File:Great pictures, as seen and described by famous writers (1899) (14598303377).jpg

Identifier: greatpicturesassx00sing (find matches)
Title: Great pictures, as seen and described by famous writers
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Singleton, Esther, d. 1930, ed. and tr
Subjects: Painting
Publisher: New York : Dodd, Mead and Company
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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Text Appearing Before Image:
maiden and the youthbut superior to either in his ideal beauty, — accompaniesand supports the little Jesus like a page of the great house-hold who watches over the child of the king with mingledrespect and protection. Hair of a thousand crisp curlsframes that face so aristocratic and distinguished. Cer- l The National Gallery and the Louvre each claims that it possessesthe original of this celebrated picture and that its rival is a replica. Theformer was purchased in Milan, in 1796 by Gavin Hamilton, who soldit to Lord Suffolk, in whose collection at Charlton Park it was long anornament. It was purchased from him in 1880 for ^9,000. TheLouvre picture is first mentioned as belonging to Francis I. Designsfor it are in Turin and Windsor, and in these the outstretched hand ofthe angel appears. This does not occur in the London Madonna ofthe Rocks, which differs in several details 5 for example, there are halosabove the heads of the figures and John the Baptist carries a cross. —E. S.
Text Appearing After Image:
The Madonna of the Rocks. L. da Vinci. THE MADONNA OF THE ROCKS 235 tainly this angel occupies a very high rank in the hierarchyof the sky ; he should, at least, possess a throne, a dominion,or a principality. The Infant Jesus draws himself up in apose that shows great knowledge of foreshortening, and is amarvel of roundness and fine modelling. The Virgin is ofthat charming Lombard type in which under chaste inno-cence appears that malicious playfulness which da Vinciexcels in rendering. The colour of this majestic picturehas blackened, particularly in the shadows, but it has lostnothing of its harmony, and perhaps it is more ideallypoetic than if it had kept its original freshness and thenatural tones of life. Doubts have been raised regardingthis picture. Some critics have wished to see here merely acomposition by Leonardo executed by a strange hand, or evensimply the copy of another canvas painted for the chapel ofthe Conception of the church of the Franciscans in Milan.But none ot

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