ART TREASURES IN ITALY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1862, 23 September 1913, Page 4

ART TREASURES IN ITALY.

v Sir,—One of the late Samuel Butler's epigrams was .'ljdo not mind lying, but I hate inaccuracy." For the same reason, while congratulating your reporter upon his interesting and generally accurate account of Ihis interview 'with Mr. Howorth, I must correct some .erroneous statements therein. The Sistine Chapel is not hung with the works of Michael . Angelo. The Vaulting of tho ceiling, which took Miohael Angelo i'our years to paint, with its pictures of the Creation and the ■histoiy•' bf Eve arid of--Noah, and its" magnificent prophets and sibyls, is one of tho most sublime works of art 'fever 1 produced, while his fresco of the Last Judgment on the altar wall of the chapel, is stupendous and audacious in its treatment of the human figure in the .most violent attitudes. Unhappily we cannot see it now as he painted it. In the first place, it is so blackened by smoke as to bo difficult to see. In the second, objection was taken to the nudity of his figures, and Daniele da Votterra, afterwards called the Breeches-maker" in consequence, 1 was employed' to cover up their nakedness. In these days when it is proposed to eliminiate " Hell" from tho Bible, it is interesting to noto ; that when "51. Biagio, the Pope's master of tlio ceremonies, criticised the nudes severely, Michael Angelo in revenge drew Biagio as Minos in Hell 'among a troop of devils with, a great serpent wound about his legs. It is said that when Biagio protested to the Pope, 'the latter replied that ho could do nothing, as he had no jurisdiction over Hell, and there Biagio and-,his serpent rornain to this day, a warning to those who object to tho nude in art. The next inacouracy is the statement that tihere aro priceless stores of his (Michael Angclo s) sculptures in the Vatican. This is clearly a slip of the pen, as Michael Angelo's sculptures are not to be found in tho Vatican. Tlie description of the Dancing Faun in tho Tribune of the Uffizi as Michael Aiigelo's misleading. Tho figure _ is a masterpiece of antique sculpture with the hoad and arms restored by Michael Angelo so admirably and in such harmony with the rest of the statue that ono regrets that tho great sculptor had not mado moro restorations. The report suggests that t'ho "Daird" is in tho Uftizi, whereas it is in tho Accademia. What makes tho grandour cf this statue still moro wonderful is tho fact that it was made out of a piece of marble on which Simone da Frescole had begun a figure of a giant. Ho had cut between the legs of the figure, but had' botched his work, and tlie block of marble was bo hacked about that it was considered useless. It is said that Piotro.Soderini, one of the city officials, camo to see lb when Michael Angelo was retouching it, and expressed his admiration except that lie thought tne nose too large. Micihael Angolo mounted tho scaffold, took his chisel and let a little dust fall on to tho spectator without touching the statue. "Ah," said tho satisfied critic, "that's bettor. You'vo given it life." So easily can the artist throw dust in tho eyes of the civic critic! Now I havo a bono to pick with Mr. Howorth. Ho says: "There aro interesting art treasures in tho Doge's Palace, but aftor being satiated with the glories of Florence, tho art treasures of Venico aro as nought. Tho architecture is unique and beautiful, and tlie Venetian glassware is extremely delicate and beautifully artistic " Glass works and gon lolas 1 Shades of Ruskin, what say you? Nought 1 What of St. Mark's and its Mosaics? What of the Accademia di Hello Arti with Titian's masterpiece, "Tho Assumption of the Virgin, and "Tho Presentation in tho Temple," Tintoretto's tour de forco "The Miraclo of St. Mark," Paul Veronese's sumptuous canvases, Bellini's chaste and beautiful Madonnas, Paris Bordone's "The Fisherman presenting the Doge with tho ring of St. Mark, "the most beautiful ceremonial picture in existence," Carpaccio's Presentation in tho Temple," with its three lovely child musicians, Gentile Bellini's series of "The Miraclo of the Cross," Carpaccio's celebrated, scenes from the Legend of St. Ursula, and the 1000 Virgins, and Mantegna's exquisite St. George? What of, tho art treasures in the palaces,'such as Giorgione's "Tempest" in tho Palazzo —Giovanelli and ; the Lazard Collection, bequeathed to tho National Gallery? What of tho churches with Bellini's great altar i pieces, Palma Vecchio's gorgeous St. ' Barbara, and works of Titian, Tinto--1 retto, and Cima da Conegliana and 1 monuments by the Lombardi? What 1 of the Carpaccios in Sin Giorgio degli ■ Scbiavono" ? What of tho International ' Gallerv of Modern Art and the Muse

Curco? What of tlio Scuola di San llocco with tlio Tintorettos, including his great "Crucifixion"? Mhat of the finest equestrian statue in the world, Bartholomeo Colleoni, tho delightful figure of the dramatist Goldoni, Rizzo s " Adam and Evo"? What ot—l3ut breath fails me, and the editor s blue pencil liangs over my head liko the sword of Damocles. Nought 1 I fear that .Mr. Ho worth must havo come to Venice exhausted by the galleries and churches of Ronio and Florence (how well I know the feeling ()f ecstacy for the time boing followed by exhaustion afterwards) and succumbed to the seductions of a dolce far mente in a gondola on the lagoons. Nou e yoro Signor Howorth ? —lours " nought'-uy. H. F. VON HAAST.