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AN ACCURATE AND DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE SEVERAL PAINTINGS IN THE KING OF SPAIN's PALACE AT MADRID; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE PICTURES IN THE BUEN-RETIRO.

By RICHARD CUMBERLAND, Author of The Anecdotes of Eminent Painters in Spain.

LONDON: Printed for C. DILLY, in the Poultry; AND J. WALTER, Charing-Croſs. M.DCC.LXXXVII.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.

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THIS Catalogue was made at my requeſt by the Gentleman, who has the ſuperintendance of the Royal Collection in the Palace at Madrid; and by his favour tranſmitted to me after my return out of Spain, but too late to be inſerted in my Anecdotes of Spaniſh Painters: There can be no doubt therefore of its being accurate; and I have accordingly ſo ſtated it in the title of this publication. If the deſcriptive part had been executed by [iv] the ſame hand, I might have ſafely recommended this performance even to Profeſſors of the Art; I muſt now addreſs it to the Lovers only, and ſubmit my weak attempt, with all its errors, to the candour of the Public.

[]CATALOGUE OF PAINTINGS IN THE NEW PALACE.

FRESCOS.

1. Great Stair-Caſe; by D. Corrado Giaciunto.

THE compoſition of this brilliant ceiling repreſents the riſing of the Sun: Apollo, ſurrounded by various allegorical figures and emblems, gives life and motion to the Elements. Spain, as a matron, habited in an imperial [2] mantle, with ſeveral attributes and inſignia proper to her character. The colouring, drawing and deſign very maſterly.

The ſtair-caſe itſelf is a very magnificent work, projected and executed by the celebrated Sabatini, a Neapolitan, Architect to His Catholic Majeſty.

2. Great Guard-Chamber; by D. Juan Bautiſta Tiepolo.

Vulcan forging the armour of Aeneas at the requeſt of Venus: Mars, in a triumphal character, ſuperintending and protecting the work. Various figures, emblematic of the Provinces, Religion, Valour, Victories and Productions of Spain.

3. Ball-Room; by Corrado.

[3]

In the center of this ceiling Religion is ſeated, and the Church triumphant, enthroned amidſt the clouds; to which Spain is offering gifts and incenſe in an attitude of adoration: The nations, ſubject to her empire, are introduced with their reſpective emblems: In the four corners are the Elements, in medallic compartments: Over one of the entrances there is a group of various figures, with Boys employed in placing crowns of palm upon the principal characters: Over another entrance, Hercules is deſcribed in the act of pulling down his pillars at the command of Neptune, who in his chariot paſſes the [4] Streights, making his way through the barrier of antient navigation. This is a very brilliant deſign, rich and glowing in colour and execution, and producing a very ſuperb and ſtriking effect.

4. King's Anti-Chamber; by Tiepolo.

The Monarchy of Spain, as a majeſtic Matron in an imperial mantle, with a Lion at her ſide: An attendant figure in the act of placing a crown on her head: Apollo with his lyre and the Muſes form a ſeparate group: Caſtile in the character of a female, with her proper attributes: Hercules breaking down his pillars for the purpoſe of laying open the barrier of Africa: [5] Sacrifices and Oblations repreſented in four medallic compartments, and addreſſed to the Deities, who appear in the principal compoſition.

5. Grand Saloon; by the ſame Maſter.

The painter has here perſonified the various characters of the Spaniſh monarchy: The figures are emblematic of Power, Religion, Wealth, Plenty, Victory, &c. &c. The provinces of Spain are diſpoſed over the cornice with their proper attributes: The medals in the angles are by the ſame maſter; but the Boys that ſupport them, and the naked River-Gods, as likewiſe the gilt compartments, where the Elements [6] are repreſented, are by the hand of Robert Mitchell. This ceiling and all the embelliſhments are profuſely rich and ſplendid.

Tiepolo was a ſtudent of the Venetian ſchool, and died at Madrid, in the king's ſervice, on the 27th of March 1770.

6. King's Dining-Room; by A. R. Mengs.

The Apotheoſis of Trajan. The deified Hero is ſeated on a throne of reſplendent glory: The virtues and attributes of a perfect monarch ſurround his throne: A chaplet of laurel is ſupported in the air by five imaginary beings, under which the artiſt has contrived to delineate the victories of this imperial [7] Spaniard: The temple of Immortality appears in view, and the choir of Muſes are ſeen in the act of celebrating his glories. Other allegorical figures are interſperſed in the compoſition with extraordinary judgment and contrivance.

7. King's Supper-Room; by the ſame.

The Apotheoſis of Hercules. He is conducted by Mercury to Jupiter, who inveſts him with the crown of immortality, as a reward for his labours and conqueſts: A group of Deities aſſiſt in the ceremony; the diſtinguiſhing characteriſtics of the ſeveral Deities, male and female, are marked with great taſte and much claſſical preciſion: The [8] artiſt has given proof of his profound ſtudy and experience in the antique: The colouring, perſpective, and general diſpoſition of theſe two ceilings are inimitable: There is no crowd, flutter, or deficiency in the whole or part; the ſeveral groups conſpire and harmonize in the moſt perfect and beautiful manner; the eye is not diſtracted by any predominance of detached parts, but receives the whole magnificent compoſition, as one compleat picture, at a glance.

Theſe Freſcos (eſpecially the Apotheoſis of Trajan) are, as I conceive, far ſuperior to his Paintings in oil; and in this province of his art, Mengs appears a very capital maſter: I have never ſeen any [9] thing equal to them; and ſo admirable they appeared to me upon repeated viſits, that I muſt believe there are few productions in art, which can better gratify the curioſity of a traveller. One thing is clear, that Mengs's colouring in freſco is totally of another caſt from what he practiſed upon canvaſs.

8. King's Retiring-Room; by Tiepolo.

Juno in her car, with her proper attributes, &c.

9. Queen's firſt Anti-Chamber; by Luis Velaſquez.

The four Cardinal Virtues, with ſeveral allegorical accompaniments. [10] This painter muſt not be confounded with the famous Diego Velaſquez.

10. Queen's ſecond Anti-Chamber; by Antonio Velaſquez.

The ſubject nearly correſponds with the above, and the artiſt has treated it pretty much in the ſame manner: Both are reſpectable performances. Antonio was the brother of Luis Velaſquez.

11. Queen's Dining-Room; by Franciſco Bayeu.

The Conqueſt of Grenada.

12. Preſence-Chamber; by Ant. Velaſquez.

Chriſtopher Columbus in the act [11] of offering the new-diſcovered World to the Catholic Sovereigns: The four compartments in the angles repreſent the provinces of Mexico, Peru, Chili, and the Philippines.

13. State Bed-Chamber; by Mengs.

Another beautiful compoſition of this maſter, repreſenting Aurora going forth in her car, drawn by horſes: All the emblems of Morning are exquiſitely conceived: The breaking forth of Light (which is perſonified), the accompaniment of the Hours, the group of Night and her attendant emblems in the rear of the proceſſion, and all the correſpondent embelliſhments in high [12] relief, are finely executed: In theſe are repreſented the four Seaſons of the year, and the Elements.

14. Prince of Aſturias's Chamber; by Tiepolo.

The Conqueſt of Vellocino.

15. Prince's Dining-Room; by the ſame.

Hercules in a car, drawn by Centaurs: The Muſes and Graces celebrate his victories.

16. Prince's Saloon; by Domingo Tiepolo.

Diana in the chace. Domingo was the brother of Juan Bautiſta Tiepolo.

17. Prince's Dreſſing-Room; by Mariano Maella.

[13]

The Choice of Hercules.

Maella was a diſciple of Mengs, and is now in the ſervice of the King as Royal Artiſt: He has made ſeveral portraits of the royal family. I have ſeen ſome good original compoſitions of this maſter, and ſeveral copies from Mengs and the elder painters of great merit and truth: I am convinced he is a man of talents and candour, and could refer to a ſtriking inſtance of his honour and integrity. I would recommend it to any artiſt, or lover of art, who ſhall viſit Madrid, to introduce himſelf to the acquaintance of Maella, from whoſe [14] courteſy, I am perſuaded, he will receive all poſſible good offices and aſſiſtance.

18. Princeſs of Aſturias's Anti-Chamber; by Gonzalez.

The Arts.

19. Princeſs's Preſence-Chamber; by Bayeu.

The Fall of the Giants.

20. Princeſs's Cabinet; by Maella.

Juno ſolicits Aeolus for the Winds.

21. Princeſs's Drawing Room; by Bayeu.

The Deification of Hercules: The Virtues and Sciences attend.

22. Infant Don Gabriel's Dining-Room; by the ſame.

[15]

Religion and the concomitant Virtues.

23. Infant's Drawing-Room; by Luis Velaſquez.

Allegorical compoſition relative to the kingdom of Spain.

24. Infant's Cabinet; by Domingo Tiepolo.

A group of Birds, with great variety of compoſition, and delicately executed.

PICTURES.

[16]

King's Anti-Chamber.

Titian. Two large pictures of Siſyphus and Prometheus in their torments: the figures above human ſize: They were painted by this maſter in Spain, and are figures of great force, colouring and expreſſion. The manner of treating the Prometheus much reſembles that of a celebrated picture on the ſame ſubject at Kimbolton Caſtle: As the noble owner has no determined tradition of its author, I ſhall hazard a conjecture, that it [17] was painted by Rubens upon the idea of this figure of Titian's, after that artiſt had viſited Spain.

Titian. Four half-length pourtraits of Women, not in his brighteſt manner.

Titian. Four pourtraits of Men, ſeemingly of the ſame period; one of which is a pourtrait of the great artiſt himſelf in his advanced age; a grand and venerable piece.

Titian. A pourtrait of a Boy, full length. Correct and beautiful nature.

Titian. Two fancy compoſitions, companions; the figures half length: One, two Bacchants; the other a Venus, admiring herſelf in a [18] Mirror, which Cupid holds up to her face. With one of her hands ſhe preſſes her boſom, which is uncovered, and the action is delicately expreſſed. Theſe pictures hang level with the eye on each ſide of a door fronting the great entrance; the effect is remarkably ſtriking, the relief bold, and the colouring nature itſelf; but perhaps the execution has not that finiſhed delicacy, which many of his earlier compoſitions have: The characters, both of one and the other, are certainly of a wanton caſt; the perſon half-uncovered, half-concealed, with ſuch a ſtudied negligence of dreſs, and ſo much playfulneſs of expreſſion and attitude, that the draperies ſeem introduced ſor no [19] other purpoſe but to attract the attention more ſtrongly to the charms they do not ſerve to hide.

Titian. Venus preſents a cup to a Nymph: Two Satyrs in the back ground with baſkets of fruit: This, like the former, is the Venus laſciva. The contraſt of hues between the prominent figure and the Satyrs in ſhades is managed with maſterly addreſs.

All who are converſant in the works of this maſter will better conceive the ſtriking effect of theſe three compoſitions, than any deſcription of mine can convey: In whatever collection they hung, they would certainly be very dangerous neighbours to moſt other colouriſts who came in contact with them.

[20]

Titian. Adam and Eve in Paradiſe; the ſize of life; a very capital picture, upon a large canvaſs; both figures of conſummate beauty, and of a ſublime and chaſte character; their attitudes ſimple, natural, without any trace of the Academy in their diſpoſition: The carnations are not florid, and the whole hue of the piece rather duſkier than is uſual with this maſter: The back-ground preſents a noble landſcape; the ſcenery finely charactered, and in beautiful harmony.

Rubens. A copy of the above on a cloth of the ſame ſize; this copy hangs between the windows in an unfavourable light, and oppoſite to the original. It is a maſterpiece of colouring, and though [21] it has miſſed the delicacy of the model, I am inclined to think it has ſurpaſſed it in force and effect. It is evident that Rubens has put his whole ſtrength to the work, and as his efforts have been decidedly addreſſed to the colouring, his figures have a broader nakedneſs (if I may ſo expreſs it), than they have in the original; whereas there is a purity in Titian's nakedneſs, which is in character with the ſubject, and fully correſponds with the moſt refined conceptions of human nature in it's primitive ſtate of innocence and beauty: When we contemplate Titian's Adam and Eve, we are convinced they never wore cloaths; turn to the copy, and the ſame perſons appear to have laid theirs [22] aſide, and expoſed themſelves to ſhame for the credit of the painter.

Tintoret. Two noble compoſitions from ſacred hiſtory, companions. The one a Judith, with the head of Holofernes; the other, a Martyrdom of Saint Urſula and her companions: The characters in both are of great grandeur, finely conceived and executed with peculiar brilliancy and ſpirit.

Paul Veroneſe. Two charming pictures, and the ſubjects beautiful. One, a Venus and a Sleeping Adonis; the other, Cephalus and Procris, both natural ſize.

Juan Labrador. Two flower-pieces of the beſt maſter Spain ever [23] produced in this ſtile of painting. Theſe pieces are held in high eſteem; and, though in company with works of a ſuperior caſt, will attract the admiration of the beholder. It has never been my chance to meet with any paintings of the like ſort, which I have thought comparable to theſe of Labrador. He died at Madrid in 1600, at a very advanced age. (See Anecdotes, vol. i. p. 151.)

Pedro Orrente. A Nativity; a capital compoſition: This picture was removed from the chapel de los Reyes nuevos, belonging to the cathedral of Toledo. Orrente was a familiar of the Inquiſition, and died in 1642, very old. He was a diſciple of Baſſan; and greatly ſavoured [24] and employed by the miniſter Olivares: ‘"He coloured in the ſtile of his maſter, but in his choice of nature did not imitate his vulgarity of taſte; in correctneſs of drawing, he has rarely been exceeded. He was buried at Toledo, where he died, and is deſervedly to be numbered amongſt the moſt eminent Spaniards of his profeſſion." (See Anecdotes, vol. i. p. 193.)

Baſſan. Nine pictures of this maſter, viz.

  • Adam, naming the brute creation.
  • Noah, introducing them into the Ark, its companion; both charming pictures.
  • Two upon ſcripture ſubjects.
  • [25] Four of rural and domeſtic ſcenes.
  • One, very beautiful, of Orpheus harping to the beaſts.

Theſe pictures have been drawn from the great collection of Baſſans in the Buen Retiro; but it does not appear to have been a very judicious ſelection, for they have certainly left many there of a ſuperior merit to theſe; particularly ſome upon hiſtorical ſubjects in a great ſtile, and which are probably the moſt capital of their maſter any where to be met with.

King's Dining-Room.

Velaſquez. Five magnificent pourtraits, by this greateſt of all the Spaniſh maſters, adorn this ſtately [26] chamber: It is altogether one of the moſt ſtriking ſpectacles that can meet the eye; few ſcenes are to be found, that can better repay the curioſity of a traveller, and a ſtranger to the works of this great painter. The magnitude of theſe objects, the force and vigour of their colouring, the proud character they are diſplayed in, the profuſe ſplendor of the draperies, and (more than all) the ſtately horſes, on which they are mounted, dreſſed out with ſuch redundancy of embelliſhment, conſpire to produce an aſtoniſhing effect; of theſe pourtraits, four are of royal perſonages, viz.

Philip III. and IV. and their reſpective Queens.

[27] The laſt and beſt is the pourtrait of the Conde Duque de Olivares, miniſter of Spain and patron of the artiſt. There are etchings of all theſe pourtraits, copies of which I brought over from Spain.

Rubens. Philip the Third on horſeback: A very noble pourtrait.

Vanlo. Philip the Fifth on horſeback, and Queen Iſabella on foot. The inferiority of this artiſt is rendered very conſpicuous by the contraſt of the capital pictures above-mentioned.

Rubens. Four compoſitions of this maſter hang over the doors, viz.

  • A Hercules reſting from his labours.
  • The Judgment of Paris.
  • Pluto in his car.
  • Apollo in his courſe; capital pieces.

The ſculptures in this, and the anti-chamber above deſcribed, are numerous and fine: In the former there is a remarkable buſt of Seneca by Bernini; and in this ſeveral of Roman emperors and empreſſes, antique; an infant Hercules ſleeping, of exquiſite workmanſhip, &c. &c.

King's Supper-Room.

Velaſquez. The famous Family-piece of the Infanta Da Margarita of Auſtria, afterwards empreſs of [29] Germany, with various other perſons in different employments; a large group: The painter has introduced two dwarfs, and (what adds greatly to its value) he is repreſented in perſon in the act of painting the Infanta, whoſe pourtrait appears upon the eaſel. ‘"It is related of this picture, that King Philip, with his own hand, painted the order of Santiago upon the drapery of Velaſquez's figure, which order he was not till then poſſeſſed of. When Charles the Second of Spain ſhewed this picture to Luca Jordano, he exclaimed with rapture and ſurprize, Sen̄or, eſta es la Theologia de la pintura." (Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 37.)

[30] A copy of this famous picture, upon a ſmall ſcale, was taken for the late Lord Grantham, when he was ambaſſador in Spain, and brought over by his Lordſhip to England. It is to be hoped his ſucceſſors in that ſtation will follow his example, and obtain copies or drawings of other capital pictures in that kingdom.

Titian. Charles V. in complete armour; his lance in his hand, his vizor up, and himſelf mounted on a beautiful horſe; he is preparing to paſs his troops over a river, which is deſcribed in the ſcenery of the back-ground, of the ſize of life, upon a very large canvaſs: This picture ſets all deſcription at defiance, [31] at leaſt all ſuch deſcription as I can attempt: I cannot doubt its being the moſt capital pourtrait of the maſter, and has been ſo eſteemed by the beſt judges, who have ſeen it; there is reaſon to believe that Titian rated it as ſuch himſelf.

In the countenance of the monarch we read his hiſtory, or (which perhaps is nearer to truth) recollecting his hiſtory, we acknowlege the agreement of character in every line, and in the reflection of his features we find the painter has recorded the annals of his life: Never was more expreſſion of a mind committed to canvaſs. A penſive dignity prevails, traced with marks of pain and bodily decay: He is [32] deep in thought; his eyes gloomy and ſevere, the lids heavy, inflated and remarkably low over the eyeballs; the under-lip projecting, and the mouth characteriſtic of revenge and reſolution: He is advancing to give battle to the unfortunate Elector of Saxony and the Landgrave, thoſe oppoſers of his power and of his faith; external objects have no ſhare in his attention; the whole man is engroſſed by the deepeſt meditation: His lance is poiſed parallel with the ground, and ranges along the ſide of his horſe, with the point advanced beyond its breaſt; the action of the animal harmonizes with the character of his rider, ſlowly and compoſedly ſtepping forward, the head low [33] and ſubmitted, and the eye expreſſive of the moſt reſigned obedience to his imperial maſter: All is calm and ſtill in the ſcene, no flutter or diſturbance in the objects; the colouring, drawing and perſpective are the life itſelf; the whole is ſuch perfect nature, that art ſeems extinguiſhed by its own excellence.

Titian. Philip II. in armour, his infant Son raiſed in his arms, whom he is devoting to Fame, which is repreſented as deſcending from the ſkies, in the act of crowning the new-born prince with a wreath of palm: On a ſcroll are theſe words—Majora Tibi.—The artiſt has put his name to this picture in the following words— [34] Titianus Vecellius, Eques Caeſaris, fecit.

Vandyke. The Infant Don Ferdinand, on horſeback.

Caſtiglione. Gladiators; very fine and ſpirited. This picture is doubtfully aſcribed to Caſtiglione, but my catalogue gives it to him without any remark.

Cavallero Maximo. Gladiators; its companion.—Theſe two pictures hang over the doors, and have both great merit.

Titian. Venus and Adonis, and Europa on the Bull, its companion.—Theſe alſo hang over the doors; and are beautiful pictures: Every ſpectator muſt regret that they are not brought down [35] nearer to the eye; but theſe and many other inſtances occur of overſights in the hanging of this collection, which I am informed was arranged by Mengs, and, as it ſhould ſeem, with ſome partiality to his own performances.

King's Dreſſing-Room.

Velaſquez. A group of Spaniards carouſing. Theſe ruſtic Bacchanalians are evidently ſketched from nature: Bacchus is introduced ſitting on a caſk, putting a garland on the head of a Peaſant, who kneels at his feet: On his left hand is a group of five other ruſtics, one of which holds a goblet of wine, another a can, and another has a leather bag ſlung acroſs his ſhoulder; [36] their faces are groteſque and ſavage, and ſtrongly marked with the Caſtilian caſt of features: On the right hand of Bacchus are two figures attendant upon him; one of theſe is naked, and ſits at his back, leaning on one elbow, and in the other hand holding a narrow-bottomed drinking glaſs with wide lips; the other is in ſtrong ſhade in the fore-ground, his face turned from the ſpectator, in a crouching attitude, embracing a large earthen amphora, which ſtands on the ground; both theſe figures are crowned with wreaths of vine; and the God, who has a mantle looſely thrown over his waiſt, has his whole head covered with a large cluſter of broad vine leaves, [37] in a grand and pictureſque ſtile: His countenance is ſtrongly charactered in the Mooriſh or Andaluſian caſt, with a broad noſe, full lips, wide mouth, and black ſparkling eyes: The figures are of the ſize of life. A very capital compoſition.

Velaſquez. A compoſition on the ſubject of Mercury and Argos: Its companion.

Velaſquez. The Forge of Vulcan. The Cyclops are at work, and Apollo is introduced, who is diſcloſing to Vulcan the intrigues of Venus with Mars. The painter has here choſen a ſubject, which enables him to diſplay his art in its ſulleſt extent, and he has perſormed [38] it with conſummate addreſs. The effect of light and ſhade from the reflection of the forge, and the ſparks which fly from their hammers, produce a ſtriking effect. The athletic forms and duſky hues of the Cyclops are artfully contraſted with the beautiful proportions and fine tints of Apollo's perſon: The character of Vulcan is finely conceived, the ſtory well told, and the group diſpoſed with great judgment.

Velaſquez. The celebrated picture of the Tapeſtry-workers, or women weaving tapeſtry; a wonderful repreſentation of nature in the beſt ſtile of the maſter, and of his cleareſt colouring.

[39]

Velaſquez. The famous Aquador, or Water-bearer of Seville. One of his earlieſt productions, (See Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 6.)

Velaſquez. Two pourtraits of Dwarfs, ſitting on the ground. Theſe Dwarfs belonged to Philip IV. One has a large volume before him, and is turning over the leaves; by his ſide are pen and ink and a common-place book. A correct reſemblance of deformed nature.

Velaſquez. A full-length pourtrait of an Old Man with papers in his hand, ſaid to be the Alcalde Ronquillo.

Velaſquez. Two full-length [40] pourtraits of dignified characters. Very fine.

Theſe compleat the number of ten pictures by this maſter here brought together, and though there may be ſuperior pictures of Velaſquez in this palace, in the Eſcorial, and particularly the Dead Chriſt on the Croſs, in the monaſtery of San Placido, yet there can no where be ſeen ſuch a collection of his works under one view; and whatever lover of the art ſhall enter this room, I am perſuaded he will not depart from it without a very high reſpect for this illuſtrious Spaniard.

Murillo. Two large and fine compoſitions on ſcriptural ſubjects, viz.

  • The Annunciation, and
  • The Nativity.
[41]

Murillo. Two ſmall ditto, very delicately touched, and finely coloured, viz.

  • The Eſpouſals of Mary the Mother of Chriſt, and
  • An Infant Jeſus ſleeping.

Murillo. A Jeſus with St. John the Baptiſt, in his laſt and beſt manner: An exquiſite piece; middle ſized.

Murillo. A Holy Family, large ſize.

Murillo. A Virgin half-length, with the Infant Jeſus entire, ſtanding.

Lanfranc. An Aſſumption, with a Glory of Angels; ſmall ſize; very beautiful. Ponz, in his Directory, calls this a Guido.

[42]

Vandyke. Two pourtraits of Ladies of the Auſtrian houſe, in the religious habit of the Royal Carmelitiſh convent: One of them appears to be the Infanta Don̄a Margarita: Both half-lengths.

Titian. Three half-length pourtraits of noble perſons.

Spagnolet.

  • Saint John,
  • Saint Bartholomew,
  • Mary Magdalene, and
  • Mary of Egypt.

Exquiſite ſamples of a maſter, whoſe merit cannot be fully known but to thoſe who have ſeen his works in his native country.

Luca Jordano. The Flight into Egypt.

[43] Abraham ſacrificing his Son, its companion.

David Teniers. Four landſcapes, with a great variety of figures; excellent.

There is alſo a picture, by a maſter unknown, in the Flemiſh ſtile, a compoſition of great labour and minuteneſs, after the manner of Brughel; repreſenting a cabinet ſurniſhed with a variety of pictures, ſtatues, flowers, and articles of different ſorts, highly finiſhed.

Mengs. A Nativity, the figures of the ſize of life.

This is his celebrated picture, which the king has covered with a magnificent plate of glaſs: It was painted at Rome, and ſent from [44] thence to Madrid. In the perſon of one of the Shepherds, the artiſt has introduced his own pourtrait: The whole is laboured with amazing care and ſtudy, and very tenderly coloured: His miniature-education is conſpicuous in this performance, and the Infant is remarkably diminutive and delicate: The ſubject perhaps precludes originality, and it does not ſeem to be attempted. It is ſcarce neceſſary to add, that this picture is a great court-favourite; all the works of Mengs are generally extolled in Spain, and this the moſt: I have obſerved, however, that the opinions of mankind at large, with regard to his rank in the liſt of artiſts, run much into oppoſite extremes; [45] and this is generally the fate which eminent men experience in the judgment of their contemporaries: This does not ſeem to proceed from any want of preſent capacity to aſcertain the degrees of merit in men, before Time has pronounced upon them with more authority, but is rather owing to the good and evil paſſions of mankind, to their likings and their antipathies, to an affectation of ſingularity, and a vanity to be thought a leader in taſte, and a diſcoverer of latent merit; ſurpriſed by theſe motives into ſudden applauſe, we commit ourſelves to it with a warmth which, though it frequently cools, we dare not diſavow, and thus become parties [46] in the reputation we are pledged to ſupport.

Mengs. An Incarnation, its companion: This alſo was painted in Rome, and tranſmitted from thence.

King's Cloſet.

Teniers. Twenty-four pictures of this much-admired maſter, ſmall in ſize, but of admirable execution, hang in this room, and form of themſelves a moſt valuable collection.

Two of theſe are ſatirical and ludicrous allegories on the ſubject of the Arts.

Two others are much in the ſame [47] ſtile, and repreſent the temptations of Saint Anthony.

The reſt are landſcapes of various ſorts, with figures and cattle: Of theſe I ſhall not offer any deſcription, which ſcenes of this ſort do not admit of like pictures upon hiſtorical ſubjects. The eye of the artiſt will dwell upon them with delight. If we may ſuppoſe for a moment that this whole magnificent collection was at ſale, perhaps theſe pictures of Teniers would be amongſt the very firſt that modern virtuoſi would reach at.

Wouvermans. An exquiſite picce: The landſcape a moſt beautiful country, with men and women, dogs and horſes, and all the concomitants [48] of a rural wake and merry-making.

Segers. A grand Flower-piece.

Brughel. Eight beautiful pictures: Three of theſe are Flower-pieces; the other five, ſmall fabulous compoſitions, with nymphs adorned with garlands of flowers, and various embelliſhments, rich and luxuriantly coloured: The whole a moſt captivating collection of a favourite maſter.

In this cloſet is a painted Cabinet, which would demand longer examination than I could devote to it; it is by a Flemiſh hand, but the maſter's name has eſcaped me, and my manuſcript catalogue does not mention it: It [49] is eſteemed a maſter-piece in its kind.

Paſſage-Room to the King's Bed-Chamber.

Alonzo Cano. A Dead Chriſt, ſupported by an Angel.

This noble Spaniard may be ſtyled the Michael Angelo of Spain; for he was architect, ſtatuary, and painter, and excelled in each. For his life, which is curious, See Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 72, &c.

Murillo. Head of an Ecce Homo.

Do of a Madona; both ſmall pieces, very fine.

A ſingle figure of the tutelar Saint James to the knees; excellent; [50] in his beſt and brighteſt manner.

Spagnolet. Saint Francis de Aſis, half-length.

Saint Geronimo, a companion.

Amongſt all the works of this artiſt, whether here or in the Eſcorial, I have not met one, which did not engage my admiration; and I was ſurpriſed to find him as great a maſter of grace and beauty, as he is of effect.

Cavallero Maximo. A Magdalene, half-length.

Mengs. A Holy Family, large ſize.

Baroccio. A Laſt Supper, ſmall, and of exquiſite delicacy.

[51]

Leonardo da Vinci. Herodias with the head of John the Baptiſt; half-length, ſmall ſize, very fine; but its originality doubtful.

Luca Jordano. A Madona, half-length, with the Child ſleeping; Saint John kiſſing his feet, and Saint Joſeph in the background: An oval, painted in the manner of Raphael; a charming piece. A very curious ſample of the imitative powers of this ingenious painter.

Joſeph de Arpino. The Martyrdom of Saint Ines; a glory, with Saints and the Bleſſed Virgin in the clouds. Clement VIII. made this painter a knight of Chriſt, and Louis XIII. of France gave him [52] the order of Saint Michael: He died at Rome in 1640, aged eighty years.

This chamber being only a paſſage-room between the dreſſing-room and bed-chamber, is lighted only from the glaſs doors, and very unfavourable to the excellent pictures it contains.

King's Bed-Chamber.

Mengs. The king has here ſtrongly marked his predilection for Mengs, by admitting none but his paintings to hang in this chamber. Theſe conſiſt of ſix compoſitions of the ſize of life, and two ſmall ones, viz.

  • A Deſcent from the Croſs; both the Marys and Saint John are repreſented: [53] The air and expreſſion of the head of Saint John very capital, but cloſely copied from the Elder Mary, in a painting of Vandyke's on the ſame ſubject, which was long in Mengs's hands, and now in my poſſeſſion. In my opinion this compoſition is far the beſt of all his paintings in oil, that are in this palace.
  • The Eternal Father, enthroned amongſt the Angels in heaven: This hangs over the picture above-mentioned.
  • Chriſt praying in the Garden;
  • Chriſt appearing to Mary Magdalen;
  • Chriſt falling under the Croſs;
  • Chriſt ſcourged. Theſe four hang over the doors.

[54] Two ſmall pictures; one a Saint John, the other a Magdalen; highly finiſhed and well coloured. Of the pictures over the doors I cannot ſpeak in commendation.

King's Retiring-Room.

Vandyke. Pourtrait of a woman; ſmall ſize.

Guido. An Ecce Homo; a head, very fine.

Velaſquez, A Boy, full-length, with a dog.

Peaſant Boys, eating and drinking, of the ſize of life; half-length: In the back-ground a clear and beautiful landſcape.

Paul Veroneſe. Two ſmall pourtraits.

[55]

Titian. Two ſmall pourtraits.

Pouſſin. An old Bacchanal; inimitable: A landſcape in the back-ground.

Brughel. A moſt beautiful collection of landſcapes with hiſtorical figures, eight in number; amongſt theſe there is a Venus and Vulcan, very fine.—The Arts.—A Saint John the Baptiſt preaching, capital.—The Baths of Diana; the ſcenery moſt charming.

Teniers. Twenty ſmall compoſitions of this maſter, which, with the others above mentioned, make this cabinet ineſtimable.

Berbedel. A ſmall picture of a Dead Chriſt; very fine.

Queen's firſt Antichamber.

[56]

Lanfranc. A large and capital compoſition repreſenting a Royal Funeral, ſuppoſed to be that of Alexander, whoſe body is laid out in ſtate, and in front a fight of Gladiators, of the ſize of life.

Lanfranc. The Election of a Succeſſor, in which is introduced another combat of Gladiators: Both noble performances, in the beſt ſtile of the Maſter.

Lanfranc died at Rome in 1647, aged 66 years.

Guido. Love and Avarice, perſonified in the characters of two Boys; very beautiful.

[57]

Pouſſin. A very celebrated compoſition, repreſenting a grand Bacchanalian Sacrifice; prieſteſſes performing rites at the altars of Bacchus and Priapus: The landſcape undeſcribably rich and fine; a large-ſized picture.

What a noble ſubject had this been for our late incomparable Woollet! What a ſtudy for Artiſts! a picture formed to captivate all beholders.

Jordaens. Two allegorical Paintings over the doors, viz.

  • Wantonneſs, in the character of a Fawn.
  • Plenty, deſcribed by ſundry female figures bearing fruits and flowers; very like Rubens.
[58]

Titian. Philip the Third, of Spain;

A Venetian Cavalier; two excellent pourtraits.

Paul Veroneſe. Pourtrait of a Lady.

Youth, between Virtue and Vice; very fine.

Vandyke. Pourtrait of a man, full-length.

Velaſquez. Two pourtraits of Buffoons, full-lengths.

Alexander Andriens. Four ſmall pictures of Still Life, highly finiſhed.

Corrado. Original Sketches of the Ceilings of the Grand Staircaſe and Ball-Room.

[59]

Luca Jordano. Four compoſitions from the Hiſtory of Sampſon.

Three do of the Elements.

One large Hiſtorical Piece on the Subject of Solomon.

A ſmall compoſition of Hercules drawn by Centaurs.

A Companion, on the Story of Cephalus and Procris.

Rubens. A large and capital compoſition, on the ſubject of Orpheus harping to the Brutes.

This is truly an ineſtimable picture, giving ſuch a diſplay of colouring as can hardly be conceived: It was painted by him in Spain, in his beſt age and manner.

[60]

Flemiſh, Painter unknown. Three landſcapes, and one large do.

Queen's Second Antichamber.

Lanfranc. Julius Caeſar haranguing his Soldiers, large ſize: This picture does honour to the ſchool of the Caraccis.

French School (Painter unknown.) Two large compoſitions; a public entry, as it ſhould ſeem, of ſome ambaſſador.

Luca Jordano. Eſau ſelling his birth-right to Jacob.

Bathſheba in the bath.

Carlo Maratti. Two half-lengths of women with baſkets of flowers; very beautiful.

[61]

Cavallero Maximo. A ſacrifice for Bacchus.

Andrea Vaſari. The Life of St. Catherine, in four compoſitions.

A Magdalen.

Spagnolet. A Saint Bartholemew, half-length; horribly fine.

Corrado. Two original Sketches of Freſcos.

Two large Landſcapes over the doors, of great merit.

Brughel. Two moſt charming Flower-pieces.

Jordaens. A capital compoſition of Fruits and Flowers, with a Female Figure to the knees.

Queen's Dining Room.

[62]

Luca Jordano. The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence, large ſize; four compoſitions from the Hiſtory of the Bleſſed Virgin.

A Saint Peter.

A Mary Magdalen.

A Transfiguration.

A Saint Michael, being the original deſign for the great alter-piece in the King's chapel.

A Battle-piece.

Vaſari. Two ſmall compoſitions from the Story of Saint Cayetan.

Corrado. Three original Sketches of Freſcos.

[63]

Teniers. An Armoury; very fine.

Teniers. A very curious and capital picture, in which the Artiſt has drawn himſelf ſitting in his painting-room, where is a grand collection of ſtatues, pictures, and deſigns; which, without doubt, is a pourtrait in all particulars.

Of all the pictures of Teniers, I have ever ſeen, this I think the moſt to be coveted and admired: Another excellent ſubject for an engraving.

Brughels. Four fine Sea Pieces.

Two Landſcapes.

One do, of a large ſize.

Three ſmall Flower-pieces; a very valuable collection.

Queen's Great Sa [...]

[64]

Titian. A full-length pourtrait of the Emperor Charles V. on foot, with a large maſtiff, painted at Bologna before Titian entered into his ſervice, and as he was on his way to Rome. To this pourtrait Titian applied his utmoſt art, and his ſucceſs paved the way to the favour, in which he was ever after held by the Emperor.

Zelma, a Spaniſh Artiſt of great merit, has engraved this pourtrait very finely: It is bound up with the new publication of Sepulveda's Works; in which is contained the Hiſtory of Charles V. written in pure Latin, with other matters, hiſtorical and miſcellaneous, of a [65] very curious nature: This work is compriſed in four quarto volumes, and was publiſhed whilſt I was in Spain.

Titian. Philip the Second of Spain; a capital pourtrait.

Pourtrait of a man, half-length.

Do of a woman, do.

Rubens. The Rape of Proſerpine; a capital compoſition.

A Garden Scene, in which he has introduced his family; the figures ſmall.

A magnificent compoſition, exhibiting a very fine Landſcape, in which he has introduced a prieſt in the act of carrying the viaticum to a dying perſon: The prieſt is [66] mounted on a horſe, which is led by a count of Augſberg.

This is one of the many capital pictures of this maſter to be found in Spain, which have conſpired to impreſs me with the higheſt veneration for his talents. Perhaps I have already tired the reader with too many attempts at deſcribing objects, which intereſted my feelings upon the contemplation of them; and therefore, altho' few occaſions can offer, which might better warrant the endeavour, I ſhall venture upon nothing more than to recommend it to the traveller, who ſhall viſit this collection, if he condeſcends to take this Directory in his hand, to ſtop at this picture; and if he beſtows his [67] attention upon it, I am perſuaded he will not withhold his admiration.

Velaſquez. Four capital pourtraits, full-length, viz.

  • Margaret of Auſtria.
  • Philip the Second.
  • Philip the Third of Spain.
  • An African commander, ſuppoſed to be the famous Barbaroſſa.

Luca Jordano. Four great Hiſtorical Pieces, on the ſubject of Solomon.

Three ſabulous compoſitions, viz. Pluto in his car; Jupiter; and a Daedalus.

Jordaens. Still Life; Fruits, and various Viands.

[68]

Corrado. Sketches of emblematic Figures; Juſtice, Peace, &c.

Flemiſh. Two large and fine Landſcapes.

Queen's Bed-Chamber.

Vandyke. Chriſt betrayed and ſeized by Judas and his followers, a night-piece.

Mengs, in his Obſervations upon the Royal Collection, particularizes this picture; and ſays it is painted with great taſte, and coloured to as great a perfection as the ſcene, which is by night, will admit of. Undoubtedly it merits the warmeſt admiration, and is a very capital picture of the maſter.

[69]

Luca Jordano. Four, Hiſtories from the Life of St. Anthony.

Two, from that of Solomon.

Two, of the Bleſſed Virgin.

Two, of St. Nicholas de Bari, and St. Francis Xavier.

Two others, of the Incarnation.

Pedro Orrente. Orpheus harping to the Brute Creation; very fine.

Of the School of Guido. Chriſt laid in the Sepulchre.

Vaſari. The four Cardinal Virtues.

St. Roſalia, ſupported by Angels.

Carlo Maratt. St. Anthony adording the Infant Chriſt; a very [70] charming picture; a cloſe copy of his maſter Andrea Sacchi.

Paul Veroneſe. A capital Painting of Suſanna and the Elders.

Prince of Aſturias's Saloon.

Luca Jordano. Four ſmall Pictures; two of which are Battlepieces; one, a Rape of the Sabines; and the other, a Curtius leaping the gulph.

A Seneca expiring in the bath, dictating to his diſciples in his laſt moments.

I believe the picture at Burleigh is a fac-ſimile of this; but I did not carry it ſufficiently in mind to be ſure of the aſſertion.

[71]

Velaſquez. St. Anthony converſing in the Deſart with St. Paul the Hermit;

A celebrated figure of the God Mars; both capital.

Spaniolet. Eſau ſelling his Birthright, finely treated, with great effect of light and ſhade, and ſtrong expreſſion of nature.

Lanfranc. Two magnificent Deſigns, viz.

  • A Naval Combat in an amphitheatre;
  • A Pagan Sacrifice; in which a Roman Emperor is officiating in perſon; maſterly and bold compoſitions; large.

Rubens.

Mercury and Argos.

Satyrs.

[72]

School of Rubens. A Triumph, in which is introduced a combat of Gladiators, male and female.

Two compoſitions upon the Allegories of the Senſes and Elements.

Jordaens. A Pomona; the ſcenery very beautiful.

Prince's Dining-Room.

Velaſquez. Vulcan at his Forge.

The Prince of Spain mounted on a beautiful Spaniſh Jennet, in full ſpeed. The ſpirit, which the painter has thrown into this pourtrait, and the truth, with which it is drawn and coloured, render it a moſt admirable piece of art. I have an etching from this pourtrait.

[73]

Velaſquez. A grand and celebrated piece of hiſtory, upon a very large canvas, repreſenting the famous General Peſcara receiving the keys of a Flemiſh citadel from the Governor of the place; the groupe of Generals, Soldiers, Citizens, Horſes, &c. and the ſtriking effect of the town and landſcape in the back-ground, all in the moſt harmonious perſpective, have eſtabliſhed the fame of this noble picture, in the opinion of judges, as one of the firſt, if not the very firſt, production of the maſter. Mengs ſays decidedly that it is the chefd'oeuvre of Velaſquez, and has pronounced it to be faultleſs, except in the circumſtance of the ſoldiers' lances, which he criticiſes as being [74] too long: Surely this is a very trivial remark, to fall from the pen of ſo great authority, and, trivial as it is, there is great reaſon to doubt if it is founded in truth. After all, if the painter has enlarged upon the actual height of Peſcara's lances for the purpoſe of effect, who would expect that any eminent critic, after pronouncing the compoſition faultleſs in every noble part, would ſeriouſly ſtate this remark as a ſingle exception? Let us therefore admit, with Mengs, that Velaſquez has taken a wrong meaſure of Peſcara's lances; but at the ſame time let us take his word for the perfection of the picture in every other reſpect. If any lover of the art, who reſorts to this collection, [75] ſhould at the ſame time diſcover that there is one foot in the famous Paſmo de Sicilia more than can be accounted for, I hope for his ſake it will not abate the rapture he would elſe receive in the contemplation of ſuch unrivalled compoſitions.

Velaſquez. Philip the Second of Spain;

Philip the Third; both full-length pourtraits, by the ſame great maſter; and both very fine.

Two full-length characters, of Aeſop one, and the other of Maenippus; of the ſtrongeſt expreſſion, and in a great ſtile. Of theſe two I have etchings.

Two half-length pourtraits; one [76] of which is a very intereſting and curious picture of the unfortunate Antonio Perez: It hangs near the pourtrait of Philip the Second.

A View of the Palace of the Pardo, in which he has introduced the perſons of Philip IV. and the Princeſs Margaret of Auſtria. This compleats a liſt of ten paintings by Velaſquez in this chamber; few apartments can be more royally furniſhed.

Pedro Mazo. A perſpective View of the City of Saragoſſa, with the courſe of the river Ebro, and a group of figures; a fine and elaborate piece.

Titian. Six pourtraits; four of men and two of women, all half-lengths.

[77]

Titian. An Orpheus; this picture is highly celebrated: Of his beſt age and manner.

Tintorett. Judith and Holofernes; capital.

Solimena. Six hiſtories of Solomon, over the doors.

Murillo. An Old Woman ſelling grapes;

A Country-fellow ſelling wine; both half-lengths.

Theſe are reputed to be the moſt finiſhed heads Murillo ever painted; they are the nature itſelf, coloured to a miracle.

The Infant Don Gabriel has copied them in ſifted cloth with great truth and exactneſs, and has hung [78] them in his lodge at the Eſcorial. There are alſo good engravings of them taken in Spain, of which I have copies.

Antony Coypel. The Elders accuſing Suſanna.

Spagnolet. A ſmall copy from Raphael.

Wouvermans. Two moſt beautiful Landſcapes; companions.

Teniers. Two Alchymiſts; very fine:

Two ſmall Paintings; companions.

A large and moſt capital Landſcape.

Brughels. Two charming Landcapes, with variety of animals.

Paſſage-Room.

[79]

Teniers. Eight ſmall Sketches; two of them Landſcapes.

Brughels. Eight Flower-pieces.

Ten ſmall Landſcapes; ſome with fabulous ſtories introduced.

Pedro Orrente. Four Landſcapes with figures; eſteemed very capital.

Murillo. An Old Woman peeling a lemon; half-length: A very natural character; much admired.

Corrado. Four Sketches of deſigns in freſco.

Vato. Two Landſcapes with figures, perſonating Peace and Plenty.

[80]

Flemiſh. Still life; Fiſh and ſundry Viands.

Prince's Dreſſing-Room.

Raphael. The celebrated picture called PASMO DE SICILIA, purchaſed by Philip the Fourth of the Monks of Palermo, and by him termed La Joya, in preference to all others! An annual-rent of one thouſand ſcudi was the price at which the king purchaſed it of the monks of our Lady dello Spaſimo; and hence it got the name of Paſmo de Sicilia. Vaſari, and the celebrated canon of Valencia, Don Vicente Victoria, and in late times Mengs, have all written largely in teſtimony of its unrivalled excellence; and there ſeems a general [81] concurrence amongſt the judges of the art to ſet it down as the maſter-piece of Raphael. In my ſecond volume of the Anecdotes of Spaniſh Painters I have collected ſeveral circumſtances relating to this famous picture, and attempted a deſcription of it, which, if the reader is diſpoſed to, refer to will be found in vol. ii. from page 172 to 182, incluſive.

Rubens. The Adoration of the Magi.

This picture, like the Laſt Supper of Titian in the Refectory of the Eſcorial, is the ſtandard work of its maſter. It was begun in Flanders; enlarged, retouched and finiſhed during his embaſſy in Spain; nothing that his art, genius and induſtry [82] could effect is omitted: In grandeur of deſign, diſplay of colouring, dignity of character; in compoſition, drawing, perſpective, harmony, it is a model of excellence: Rubens, in putting his laſt hand to it, has inſerted his own pourtrait amongſt the groupe of the Magi; the nobleſt ſignature that could be ſet upon his canvaſs.

The figures are the ſize of life.

Rubens. A Holy Family; a groupe of Female Saints and Boys in various employments: The ſcenery and embelliſhments of this rich and noble compoſition are admirable.

Vaſari. Five hiſtorical pieces, taken from the Story of Saint Cayetan; companions.

[83]

Murillo. A large Holy Family; the Mother and Saviour to the knees.

Spagnolet. A celebrated picture, repreſenting the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew; a maſter-piece of anatomical art and terrible expreſſion.

A Saint Benito, and a Saint Geronimo, both penitential characters, finely deſigned, and of the tendereſt expreſſion; a ſtriking contraſt to the Saint Bartholomew.

A Mary Magdalen; a touching and moſt delicate deſign, conceived and executed with all the grace of the Italian ſtudent, and all the nature of the Spaniſh maſter.

The genius of Spagnolet, like his fortune, ſeems always to be engaged on ſubjects either of terror or of pity; [84] he never draws but with a tragic pencil, and ſo truly, that he gives the nature itſelf upon his canvaſs: In melancholy grace and penitential beauty he is equal to Guercino; in anatomical ſcience and muſcular correctneſs he ranks with Leonardo de Vinci, and in the ſublime and terrible approaches to Michael Angelo. The examples of his art, which he has left in Spain, if they were generally known, would, I am perſuaded, warrant what I now venture to ſay; and for his life and misfortunes, which are very intereſting, I beg leave to refer once more to the Anecdotes, vol. i. page 197.

Andrea Sacchi. A Nativity; a large and capital compoſition.

[85]

Mengs. A Nativity; large ſize.

Luca Jordano. An Incarnation.

A Flight into Egypt.

Vandyke. A Mary Magdalen, ſmall ſize, under a groupe of Angels in the Clouds.

An hiſtorical compoſition from the Story of Saint Roſalia.

Pouſſin. A Saint Cecilia; full length.

Titian. An Ecce Homo; alſo A Mater doloroſa; capital heads.

Gerard Sepez. A Virgin, with Flowers thrown round, in a frame.

Albert Durer. A Virgin, dead; the Apoſtles are introduced as miniſtering on the occaſion. A very curious and claborace piece of art.

[86]

Leonardo de Vinci. A Madona and Child, half-length; alſo

A Madona with the Child, full-length and erect; very fine.

Andrea del Sarto. A Madona, ſomething more than half-length, with the Child entire.

A ſmall Holy Family, from Raphael.

Vaſari. A Nativity; ſmall.

Brughels. An Adoration of the Magi; alſo

The Deſcent into Egypt, companions, ſmall ſize.

A Madona, with Chaplets of Flowers, in frame-work, highly eſteemed.

Palma. A Madona and Child; a perſon is introduced who preſents [87] his family in adoration of the Infant Saviour; a capital picture.

Juan Antonio Regilio, called Bordonon. A Madona and Child; various Saints adoring; half-length; very fine.

Pedro Cortona. A Magdalen, ſize of life.

Carlo Maratt. A Saint Roſalia, ſize of life.

The Oratory.

Salvator Roſa. A Madona and Child, with Saint Joſeph; a capital picture.

Luca Jordano. A large Altar-piece; Our Saviour bearing his Croſs; alſo

Two Side-pieces, viz. an Annunciation, and Nativity.

[88]

Andrea del Sarto. A Holy Family, very beautiful.

Prince's Bed-Chamber.

Daniel Criſpio. A Dead Chriſt ſupported by his Mother, an Angel weeping over the body; a large piece.

Raphael. A Madona, of ſmall ſize, embracing the Child.

Corregio. Chriſt praying in the Garden;

A ſmall picture, but of inexpreſſible beauty, and magical effect of colouring. It has been particularly celebrated by Mengs in his Remarks. The figure of Chriſt receives its light from a Glory; the ſcene is by night; a reflected light from the Saviour [89] ſtrikes on the Angel, who is attending for his conſolation: The manner in which this emanation is reflected and diffuſed through the piece to the extremities of the background, and the exquiſite gradations obſerved in its diſtribution, are in the higheſt degree characteriſtic of the maſter. Mengs remarks, that Chriſt and the Miniſtering Angel are the only figures which meet the eye upon a firſt view; a cloſer examination brings forward many other objects and much beautiful ſcenery. This is truly obſerved; for the Troop that come to ſeize our Saviour, the Apoſtles ſtanding aloof under the ſhade of Trees, the Foliage of the Grove, the Herbage of the Garden, a Crown of Thorns, a Croſs fixt in the [90] earth, and ſeveral other emblematic objects ſuitable to the action, come by degrees into view, and ſtart up like viſions created by the fancy of the ſpectator rather than by the pencil of the artiſt.

Corregio. A Madona and Child, with Saint Joſeph at a diſtance.

Mengs obſerves that this may be called a ſketch, as it plainly appears that the attitude and action of the Mother and Child have undergone ſeveral alterations in point of diſpoſition; by a peculiar management of the middle imperceptible tints in this ſmall, yet ineſtimable painting, there is produced a very wonderful effect of ſize and grandeur, from figures which do not meaſure [91] two inches. Mengs pronounces that Corregio poſſeſt this art of treating lights and ſhades in the firſt degree; Velaſquez in the ſecond to Corregio, and Rembrandt next to Velaſquez: He adds, that the Child in this ſketch is a model of conſummate excellence, not only from the incomparable management of the Clear-obſcure, but alſo from the colouring, character, drawing and divine grace. Of the outline he ſpeaks with rapture, and remarks that Corregio, in this moſt difficult branch of his art, was never equalled by any but the great Michael Angelo and Raphael Urbin.

Corregio. A Head of Saint John; of a ſweet character, and beautifully treated.

[92]

Leonardo de Vinci. A Madona and Child, ſmall ſize;

A Holy Family; alſo

A Madona and Child, and Saint John; beautiful ſamples, and in fine preſervation.

Rubens. Two Heads of Old Men; ſketch-like and very grand.

Andrea del Sarto. A large Holy Family, from Raphael.

Julio Romano. A Holy Family, the ſize of life; conſiſting of a Madona and Child, Saint John and Saint Joſeph. The compoſition and drawing is attributed to Raphael, the finiſhing to Julio Romano.

Vaſari. Two ſmall hiſtorical pieces, from the Story of Saint Cayetan.

[93]

Velaſquez. A large and noble compoſition, repreſenting the Crowning of the Holy Mother of Chriſt.

Titian. Saint Margaret and the Dragon, large ſize; a brilliant compoſition; alſo

Mary worſhipping Chriſt, in his firſt ſtile.

Guido Rheni. Saint Denis with his Croſs; a large and capital piece.

Mengs. A Flight into Egypt; large ſize.

Claudio Coello. Saint Fernando worſhipping the Virgin, who is ſeated on a Throne, with the Infant Jeſus, in a rich and ſplendid Apartment; a beautiful Landſcape is diſcovered in the back-ground: A large and fine compoſition, painted with great [94] expreſſion and effect, in the beſt manner of the maſter.

This painter was a native of Spain, out of which he never travelled; a diſciple of Franciſco Ricci, and royal artiſt in the court of Philip IV. His pictures are highly eſteemed in Spain, and I have met ſome admirers of them, who do not ſcruple to prefer him to Murillo, Spagnolet, and even to Velaſquez. His maſter-piece is the great picture in the ſacriſty of the Eſcorial, upon which he expended ſeven years labour: Of this, and many other anecdotes of his hiſtory, I have given an account, vol. ii. page 130, &c.

Paul Veroneſe. Jeſus diſputing with the Doctors in the Temple. This [95] I conceive to be a picture of great beauty, majeſty and effect; the compoſition is full and finely diſpoſed; the characters ſublime and majeſtic, marked with ſtriking diſcrimination and contraſt: The architecture is ſuperb; the colouring clear and of a moſt captivating brilliancy: The character of Chriſt is divinely conceived, and of matchleſs beauty. The picture is of large ſize, and a moſt capital performance of the maſter.

The Receiving Room.

Rembrandt. Cleopatra receives the Cup of melted Pearl from the Hands of a Female Slave. An ineſtimable picture, in his fineſt ſtile; large ſize.

[96]

Spagnolet. A Combat of Gladiators. This picture is eſteemed one of the very beſt of the maſter; it is a ſtudy for an Academy. The attitudes of the Combatants, the ſpirit of their characters, and the great truth and correctneſs of drawing, cannot be too much admired. The ſubject was well choſen to diſplay the ſcience of the painter in the muſcles and proportions of the human figure, naked and in the ſtrongeſt exertion of manly vigour.

Murillo. A Judith with the Head of Holofernes; a Female Servant with a Light; half-length: This is managed with great ſkill and effect; it is a ſtudy from nature admirably executed.

[97]

Titian. Two moſt capital compoſitions, celebrated through Europe, and juſtly recorded by Mengs as the moſt conſummate models of beauty. One repreſents a group of Boys and Cupids; the other of Bacchanals; companions. ‘"The figures in each are of the third part of the natural ſize: In the fore-ground of the group of Bacchanals there is a young Female Reveller ſleeping, of which Mengs ſpeaks in raptures of admiration, and concludes his remarks on this picture by obſerving, that all the harmonious accompaniments of Sky, variegated Ground, with deep and tender ſhades of the Trees, form ſuch an aſſemblage of beautiful objects in nature perfectly imitated, that he [98] does not think the world poſſeſſes a better picture in this ſtile. The Boys and Cupids in the other piece are grouped with wonderful variety of attitudes; they are engaged in puerile ſports under a Grove of Apple-trees, the fruit of which they have ſcattered on the ground, and are playing with it in the moſt gay and natural manner. It is equally excellent with its companion. Theſe pictures were formerly in the Ludovici palace at Rome, and were a preſent to the king of Spain. Sandrart reports of this group of Cupids, that it ſerved for a ſtudy to Domeniquino, Pouſſin, and Flameneco; Albano has taken part of it into a compoſition of his painting, and [99] there are copies of both theſe companions by Rubens in the palace: Of theſe Mengs ſays, that they are like an elegant author tranſlated into Dutch, where the ſentiments of the original may be gueſſed at, but all the grace is vaniſhed." (Anecdotes, vol. i. p. 60.) What ſubjects for an eminent engraver!

Titian. Three pourtraits, half-length, one of a Man, another of a Woman, and a third of a Girl.

Leonardo de Vinci. Three exquiſite pourtraits, three quarters. One of theſe is of Ann Bullen, exceeding beautiful, but of a wanton, ſly character: The other two are alſo of Women.

[100]

Rubens. Two capital and full-ſized Landſcapes; in one of which he has introduced his own Family; the ſcene a Garden.

Two ſmaller ditto; in one a Diana in the Chace, companions; extremely fine.

Brughels. Two ſmall Landſcapes; one repreſenting an Allegory of Love and War; the other of Love protecting the Arts.

A third ſmall Landſcape, with a variety of Animals.

Luca Jordano. A large compoſition on the ſubject of Love and War, in the ſtile of Rubens, whom he has introduced in the act of painting the very picture in queſtion. A valuable and very curious picture.

[101]

Paul Veroneſe. Moſes ſaved by Pharaoh's Daughter; a ſmall piece, of great beauty and maſterly compoſition.

Mengs. Four pictures over the doors; viz. Morning, Noon, Evening, and Midnight.

Teniers. Two capital Landſcapes, companions.

Firſt Cloſet.

Mengs. Four pourtraits; viz.

  • The Reigning Sovereign;
  • The Prince of Aſturias;
  • The Princeſs of Aſturias;
  • The late Queen.

Vanlo. Three pourtraits (copies) viz.

  • The Infant Don Philip;
  • [102] Queen Iſabella;
  • The Conſort of Don Philip.

Antonio Ynza. Four pourtraits, viz.

  • The Infanta Donna Joſepha;
  • The Infant Don Gabriel;
  • The Infant Don Antonio; and
  • Don Franciſco Xavier.

Second Cloſet.

Rubens. Six ſmall ſketches of his famous tapeſtry deſigns, repreſenting the Triumph of the Church.

Albert Durer. Three curious pourtraits; viz.

  • Calvin,
  • Luther, and
  • His own.
[103]

Titian. A moſt lovely pourtrait of a Boy.

Baſan. Two ſmall compoſitions; one of the Adoration; the other, Chriſt praying in the Garden; both admirable.

Wouvermans. Two ſmall landſcapes with figures, companions.

Anti-Chamber of the Princeſs.

Luca Jordano. The miraculous Draught of Fiſhes;

Chriſt purging the Temple;

Abſalom caught by the Hair;

David and Abigail.

Four Battle-pieces, ſmall ſize: In one of theſe he has repreſented Francis I. of France taken Priſoner.

[104] A compoſition, emblematic of the Four Quarters of the Globe.

Rubens. A large and capital picture upon the Story of Marſyas and Apollo, Pan and Faunus in the group.

The Story of the Centaurs; very capital.

Two companions; viz.

  • Saturn, and
  • The Rape of Ganymede; ſmall ſize.

Two ſmall pictures, companions; viz.

  • An Icarus and Apollo, and
  • A Narciſſus; beautiful.

A large compoſition on a ſcriptural ſubject, of which there is a copy by Murillo.

[105]

Villa Vicenzi. A Scriptural Compoſition, companion in ſize with the above, in the ſtile of Murillo. The name of this painter was Pedro Nun̄ez, a diſciple of Mathias Preti, commonly called El Cavellero Calabrès. He died at Seville in 1700.

Flemiſh. A beautiful group of Fruits and Flowers; painter unknown.

Mazo. Philip IV. with his Queen and Dames of Honour: Mazo was a diſciple of the famous Velaſquez.

I have now gone through the Catalogue of this noble collection; and, as I have reaſon to think it is the only correct and entire account yet [106] publiſhed, I hope it will be acceptable to the curious reader. Mengs's remarks only go to a few pictures, and the account of them in the Viage de Eſpan̄a, by Don Antonio Ponz, is very far from perfect, though it is a work otherwiſe replete with intereſting information; and, as a general directory to travellers in Spain, no book can be better contrived.

If the lovers of the art are curious to analyze this account, and ſeparate the reſpective works of the ſeveral great maſters, they will find it to be a vaſt collection, which the Spaniſh monarchs Charles V. Philip II. III. and IV. amaſſed within the periods of their reigns: And if we add to this the great collection in the Eſcorial, that of the Buen-Retiro, [107] the many fine pictures which were burnt in the Pardo, and ſome of the moſt capital which have been diſcarded in the preſent reign, the amount will appear prodigious, and, I apprehend, is not to be equalled by any other ſingle collection in Europe.

Of Titian, Velaſquez, Rubens, Murillo and Spagnolet, I find above one hundred and forty pictures in this ſingle Catalogue; forty-three of which are by the hand of Titian: I muſt take the liberty notwithſtanding to ſuggeſt that this collection would ſtill allow of many draughts to be made; and if theſe vacancies were filled up from the Buen-Retiro only (not to mention the Eſcorial) it would be much more perfect. [108] Some of Luca Jordano's pictures might well be ſpared; Corrado's ſketches, the pourtraits of Vanlo and Ynza, and ſome of Mengs's inferior performances, would be well exchanged for a ſelect number of Baſſan's from the old Palace, for a capital Lucretia by Guido, which hangs there in obſcurity, and many others that might be named.

It is alſo to be regretted, that Velaſquez's famous picture of Jacob receiving the bloody Coat of his Son Joſeph, and a very fine Guercino on the ſubject of Suſanna and the Elders, both which now hang in a wretched hole in the Eſcorial, not appropriated to any ſacred uſes, ſhould not be removed from thence, and added to the royal collection.

[109] Advantageous changes might alſo be made in the arrangement of the pictures; for in the quarter belonging to the Prince and Princeſs many capital pictures of Raphael, Corregio, Leonardo de Vinci, Julio Romano, Andrea Sacchi, Andrea del Sarto, and others, are very unfavourably hung; the chamber in which the principal pieces are, being a mean obſcure room, filled with lumber, and not in the ſuite of great apartments: The maſters are claſſed, in general, without much ſcientific attention to their ſtiles of colouring; ſo that the florid pictures oftentimes brow-beat the more tender; and the cold, laboured regularity of Mengs ill contraſts the warm and glowing canvaſſes of Titian, Rubens, and Velaſquez. But if [110] this remark holds good againſt the ſorting of the pictures in this palace, how much more to be lamented is the condition of the capital pictures in the Eſcorial, where the inimitable Perla of Raphael, the Holy Family of Andrea del Sarto, and the famous Tintorett of Chriſt waſhing his Diſciples' Feet, hang aloft in duſt and darkneſs over the preſſes that contain the Reliques in the Sacriſty, and are almoſt totally out of ſight. This muſt be painful to every lover of the art, but to the Engliſh traveller more than any, who will naturally caſt a look of pity and affection towards theſe intereſting objects, once in the poſſeſſion of an elegant and unhappy monarch, who left them as monuments of his [111] taſte, to be alienated from his crown and nation by an unfeeling crew of fanatics, as barbarous as they were bloody.

It is to be regretted, that ſo few engravings have been taken from the capital pictures in Spain; I procured all that were to be had, and the collection is very ſmall: Two more may be ſoon expected by the hand of Zelma, an eminent artiſt; viz. of the Paſmo de Sicilia and the Perla: The Nra Sen̄ora del pez has been engraved by Bartolozzi. It were greatly to be wiſhed that proper encouragement ſhould be given to our young artiſts of talents to take drawings of ſome of theſe pictures above deſcribed; in which I am confident they would meet every poſſible favour [112] and protection from the royal owner of the collection. Several pictures might be pointed out in this Catalogue, and elſewhere, which would be admirable ſubjects, and raiſe the credit of our artiſts, already ſo high in eſtimation: At the ſame time that I venture to recommend this undertaking, I am not without ſome grounds to hope that it is in contemplation.

I ſhould here take notice, that in the above Catalogue no account is taken of the pictures in the apartments of the Infants Don Gabriel; Don Antonio and Don Luis: In the former there are ſix Sacred Hiſtories by Luca Jordano, from paſſages in the Life of the Virgin Mary; alſo an Abſalom, and a ſmall ſketch by [113] the ſame hand; two ſketches by Corrado; a Saint Joſeph, with the young Jeſus about ten years of age, by Spagnolet; a Saint Sebaſtian and a Magdalen, by the ſame; Charles V. haranguing his Army, by Titian; Orpheus harping to the Beaſts, by Rubens; and a Vulcan, by the ſame maſter; with a large Flemiſh painting of Still Life, finely coloured, and capital in its ſtile.

In the quarter of Don Antonio there are ſeveral by Luca Jordano on ſacred as well as fabulous ſtory: A pourtrait of a Youth in Armour, by Vandyke; another of Carreno, after Velaſquez; and a compoſition, after Rubens, on the ſubject of Moſes and Pharaoh's Daughter.

[114] In the apartments late appropriated to Don Luis we find the copies which Rubens made of Titian's famous pictures of the Cupids and Bacchanals above deſcribed, and which Mengs ſo tauntingly compared to a Dutch tranſlation: There are ſeveral others of the ſame maſter, particularly a Saint George ſlaying the Dragon, of the ſize of life, coloured with ſurpriſing brilliancy, but in a gaudy ſtile and flattering. Amongſt the works of Rubens there is an Archimedes, a Mercury, Hercules killing the Hydra, Apollo and Pan, and two pourtraits of Ladies of the Houſe of Medici, with ſome ſketches; two pourtraits by Vandyke, one very capital of the Infant Don Ferdinand. There is a Woman, with [115] ſeveral boys, in the manner of Leonardo de Vinci; a Scriptural Piece by Paul Veroneſe; a Chriſt, of the ſize of life, with the Croſs, by Guido; a pourtrait of a Woman, by Titian; of a Man, by Vandyke; and ſome beautiful Flower-pieces by Brughel.

Having mentioned ſome pictures caſt out of the royal collection, which I ſaw in the cuſtody of an artiſt belonging to the king, it may be proper to obſerve, that they conſiſt of five capital Titians; the firſt of which is his ineſtimable Venus, once the property of King Charles I. of England, deſcribed in the Anecdotes (vol. i. p. 56.) the greateſt model of beauty and perfection in the world: 2. A Venus and Cupid, with a Perſon in the back-ground playing on [116] an Organ, the Venus recumbent on a couch: 3. A Venus of the ſame ſize, attitude, &c. with the addition of a little Dog, which ſhe is careſſing: 4. A Venus in the action of holding back Adonis in her embrace, who is ſetting out for the chace with his dogs, &c. 5. A Danae, naked, receiving the golden ſhower: There is alſo a half-length pourtrait of Titian, by his own hand. Beſides theſe, there is a Venus, by Paul Veroneſe; and an Adonis and Cupid, by Annibal Caracci; an Atalanta and Hippomenes in the Race, by Guido, of conſummate beauty: The figures are of very tall life, the outline as glittering as Corregio, the limbs divinely graceful, and the air of the heads unſpeakably elegant and expreſſive; [117] the attitudes perhaps have more of the academy than might be wiſhed, the colouring warmer than his uſual hue. Of Rubens there are ſeveral, and ſuch as would dignify the firſt collections in Europe; viz. The Rape of the Sabines; The Baths of Diana; a Bacchanalian Triumph, wherein ſeveral Bacchants are plucking fruits, and the figure of Bacchus himſelf in a capital ſtile; a Perſeus and Andromeda, which is a wonderful picture; a group of Juno, Minerva, and Venus; Paris carrying away Helen, capital; and The Judgment of Paris, with the Rival Goddeſſes, a matchleſs piece of colouring; all of the ſize of life, and the very beſt of the maſter. There are [118] alſo two beautiful pictures by Albano; one of them The Judgment of Paris; the other a Venus coming out of the Bath; and a Lot and his Daughters, by Andrea del Sarto. I need not obſerve what an acceſſion theſe ineſtimable pictures might be to the collection in the palace.

The royal chapel of the palace is a very beautiful piece of architecture, ſupported by vaſt columns of Biſcayan black and white marble, each of one entire block; and in the ſacriſty and chaplain's room there are ſeveral fine pictures by Spagnolet, Murillo, Luca Jordano, Corrado, Cambiaſo, Alonzo Cano, and other Spaniſh maſters; beſides which there is a Deſcent from the Croſs, by Albert [119] Durer; and a Converſation-piece of Saint Anthony and Saint Paul the Hermit, by Andrea Sacchi.

Old Palace of the Buen-Retiro.

In the chamber called de los Reynos, there are twelve large Battle-pieces by Spaniſh maſters, and the Labours of Hercules, boldly executed by Franciſco Zurbaran.

In the anti-chamber to the queen's apartment there are two large pictures by Luca Jordano, ſome by Rico a Neapolitan, and the repreſentation of an Auto de Fé by Franciſco Rizi; a Roman Triumph, by Borgiani; and a fine pourtrait of Henry II. of France, aſcribed to Titian; alſo pourtraits of Ferdinand and Iſabella.

[120] In the chamber of Caſtrillo a Tantalus and an Ixion, both by Spagnolet, coloſſal, and of ſtriking expreſſion; a view of Saint Peter's in Rome, Saint Mark's Place in Venice, and the Vatican, with the Pope and Cardinals in proceſſion.

In a paſſage-room leading from this chamber there are ſome noble pictures of Snyders, John Tillen, and Peter de Vos; in the Hunting-pieces of De Vos there are ſeveral perſons introduced with wonderful ſpirit and expreſſion. A capital compoſition by Rubens of Hercules ſlaying the Hydra; the Queen Mother of Charles II. of Spain; two full-lengths of Charles V. by Juan Pantoia de la Cruz; two of Philip IV. of different ages; and one of a Buffoon, in the [121] ſtile of Velaſquez; ſeveral Sacred Hiſtories, finely executed by Baſſan, and ſome by Eſtevan Marc.

In a large room adjoining are two grand Hiſtorical Compoſitions by Pedro de Cortona, in both which he has introduced Pope Urban VIII. with his Cardinals, and views of the Vatican; two ſmall compoſitions on the ſubject of Diana, by Titian, painted in his latter age; a Mercury and Argos, by Jordaens, and ſeveral excellent Baſſans, and ſome landſcapes by Marc.

In the Court-room many pictures by Luca Jordano; a large Bacchanalian piece, by Cornelius de Vos; a large Fruit-piece, of unparalleled execution and variety, repreſenting [122] the Golden Age, by Adrian Van Utrecht, with nine figures of the School of Rubens; alſo another admirable piece of Fruits, Birds, &c. to which Van Utrecht has ſet his name and the date of the year 1642; Orpheus redeeming Eurydice from Hell, by Rubens; a capital Landſcape, ſigned with the Name of Jordaens, in which he has repreſented Vertumnus and Pomona, naked figures.

In a ſmall room next to this ſome copies by Luca Jordano, and a ſuperb picture by Rubens, repreſenting the Fall of the Giants; a Saturn devouring a Child, by the ſame. A fine compoſition, by Nicholas Pouſſin, with an Amphitheatre, and many [123] figures, amongſt which are four Elephants; and ſeveral other pictures, which I forbear to enumerate.

In one of the private chapels there is a fine Altar-piece by Vaſari, with the Holy Family at full-length, admirably executed; other pictures by Luca Jordano and the Spaniſh maſters.

In the paſſage to this chapel hangs an original drawing, by Raphael, of his famous Battle-piece of Conſtantine and Maxentius, now in the Vatican; an exquiſite Parmegiano of the Eſpouſals of Chriſt with Saint Catherine; the Centurion at the Feet of our Saviour, a fine picture by Paul Veroneſe; a grand Head of Saint Jerom, by Guido; the four Evangeliſts, by Rubens; and ſketches [124] of the famous pictures he made for the Convent of Loeches, by commiſſion from Olivarez; ſome heads of Martyrs by Spagnolet; ſeveral pictures by Corrado, and a very fine compoſition by Marc. All theſe valuable pieces are buried in a dark lobby, and every ſpectator, who has a feeling for merit in obſcurity, will regard them with a mixture of admiration and regret.

In the apartments of the Infants we again meet with ſeveral very fine Scriptural Hiſtories, by Baſſan, in a ſtile ſuperior to any thing I have elſewhere ſeen of that maſter; ſome landſcapes by Claud Lorrain, ſeveral large compoſitions by Sneyder, and a variety of pictures of the Spaniſh School.

[125] In the paſſage to this apartment many curious pieces will be found; amongſt them a Saint J [...]es, by Paul Veroneſe, very fine; a beautiful Vertumnus and Pomona, by Rubens; a half-length of a Woman with a baſket on her arm, by Spagnolet; a Saint Francis, by the ſame; ſome excellent pourtraits by Leonardo de Vinci, and other old maſters; a Boy and an old Woman, a candle-light, very capital, by Rembrandt; Pilate waſhing his Hands, by Guercino, a noble picture; and a Sacrifice to Pomona, exquiſitely finiſhed, by Jacobo Jordaeno.

In a room adjoining there is a great collection of Sneyders, Baſſan, Golze, Boſco, Dominichino, Franciſco Perez, Luca Jordano, and others.

[126] A Lucretia by Guido, full length, of the ſize of life, in the act of ſelf-deſtruction; a matchleſs picture, that would dignify the firſt collection in Europe.

In this deſerted palace are to be ſeen the celebrated freſcos of Luca Jordano, ſuppoſed to be the very beſt of the maſter: The climate at leaſt has been favourable to them, for they are in freſh and perfect preſervation.

In the queen's chamber are ſome incomparable performances of Gaſpar Pouſſin; a Firework in the Spaniſh Square at Rome, finely painted by Sebaſtian Conca; an Herodias, by Caravagio; a Hercules, by Caeſar Tracarzane, and many others worth attention.

[127] There is a grand ſketch of Tiniorett's famous Laſt Supper, in the quarter of the late Infant Don Luis; ſome fine Spagnolets, and two very curious Hiſtories of Adam and Eve, the ſize of life, ſigned as follows, Albertus Durerus Almanus faciebat poſt Virginis partum 1507.

The Theatre, though now in diſuſe, is extremely fine, and ſo contrived as to admit of the whole back ſcene to be occaſionally drawn off, and laid open to the garden: The paintings are by Amiconi.

From this imperfect account of the paintings in this deſerted palace, it will readily be acknowledged, that it ſtill contains a very reſpectable collection, and that a ſuperb gallery might be furniſhed by [128] draughts of the capital pictures ſtill remaining in it.

In the little ſuburban palace, called The Caſo del Càmpo, are ſome curious Caprichios of the noted Jacobo Calot, repreſenting the Temptations of St. Anthony, and an allegorical invention of Geronimo Boſch, which in wildneſs of idea exceeds every thing that ever fell from the pencil of an artiſt: The deſign is the Creation of Man, and the ſtate to which his nature may be reduced by vice, the painter having deſcribed the human paſſions by a vaſt multitude of ſymbolical figures of Birds, Beaſts, and monſtrous compounds. The conceits of this moral and ſatyrical humouriſt are infinite; a man of curioſity may amuſe a leiſure hour [129] in the examination of them, but I am perſuaded the reader will readily excuſe me from attempting to deſcribe them.

The churches and convents of Madrid are poſſeſſed of very many fine paintings, and it is in them the works of the Spaniſh maſters will be found in the greateſt number and perfection: Several of them, however, contain very capital productions of the beſt Italian painters, and in particular the Convent of San Paſqual on the Prado, to which Cabrera, great admiral of Caſtile, bequeathed his whole valuable collection. There is a large Altar-piece by Guercino, ſuperlatively fine, and ſeveral capital paintings on the [130] altars and in the ſacriſty, by Jacobo Palma, Leonardo de Vinci, Titian, Andrea Schiavone, Paul Veroneſe, Guercino, Vandyke, Baſſan, Luca Jordano and Spagnolet. A lover of the art muſt not omit to viſit the Convent of San Placido, if it were only for the purpoſe of contemplating that wonderful picture of the Dead Chriſt on the Croſs, painted by Velaſquez in the year 1638; though he will find further gratification for his curioſity in the ſame convent, which poſſeſſes two of the very beſt pictures which Claudio Coello ever compoſed.

As theſe churches and convents are very numerous, the reſearch would be much too intricate and laborious without a clue; but this will [131] be ſo readily had in the Viage de Eſpana before mentioned, that a traveller has only to provide himſelf with thoſe volumes, and he will there find an excellent guide for his curioſity.

FINIS.
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Citation Suggestion for this Object
TextGrid Repository (2020). TEI. 5012 An accurate and descriptive catalogue of the several paintings in the King of Spain s palace at Madrid with some account of the pictures in the Buen Retiro By Richard Cumberland. University of Oxford Text Archive. . https://hdl.handle.net/21.T11991/0000-001A-5BEC-5