SPANISH SCHOOL.

MURILLO.

FRENCH MUSEUM.

HOLY FAMILY.

Although in this composition is to be remarked the persons who usually compose the Holy Family, there is nevertheless something allegorical to be found in it! In front is seen Saint Elizabeth presenting the young Saint John, who offers to the infant Jesus a cross formed of reed, an emblem of that cross on which he was one day to suffer: the Virgin holds him standing on her knees , above them is seen hovering the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove, and at the top of the picture, is God the father accompanied by several little angels.

All the heads are perfeet, and of great expression ; the colouring too is wonderful , but it is perhaps to be desired, that there was more nobleness of character in them ; that of the infant Jesus alone , presents something supernatural, all the others are portraits , but in which the most exact representation of nature may be admired.

This picture for a long time formed part of the ancient collection of the King.

Height , 7 feet 11 inches ; breadth , 4 feet 2 inches.

ECOLE ESPAGNOLE. 100. MURILLO. 000000 MUS. FRANÇAIS.

SAINTE FAMILLE.

Quoique dans cette composition on remarque les personnages, qui composent ordinairement la sainte famille , il s'y trouve cependant quelque chose d'allégorique. Sur le devant se trouve sainle Elisabeth, présentant le jeune saint Jean, qui offre à l'enfant Jésus une croix en roseau, emblème de la croix sur laquelle il doit être attaché un jour ; la Vierge le soutient debout sur ses genoux, mais au-dessus d'eux on voit planer le Saint-Esprit, sous la forme d'une colombe , et dans le haut du tableau est Dieu le père accompagné de plusieurs petits anges.

Toutes les têtes sont parfaites, leur expression des plus vraies , et d'une couleur merveilleuse, mais on pourrait peut-être désirer plus de noblesse dans leur caractère ; la tête seule de l'enfant Jésus offre quelque chose de surnaturel, toutes les autres sont des portraits , mais des portraits dans lesquels on peut admirer la représentation la plus exacte de la nature.

Ce tableau fait depuis long-temps partie de l'ancienne collection du roi.

Haut., 7 pieds 5 pouces ; larg., 3 pieds ; 11 pouces.

SCULPTURE coconcoc000 CILANTREY. ---•-00000 - ENGLAND,

PENELOPE.

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Though princesses have sometimes had a great nnmber of admirers on account of their great beauty and virtue, none could never be, in that respect, compared to the chaste Penelope, the wife of Ulysses and mother of Telemacbus.

The absence of Ulysses being prolonged for a while by a series of adventures described in the Odyssee, bis death was so credited that a hundred and sixteen lovers who pretended to - her hand came and settled in ber palace, where they squandered away the wealth belonging to Ulysses and Telemachus. The princess after baving avoided a long time answering to their vows, thought she had found a pretence to put them off, and gain time, in telling them that she would give her band to him who was strong enough to bend the bow of Ulysses.

The artist has chosen for the subject of his bas-relief the moment when this virtuous princess has conceived that happy idea. However she shows how greatly she is afraid that some one may be found among them endowed with a like strength of her husband, and then , she should have no other motive

the vanquisher. The composition of this bas-relief is worthy of the simplicity remarked in the works of the ancients and affords a high idea of Chantrey's talent.