Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 1 of 3)Spooner, Shearjashub
History
Anecdotes of Painters, Engravers, Sculptors and Architects, and Curiosities of Art (Vol. 1 of 3)
Spooner, Shearjashub
Art -- Anecdotes; Artists -- Anecdotes
“On the right, is seated a person of magisterial authority, to whom the
painter has given ears like Midas, who holds forth his hand to Calumny,
as if inviting her to approach. He is attended by Ignorance and
Suspicion, who stand by his side. Calumny advances in the form of a
beautiful female, her countenance and demeanor exhibiting an air of fury
and hatred; in one hand she holds the torch of discord, and with the
other, she drags by the hair a youth personifying Innocence, who, with
eyes raised to heaven, seems to implore succor of the gods. She is
preceded by Envy, a figure with a pallid visage and emaciated form, who
appears to be the leader of the band. Calumny is also attended by two
other figures who seem to excite and animate her, and whose deceitful
looks discover them to be Intrigue and Treachery. At last follows
Repentance clothed in black, and covered with confusion at the discovery
of Truth in the distance, environed with celestial light.”
This sketch has been regarded as one of the most ingenious examples of
allegorical painting which the history of the art affords. Raffaelle
made a drawing from Lucian’s description, which was formerly in the
collection of the Duke of Modena, and was afterwards transferred to the
French Museum.
Professor Tölken, of Berlin, has shown that this Apelles was not the
great cotemporary of Alexander, for the persons mentioned in connection
with the story, lived more than a hundred years after the death of
Alexander--or about the 144th Olympiad. This reconciles many
contradictory statements with regard to Apelles, both by ancient and
modern writers. See Spooner’s Dictionary of Painters, Engravers,
Sculptors, and Architects.
SIR GODFREY KNELLER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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