164 The Picture Gallery of the Vatican. 



in the bold style of Caravaggio, are gazing at the angels who are 

 descending from heaven to offer them the palms of martyrdom. 



Valentin was a great imitator of Caravaggio, but perhaps more 

 majestic, and more correct in drawing. Although born in Brie close 

 to Paris, by studying in Rome he caught all the method of the Italian 

 school, and applied himself to the then triumphant style of Michel- 

 angelo of Caravaggio. Young, and of great promise, death over- 

 took hirn early indeed, but without being able to deprive him of a 

 distinguished place among the painters of his age. His colouring 

 was a mean between the violence of Caravaggio and the strength of 

 Guercino. This picture, like that just mentioned, was removed from 

 this gallery in 1797 to be taken to Paris. There is in St. Peter's a 

 mosaic copy executed by Cristofari. 



No. 8. Bologna School. The Madonna with St. Thomas and St. 

 Girolamo, by Guido Reni, who was born at Bologna in 1575, was 

 a pupil of the Caracci, and was buried at Rome in 1642, in the 

 church of St. Domenic, with great funeral honours, after having lain 

 in state in the habit of a Capuchin. 



A mere general admirer of the arts would certainly say that this 

 was an elegant, simple, and effective picture, but artists pronounce 

 that it is by no means one of Guide's best. The upper part repre- 

 sents the Virgin, with the infant Saviour sitting on her knees ; below 

 are St. Thomas and St. Girolamo, larger than life and appearing to 

 be inspired by the Incarnate Word. As there is no great display of 

 composition, it will be sufficient to observe that this is a choice work 

 in Guide's second manner; and it is evidently the production of that 

 master from the purity of the drawing, the harmony of the colouring, 

 and the graceful flow of the pencil. It belonged to Pesaro before 

 its journey to Paris in 1797. 



No. 9. Venetian School. A Doge of Venice, by Titian. Those 

 who have visited Venice will have seen many paintings of similar 

 subjects by the same master. It is a half-length, the size of life, 

 representing one of the Heads of the Venetian Republic in his official 

 dress. It is perhaps the portrait of Andrea Gritti, who was the great 

 patron of Titian, and for whom this famous painter, called the Patri- 

 arch of Colourists, executed a great many other pictures. It was 

 formerly in the Aldrovandi palace in Bologna, from whence it was 

 obtained by Leo XII. 



No. 10. Bologna School. The Magdalen, by Giovanfrancesco 

 Barbieri, commonly called Guercino, because guercio means one- 

 eyed, or squint-eyed, and guerdno is the term of endearment formed 

 from it. The Bologna school has many elegant painters Guercino 

 is particularly so; and Guido, another master of the same school, is 

 styled the painter of beauty, and of the Graces. 



In this picture the Magdalen is not represented, as in the famous 

 work of Corregio, in all the attractions of beauty, but squalid and 

 sorrowful, in the act of meditating upon the Passion of her Saviour, 

 by the contemplation of the instruments of his death, which are pre- 

 sented to her view by an angel. The sentiment of piety which 

 shines through the pallid countenance of the Saint is really worthy 

 of the pencil of Guercino. The picture was repaired and retouched 



