Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

On the outside of the door are two pictures in black and white; one of a Christ, and the other the Virgin and Child; these, as well as the two above mentioned, by Rubens.

THE GREAT ALTAR.

The Assumption of the Virgin. She is sur ́rounded by a choir of angels; below are the Apostles, and a great number of figures. This picture has not so rich an appearance in regard to colour as many other pictures of Rubens; proceeding, I imagine, from there being too much blue in the sky however, the lower part of the picture has not that defect. It is said to have been painted in sixteen days. The print is by Bolswert.

ST. WALBURGE.

The great altar of the choir, is the first public work which Rubens executed after he returned from Italy. In the centre is Christ nailed to the Cross, with a number of figures exerting themselves in different ways to raise it. One of the figures appears flushed, all the blood rising into his face from his violent efforts; others in intricate attitudes, which, at the same time that they show the great energy with which the business is done, give that opportunity which painters desire, of encountering the difficulties of the art, in foreshortening and in representing momentary actions. This subject, which was probably of his own choosing, gave him

an admirable opportunity of exhibiting his various abilities to his countrymen; and it is certainly one of his best and most animated compositions.

The bustle, which is in every part of the picture, makes a fine contrast to the character of resignation in the crucified Saviour. The sway of the body of Christ is extremely well imagined. The taste of the form in the Christ, as well as in the other figures, must be acknowledged to be a little inclinable to the heavy; but it has a noble, free, and flowing outline. The invention of throwing the cross obliquely from one corner of the picture to the other, is finely conceived; something in the manner of Tintoret; it gives a new and uncommon air to his subject, and we may justly add, that it is uncommonly beautiful. The contrast of the body with the legs is admirable, and not overdone.

The doors are a continuation of the subject. That on the right has a group of women and children, who appear to feel the greatest emotion and horror at the sight: the Virgin and St. John, who are behind, appear very properly with more resignation. On the other door are the officers on horseback; attending behind them are the two thieves, whom the executioners are nailing to the Cross.

It is difficult to imagine a subject better adapted for a painter to exhibit his art of composition than the present; at least Rubens has had the skill to make it serve, in an eminent degree, for that

purpose. In the naked figures of the Christ, and of the executioners, he had ample room to show his knowledge of the anatomy of the human body in different characters. There are likewise women of different ages, which is always considered as a necessary part of every composition, in order to produce variety; there are, besides, children and horsemen; and to have the whole range of variety, he has even added a dog, which he has introduced in an animated attitude, with his mouth open, as if panting: admirably well painted. His animals are always to be admired: the horses here are perfect in their kind, of a noble cha racter, animated to the highest degree. Rubens, conscious of his powers in painting horses, introduced them in his pictures as often as he could. This part of the work, where the horses are represented, is by far the best in regard to colouring; it has a freshness which the other two pictures want: but those appear to have suffered by the sun. This picture of the horsemen is situated on the south-east side; whereas the others, being east and south-east, are more exposed: however, at present there is no longer danger, the fathers have taken the precaution to have a fixed window-blind, which the rays of the sun cannot pêne

[merged small][ocr errors]

The central picture, as well as that of the group of women, does not, for whatever reason, stand so high for colour as every other excellence.

There is a dryness in the tint; a yellow okery colour predominates over the whole; it has too much the appearance of a yellow chalk-drawing. I mean only to compare Rubens with himself; they might be thought excellent even in this respect, were they the work of almost any other painter. The flesh, as well as the rest of the picture, seems to want grey tints, which is not a general defect of Rubens; on the contrary, his mezzotints are often too grey.

The blue drapery about the middle of the figure at the bottom of the Cross, and the grey colour of some armour, are nearly all the cold colours in the picture; which are certainly not enough to qualify so large a space of warm colours. The principal mass of light is on the Christ's body; but in order to enlarge it, and improve its shape, a strong light comes on the shoulder of the figure with a bald head: the form of this shoulder is somewhat defective; it appears too round.

Upon the whole, this picture must be considered as one of Rubens' principal works, and that appearance of heaviness which it has, when seen near, entirely vanishes when the picture is viewed from the body of the church, to which you descend from the choir by twenty stairs.

On the other side of the two doors, which turn round, are likewise two pictures, by Rubens; St. Catharine with a sword, and St. Eloi, with a fe

male Saint and Angels, as usual finely painted ; but the figure of St. Eloi appears too gigantic.

Of the elevation of the Cross and its appendages, there is a print in three sheets by Withous; of St. Eloi by Remoldus Eynhovedts, and of the St. Catharine by Bolswert.

In this church, on the left hand of the choir, is another picture by Rubens, of Christ after his resurrection sitting on the sepulchre, trampling on the symbol of death; it is a picture of no force of colouring, which possibly proceeds from its having been much damaged.-A print of this by Remoldus Eynhovedts.

THE CHURCH OF THE JACOBINES.*

The great altar, a Crucifixion by Vandyck. St. Rosaria at the feet of Christ, and St. Dominic. A sepulchral lamp, and a flambeau reversed, are here introduced, to show that Christ is dead: two little angels are represented on each side of the cross, and a larger angel below. The two little ones look like embryos, and have a bad effect; and the larger angel is not painted with equal success, as many other parts of the picture. The shadows are too red, and the locks of the hair are all painted in a hard and heavy manFor its defects ample amends is made in the Christ, which is admirably drawn and coloured;

ner.

Nuns of the order of St. Dominic. R.

« ForrigeFortsett »