File:Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries (1907) (14776376425).jpg

Identifier: studiesinpicture00vand (find matches)
Title: Studies in pictures; an introduction to the famous galleries
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Van Dyke, John Charles, 1856-1932
Subjects: Painting -- Study and teaching Painting
Publisher: New York : C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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tion of the famousold masters that hang upon the walls—the mastersthat are looked at with so much delight perhaps?Practically all of them have been torn from churchand chapel and palace, taken away by conquerorsof one sort or another and given a home, after manywanderings, in public collections; but are they in thesame condition as when they first went forth fromtheir makers workshops ? These rare things of Leo-nardo or Titian or Romljrandt that are now the prideof this or that gallery, have they been transferredand kept witliout injury? Is the jewel the same,and is it only the setting we have lost?, Ah, no! Many of the noblest and the best of pic-tures have l)ccn almost doslroycd by time and liadrestoration. Jhe canvas hanging upon the wall inbright frame with famous name attached is oftenonly a pretence—a thing of shreds and patches. Letme bogin at once by being specifif. The MonaLisa is far removed from tho picture Leonardo letpass from his hands. Jt is only a pale ghost of its
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PICTURES RESTORED AND REPAINTED 17 former self. All the carnations of the face thatVasari tells us about have flown and given place toleaden hues. The subtlety of the lights and shades,the flow of graceful contours, the beautiful drawingof the cheeks, the forehead, and the throat, the charmof the costume, and the perspective of the backgroundhave been worn away, almost scrubbed out of exist-ence by cleaners hands and a what-not of chemicals.It is a wreck, a precious thing to be sure, becausewe have so little left to us by Leonardo, but only abeautiful wreck! The famous Assumption by Titian, in Venice,that every one goes into ecstasies over, is anotherwreck. There is hardly a square inch of its sur-face that now shows the brush of Titian. It mightat one time have been a masterpiece, but to-day itis only a good illustration of how deceivingly therestoring-room can patch up a picture. It is re-painted almost solidly from top to bottom, and littlemore than the design—the outline drawing

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