The Mystic Press, by Jean Bellegambe; the triptych, Virgin surrounded by Angels, attributed to Gerard David; the first portrait of Philippe le Bon, attributed to Pierre Etret; the Symbolical Fountain, an exceedingly fine altar-screen panel by Thierry Bouts de Haarlem, is particularly noteworthy; a portrait of Emperor Charles Quint at the age of 32, by Christophe Amberger and Charles Quint taking the Monk's Gown, by Nicolas Francken the Elder. Rubens is represented by seven paintings: The Descent from the Cross, of admirable clearness; the expression is more natural than that of the painting in Antwerp; Vision of the Virgin appearing to St. Francis, of warm colouring; St. Bonaventure Meditating, and St. Francis receiving the Stigmas (two fine long panels); The Death of Magdalene (a somewhat monotonous but strangely intense monochrome). Van Dyck is well represented by the following: The Crucifixion, considered by Paul de St. Victor to be his greatest masterpiece (the figure of Christ stands out clearly against a cloudy sky pierced by lightning); Portraits of an Old Lady and Marie de Médicis (in the background are seen Antwerp and the Escaut). The following artists are also represented: Jordaens, by the Prodigal Son, Christ and the Pharisees, the Temptation, and a wonderful study of cows; Gaspard de Crayer, by Martyrs buried alive (fine harmonious composition); F. Franchoys, by a Portrait of the Prior of the Abbey of Tongerloo, Gisherts Mutsarts, dated 1645. (Paintings by this artist are exceedingly rare). Verspronck, by the Portrait of Young Boy; Jansen Van Ceulen, by a very fine portrait of Anne Marie de Schurmann; Pieter Codde, by Conversation, of delightful colouring.
PORTRAIT OF OLD LADY
by van Dyck (Cliché LL.)
BOY'S PORTRAIT
by Verspronck (Cliché LL.)
The French school, although incomplete (Prudhon, Ingres and Antoine Watteau are not represented), is nevertheless rich and instructive. First of all an anonymous 17th century Portrait of an Architect, whose pale harsh face arrests the attention and haunts the memory. Ph. de Champaigne is represented by the Good Shepherd; Restout by a Jesus at Emmaüs; Mignard, by A Judgment by Midas; Largillière, by a very fine portrait of his father-in-law, the painter, John Forest; Douvé (native of Lille), by a fine portrait of the painter Savage; Jean Voilles, by a delightful portrait of Madame Liénard; François Watteau (grand nephew of Antoine Watteau), by two amusing sketches: Procession of our Lady of the Vine in 1789 and The Old Clothes Market of Lille; David, by his first picture after returning from Rome, "Bélisaire" (1781), of which there is a reduced copy in the Louvre (this painting marks the re-birth of the antique); Boilly, a native of the district of Lille, is fully represented by his Triumph of Marat—masterpiece of great truth and delicacy—and 28 portraits of artists painted for the picture "Réunion d'artistes dans l'atelier d'Isabey." The following are the names of these portraits: Van Dael, flower painter; Houdon, sculptor (grey overcoat); Chaudet, sculptor (seated); Duplessis Berteaux, designer (head resting on hands); Hoffman, art critic (long powdered hair); Redoute, flower painter; Bourgeois, designer; Demarne, painter; Thibaut, architect; Swibach, genre painter; Lemot, sculptor; Serangeli, historical painter (half-length, hands in pockets); Taunay, landscape painter; Isabey (red coat); Percier, architect (looking at a plan); Talma, actor; Drolling, portrait-painter (red waistcoat); Corbet, sculptor (grey coat and white waistcoat); Meynier, painter; Fontaine, architect; Blot, engraver; Bidault, painter; Boilly-Chenard, singer; Girodet-Trioson, Gerard and the remarkable group Lethière and Carle Vernet.
THE TRIUMPH OF MARAT, by Boilly (Cliché LL.)
MEDEA KILLING HER CHILDREN
by Delacroix (Cliché LL.)