VENUS AND APOLLO.*
Ma. STILLMAN has taken Venus and Apollo as the representa- tives of ideal beauty in man and woman, and under this heading has gathered together a representative collection of pictures. He has chosen his examples from the schools of Italy, Holland, Spain, France, and, we must add, England, as one work by Sir E. Burne-Jones is included. In addition, several statues—Greek, Roman, and one late Italian—also take part in the series. The reproductions are done by the process known as Lemerciergravure, which, if they do not in every case reach the best results attainable, are nevertheless carefully executed, and in many instances exceedingly good. As instances of good and bad, may be cited the plates of Titian's "Venus and Adonis," and Raphael's "Parnassus." Mr. Stillman in his preface takes a brief view of the theory of beauty, and quotes Darwin. Whether any result will ever be arrived at from the discussion of the question as to the origin of beauty may be strongly doubted. Probably it is wisest to leave it to philosophers to decide whether beauty is only a form of the "protective blotches on the beetle's back." We do not grudge them the wandering mazes of such specula- tion to get lost in while we have the more substantial pleasures of Titian and Michelangelo.
We fully appreciate Mr. Stillman's desire to limit his view to purely ideal art, leaving on one side works in which the impression is complicated by religious or historical associa- tions. At the same time, we could have wished that the limits had not been quite so restricted. Michelangelo neither carved nor painted an Apollo or a Venus To leave out the greatest master of abstract beauty in a work of this kind involves a heavy loss. Raphael is included, but not well represented. The " Parnassus " is such a large fresco that it loses terribly by the reduction necessary to bring it even within the compass of this folio volume. The central figure of Apollo alone, accompanied by the marvellous drawing for the painting, would be more representative of Raphael—that genius of pure beauty—than what is here given.
The earliest picture shown is Gian Bellini's "Venus with a Mirror," from the Belvedere at Vienna. The treat- ment of the undraped female figure by Bellini was a rare occurrence. But though seldom attempted the suc- cess in this instance is complete. A youthful Venus Bit- ting near an open window is seen to above the knees. In her right hand she holds a small round looking-glass, while a larger one on the wall reflects part of the back of her head. The picture is a square one, and is very beautiful in the arrangement of its lines. The taste with which the draperies and accessories are treated is remarkable. They do not, as is so often the case in pictures of this kind, emphasise instead of adorning the unclothed form. When we come to consider Giorgione, we reach the most troubled water of criticisms. Bold is the man who makes out a list of the "undoubted" works of the master. Mr. Stillman adopts one made by Mr. Fairfax Murray, from which, like Crowe and Cavalcaselle, he omits the beautiful " Concert " in the Louvre. Few people will consent to reject such a marvel of painting for no more adequate reasons than those advanced by Crowe and Cavalcaselle, especially when it can be attributed to no other great painter. The work of Giorgione reproduced in the present volume is the Dresden "Venus." This picture, which was originally attributed to Titian, and then supposed to be a copy by Sassoferrato, was recognised by Morelli as a real Giorgione, and this ascrip- tion is now generally accepted. Beyond the great beauty of the picture, it has the additional interest of having set a fashion in Venuses. Both Titian in his "Venus of Urbino," and Palma Vecchio in his " Venus " at Dresden, show the influence of the inspired painter who, dying at the age of thirty-four, left so great a name and so few works behind him. The refined beauty of the original con- ception became more robust and lifelike in the hands of Titian, while in the case of Palma a certain floridness is present not to be found in Giorgione. Among the Titians here given the "Cupid Crowning Venus," from the Fitz.
• Venus and Apollo in Painting and Sculpture. Edited by W. J. Stillman. London: Bliss, Sande. and Co.
william Museum at Cambridge, is a fine example of the splendid vigour and force of style which characterise this Prince of painters of easel-pictures. It seems a pity that the limit imposed by Apollo and Venus excludes from this collection a picture so eminently in har- mony with the spirit of the work as Titian's "Sacred and Profane Love," in the Borghese Gallery. No single figure by this painter can be said to exceed, or even to equal, in pure beauty the one sitting on the edge of the well from whose shoulder floats the crimson drapery. We wish Mr. Stillman had given us his reasons for ascribing to Veronese the "Venus and Adonis" called in the National Gallery "Venetian School." It is hard to imagine anything more unlike the usual style of Veronese than this picture.
Nowhere does the style of the decadence manifest itself more strikingly than in works of the nature of the pictures in this book. Giulio Romano's "Muses," though dressed in almost the same garments as when Mantegna painted them, have lost their exquisite grace, and become blowsy and romp- ing. In "Albano," to meaningless and scattered composition we have added all the debris of classical porticoes and fountains, to say nothing of a wheel-chair, Cupids, and swans collected together on a cloud. This cloud hangs in mid-air, and seems ready to pour its contents of classical rubbish on the heads of the principle figures. These unsuspect- ing people sit on the steps of a marble hall by the edge of an elegant lake. Academic formulas could never replace the original inspiration of the Renaissance. From them we turn with pleasure to the frank realism and magnificent execution of the "Venus and Cupid" of Velasquez at Rokeby Hall. II in this picture we can find no trace of the goddess, still we can admire the beautiful living human being. The picture of "Venus and Cupid" by Lambert Sustris is a curious study in mixed styles. This painter was born in Amsterdam at the end of the sixteenth century. He learnt painting in Munich, then went to Venice, and there followed the manner of Titian. The result does not seem to have been successful. The assumption of a broad Italian style is merely superficial, a certain pettiness of detail entirely preventing it from having effect.
The only modern works given are one French and one English. The former is an insipid Venus by Le Fevre quite unworthy to represent French art. The English picture is Sir E. Burne-Jones's "Venus Epithalainia," a quite unin- teresting picture of indifferent workmanship. We cannot but regret that nothing by Mr. Watts has found a place in this book. He is pre-eminently a great painter of the idealised human body. The beautiful picture called "Olympus on Ida" would have shown that England has a painter who can worthily take his place in a collection con- taining works by the great Italians.
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