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limited to pictures in fresco for chapels and altars, the subjects being madonnas, salvators, and saints; and, although par taking of the usual dry and stiff style, yet not unfrequently shadowing forth that knowledge of colour which in the latter part of the 15th and the commencement of the 16th centuries rendered this school pre-eminent, and which arrived at per fection in colouring, in the hands of Bellini, Georgione, Titian, Tintoret, and Bassan. An illustrious representative of the Venetian school, and its principal master, was Titiano Vicelli, called Ktian, who was born in 1480, and died in 1576. Shewing a great inclination for painting he was placed under the tuition of Giovanni Bellini, who at that time was in the highest esti mation, and since considered to be the founder of the Venetian school, by studying nature and introducing the newly dis covered method of painting in oil. Cultivating the acquaintance of a celebrated painter of the time, named Georgione, Titian determined to quit his former style and pursue that of his friend, and so far acquired his manner that several of the works of one were taken for those of the other. Titian’s reputation advanced continuously, and every succeeding pro duction extended his fame throughout Europe, nevertheless his income was inconsiderable, but when his works wore made known to the Emperor, Charles V., he made him handsome presents, allowed him a considerable pension, conferred on him the honour of knighthood, and acknowledged him as his intimate friend. Titian was afterwards invited to Borne by the Cardinal Fainese, and being introduced to the Pope, painted his portrait, as well as many historical subjects taken from sacred and fabulous subjects. Michael Angelo Bona- rotti expressed much admiration of Titian’s productions and observed “ That if their author had studied the antique as he had studied nature, he would have been beyond imitation ; the perfection of colouring being rendered more lovely by the per fection of design.” He was a most superior landscape painter aswell as of historical subjects and portraits. Titian, like many other masters, had different manners at various periods of his professional life. His early manner, like that of his master, was stiff and flat; his second, when he imitated Georgione, more bold and forcible; his third, the re sult of experience and judgment, natural, and finished with great care. And towards the close of his life the manner is pe culiarly his own, with very little less of the vigour of his best time. He was always anxious to dispose his figures in such attitudes as shewed the most beautiful proportions, and although he did not excel in the expression of the passions, his figures were graceful and elegant. He was most successful in the colouring of his draperies and in the contrasts of light and shadow, and suited his colours most admirably to those of the adjacent objects producing brilliancy without glare, and throwing a vivacious tone over the whole picture. His works are almost innumerable, as he followed his profession to the close of his life, which extended to 96 years. His principal ones are, The Assumption of the Virgin, in the academy of Venice, the Entombment of Christ, in the Manfrini Palace. There are several in the galleries of the Italian States, in those of Dresden and Munich, and in our own National Gallery, especially that of Bacchus and Ariadne. This fine picture was painted in Titian’s best time, when he was 37 years of age. He was an admirable landscape painter, and observed carefully the effects of nature. The other principal painters of the Venetian school aro Georgione, Tintoretto, Sebastian del Piombo, and Paolo Vero nese. For facility of execution and perseverance, by continually repeating his previous works and natural style of colouring, together with a force and freedom of outline, Tintoretto was second only to Titian. But for grandeur of conception, splen dour of colour, richness of costume, and animation of subject, Paolo Cagliari, or, as he was called, Paolo Veronese, was with out a rival. But De Pile says—and which those who study his works will admit to be correct, and is the common fault of the Venetian masters—“They wasted their time and applica tion in imitating the exterior of nature ; their draperies, par ticularly those of Veronese, were all according to the fashion of the times of the artists ; and the persons and costume of the eastern people of former ages resembled those of the Moors of the 16th century, of whom there were always con siderable numbers in Venice.” And it is also to be remarked that the architecture, as well as the accessories, were of the same period, whatever might be the ago or country repre sented. Veronese excelled in imitating magnificent brocades and other rich stuffs. Bassan, or lacapo de Ponte, and his four sons, were dis tinguished for their close copies of nature in her simplest objects of rural life, as well as in historical subjects, for which purpose he frequently selected those historical or scriptural subjects as would admit of the introduction of peasants and animals, such as the Prodigal Son, Noah’s Flood, the Beturn of Jacob, the Angel appearing to the Shepherds, the Adora tion of the Magi, &c. He often introduced still life into his subjects, and his delineation of domestic utensils being re markably correct, he indulged in this particular of his art some times to a ludicrous excess. His natural poverty of inven tion is very apparent, but by continually repeating the same subject he brought his pictures to great perfection, and some of his historical works are equal to those of the three great masters previously referred to. His school, and that of his four sons, continued for nearly a century. After the middle of the 16th century the Venetian school began to decline, although occasionally many bright geniuses produced works which immortalised their names, and as late as the middle of the last century Antonio Canaletti produced those views of Venice which have been types for artists who have made studies of all that is enchanting in that glorious city and the surrounding Adriatic. Canaletti always viewed his objects in the most favourable aspect, and frequently availed himself of a pictorial licence, but with such caution that the ordinary observer would scarcely discern the departure from truthfulness. We now proceed to notice another Italian School of Painting known as the Lombard, embracing those of Parma, Cremona, and Milan. The several founders of those Schools were Gulio, Campi, and Correggio ; and their characteristics are, good design, grace, colour, and knowledge of chiaroscuro. The greatest master, and one of its founders, was Antonio Allegri, afterwards called Correggio, from the place of his birth in the duchy of Modena. He was born in 1472 and died in 1512. Possessing great natural genius, he struck out a manner peculiar from other masters, and soon succeeded in obtaining many scholars. The fame of Raphael induced him to visit Rome, and after having attentively, and for a long time, con sidered his works without breaking silence, he at last exclaimed, “ I am still a painter.” His works possessed great sweetness and delicacy; and his peculiarity was, that he used, to a con siderable extent, transparent colours, and adopted a manner of glazing, by going over his ground colours again, which, while it rendered his deeper shadows almost obscure, yet, by gra dation, gave his lights a most remarkable brilliancy without producing a violent contrast. Ho laid his colours on very thick in the brightest parts to make them capable of receiving the greatest degree of light. He perceived that the reflections of light corresponded with the colours of the body from which they aro reflected, and on this principle he founded his theory of colours with respect to light, shade, and reflection, and suc ceeded most admirably in expressing the impulse of love and pleasure, and the liveliness of children. Ho was great also in foreshortening. The most perfect of his works aro the large frescos in the cupola of the Duomo of Pama, the subject being the “ Assumption of the Virgin,” where almost all the figures (which are very numerous) are foreshortened. The harmony of the whole is most perfect, and a celestial rapture appears to pervade the entire subject. “ The Vision of St. Jerome in the Gallery of Parma,” is another of his most celebrated pictures. The figures appear to be surrounded by ethereal light. One of his most beautiful easel pictures is in the possession of the Duke of Wellington, the subject, “ Christ on the Mount of Olivesand a copy of it is in the National Gallery. Here the light proceeds from the figure of the Saviour, and this, and the angel strengthening him, are in bright light, and the dis ciples and soldiers in deep shadow, but still the more distant objects are visible by the successful treatment of chiaroscuro. There is also a picture in the National Gallery, an exquisite “ Holy Family,” and also one formerly belonging to Charles I., and subsequently bought by the Duke of Mantua for £800 upon the dispersion of the king’s effects; and an “EcceHomo,” of a very high class, possessing all the characteristics of this most accomplished master.