On VainliTig, 12J 



Expreffii'e Style. 



In this Raphael ftands a fliining example, and appears in 

 have touched the extreme point of excellence. Happily we 

 have manv of his finell worLs at hand in the Cartoons at 

 Windfor Ca(Ue. Witnefs his Elvmas the forcerer, whofe 

 figure is molt juftly expreffive of the pimirhment of blindnefs 

 which had hefallen him ; and the aftonifliment of the fpec- 

 tators is depidled with great judgment. But let us contraft 

 the above with the Death of Ananias, and obfcrve tlie conr 

 fternation and terror in the fpetSlators at a puniflunent fa 

 much more terrible. There we behold with what a mafterly 

 hand the arti(t has railed the feelings in proportion to the 

 exciting caufe, without the lead wafte of force in the expref- 

 fion. In the firft pirture is more repofe ; in the fecond, a 

 greater degree of aftion correfponding with the inlerelt ex- 

 cited bv the event. In the firlt picture we fee the furprife of 

 an earthly judge at an event beyond the povv'er of his nnder- 

 flanding; in the other, a calm and dignified fet of beinos, 

 confcious of the intcrpofitlon of a Divine Power. Much has 

 been faid of the Cartoons ; evcrv one fpeaks of the dignitv 

 of the Paul in the piclure reprefenting his *' preaching at 

 Athens," which for limplicily and dignitv reaches the fub- 

 lime. Hlftory is the walk that ennobles the art. This calls 

 forth exertions that elevate and dignify our nature. It might 

 be doubted if the Greek ever arrived to that degree of per- 

 fection in expreflion which Raphael has fliown in his works: 

 they certainly facrificed it to the beauty of appearance. Still 

 we fliall look with delight on the Laocoon, the living Alex- 

 ander, the Niobes, &c. Raphael, to aflllt the cxproliicm in 

 his figures, appears to have marked the tendons ; thofe who 

 have fought beauty have attended more to the flelliy parts of 

 the nuifcles. His ftyle of drapery is fimply grand, in the 

 extreme of perfedlion, and well worthy of being fludicd. 

 Even Pouffin, who is faid to excel in it, is in his bell works 

 inferior. Kapliael is more judicious and feled ; PouOiti more 

 natural. Jufticc mull allow that the former took the hint 

 for this great ftyle of drapery from M. Angelo. Raphael 

 fometimcs reached the gracefid, and but feldoui the beauti- 

 ful, and never cxcpiifitely. We have fclefted the w-orks of 

 the above artift, cflceming ihem the firft for exprefiion ; but 

 we fliall lind admirable traits of the fame kind in thofe of 

 the Caracci, Domenichino, Pouffin, &c. Some who have, 

 attempted the exprcflive ftyle, imagining the whole merit lay 

 in excels and violence, have writhed their figures into con- 

 vulfions, v.hca the occafion would not require more cxertioa 



thaii 



