Art of Painting in France. 25 J 



nounce ; and therefore I only namf d this pictufe when I 

 wrote upon the performances of Da>'id, not having been at 

 Marseilles at that time: I have been there,' however, several 

 limes since, and had an opportunity of often admiring one 

 of the chefs'd'mwres of this great artist. "I may even prophcsv 

 that in future a/'es pila-riniao-es will be made for the sake of 

 admiring it I request M. Fiorillo will kdd to his t^ccond 

 edition the few words I am now going to say, it he has any 

 confidence in mv judgments. 



The picture of Saint Roch was commanded from David 

 for the administration of the dcpartnient of Marseilles. He 

 did it at Rome in 17S0. On receiving it, the purchasers 

 thought it too fine to deprive connoisseurs and an'iateurs of 

 it: they therefore gave up their first idea, of placing )t in 

 their own hall, and sent it to the oftice of the records, 

 where it has since remained. The subject of the picture is 

 Saint Roch addressing the Virgin, supplicating her to cause 

 the plasfue to cease. He is upon his right knee, and restj; 

 the end of his left fool upon one of the sick persons. He 

 lifts his clasped hands to the Virgin, who is seated \\ith the 

 infant Jesus. Belov/ there is at full length a dying person 

 who rests himself upun his left a, m : a hltlc higher up are 

 two young people expiring. The expression in the head of 

 Saint Roch is very fine ; the design of the whole figure is 

 admirable : upon exannning in detail his arms, legs, and 

 hands, we are equally satisfied. The composition is simple,, 

 and well connected in all its parts. E.xpres3ion is never 

 wantinir : we think we see dying persons in looking upon 

 the po.T diseased creatures. The Virgin pleased uie least of 

 all ; her colouring is not so fine as tliat of the rest of the pic- 

 ture. David appears in this work as great a colourist as a 

 dcsicncr; and he destroys the opinion of some of his pupils, 

 who assert that design and colouring never go hand in hand. 

 After having seen Saint Roch, I do not know whetiier to 

 give the preference to the Horatii or to Saint Roch. 



Fiorillo speaks of Bthsarius with esteem : he relates the 

 same anecdotes I liave already printed : he does not It.ink 

 the head of Relisarms noble. "Every I'odv would take it 

 for a French inralid." I did not experience the same seu- 



satioa 



