Berkley Square, near Hyde Park road, contains about three acres, and is well built on the north, east and west sides.
The following is an account of the choice and valuable collection of pictures and prints of John Barnard, Esq; at his house in Berkley square.
A holy family, by Parmegiano, well preserved, and the characters very fine. It was out of the Count de Platembourg’s collection at Amsterdam.
A crucifixion, by Paulo Veronese, about three feet high; there is a fine group of figures at bottom, and the figures on the cross are remarkably well drawn.
Christ calling to Zaccheus; and the Angel appearing to St. John in the wilderness; both by Paulo Veronese, in his finest manner and highest colouring.
A præsepe, or nativity, by Jacomo Bassan; the light comes from the child, and has a surprizing effect, being in his highest colouring. These three last are upright narrow pictures, oval at top, and were originally designed for some elegant little chapel.
Christ led to be crucified, by the same master; the colouring is the richest; and the expression is much finer than one often sees of Bassan.
Adam ploughing and Eve spinning, by Domenico Fetti: this picture is finely coloured, and the character of Eve is prettier than can well be expressed; it was in the collection of Monsieur Biberon at Paris, and Monsieur Crozat mentions it in his work, along with two others of the same subject, one of which belongs to the King of France.
A holy family, with a little St. John presenting a cross, by Guido. This picture, which is but fifteen inches high, may be truly said to be in his very finest manner; the characters of the Virgin and St. Joseph are inexpressibly fine, and it is in the best preservation. It was in the Duke de Tallard’s collection.
The martyrdom of a female saint, by Correggio. This picture came out of the same collection as the last, and is much of the same size; it is in his first manner, but yet visibly of his hand; the colouring and some of the characters are fine. The Duke of Tallard had it out of the collection of Monsieur Crozat, where it was always esteemed a true picture of Correggio.