718. CHRIST ON THE CROSS.
Ascribed to Hendrik Bles (Flemish: about 1480-1550).
Bles, called by the Italians "Civetta" (the owl), on account of the owl which he often adopted as his monogram, was an imitator of Patinir (see 715). Van Mander says that his nickname was Met de Bles (with the forelock), but as he signs himself Henricus Blessius, it is probable that Bles was his real name.
719. THE READING MAGDALEN.
Ascribed to Hendrik Bles (See last picture).
For the subject see No. 654.
720. A "REPOSE" (see No. 160).
721. PORTRAIT OF A LADY.
Jan van Schorel (Dutch: 1495-1562).
Schorel, so called from his birthplace, belongs to the second period of Dutch art, and was one of the most successful of the "Italianisers"; but neither of these pictures is a good or indeed a certain specimen. He was a poet and musician as well as a painter, and studied under Albert Dürer at Nuremberg. He afterwards visited Venice, whence he went to Jerusalem, returning by Rhodes to Rome. In 1522 he was made by his countryman, Pope Adrian VI., Keeper of the Art Collection of the Vatican. He afterwards returned to Utrecht, where he died a Canon of St. Mary's. He was the master of Anthony Mor.