Raphael's Madonnas, and other Great Pictures. By Rad. Kalroly. (G.
Bell and Sons.)—The author explains the purpose of his book thus. It gives, for the first time, the whole series of Madonnas that are, beyond doubt, the work of Raphael's pencil; and it gives them by reproductions made in all cases from the pictures them- selves, and not from engravings of them. By way of introduction we have a Memoir, illustrated by specimens of the painter's art. (Herr Kiiroly discredits, we see, the scandals that have attached to Raphael's life.) The frontispiece to the series of Madonnas is from a wax head, preserved in the Wicar Museum at Lille. Herr Kitroly, though he gives it the place of honour, attributes it to "some unknown artist of the fifteenth century." The series of genuine Raphael Madonnas begins with the Solly Madonna. This belongs, of course, to the Perugino period. "It is probably taken from a drawing by Pinturiccio," and "resembles, in some respects, the altar-piece of 1494 at Cremona, painted by Perugino." Nos. 2 and 3 are also of the Perugino time—indeed, both have been attri- buted to that painter. The fourth, the "Madonna Connestabile," seems to show traces of the artist's passing to a freer style. In that which follows, the "Madonna del Gran' Duca," we find ourselves in the presence of something still higher. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine anything more beautiful. It was painted in Florence in 1504. The total number of reproductions of Madonna pictures is forty, the last being the "Sistine," painted in 1519, and the only one on canvas. It was bought by Augustin III. of Saxony, in 1753, for £9,000, carried off by Napoleon from Dresden, but given back. A greater injury was done by its "restoration" in 1827. Each picture is faced by a descriptive account and history. Finally, we have a list of "Madonnas groundlessly ascribed to Raphael," Of the forty (not all of them, it should be said, of unquestioned authenticity), England possesses ten (seven of them in private hands), Germany nine, Italy seven, Spain five, France four, Russia three, Austria-Hungary two. This is a most interesting volume.
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