l.PTUKE. 



SCUUTTUK. 



too 



of the discomfiture of AttiU by the miraculous appearance of St. Peter 

 ad St. Paul ThU work is in marble, in five piece*, and meaiurei 

 about thirty feet in height by nearly eighteen in width. Algardi 

 studied the paintings of his contemporaries for the manner of treating 

 his subject ; and the consequence U such as might be expected in an art in 

 which it U totally impossible to produce those effects of distance, clouds, 

 and perspective which only can be given by colour. There are merits in 

 parts of this great composition, which increase the regret that in felt at 

 the faulU that are so apparent in other portions of it. In the un- 

 pleating task of following the traces of this decay, it is refreshing occa- 

 aionaUy to find examples of a purer taste. Francesco di Quesnoy, 

 better known from his title of II Fiammingo, vcux a native'of Brussels. 

 His early works are said to partake very much of the character of 

 those of Bernini and Algardi ; but it is recorded that he was led to 

 copy and study very young children (futli), from admiring the beauty 

 of those introduced into his pictures by Titian, and he ultimately 

 became the first sculptor in this class of representation. There are few, 

 whether they have travelled or not, who have not had an opportunity 

 of admiring some specimens of this artist's skill iu the round, healthy, 

 playful character of his infants. Mo artist, except perhaps Raffaelle, 

 ever succeeded so entirely in portraying the peculiar charm of beautiful 

 childhood. He preserved just the right medium between lameness and 

 exaggeration. In the church of La Madonna di Loreto at Koine there 

 is a work by Fiunmingo, which represents St. Susanna, and it may 

 fairly be considered one of the most successful efforts in sculpture 

 of the age. The expression of the head is especially worthy of atten- 

 tion. It has simplicity and intenseness combined with considerable 

 beauty of form. Francesco Mocchi obtained a high reputation in his 

 time. The work by which hia merits may best be judged of is in the 

 Uuomo of Orrieto. It represents the Annunciation, in two distinct 

 figures. The angel i supposed to be descending, and is supported on 

 a cloud ; while the Virgin, in an attitude of shrinking modest fear, is 

 bowing her head as she receives his announcement. Its faults are the 

 faults of the age, a want of simplicity and too much of the pic- 

 turesque in effect. As examples of elaborate execution, further illus- 

 trating the decay of pure taste and the fall of sculpture, the works of 

 San Martino and Corradino may be noticed. Some statues by these 

 artiste are preserved at Naples, in the church of S. Severo. One re- 

 presents the dead body of our Saviour, covered with drapery, under 

 which may be traced all the forms of the figure : a piece of ingenuity 

 of no very difficult attainment, but which always surprises and delights 

 those who are ignorant of the mechanical processes of sculpture, and 

 who think that whatever has the appearance of being difficult in art 

 must be so, and measure out their admiration according to their 

 estimate of the ingenuity with which it is overcome. The other U a 

 figure of Modesty, veiled. There is also a third statue, of Deceit, 

 within a net a very curious piece of execution. These works attest 

 the patience of their respective authors, and are monuments of their 

 bad taste. 



The works of the contemporary and immediately succeeding sculptors 

 do no more than prove the rapid consummation of the fall of sculpture. 

 Occasionally an artist of better taste or higher feeling appeared ; but he 

 was not seconded or supported by any refined feeling in patrons, nor 

 inciting sympathy in the public, and the enumeration of works by the 

 Husconi, Bonazzi, Tagliapietra, Torretti, MorUiter, Foggini, and others, 

 would assist but little in conveying any distinct impression of the slight 

 shades of difference in the generally fallen and decayed practice of 

 the art. 



In the general survey of the rise, progress, and decline of sculpture 

 in modern Italy, may be seen, very nearly, the history and condition of 

 the art in other European countries. The artists of Italy spread them- 

 selves over the Continent, and wherever works of design were required 

 they probably were called upon to execute them. The influence of the 

 taste of the schools of Lionardo da Vinci, Primaticcio, Benvenuto 

 Cellini, Rustic!, and others, will be visible in the works of their different 

 times, in France and other countries ; and even when it can be ascer- 

 tained that sculpture was produced by native artists, it generally will 

 be found that their knowledge of art was due to Italian models or 

 Italian masters. 



Tin- French historians attribute to native artists the tomb of Philip 

 le Hardi, which was executed in 1404, as well as that of Francis II. 

 The first sculptor who really was distinguished in that country was 

 Ooujon. He executed various important works in the 16th century. 

 Among the most distinguished sculptors of succeeding times may be 

 honourably mentioned Pilon, Anguier, Puget, Qirardon, Le Poutre, Le 

 Moinc, and Coustou ; but sculpture soon became decorative in France, 

 and Butter in composition and design, and minuteness in execution, 

 characterised their art almost from the 16th century to a very recent 

 period. The extreme of the worst style of French sculpture is seen in 

 the monument of Marshal Saze by Pigal, which was erected about the 

 year 1775. 



The earliest sculptors of Spain who arc mentioned by their historians 

 of art are Aporicio and Rodolfo, who lived about the year 1033. The 

 next is Jayme or Jacques Castyls of Barcelona, who is said to have 

 executed various statues in the facade of a church at Taragona in 

 the year 1376. The name of Anrique occurs in 1380, and of F. 

 Uonzalez in 1396. It seems, however, that no great progress was 

 made in the arts in this country till the 16th century, when Spanish 



artiste went to Italy to study, or Italian artists established themselves 

 in Spain. 



The history of sculpture in Germany would lead us into a vide field 

 of inquiry. It is not necessary towards illustrating the general history 

 of the progress of the art, which may be traced with sufficient accuracy 

 through the different Italian schools; and the examination of the causes 

 of it* rise and the changes of style it has undergone amongst the Ger- 

 man* would carry us into speculation, or at best into ita men-ly national 

 or local history, rather than assist us in giving a general and compre- 

 hensive view of the art. LiitHVr, or Loftier, is said to have executed 

 the bronze statues which stand round the tomb of the Emperor Maxi- 

 milian at Inspruck: he died In 1565. Others attribute them to two 

 brothers of the name of Qodi, who lived at the beginning of that 

 century. The latter name suggests the probability that artist* from 

 Italy were then established in Germany, or were called upon to execute 

 works of this description. 



The political disorders in which Italy was involved in the 

 part of the 18th century, may account in some measure for the inac- 

 tivity in which the arts remained for some years. The wars of the 

 Succession in the kingdom of Naples, the change of dynasty iu Fl 

 in the year 1737, and the unsettled state of other parts of the country, 

 diverted men's minds from such pursuits. Cicognara attributes much 

 also to the debased or degraded state of feeling among his countrymen. 

 But his condemnation is more general and severe than appears to be 

 warranted by facts, and it certainly seems unjust to attribute to the 

 moral degradation of Italians of the 1 8th century the decline of art 

 which had commenced so long before. It is admitted that, prior to 

 this time, taste in art had greatly deteriorated. The effect of the state 

 of feeling described as existing in this later time was to leave sculp- 

 ture in its fallen state, when a little energy might possibly have 

 restored it. From 1748 to 1796 Italy enjoyed an uninterrupted course 

 of peace ; and it is true that during that period there scarcely was a 

 work in sculpture of any magnitude or comparative excellence 

 produced. 



The first sovereign who contributed to revive the arts from this 

 state of torpor was Charles III. of Naples. He encouraged archi- 

 tecture on a grand and extensive scale. At Rome, Cardinal ' 

 formed a collection of the finest remains of ancient sculpture that could 

 be procured ; and by attaching to him all the most distinguished litte- 

 rati and the best artists of his day, made his palace the resort of all 

 who felt an interest in the pursuits to which he himself was so devoted. 

 Under the auspices of this " Hadrian of his age," as Cardinal Albani 

 has been justly called, Winckelman produced the first work in which 

 the history of the arts of design had been treated in a learned, philo- 

 sophical, and scholar -like manner ; and it has been the model and 

 groundwork of all succeeding and improved works upon the same 

 subject. The popes Clement XII. and Benedict XIV., as well OB 

 Clement XIII. and Clement XIV., contributed also to create a feelipg 

 for the sculpture of the ancients by accumulating monuments of 

 various kinds in the pontifical palace. To Clement XIV. we are 

 indebted for the foundation of the Museo Clementine in the Vatican, 

 which received such noble additions by the liberality of his successor, 

 Pius VI., that the name of the latter pontiff was associated with that 

 of its founder in giving a title to the collection, and a considerable 

 portion of the gallery of ancient sculpture is still known as the Museo 

 Pio-Clementino. Till Pius VI. issued an order to prevent the r. 

 of works of art, the remains of antiquity discovered in Home and ita 

 neighbourhood could be sold and taken out of the country. The pope, 

 desiring to increase his collection, and preserve to Rome whatever 

 could be recovered by excavation, prohibited anything being removed 

 out of his dominions without a special permission. This order pro- 

 cured for his agents the first choice of whatever statues or other monu- 

 ments of sculpture were found ; and the extensive purchases effected 

 by this means soon filled the Vatican with works of ancient sculpture, 

 which, with the additions made by succeeding popes, have made it the 

 most celebrated, as it is the most valuable, collection of ita kind in the 

 world. The discovery of the long buried remains of art in Hercula- 

 noum and Pompeii led to the formation of a museum of the same 

 kind at Portici ; and, in bronzes especially, the Neapolitan collecti* m is 

 without a rival. Among the sovereigns of Italy who contributed to 

 the revival of design, Leopold, grand-duke of Tuscany, must likewise 

 be included. The sculptors of this period were Cavaceppi, Pcuna, and 

 a few others, in whose hands sculpture made some progress towards a 

 more healthy state. The immediate influence of the Bernini school 

 had ceased to be felt, and th opportunity was given, which these 

 artists in some degree availed themselves of, to introduce art upon 

 purer principles. It must be admitted that what they produced _was 

 eminently deficient in original feeling, and their best works were little 

 more than somewhat tame copies or adaptations of ancient subjects 

 and models; but at least the practice of the art was continued, ainl 

 when men of greater power and more vigorous minds appeared, they 

 liad not to begin afresh from the infancy of sculpture, nor from the 

 miserably low point to which the Bernini manner had reduced it. 

 Before touching upon the most celebrated sculptors who reformed and 

 restored the taste for art iu our age, we shall take a rapid survey of tho 

 history of sculpture in England. 



The Britons had not the advantage of very skilful instructors in the 

 Roman soldiers by whom the country was so long held in subjection ; 



