A holy family, with a little St. John presenting a dish of fruit, by Simone da Pesaro, commonly called Cantarini, who was the best disciple of Guido. The figures are half length as big as life. True pictures of this master are very scarce in England, and this is one of his best, and in the highest preservation.
The Virgin with the child in her lap, half length, as big as life, by Vandyck. The character of the Virgin is as sweet, and the colouring as fine, as any thing of this master’s painting. This was out of the collection of Monsieur Biberon, and there is an old print of this picture.
A holy family, by the same master. This is the small picture, but the characters of the Virgin and child, and the sweetness and mellowness of the colouring, are at least equal to the large one. There is a print of this by Bolswert.
A head of St. Peter, with a fish in his hand, by Spagnoletto. The expression and force in this picture are extremely great. There is a mezzotinto print engraved after it by Mr. MacArdell.
Pharoah and his host drowned in the Red sea, about five feet wide, by Valerio Castelli. The character of Moses is very great, and the colouring throughout is remarkably fine.
The conversion of St. Paul, by Luca Jordano, with many figures and horsemen, about six feet wide. This is one of his best, in the free and spirited style, for which he was most famous.
A battle, by the same master, not quite so large. The composition in this picture is better, and the figures seem more alive and in motion, than in almost any battle pieces to be met with.
Tobit burying the dead, by Benedetto Castiglione, in the style of Nicola Poussin, which master (in his latter time) he particularly studied and imitated; and he succeeded therein so well, in this picture, both in the composition and drawing, that was not his name upon it, several of the best judges have declared, they should not only have taken it for a true picture of that master, but also for a very fine one of him.
A landskip, by Claude Lorrain, near four feet wide; the subject is a warm evening; it is in the highest preservation, not in the least turned black, and in his very finest taste and manner of painting: the keeping, and that harmony and tenderness of tints, for which that master was so famous, are remarkably conspicuous in this picture, and the figures, which are but few, are much better than one generally sees in his works.
A præsepe, by Pietro da Cortona: the composition and the harmony of colours in this picture are very fine.