Although a large number of really representative examples of the great lyricist Giorgione (1477-1510) have not come down to us, he is to be regarded as the greatest of the Venetian artists, and perhaps the most romantic painter that Europe has ever known. He was, together with his illustrious contemporary Titian, a pupil of Giovanni Bellini. His _Pastoral Symphony_ (No. 1136, Plate X.) is one of the most beautiful idyllic groups in the whole range of painting, and shows that Giorgione could naively reveal the inner depths of thought and feeling and depict “passionate souls in passionate bodies.” Early in the sixteenth century the austere traditions of the Bellinesque era were passing away. Giorgione now began to unseal the eyes of his contemporaries, among whom Titian occupied an important place, to the “life-giving and death-dealing waters of love,” making the landscape background of his lyrical compositions respond to the mood of the incident illustrated. The _Pastoral Symphony_ was acquired by Charles I. from the collection of the Duke of Mantua; it then passed to Jabach, and subsequently to Louis XIV. Although it has been slightly restored and has from time to time been without any reason ascribed to Titian, Sebastiano del Piombo and a large number of Venetian artists, it is to-day recognised on all sides as an excellent example of Giorgione. [Illustration: PLATE X.—GIORGIONE (1477?-1510) VENETIAN SCHOOL No. 1136.—PASTORAL SYMPHONY (Concert Champêtre) Two young men are seated on the grass; the one, wearing a green tunic with red sleeves, a red cap and parti-coloured hose, is playing on the lute; his companion bends over to listen to him. Before them a nude woman, her back turned to the spectator, is seated holding a flute. To the left another nude woman, with a drapery across her left hip, is drawing water at a fountain. In the background to the right is seen a shepherd with his flock. In the centre background are some houses. Painted in oil on canvas. 3 ft. 7½ in. × 4 ft. 6½ in. (1·10 × 1·38.)] The same influences which formed the art of Giorgione inspired the pictures of Palma Vecchio (1480-1528), whose _Adoration of the Shepherds with a Female Donor_ (No. 1399, Plate XI.) is brilliant in colour. The signature in the right foreground of this canvas, TICIAN, is false. Palma left a large number of pictures unfinished at his death. The _Visitation_ (No. 1352) is an admirable example of the art of Sebastiano del Piombo (1485-1547), and is signed SEBASTIANVS VENETVS FACIEBAT ROMAE MDXXI.