The Arundel Society was formed in 1849 in order to meet "a revived
interest in art by suitable instruction." In the case of early
Italian art, "the materials for such instruction were abundant, but
scattered, little accessible, and, in some instances, passing away."
The Society set itself to secure engravings and other records of
works of art which came within the description just given. A large
collection of water-copies from the Old Masters was thus accumulated,
and the Collection was in 1897 deposited in the National Gallery on
loan. Two years later, the Society was wound up, and the collection
was given to the nation. It is of great interest and value to all
students of mediæval art. Many of the Arundel copies are familiar from
reproductions in chromo-lithography. "The latter," as a well-known
critic has remarked, "although they undoubtedly did good service in
their time by calling attention to the less known and less easily
available masterpieces of the earlier Italian art, were often
enough lamentable caricatures of the things which they professed to
represent. The drawings themselves are, however, in many cases, of an
exquisite accuracy, of which the reproductions give little or no idea.
Of course, when the attempt is made to copy in this medium the great
achievements of Giovanni Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Palma Vecchio,
Paolo Veronese,--or even of such earlier colourists as the Van Eycks
and Memlinc,--failure, more or less complete, must inevitably be the
result. It would be difficult, on the other hand, to overestimate the
value of such copies as those of the famous frescoes of Mantegna in
the Church of the Eremitani at Padua, those of Benozzo Gozzoli at San
Gimignano and Montefalco, of Piero della Francesca at Arezzo, or of
the great galaxy of Quattrocento painters--Perugino, Pinturicchio,
Botticelli, Ghirlandajo, Signorelli, Cosimo Rosselli, and Piero di
Cosimo--who worked in the Sixtine Chapel before Michelangelo came to
dwarf and efface them with his stupendous ceiling, and, thirty years
later on, with his 'Last Judgment.' For the purposes of study and
comparison these copies, lent by the Arundel Society, fulfil much the
same role as does a good museum of casts from antique masterpieces.
They do not enable the student of art to form a complete idea of the
originals, any more than the copies of the Pheidian and Praxitelean
sculptures do; but they enlarge his view of the scope and significance
of Italian and Netherlandish art in their greatest phases, and happily
they fill up gaps which must occur even in the most various and
representative collection, such as is the National Gallery."[264]
It is hoped that the following catalogue may serve to bring before
the notice of visitors the importance of a collection which deserves
much greater attention than it has hitherto received. The artists
represented are arranged alphabetically, with references to such of
them as are also represented by original work in the National Gallery.
After the title of each work, information is given as to the nature
of the original from which the copy is made, and the place where the
original is. The numerals after each picture refer to the numbers at
present on the frames.
ALBERTINELLI (see under 645).
The Visitation (11): picture, Uffizi, Florence.
ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO (see under 1138).
The Last Supper (120): fresco, Convent S. Apollonia, Florence.
ANGELICO, FRA (see under 663).
Christ and Magdalen (51): fresco, Convent of S. Marco, Florence.
Christ at Emmaus (76): " " " "
The Transfiguration (49): " " " "
The Crucifixion (91): " " " "
The Entombment (50): " " " "
The Marys at the Sepulchre (53): " " "
Madonna and Child, etc. (65): " " "
The Presentation (54): " " " "
The Annunciation: " " " "
Coronation of the Virgin: " " " "
Christ as a Pilgrim (70): " " " "
Ordination of St. Stephen (55): fresco, Vatican, Rome.
Adoration of the Magi (166): " " "
Lives of SS. Stephen and Lawrence (128, 131, 134, 193, 194,
etc.): frescoes, Chapel of St. Lawrence, Vatican.
["The remote little chapel containing Fra Angelico's
masterpieces." Without seeing it, no one can have any
conception of "the strength and freedom of the artist." "These
frescoes are the highest expression of that which the friar for
many years had been striving after. They are an anthology of
his artistic virtues" (_Fra Angelico_, by Langton Douglas: see
pp. 141-158 for a full discussion of them).]
AVANZO, JACOPO D' (Veronese: painted 1377).
St. Lucy and her Judges (36): fresco, S. Antonio, Padua.
Martyrdom of St. George (183): fresco, S. Giorgio, Padua.
BARTOLOMMEO, FRA (_see_ under 1694).
Christ at Emmaus (72): fresco, S. Marco, Florence.
Vision of St. Dominic (45): " " "
Virgin and Child (24): " " "
"Noli me tangere": " " "
BELLINI, GIOVANNI (see under 189).
Virgin and Child (62): picture, Frari, Venice.
["The art of Bellini is centrally represented by two pictures
at Venice: one the Madonna in the sacristy of the Frari with
two saints beside her, and ten angels at her feet; the second,
the "Madonna with four Saints" over the second altar of San
Zaccaria. In the first of these the figures are under life
size, and it represents the most perfect kind of picture for
rooms; in which, since it is intended to be seen close to the
spectator, every right kind of finish possible to the hand may
be wisely lavished; yet which is not a miniature, nor in any
wise petty or ignoble, etc." (Ruskin: _Relation between Michael
Angelo and Tintoret_, p. 14).]
BOCCACCIO BOCCACCINO (see under 806).
Christ among the Doctors (57): fresco, Cathedral, Cremona.
BOTTICELLI (see under 1034).
Spring (86): picture, Belle Arti, Florence.
[The most probable explanation of the allegory is this:--The
picture represents a masque or joust of Spring given by
Giuliano de' Medici in honour of his mistress, "La Simonetta
Vespucei," who is here represented as Spring, Giuliano himself
figuring as Mercury. In the centre is Venus with Cupid above
her head, pointing an arrow at Giuliano. Shortly after the
joust, Giuliano was murdered, and La Simonetta died. The
death-like figure to the extreme left, breathing upon Spring,
represents the premonition of these coming disasters. Simonetta
was a favourite model of Botticelli's, the same slender and
long-throated lady appearing in many of his works, though
sometimes spiritualised almost past recognition (cf. _Ariadne
Florentina_, Appendix iv.; and a sonnet by D. G. Rossetti
describing this picture).]
Destruction of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (180): fresco, Sistine Chapel.
Moses at the Well (185): fresco, Sistine Chapel.
The Temptation (110): " " "
Venus rising from the Sea (87): picture, Uffizi, Florence.
[For an interesting description and interpretation of
this picture, see Pater's _Studies in the History of the
Renaissance_: "The light is cold--mere Sunless dawn; but a
later painter would have cloyed you with sunshine; and you
can see the better for that quietness in the morning air each
long promontory as it slopes down to the water's edge. Men go
forth to their labours until the evening; but she is awake
before them, and you might think that the sorrow in her face
was at the thought of the whole long day of love yet to come.
An emblematical figure of the wind blows hard across the grey
water, moving forward the dainty-tipped shell on which she
sails, the sea 'showing his teeth' as it moves in their lines
of foam, and sucking in one by one the falling roses.... What
is unmistakable is the sadness with which Botticelli has
conceived the Goddess of Pleasure as the depositary of a great
power over the lives of men."]
Giovanna Tornabuoni and the Graces.
Lorenzo Tornabuoni and the Liberal Arts.
[Copies from the frescoes formerly in the Villa Lemmi, near
Florence, now in the Louvre: for a description of them, see
Ruskin's _Art of England_, § 69.]
BUFFALMACCO (Florentine: 1262-1351).
Raising of Lazarus (216): fresco, Assisi.
CARPACCIO (see under 750).
St. George baptizing the Princess (79): picture, S. Giorgio
degli Schiavoni, Venice.
St. Jerome in his study (89): " " "
The Calling of St. Matthew (77): " " "
St. George and the Dragon (190): " " "
[See for full descriptions of these pictures Ruskin's "St.
Mark's Rest," _Shrine of the Slaves_.]
St. Vitale and Saints (259); picture, Church S. Vitale, Venice.
[Signed, and dated 1514. An admirable example of the master.]
CIMABUE (see under 565).
Frescoes in the upper church of Assisi (137-155).
["In these works there is an evident struggle in the mind of
the artist to give to traditional form the expression of a
living intention; but all that belongs to a closer imitation
of nature in her individual peculiarities--all that belongs
to the conception of characteristic or graceful action,--is
still wanting. The form of the countenance is alike throughout;
the expression, as conveyed by mien, always constrained. Yet,
notwithstanding all these defects, these works must be regarded
as having been mainly instrumental in opening a new path to the
free exercise of art."--Kugler.]
DOMENICO DI BARTOLO (SIENESE: died 1449).
Copies from two of the frescoes in the Hospital of S. Maria della
Scala, at Siena (Nos. 1 and 6 of the series, "The Rearing, Education,
and Marriage of Foundlings," and "Pope Celestine's approval of the
building of the Hospital").
DÜRER, ALBERT (see under 1938).
St. John and St. Peter (99): picture, Pinakothek, Munich.
St. Mark and St. Paul (103): " " "
Adoration of the Trinity (101): picture, Belvedere, Vienna.
EYCK, VAN, The Brothers (see under 186).
Adoration of the Lamb (107): altar-piece, Cathedral, Ghent.
[This famous picture has been put together, in the copy, from
the originals, which are now distributed among Ghent (three
central panels), Brussels (the Adam and Eve), and Berlin (the
remaining panels).]
FOLIGNO, NICCOLO DA (see under 1107).
Virgin and Child (40): altar-piece, Gualdo Tadino, Umbria.
FORLI, MELOZZO DA (see under 755).
Pope Sixtus VI. (38): fresco, Vatican Gallery, Rome.
Angels (68, 76, 206, 217): fresco, sacristy, St. Peter's, Rome.
FRANCESCA, PIERO DELLA (see under 665).
The Resurrection (32): fresco, Palazzo Communale, Borgo San Sepolcro.
Battle for the Recovery of the True Cross (178): fresco, S. Francesco,
Arezzo.
St. Helena finding the True Cross: fresco, S. Francesco, Arezzo.
Dream of Constantine (161): fresco, S. Francesco, Arezzo.
["The movement and life in the compositions, the variety in the
expressions of the numerous figures, their energy of action,
and the grand treatment of the draperies, are all equally
remarkable."--Kugler.]
FRANCIA (see under 180).
Marriage of St. Cecilia: fresco, St. Cecilia, Bologna.
Burial of St. Cecilia: " " "
GADDI, AGNOLO (Florentine: died 1396).
Nativity of the Virgin (207): fresco, cathedral of Prato.
Betrothal (179): " " "
GADDI, TADDEO (see under 215).
Adoration of the Magi (113): fresco, lower church, Assisi.
GHIRLANDAJO (see under 1230).
Calling of the Apostles (115): fresco, Sistine Chapel, Rome.
The Last Supper (88): fresco, Ognissanti, Florence.
St. John the Baptist (90): fresco, S. Maria Novella, Florence.
Zacharias Naming his Son (92): " " "
Birth of the Baptist (111): " " "
Angel appearing to Zacharias (132): " " "
Baptism of Christ (159): " " "
Expulsion of Joachim (171): " " "
Birth of the Virgin (172): " " "
Marriage of the Virgin (175): " " "
The Salutation (195): " " "
Massacre of the Innocents (196): " " "
Presentation in the Temple (226): " " "
[For a criticism of Ghirlandajo's frescoes in this church, see
Ruskin's _Mornings in Florence_, pp. 25, 26.]
The Emperor Augustus and the Sibyl (84): fresco, S. Trinita, Florence.
Death of St. Francis of Assisi: fresco, S. Trinita, Florence.
Death of S. Fina (47): fresco, Cappella S. Fina, S. Gimignano.
Burial of S. Fina (158): " " "
GIORGIONE (see under 269).
Virgin and Child (9): altar-piece Castelfranco.
[This according to Ruskin, is one of the "two most perfect
pictures in existence; alone in the world, as an imaginative
representation of Christianity, with a monk and a soldier on
either side, the soldier bearing the white cross of everlasting
peace on the purple ground of former darkness."--_Oxford
Lecture_, reported in Cook's _Studies_ in _Ruskin_, p. 251. For
a further description of the picture, see _Stones of Venice_,
Travellers' edition, ii. pp. 177-179.]
GIOTTO (see under 568).
The Life of St. Francis (2, 95, 199-205, 215-220): frescoes, upper
church of S. Francesco, Assisi.
The Virtues: frescoes, lower church of S. Francesco, Assisi.
[Here, in "the cradle of Florentine art," the young Giotto
worked out his apprenticeship as a painter. For Ruskin's
estimate of Giotto's work at Assisi, see _Fors Clavigera_ for
1877.]
Vices and Virtues (82 A, etc.): frescoes, Arena Chapel, Padua.
Pietà: " " "
GOZZOLI (see under 283).
Scenes from the Life of St. Francis (208, 222, 242, 267): frescoes,
church S. Francesco, Montefalco.
Virgin and Child (97): altar-piece, church of S. Francesco, Montefalco.
Scenes from the Life of St. Agostino (46, 224, 243, 244): frescoes,
church S. Agostino, S. Gimignano.
The Journey of the Three Kings to Bethlehem (37, 39, 41, 123, 248):
frescoes, Riccardi Palace, Florence.
["The chapel in the Palazzo Medici, now Riccardi, is made the
scene of the journey, represented in a sumptuous procession of
knights, squires, and pages, with dogs and hunting leopards.
He has also introduced portraits of various members of the
Medici family and of some of the principal citizens of
Florence."--Kugler's _Italian Schools_, i. 164.]
Marriage of Isaac and Rebecca: fresco, Campo Santo, Pisa.