. At other times the fcene changes to a defart coun- try, in a warm climate, which is expofed to the beams of a burning fun it is here v;e generally meet with old trunks of trees,, and Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 115 and torrents of water of a wonderful tranfparency. Thefe fcenes are* for the moft part* enriched with fpirited figures ; and the whole executed with truth and freedom, and, at the fame time, with an intelligence which is beyond defcrip- tion. SALVATOR ROSA. Laomedon detected, [No. 63. Laomedon, king of Troy, having em- ployed Neptune and Apollo to build the walls of the city, is afterwards furprized by the gods in the very ad of concealing his treafure, when at the fame time he had pretended he could not pay them. Whoever is acquainted with the Belifarius of Lord Townihend, will at once fee the fimilitude, and difcover that they are both painted in the fame ftile, and confe- quently about the fame period. The fi- gure of JLaomedon is one of the moft ex- l 2 preHive n6 CATALOGUE preffive characters that can be imagined,- and is painted with that freedom fo pecu- liar to the pencil of Salvator. The Apollo is well characterized, and finely painted : the hand and arm of this figure are admi- rably drawn and fcrefnortened. We find united in the Neptune much of the cha- racter both of Raphael and of the antique. It appears that the painter has taken his idea from one of the heads in the afienv bly of the gods, in the little Farnefe pa- lace at Rome- Salvator, ever celebrated for the poetry of his inventions, has intro- duced behind this head, and at a diltance, the appearance of lightening ; no doubt as a prefage of the- future calamities which Troy fuftained on this account. No painter ever underftood more thoroughly the propriety of compofition, nor knew better how to difpofe of the accefTaries of a picture than Salvator. There is a fpirit and liberty of pencil throughout this fub- jedt which animates the whole, in fo much that Mr. STRANGE's Pictures, 117 that it may with juftice be ranked amongft the capital works of this matter. Three feet two inches and an half high, by two feet eight inches wider GIOVANNI BAPTIST A SALVA, commonly called SASSO-FE R RAT O. From the place where he was born about the beginning of the fixteenth century. Amongft the variety of books which have been publifhed on painting in Italy, and upon the lives of the moft celebrated artifts, we find none from which we can draw the lead conclufion with regard either to the precife time in which Saffo- Ferrato lived, or in what fchool he was educated. This is the more fur- prizing when we confider that his pic- tures, which are altogether agreeable, have of a long time acquired a confider- able reputation. It is but lately that the true name of his family was difcovered, I 3 that n8 CATALOGUE op that by which he was known till then, being the name of the place where he was born ; viz. a fmall village upon the confines of the marche of Ancona. It has been pre- fumed that he ftudied painting under Guido Reni ; nor is this conje&ure with- out foundation, many of his pictures hav- ing much of the charader of that mafter. It is fufficient that we admire in his works thofe amiable graces which he has often diffufed, and to which he has united a frefhnefs of colouring. It does not ap- pear that his genius was extremely ex- tenfive, becaufe we only meet with fmall pictures of his invention, and for the moft part fubje&s of devotion \ fuch as Ma-, donas, holy families, &c. SASSO-FERRATO. A Madonta. [No. 64, This pifture is a fine fpecimen of the rpafter. It is painted much in the cha- racter of Guido ; and though it has not the delicacy of his pencil, yet it is exe- cuted Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 119 cured with great force and brilliancy of colour. One foot eleven inches three-fourths high, by one foot feven inches wide, BARTOLOMEO SCHIDONI. Bom at Modena about the year 1580, died at Parma 16:6. Tlie fhortnefs of this excellent artift's life was an irreparable lofs to the art of painting. He was fnatched away about the very time in which others only begin their career, having; worked but little du~ ' CD ring his younger years, and that only for the duke of Parma, who was his pro- te£tor. He left behind him but an in- confiderable number of pictures, which are amongft the principal ornaments of the collection of the king of Naples, who was heir to the Farnefe family. To the beft of my remembrance I have counted near fourfcore pictures, including thofe in the palace of Capo cli Monte, and in jthc city of Naples. In any other of the I 4 col- 120 CATALOGUE or colle&ions in Italy, I recolleft but few— there is one in the Colonna palace at Rome, and another in the prince Altieri's« There are likewife a few at Parma. The pidtures of this mailer are, in genera], much efteemed, and are equally fcarce with thofe of the greateft painters. He was a fcholar of the Carracci, under whom he made the greateft progrefs. He was foon captivated with the fublime works of Correggio, which fo improved his man- ner, that at length he became the moft perfedt imitator of him. He owes to that divine painter the beauties which we fo often find in his pictures ; nor has any body fo fuccefsfully' imitated him, either in the harmony of his colouring, his knowledge of light and fhadow, or the graces he has diffufed throughout many of his competitions. S C H I D O N I. A Holy Family. [No. 65. There is fbmewhat Angular and pleafmg in the composition of this groupe. The character? Mr, STRANGE's Pictures. 121 charadters of the heads are new, and they are even graceful. The whole is painted flightly, but with an agreeable ftile of colouring, and an effeft which approaches nearly to the manner of Correggio. This fubjeft is etched by Sifto Badolocchi, but probably from the painter's firft thought, there being fome little variation in the St. John. One foot three inches and an half high, by one foot half an inch wide. SCIPIO CAIETANO. Portrait of Julius Antonius Santorius, [No. 66. A man eminent for learning, and who was employed by Sixtus V. to conduit the edition of the Vatican Septuagint. This pidVure, exclufive of its being the portrait of a great perfonage, is doubtlefs a mailer-piece of its kind, and is an evi- dent teftiaiojiy to what degree of perfec- tion the Roman fchooi carried the art of painting in its various branches. Every perfon 122 CATALOGUE of perfon of tafte mull be (truck with the lively appearance of this pidhire ; and while he admires the art, he will like- wife be furprized at the wonderful execu- tion of the artift. It was a principle with him to copy nature as he faw it. The beard is painted with all the minutias of any of the Dutch or Flemifti mafters ; but with this difference, that the Roman painter, guided by furer principles, main- tains throughout the whole a fuperior greatnefs. The ftile of drawing in this pifture is learned, pure, and correct, and in appearance founded folely upon the ftudy of nature : there is a dignity and noble fimplicity in it, which generally at- tends the works of the Roman artifts of that age. The colouring is admirable, and the rather fo when we confider that it has ftood the teft of near two hundred years. It is the manner of no particular fchool ; but it is a manner which will yield to none, being founded upon the prin- ciples of reafon and the ftudy of nature. I Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 123 I queftion much if this picture be not the firft of the mailer ever imported into this country. The painter feems to hav£ been determined to perpetuate his name, for it is painted on a plate of copper of an uncommon thicknefs. Two feet eight inches high, by two feet wide. ELISABETTA S IRANI. Born at Bologna 1638, died in the fame city 1664. She was the daughter of Giovanni Andrea Sirani, and as fhe had no other matter, it is not furprizing that her pencil is fo fuited to that of Guido, with whom her father had ftudied, and had become a perfect imitator of him, She began to paint at an early age; and confidering the extreme care with which fhe executed her works, and the few years which fhe I employed, fhe left behind her a con- siderable number of pictures, fome of which were even large compofitions. Her fayouritg 124 CATALOGUE of favourite fubjeft was the Holy Family; which, although fo often treated, received new graces from the hand of this amiable paintrefs, (hewing that her genius was eafy and abundant. ELIS ABETTA SIRANT. Cupid sleeping. [No. 67. A repetition, though not a fervile one, from the Aldrovandi Cupid by Guido, now in the collection of Sir Laurence Dundas. It is painted with a delicate pencil, great force and a general warmth of colour. Sirani, who underftood the principles of her art, has taken a liberty in this picture which w 7 as commendable, in having changed the curtain behind from blue to green ; the latter being a colour which harmonifes much better with the figure. Four feet five inches and an half wide, by three feet four inches and an half high. ELI- Mr. STRANGER Pictures. 125 ELI SAB ETTA SIRANL Our Saviour holding the Cross. [No, 68. We may fee in this pidture the charadter of a pencil formed upon the imitation of Guido. The figure is well drawn, painted with great delicacy, and the colouring tranfparent and agreeable. Eleven inches and an half high, by nine inches wide. J A C QJJ ES STELLA. Born at Lyons 1596, died in Paris 1657. Stella, at an early period of life, made the tour of Italy. He pail a confiderable time at Florence in the fervice of Cofmo the Second. Re afterwards went to Rome, where he remained no iefs than eleven years. During this time he fcudied the antique and the works of the great matters. It was here he contracted an intimacy with Pouflin, to whofe friendfhip he tt$ CATALOGUE of he owed much, and whofe ftile of paint* ing he on all occafions imitated. STELLA. A Holy Family. No. 69. An agreeable and well-compofed pic- ture of the matter. He particularly ex- celled in children, as may be feen by the figures of the Chrift and St. John, which are painted with delicacy and fpirit. The drapery of the Virgin is finely imagined, and executed with great freedom. The character both of Raphael and Pouflin predominates in the figure of the St.* Jofeph. One foot three inches high, by one foot half an inch wide. EUSTACHE LE SUEUR. Born at Paris 16 17, died in the fame city 1655. Without having made the journey of Italy, without having feen Rome, or any of thofe excellent paintings which that city prefents to us; Le Sueur, born with- out Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 127 out any happy aufpices, brought into the world with him a tafte fo approaching to that of Raphael, that if we did not know the diftance of time, between the death of the one and the birth of the other, we fhould fufpeft that the French painter had received no other inftruftion but ia the fchool of the Italian. At moft he could have feen but a few of the pictures of this great artift ; he probably likewife had recourfe to fome of his drawings I and prints from him by Marc Antonio. And who does not avail himfelf of thefe i;efources ? but all are not endowed with the fame judgment and fagacity. His, doubtlefs, at the firft glance, didtated to him the advantages which he might pro- mife himfelf from the imitation of a manner fo learned and fo noble. He foon abandoned the principles he had imbibed under Vouet, by which he could never have become more than a middling o painter. The more he advanced in his art, the more his compofitions approached towards 128 CATALOGUE of towards excellence. The ftudy of per* fpective which he had cultivated in his youth, rendered him difficult in the po- rtion of his figures, and whatever elfe he introduced into his compofitions. His heads and his attitudes were juft and exprefnve, and rendered the fubjefts he treated affecting and pathetic* His dra-^ peries are caft with art, and reduced only to the neceffary folds ; they are defigned without affectation, and fhew the naked which they embrace. His pencil became bold; his colouring improved; and what might not have been expefted from an artift in the full vigour of life, whofe progrefs had hitherto been fo rapid ? but inexorable death deprived the art of painting of a mafler who feemed born to revive it in its full fplendor. L E SUEUR. Temperance and Fortitude. [No. 70. We find in thefe figures a noblenefs of compofition and a ftile of drapery which 8 approaches Mp.STRANGE's Pictures. 129 approaches nearly to the antique. They are adj lifted with great variety, tafte and fimplicity. The folds are natural, and the human form is judicioufly preferred* The head of the Forti-* tude retains a little of the character of Vouet : the profile of the other ap- proaches more nearly to the ftile of the Italian mailers. One foot four inches and a quarter high, by one foot one inch and an half wide. L E SUEUR. A Holy Family. [No. 71, There is a propriety and an unaffected fimplicity in the compofition of this pic- ture. The characters df the heads are agreeable. The drapery, compoied in the ftile of Raphael, is natural and eafy. The landfcape of thefe two pictures is pencil'd with great freedom. The fize as of the preceding pi&ure. K HERMAN r$o CATALOGUE of HERMAN SWANEVELT. Bom about the year 1620, died at Rome. A natural taftc for the arts whilft he was young, earned this painter into Italy* At Rome he became a difciple of Claude Lorraine: the ruins of that city, and its beautiful environs* were the places of his chief refort, where he enriched his ideas y. this is abundantly apparent in his works.. The reputation which his pictures pro- cured him, and the demand he had for them, excited in lbme degree the jeaioufy of his matter, which is a proof how near he approached to him. He was inti- mately familiarized with the effedhs- of nature, a knowledge acquired by inde- fatigable ftudy. - SWANEVELT. The Morning and Eveninc. [No. 72, 73.. Two of the moft defirable pictures that can be imagined. of this mailer: they Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. 131 they are well compofed, and varied with a diverfity of agreeable objects. The eftedts of nature are judicioufly obferved in both. The coolnefs of the one is finely contrafted with the glowing warmth of the Other j and every objedt partakes of the influence of the rifing or fetting fun. Thefe pictures are enriched with a variety of figures, which are in general finely painted. Two feet wide, by ohe foot feven inches and a half high. 3WANEVELT, A Landscape. [No. 74. This pi&ure has a moft agreeable tone of colouring — the trees are finely pencil'd; and the diftant profpeft in particular is painted with great delicacy. One foot feven inches and a half wide, by one foot three quarters high. DAVID 132 CATALOGUE o? DAVID TENIERS the Father. Born at Antwerp 1582, died in the fame City 1649. A Man caressing a Woman. [No. 75. The works of this mafter are often confounded with thofe of his fon, and the prejudices of many fo ftrong in favour of the latter, that fome fine pi&ures of the father, are not allowed to be his. Certain it is, he was in this low ftile an excellent painter ; and the inventor of a manner which his fon, who was his fcho- lar, had the merit of improving, by adding to it a greater delicacy of pencil. This pifture is well coloured; the figures are mod natural-, and there is a thorough vinderftanding of the local tints. One foot high, by nine inches and a quarter wide. DAVID Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. 13 3 DAVID TENIERS the Son. Born at Antwerp 1610, died at BrufTels 1694, A View upon the Rhine, [No. 76. This fituation is extremely romantic ; it is painted with one of the moft fpirit- ed pencils I have feen of Teniers. The priming of the cloth fupplies in many places the tints of this picture ; and which requires a judgment that few painters in this branch have attained to. The fheep and figures are executed with uncommon freedom. Two feet half an inch wide, by one foot five inches and an half high. TITIANO VECCELLI. Born atCadora in 1477, died at Venice 1576. Before the appearance of Titian the generality of painters had not attained the art of eXpreffing flefh, or making it ap- pear as if animated upon the cloth. Giorgione, his cotemporary and rival, it K 2 is i 3 4 CATALOGUE of is reported, preceded him in this dis- covery y but by employing colours which were by far too vigorous, he fur- paired the bounds of truth, leaving to Titian the merit of difcovering tints more agreeable to the beautiful variety of na- ture. For, when he painted the portrait of a young and beautiful woman, in, which he particularly excelled, we find in his pifture a delicacy of tafte and an air of noblenefs, accompanied with cer- tain adjuftments of drapery, which pleafe from their Simplicity; but above all his colouring exprefies a carnation which dazzles from its clearnefs and tranfpa- fency. When he reprefented the portrait of a man in the prime of life, we neither find the fame delicacy nor the fame tints, but a pencil more vigorous, and a touch of a very different nature: and when we fee the head of an old man by him, we there find thofe inequalities and wrinkles cxprefied which an advanced age imprints upon the countenance, but with all that 3 truth Mr. STRANGER Pictures. 135 truth and fidelity of colouring, which nature herfelf prefenrs to us. The Cor- naro family, belonging to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, affords us a noble example of this kind. His dra- peries, his flcies, and his landfcape, have all their particular touch, and partake of that tone of colouring which is natural to each. However occupied Titian was in the effects of colouring, we fee, when we confider his admirable productions, that his mind was no lefs filled with great and fublime ideas. His ftile of drawing was formed upon the ftudy of nature ; his knowledge in the oppofition of light and fliadow was great; and in the local colours of painting no body ever ex* ceeded him. He was beloved and efteem- cd by the great, and died at an ad- vanced age, rewarded with honours and with riches. K 4 TITIAN 0< i 3 6 CATALOGUE of T I T I A N O. Count Nicola Ursini de Petigliano. [No. 77. He was commander in chief of the Ve- netian troops in the beginning of the war of the league of Cambray. He was a ge- neral much efteemed for prudence and bravery. His death, which happened at Padua in the year 1510, gave great con- cern to the republic, as they knew nbt, at fo critical a jundlure, how to repair that lofs. It will, I believe, readily be allowed, that this picture is not only a mafter- piece of art, but is beyond exception one of the fineft portraits that ever was painted. It was, in all probability, done but a fliort time before the death of this ge- neral \ at which period Titian was about the thirtieth year of his age, and confe- quently in the prime of life, having ynited, to an elevated genius, an expe- rience Mr. STRANG E's Pictures. 137 rience in the ftudy of nature, and the advantages he drew from his cotemporary Georgione. No painter was ever more univcrfal than Titian, nor knew better how to feize the true chara&er of what he reprefented. This pidture is a {hiking example. The attitude is noble it is military ; it is natural. He fits a little reclining, with one hand leaning on a table, and the other placed on his hel- met. There is a folidity of judgment throughout the whole of this pidture, if we either confider the ftriking effedt of light and fliade, the beauty of the local colouring, the tranfparency with which the whole is painted, or the frefhnefs of tints fo admirable that the very blood feems in motion. Who but the hand of Titian could venture to oppofe to this head a curtain of fo violent a glare, and yet make the former predominate? It is painted with great truth, and the expreffion is incomparable, I have met with. x 3 8 CATALOGUE of with no picture penciled, in general, with a more fpirited freedom than this, nor drawn with greater tafte and correftnefs. It is not the bare reprefentation of a com- mon portrait, but it is animated nature. The very foul of this hero, bold, daring, and intrepid, feems to breathe upon the cloth. Three feet one inch high, by two feet five and an half wide. TREVISANL Born at Capo d 9 Iftria 1656, died at Rome 1746. He was bred at Venice, and having fludied diligently after the beft mafters of that fchool, he acquired an agreeable manner of colouring, and even richnefs of compofition. He chofe Rome for the theatre on which he was to appear, and where he arrived towards the end of the Jaft century. He there not only im- proved his tafte, but painted with re- putation, though furrouncjed with a num- ber Mr. S TRANGE's Pictures. 139 ber of able artifts. He was much ad- mired for the beauty of his pencil, the tafte he introduced in his compofitions, and a ftile of colouring which gave uni- verfal pleafure. He was a good deal employed in enriching feveral churches in Rome, but ftill more in painting ca- binet pictures, which pleafed much from the delicacy and freedom with which they were executed, and created no lefs anxiety in travellers to poffefs them. TREVISANI. Madona and Child, attended by Cherubims. [No. jS. Amongft the modern productions of the Roman fchool, I have not met with any thing more agreeably interefting than this fmall picture. It equals, to the befl; qf my remembrance, any thing I have fcen of Carlo Maratt, and appears to be the produce of a genius even more original than his, whole ideas of beauty , Were i4o CATALOGUE or were taken either from Raphael or Guido. The compofition is every way pleafing. There appears rather too great a length in the figure of the Chrift, though in Other refpedts ft is finely painted. The attitude of the Madona is eafy and grace- ful ; the drapery is well difpofed : there is a peculiar fweetnefs in the character of the head ; it is executed with freedom and a breadth of pencil. As much may be likewife faid of the cherubims. The whole together is well coloured, pleafing in the effeft, and the maffes of light and fhade well underftood. Nine inches and a quarter high, by fe- ven and an half wide. Sir ANTONY V AND YCK. Born at Antwerp 1599, died at London 1641. The parents of this celebrated artift took care to place him betimes in the fchool of Rubens • and this judicious painter, finding in him an amiable tem- per Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. 141 per joined to a happy genius, made it a pleafure to cultivate and extend both, by not concealing from him any part of that knowledge which he himfelf had at- tained by a long experience. Vandyck was yet young when he was capable of executing pi&ures, which aftonifhed, as much from the facility with which they were painted, as the general knowledge which reigned throughout the whole. Rubens,, at this time, gave him two pieces of advice ; the firfi: was, to devote him- felf to portraits, in which he forefaw he would excel-, and the fecond, to make' she tour of Italy, where he would have aa opportunity of extending his ftudies. Vandyck took this counfel ; nor had he reafon to repent it. Venice was the firft city he went to, where he reaped great ad- vantage from the ^orks of Titian, and other mafters of that fchool. Soon after his arrival at Rome he* had an opportu- nity of exercifing his abilities upon the 2 portrait i 4 2 CATALOGUE or portrr.it of a-rdinal Bentivoglio, which is juftly efteemed the moft perfedl of the kind that ever came from the pencil of this artift. But the city of Genoa, where he made a more confiderable ftay, is the theatre on v/hich he appears with great glory ; the Balbi, Durazzo, and other palaces there, contain many excellent portraits painted in the great hiftorical ftile. On his return to his own country he enriched it with an innumerable quan- tity of fine things^ but the advantages he reaped there were not proportioned to his merits ; and as he loved to make a figure, he refoived to augment his for- tune, which he tried by making a tour to England. Charles the -Firft, amongft his many princely and amiable qualities, was a paffionate lover of the arts, and particularly of painting : nor was Van- dyck deceived in his hopes. The king, who knew the abilities of this artift, re- ceived him in the manner he wilhed % and, Mr. STRANGS's Pictures. 143 and, as a teftimony of his regard for him, prcfented him with his own portrait let round with diamonds, affigned him a con- fiderable falary, and appointed him apart- ments in one of the royal palaces. He often employed his pencil, honoured him frequently with his vifits, and fat by him whilft he painted. The nobility of Charles's court followed his example, and rivalled each other in their politenefs to the King's favourite painter. Vandyck, on his part, was fplendid and elegant, and even lived with magnificence. ' He joined to an agreeable figure, affability of manners, modefty and politenefs : he was himfelf a protestor of the arts in general, and even generous to an extreme. Vandyck im- bibed the principles of his profeffion at an early period of life ; he improved them by a lblidity of judgment, and a lively, imagination-. His portraits are painted with infinite grace, and even a fublimity of expreflion \ with a delicacy and free-r dom 144 CATALOGUE of dom of pencil which no other painter ever attained to. His extremities in general, particularly his hands, are drawn with the utmoft precifion : his attitudes are natu- ral, and fuited to the different chara&ers which he painted. His drefles are ele- gant, his folds fimple and rich, and his manner of painting eafy and agreeable : to all which may be added, his perfeft knowledge of the effedts of light and fliadow. V A N D Y C K. Portrait ot Charles the First. [No. 79. This pi&ure, formerly in the King's colle&ion, was, amongft other portraits of the royal family, carried abroad by James the Second. It was given as a prefent by that monarch to cardinal Philip Tho- mas Howard. The Cardinal dying at Rome, it fell afterwards into the hands of James Edgar, Efqi fecretary to the grand- fon Mr. STRANGE's Pictures. 145 fon of Charles, in whofe cuftody it re- mained many years. It was upon the death of this gentleman, which happened during my ftay at Rome, that I pur- chafed the pidure from his executors. There is no doubt but it was painted as a ftudy for the large one in the palace of Hampton-court, the compofition of which is confiderably more extended. From the familiarity with which the King honoured Vandyck, it is eafy to perceive with what pleafure he had painted this portrait, it being one of the moft perfedt charadters of King Charles. The anatomy of the head is finely underftood. The tints are beautiful, pure, and natural. The hands are finely drawn ; a pentimcnto may be traced in the one leaning upon the pom- mel of his fword. Nothing can be pen- cilled with greater delicacy and fpirit than the fleeve of the right arm. The atti- tude is elegant and fimple ; it is nature without affe&ation. The whole is painted with great tafte, and with a perfect know- L ledge 146 CATALOGUE or ledge of light and fhadow. A print from it is nearly finifhed. It meafures three feet nine inches and an half high, by two feet three inches wide. V A N D Y C K. Saul anointing David. [No. Various have been the opinions con- cerning this pifture •> but the generality agree in its being Vandyck's. We may, indeed, trace him clearly, particularly in the middle groupe, which is uncommonly fine. The whole is admirably painted. It was in all probability done at Venice, when the fancy of this artift was rich and luxuriant-, when he had united the co- louring of Titian to that of Rubens ; an acquifition which could not fail of pro- ducing the effedls we find in this picture. One foot three inches and an half wide* by one foot half an inch high. VANDEN Mr. ST RANGE'S Pictures. 147 VANDEN ECKHOUT. Born at Amfterdam 162 1, died in the fame city 1674. Sooner or later pofterity pays that tri- bute of praife which has been frequently withheld from men of genius during their lives. This artift might be given as an example. He merits a confiderable rank among painters. He ftudied under Rem- brandt, whofe manner he could fo per- fectly imitate, that their works have been frequently confounded. His talents were univerfal. His hiftorical piftures are executed with great tafte, and knowledge of the effects of nature. His portraits are admirable, and remarkable for their truth and fimplicity. VANDEN ECKHOUT. A Guard Room. [No, 81. We meet with few compositions of the Dutch mafters either fo agreeable or in- L 2 terefting 148 CATALOGUE of terefting as this pidture. The figures are genteel, and remarkably attentive to what they are engaged in. There is an union of colours throughout the whole, which will difpute with the fineft produ&ions of this fchool. Each objeft partakes of another, which creates effedts equally har- monious and agreeable, and which can only be exceeded by nature. The ftan- dard is pencilled with a delicacy and fpirit which is equal to the fineft things of Vandyck. Two feet one inch wide, by one foot eight inches high. ' : oYonx/03 tori;*.- LUCAS VANUDEN. Born at Antwerp 1595, died about the year 1663. He was an excellent painter of land- fcape, and by his indefatigable ftudy fa- miliarized himfelf with the effe&s of na- ture, which is evidently apparent in all his pictures. They are agreeably pen- cilled, and the diftant obje&s in particular delicately 1 Mr. STR AN GE's Pictures. 149 delicately touched. So perfeftly was his ftile of colouring fuited to that of Ru- bens, that this great painter often had recourfe to him in ftnifliing the back grounds of his pi&ures, particularly when they confifted of landfcape, V A N U D E N. [No. 82 and 83. Two highly finifhed and agreeable land- scapes. The figures are painted by Ru- bens. One reprefents the flight into Egypt, and the other the return from that country. One foot wide, by nine inches and an half high. bnfl ^01 * 1 ff ' T-i V A N U D E H. Two Views in Flanders. [No, 4 and 85. The colouring of thefe pidures is greatly in the ftile of Rubens. They are L3 agree- i5o CATALOGUE of agreeable compositions, and have much of the appearance of nature. One foot one inch and a quarter wide, by nine inches and an half high. ALEXANDER VERONESE. Born at Verona in 1600, died in Rome 1670. A Madona and Child, [No. 86. This is an agreeable fpecimen of the mailer. It is painted with delicacy and with care. What was commendable in this painter is, that the airs of his heads are conceived in the tafte of Guido, whofe manner he endeavoured to imitate. It is ccnfpicuous in this head of the Ma- dona. Eleven inches and an half high, by nine and an half wide. SIMON VOUET. Born at Paris 1582, died in the fame city 1641. The introdu&ion of painting into France was certainly owing to this inge- nious Mr. STRANGER Pictures. 151 nious artift, who was unqueftianably en- dowed with great talents ; but giving way to the rapidity of his genius, he was neither attentive enough to cultivate it upon the ftudy of the antique, nor to acquire that corre&nefs of tafte which pre- vails in the Italian mafters. During his flay at Venice he was fo enamoured with the works of Paolo Veronefe, Tintorett, &c. that by ftudying them he acquired that freedom of pencil and brilliancy of co- lour which are fo predominant in his works and for which he feemed after- wards to overlook the nobler parts of painting, fentiment and expreffion. He had a peculiar talent in painting Ma- donas. He invented with great facility ; and his compofitions, though they have not the magnificence of Paolo Veronefe* whom he imitated, yet they are agree- able and interefting- SIMON 152 CATALOGUE, &c. SIMON VOUET. The Virgin with our Saviour. [No. 87* In the execution of the plan upon which I formed this colle&ion, I have been fortunate enough to meet with a picture of this mafter, which, from the agreeablenefs of its compofition, the tafte with which it is executed* and the bril- liant tone of its colouring, might claim, with great propriety, even a place amongft the Italian matters. Two feet four inches and an half high, by one foot eleven inches and an half wide. riviici n^ ^' )ooi ad* gniisndms ansl g^inioq te-giiA a& zi i^ribo odi no ^hjo -jfrliJa yd bwioqqul s?i rbiriw <>Iood & ^thoIIb ^U^Twina ai swJ5iq *uiT .3m6d £ tomqul 61 ni bainisq 21 y] .oiggmoO ~«KK> b »*J pr xkil ni tsxbo on tedi slift iHB toi sldsiismty* zi $ rf^w nolnscj CATALOGUE noq OF Mr. STRANGE's Drawings 5 WITH REMARKS upon the Original Pictures, CORREGGIO. [No. 88, In the Royal Academy at Parma. THE Virgin, with the Child on her knee. On one fide is the Magda- lane embracing the foot of our Savi- our; on the other is an Angel pointing to a book, which is fupported by St. Jer- home. This pifture is univerfally allowed to be the moft capital performance of Correggio. It is painted in fo fuperior a ftile that no other in Italy will bear a com- p arifon with it. It is remarkable for the beauty 154 CATALOGUE of beauty of its compofition, the graceful air of the figures, the force and harmony of its colouring, and an amazing effect of light and fhade. It was fold to the late King of Poland for the fum of twenty-two thoufand fequins * ; but by the vigilance of the minifter it was prevented from being carried out of Parma. CARLO DOLCI. Sapho. [No. 89. In the Corfini palace at Florence. The pidlure is delicately painted, and the chara&er of the head is remarkably fweet. It is prefumed to have been the portrait of one of the ladies of the Corfini family. DOMENICHINO. St. Cjeciua. [No. 90, In the Borghefe palace at Rome. There is great expreflion in the cha- racter of this head. The whole of the * 11,000 1. fterling. pifture Mr. STRANGE's Drawings. 155 pifture is elegantly drawn, and the dra- pery richly varied, There are two repe*- titions of this in Italy ; one in the capitol at Rome, with lbme little variation ; and another in the Monti palace at Bologna. GUIDO RENL Herodias with the Head of St. John the Baptist. [No. 91. In the Corfini palace at Rome. This figure is gracefully compofed, the drapery agreeably varied, and the cha- ra&er of the Herodias is beautiful. GUIDO REN I. The Magdalane attended by Angels. [No. 92. In the Barbcrini palace at Rome. The reputation of the pidture is uni- verfally well eftablifhed over Europe. The attitude of the principal figure is noble s the chara&er of the head, which is 't 5 6 CATALOGUE ot is taken from the Niobe at Rome, is beau- tiful and the drapery is compofed in the great ftile. GUIDO RENL The Virgin with the Child, attended by an Angel. [No. 93. In the Folconieri palace at Rome. The whole of the picture is painted with infinite delicacy ; and, like the ge- nerality of Guido's works, remarkably graceful. The Chrift is extremely na- tural. GUIDO RENL Cupid sleeping. [No. 94. In the colle&ion of Sir Laurence Dundas. The picture, late in the Aldrovandi palace at Bologna, w r as always efteemed amongft the capital works of Guido in that city. It is a mafterly performance ^ painted with a great body of colour, and the general effed of it is agreeable. GUIDO Mr- S T RAN G E's Drawings. t|| GUIDO RENT. Joseph and Potiphar's Wife. [No. 95. In the Boronelli palace at Naples. This fubjecl is reprefented with decency and propriety ; the chara&er of the wo- man is moft perfuafive, and, at the fame time, apprehenfive of a difappointment. The whole figure of the Jofeph is noble and dignified. The drapery in particular is finely compofed. GUERCINO. The Persian Sybil. [No. 96; In the capitol at Rome. There is a noble fimplicity in the com- pofition of this figure. The character of the head is remarkably agreeable. It is efteemed amongft the finefi things of Guercino, GUERCINO. i 5 8 CATALOGUE or G U E R C I N O. Abraham puting away Hagar. [No. 97. In the Sampieri palace at Bologna. The pi&ure occupies a diftinguifhed rank in a colle&ion, lefs defireable for the number than for the quality of a few chofen pi&ures which it contains. The fubjedt is extremely interefting; re- markable for expreffion, illufion of co- lours, and the force with which it is painted. G U E R C I N O. Esther before Ahasuerus. [No. 98. In the Barberini palace at Rome. This pi&ure, which was painted for Cardinal Onufre, who made a prefent of it to his brother Urbin VIII., after hav- ing got the laft touches from the artift, was expcfed to the public view at Bo- logna, and received the praifes which were due to fo capital a performance of this Mr. ST RANGE'S Drawings. 159 this great painter. It is remarkable for the frelhnefs of its tints, the oppofitions of light and (hade, and the fidelity of ex- preflion in the different chara&ers. G U E R C I N O, Our Saviour appearing to his Mother. [No. 99. An altar-piece at Cento. We have no foundation in Scripture for this fubjed ; it is a liberty the painter has taken, and moft probably at the defire of his employers. It is juftly efteemed one of the moft capital works of Guercino. There is uncommon dig- nity in the figure of the Chrift ; his dra- pery is even worthy of Raphael. The Virgin is fine, and the charadter of the head is expreflive. The whole is admi- rably coloured, and remarkable for its linking effeft. GUERCINO. i6o CATALOGUE of GUERCINO, The Death of Dido. [No. ioo. In the Spada palace at Rome. For beauty of compofition, greatnefs of expreffion, and correftnefs of defign* this pi&ure claims a pre-eminence amongft the capital works of Guercino. The fi- gure of the Dido is noble and interefting ; and there is a combination of paffions in her countenance which equals the fineft things in painting. Her fitter Anna is not lefs in chara&er. The diftant pro- fpeft, which reprefents the departure of iEneas, throws an exprefTive influence upon the whole. GUERCINO. The Circumcision. [No. ioi* In the church of Jefus and Mary at Bologna. One of the moft agreeable compofitions of Guercino. It is remarkable for ex- preffion, and an uncommon effedt of light and Mr. STRANGE's Drawings. 161 and fhade. The figures are finely de- tached ; and the whole is painted with great brilliancy and force of colour. PARMEGIANO. Portraits of his Mistress and Child. [No. 102. In the colle&ion of the King of Naples. The compofition of this groupe is ex- tremely pidturefque. The character of the Child is remarkably fine, and the idea of it is in the manner of Correggio. RAFFAELL. Portrait of Raffaell. [No. 103. In the Altoviti palace at Florence. The pi&ure was painted by Raphael as a prefent to the Altoviti family at Flo- rence, who were his prote&ors whilft he was in that city. It is remarkably fpirited, well coloured, and painted with great force. As a proof, amongft many, how much the works of this artift are efteemed M abroad, 1 62 CATALOGUE or abroad, I was credibly informed that no lefs than a fum of twelve hundred fequins * had been offered for this head. RAFFAELL. Madona della Sedia. [No. I04r In the Medici colle&ion at Florence. The original is well known to the cu- rious from the numberlefs copies which, from time to time, have appeared of it. It is agreeably compofed. The chara&er of the Virgin is beautiful ; and the Child is extremely natural. The whole is finely painted, and efteemed as one of the capital pictures of this divine artift. RAFFAELL. Two Angels singing. [No. 105* In the Medici colle£Uon at Florence. Thefe two figures are admirably group- ed ; Raphael has defigned them with all that elegance and precifion which are to * 600 1. ftcrling. be Mr. STRANGE's Drawings. 16$ be found in the antique. The charafter of the heads are molt expreflive ; and the colouring is beautiful. RAFFAELL. Justice and Meekness. [No. io6andi07. In the palace of the Vatican at Rome. The figure of Juftice difplays in her countenance, and in her a&ion, an air which commands refpeft. In one hand fhe holds a balance equally fufpended, and with the other an oftrich. The Egyptians introduced the feather of this bird into their hieroglyphicks as an em- blem of Juftice ; a fymbol of that impar- tiality which ought to prefide in judg- ments. It has this peculiar quality which the feathers of other birds have not ; viz. that there is an equal diftribution of fea- thers on each fide of the quill, which runs precifely in the middle. The figure of Meeknefs prefents us with a very different afpecl j nor has the painter been lefs fuc- M 2 cefs