hand, a staff in his right. The horns on his head are idealized in the prettiest manner. A finely posed Olympus stands in profile at his side, turning his back to the spec tator and playing, whilst two shepherds on each hand listen with intense attention. The sounds are supposed to be wafted away by the reeds which are held united by a man lying on the ground, and a nymph, erect near him. This nymph, who is probably no other than Echo, rests her hand on a cane to which a tablet is affixed, bearing the words “Luca Cortonen.”. Two other nymphs are in the distance of trees and rocks; and the car of the sun is just visible in the sky. It is almost the same subject as that painted by Signorelli on the walls of the Petrucci palace at Sienna — a masterpiece for beauty of forms, a sure proof of the artist’s talent in drawing nudes, admirable for the select classicism of the Olympus, and charming for the variety of expressions embodied in the group. 1 Signorelli’s Madonnas also are not wanting in Floren tine galleries; and one of them, a round of a Virgin and child, with two prophets in monochrome medallions, in the upper angles of a circumscribing square, has ceased to be the ornament of the villa of Castello, and is in the Uffizi. 2 Of the same period and class, the Virgin and child at the Pitti, 3 the Nativity in Mr. Barker’s collection, 4 the Holy Family in the Dresden Gallery, 5 the Virgin and * If this picture, of which the authors have only seen the photo graph taken from a most care ful drawing, be as well preserved as it is beautifully composed and designed, it is one of the most im portant extant of Signorelli. 2 No.34. Uffizi. Four nude shep herds are in the distance — a well preserved piece (Vas. VI. 141). 3 No. 355. Pitti. The Virgin holds the infant on a cushion on her lap. He dictates to S. Cathe rine who stands before him writing in a book. This also is in good condition. 4 The Virgin adores the infant | asleep on the right. S. Joseph is on the left. The distance is a landscape. According to tradition, Lorenzo de’ Medici gave this pic ture to a lady of the family of the Guiducci. It was purchased from that family for the Metzger collec tion and thence passed to Mr. Barker. 5 No. 21. Dresden Gallery. This round, originally in Pisa, belonged toMr.Woodburn. The Virgin holds on her knee the naked infant who plays with the infant S. John. The latter looks at S. Joseph who points to a cross in his (S. John’s) hand. Distance — rocky. Above