صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

A SCENE

FROM THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS.

Our readers are aware, that Herod, in the hope of destroyîng the infant Jesus, ordered, that all the children in Bethlehem, from two years old and under, should be slain. The author of this picture M. Cogniet has represented but a mere episode from this sanguinary action. An Israelitish woman with her infant has succeeded in sheltering herself in a subterraneous building, where she hoped to remain unnoticed. Another mother, also endeavouring to save her family, descends precipitately the stairs which lead to this retreat, but one of Herod's soldiers has seen her flee towards that side. The obscurity preventing him from discerning, he seeks to diminish the glare of the light which dazzles him, in order to assure himself if he can descend without danger. The unhappy mother who had thought she had found a safe refuge hears the noise: her alarm is greatly increased, she crouches in a corner, but she fears that even her child's cries may cause her to be discovered, and she covers its mouth with her hand.

This picture did the greatest credit to the artist : it appeared in the exhibition of 1824, and was very justly admired by the public. Its composition is simple, the designing correct, the colouring severe and suitable to the subject. It is particularly remarkable with respect to expression : there is in it a depth of thought and a refined feeling worthy the best masters. Reynolds has published a mezzotinto print from this picture which is now in the possession of the painter.

Height, 8 feet 6 inches; width, 7 feet 3 inches.

[graphic][merged small][merged small][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small]

NUMA.

L'an 714 avant Jésus-Christ, le sénat de Rome choisit Numa Pompilius pour succéder à Romulus; c'était un homme plein de probité et d'honneur, qui depuis long-temps retiré à la campagne s'adonnait à l'étude de la morale. Les Romains, peuple féroce et indocile, avaient besoin d'un frein, Numa trouva moyen de le leur donner, en leur inspirant le respect pour les lois émanées de la Divinité. Il prétendit qu'elles lui avaient été révélées par la nymphe Égérie, avec laquelle il avait, dit-on, des entretiens secrets, et dont on aperçoit la statue à droite.'

Cette figure de Numa occupe un des panneaux de la troisième salle du Conseil d'état au Louvre. Elle est gravée ici pour la première fois. Dans le bas à gauche on lit: Leon Cogniet pinx. C'est un tableau qui fait honneur à ce jeune peintre. Haut., 11 pieds; larg., 9 pieds.

NUMA.

714 years before Jesus-Christ, the senate of Rome chose Numa Pompilius as successor to Romulus; Numa Pompilius was a man full of probity and honour, who had long retired into the country and devoted himself to the study of moral philosophy. The Romans, a fierce and unruly people, had occasion for a curb, which Numa supplied, by inspiring them with a respect for laws emanating from the Divinity. He pretended they had been revealed to him by the nymph Egeria, with whom he had, it was reported, secret interviews, and whose statue may be perceived to the right.

This representation of Numa occupies a pannel in the third Council chamber of state in the Louvre. In the back ground, to the left, may be read Leon Cogniet pinx. It is a picture very honourable to this young painter. It has been engraved here for the first time.

Height, 11 feet 8 inches; breadth, 9 feet 6 inches.

« السابقةمتابعة »