172 The Picture Gallery of the Vatican. 



conspicuous place. Raffaelle himself in his whole life never perfected 

 a more beautiful production. The Virgin is seated upon a mass of 

 clouds, holding in her arms the Saviour, who is represented as a most 

 enchanting infant. She is dressed in an azure mantle, which seems ad- 

 mirably to bring out the figure from the bright ground of a gilt cir- 

 cle. Below, on the right hand, appears the person who ordered the 

 picture -Sigismund de Comitibus, confidential secretary to Julius II., 

 dressed in a cape. He is kneeling in adoration of the Virgin, under 

 the protection of St. Girolamo, who has placed his hand upon his head, 

 and recommends him to the favour of the Madonna. On the opposite 

 side are St. John the Baptist, and St. Francis kneeling with a cross 

 in his hand. In front is a cherub, the most beautiful imaginable, who 

 is holding with both hands a tablet intended without doubt to contain 

 either the name of the artist or that of the patron who was at the ex- 

 pense of the picture. 



In the back ground is painted the city of Foligno, over which a 

 thunderbolt is falling, and this circumstance might perhaps have given 

 occasion to a votive painting. It was originally painted on wood, 

 but on account of some injuries it had received it was at Paris trans- 

 ferred to canvass, and an arm of St. John was retouched, as may 

 easily be seen. The figures of the saints are treated in a masterly 

 manner, but Sigismund may be said to be life itself, rather than to be 

 taken from the life ; for nature and colouring, his head will not yield 

 to the best specimen of Titian. But it is the group of the Madonna 

 and Child which particularly enchants the eye. RafFaelle, who had 

 already vanquished other artists, here surpasses himself, and it is a 

 pity that some first-rate picture of the. Greeks is not left to us, in order 

 to make the comparison between the two. This picture belonged to 

 the convent della Confess e at Foligno, till it was sent to France in 

 1797. 



No. 27. Roman School. The Theological Virtues, by Raffaelle. A 

 little picture in three compartments, which represents Faith, Hope, 

 and Charity under the form of three little boys. It is merely a 

 sketch, but it has travelled from Perugia to Paris, and from thence 

 back to Rome. 



No. 28. Flemish School. A Landscape, by Paul Potter. 



Four Cows, and a Peasant Girl milking one of them, form the sub- 

 ject of this well-preserved little picture. But however admirable may 

 be the effects of its landscape or the truth of its animals, it seems out 

 of place here. It only serves to destroy the unity of the collection ; 

 and after having been filled with the inspiration of Raffaelle and Do- 

 menichino, the eye turns but faintly and carelessly upon four cows and 

 a milkmaid in a meadow. It is to be hoped that some future Pope 

 will withdraw it into his private apartments, which it would adorn ; 

 here it is lost, like a star among suns. 



No. 29. Roman School. The Madonna with Four Saints, by Pietro 

 Perugino. 



The four saints are St. Lorenzo the Deacon, St. Louis, St. Erco- 

 lano Bishop of Perugia, and St. Costanzo. This picture was snt to 

 Paris in 1797. 



No. 30. Florentine School. The Acts of St. Nicolo di Bari, by 

 Beato Angelico of Fieeole. 



