theology. Italian art of that time was more dramatic in tendency than its rival, and far inferior in execution to the Byzantine. Both were exclusively religious, confined to illustrating the dogmas and traditions of the Church, sometimes with touching though rude simplicity, but more often so quaintly as to excite at first view, in modern minds, sentiments quite opposed to the real feeling which inspired their authors.

Giunta da Pisa and Cimabue are the pioneers of progress in Italian painting of the thirteenth century. They are admirably represented here, as well as their contemporary, Margaritone of Arezzo, whose altar-piece serves to show the starting-point from which sprung into existence the noblest school of painting the world has yet seen. In comparison with all who preceded him, Giotto comes to us as a revelation, a truly representative artist. Neither he nor his great scholars can be thoroughly appreciated outside of their frescos, although this collection suffices, so far as easel pictures can, to give their general characteristics of style, and to illustrate the motives which inspired both branches, the epic and lyric, of the noble school of religious art inaugurated by Giotto. It includes its most noteworthy names, as, for instance, Simone Martini, Gaddi, Orgagna, Sano di Pietro, Giottino, Laurati, and Fra Angelico, some of whose works, as shown in this collection, are as fine and precious examples of gold-background pictures in tempera, enshrined in the Gothic framework of their period, as can be found in any gallery in Europe. We discover, also, the delightful Gentile da Fabriano, Dello Delli, Paolo Ucello, Piero di Cosimo, and their pupils, with whom began landscape, historical, and illustrative art, and the study of animals. These men were conscientious students, animated by lofty devotion to their profession, and in color and sentiment quite superior to the general tone of the prosaic naturalism of our day. We acknowledge their rudeness in the science of design and perspective, but no one can fail to note their earnestness, fidelity, and thoroughness, which permitted no slackness of hand or trickery of touch to conceal superficial work or reveal the impatience of indolence. What they did, they did knowingly and profoundly; and they sought not to conceal their ignorance by artistic affectations. Their speech is clear and beautiful, befitting their exalted topics.

The collection possesses an example of Masaccio's work, most precious and rare in the history of art; in his epoch his was as great a name as Leonardo's at a later period. Indeed, he was the founder of the historical and naturalistic schools, based upon a faithful study of nature, idealized in composition and character to the loftiest, purely human standard of thought and feeling. We are able to trace the scientific development of their art from him through a remarkable series of great men, the Lippis, Botticelli, D. Ghirlandajo, Roselli, Matteo da Siena, Credi, Fra Bartolomeo, the Pollajuoli, and Verrochio, to Leonardo himself, in whom, although he preceded a little in point of time some of those named, culminated the entire strength of this band of artists. A single picture of Leonardo's establishes the reputation of a European gallery. Here we have one to our mind not only convincingly authenticated, but in better condition - having escaped both cleaner and restorer than we usually find. Thus not a single link is wanting in the series that so admirably illustrate the Tuscan schools of this era, except Michel Angelo, who is beyond the hope even of any collector. One of his compositions appears, painted by Venusti, so it is conjectured, an able pupil of Buonarroti. Its tone and design indicate that master sufficiently well to give an idea of his manner. Luca Signorelli is finely presented, in a painting unsurpassed for its perfect condition and those grandiose and dramatic qualities which won the energetic commendation of Michel Angelo himself. Of the contemporaries of Raphael we find fair examples of Francia, Albertinelli, an exquisite Lo Spagna, Sodoma, and an injured fresco of Andrea del Sarto, lovely even in its ruins. Perugino is characteristically represented in a Baptism, with his curly-toed angels, and we have by the boy Raphael a charming specimen of his Umbrian manner, in a Pieta, done before he left Perugino's studio.

Excepting Titian and Tintoretto, - a great gap, the Venetians show well, beginning with Bellini, Giorgione, and Basaïti, and coming down to Sebastian del Piombo, Paul Veronese, and Paris Bordone. Correggio is wanting, and perhaps ever will be to America. The later Bolognese school contributes examples of Guido, Domenichino, and Ludovico

Carracci, if it be correct to attribute to him that impressive, pathetic Mater Dolorosa (No. 141).

Outside of the Italian painters, there are examples of the Dutch, German, and Spanish schools, in Holbein, Rubens, Durer, Velasquez, and Murillo, which furnish points of contrast and comparison with each other and the schools of Italy. These may be regarded as the beginning of a series to illustrate the above-named schools on the same plan as the Italian.. The portraits of the collection are exceedingly interesting. Among them are to be seen the heads of Cortez, Vespucci, Vittoria Colonna, Charles V., Cosmo de' Medici, and that of a lady, attributed to Cesare da Sesto, which, on account of its exquisite finish, fine modelling, and scientific handling, might plausibly be put down to Leonardo himself, instead of his chief pupil.

We have thus shown, by reference to the variety and value of this collection, and the system upon which it has been established, how valuable it may one day become, if retained in America, to the student of art, and for the cultivation of a more correct taste and a higher standard than now obtains among us. The Turin art-journal whose title is given at the heading of this article devotes several columns to remarks upon the Jarves Gallery. The article bears the initials of a distinguished professor of fine arts of one of the Royal Academies in Italy, and fully indorses, from personal examination, the importance, authenticity, and value of the collection, noticing the series as a whole, and criticising particularly, as of great rarity and esteem, even amid their own wealth of art, and as of special beauty, "due tavole di Giotto; una di Raffaello di maniera peruginesca; una di Luca Signorelli da Cortona, gran compositione di venti tre figure, rappresentante l'adoragione dei Magi, lavoro pregevolissimo per non essere stato mai assassinato da restauratori; una del Francia; una stupenda di Leonardo da Vinci, e soprattutto una di Gentile da Fabriano col nome del pittore, le cui opere sono estramamente rare,” — and more in this vein, regretting the while that Italy should lose them.

A collection which has borne, we are told, European criticism for years, in direct comparison with the works of established reputation in public galleries, and comes to this country

thus strongly indorsed, not to speak of the evidence it offers in itself to every mind alive to the worth and beauty of high art, should meet with a hospitable reception.

Were we to wait long enough, fashion and interest here, as in England, would provide galleries and means of instruction in art for the people. But the spirit which animates such efforts is too egotistical. Better is it by far that the people act for themselves, supplying their own demands for æsthetic enjoyment, after a manner which, while it offers to the taste a perpetual joy, stimulates the mind to enlarge its scope and deepen that sympathetic feeling and comprehension of genuine art, without which its appeals are as fruitless of life as water poured upon sand. To stop until some rich man shall bequeath the means to erect a monument to his memory, to be called his gallery of art, would be as unwise a thing as for the thirsty traveller to deny himself the water he could dip up in his gourd, because he had not a crystal goblet for that purpose. Leave egotism to do after its kind, but as far as possible free art from any motive in its support other than that which springs from perfect love and appreciation. The means already exist among us for a beginning of an institution which could in time grow to be the people's pride.

For immediate wants it would be sufficient to provide a suitable locality where such wealth of art as we possess could be got together in orderly shape, and opened freely to the public for a sum within the compass of the most moderate means. As the people grow into an appreciation of the value of art institutions, as schools of design and sources of elevated enjoyment and means of educating taste, they will as freely provide for their permanent support and growth as they do for the more common and prosaic branches of education. And that New England, especially, possesses the population calculated to sustain and enjoy such institutions, we have evidence in the progressively increasing interest awakened by every appeal to its sympathies and taste, and disposition for intellectual training of an elevated character.

In conclusion, we append a few statistics in regard to some of the principal galleries of Europe, as showing the sums of money periodically devoted to their increase, and the number of paintings each contains.

In the National Gallery, London, the average cost of recent acquisitions is about $6,000 each. The largest sum expended for one painting was $70,000, for the Pisani Veronese. The gallery now numbers about 700 paintings.

The Louvre boasts of nearly 2,000. Since the first Empire 217 have been added, at an expense of $260,000, of which the Sebastiani Murillo alone cost $125,000. Versailles has upwards of 3,000 paintings illustrating French history. The Gallery of Turin has 369 pictures, mostly repainted by one hand, and in consequence of comparatively little value. In the Ufizzi, at Florence, there are 1,200; in the Pitti, nearly 500; and in the Belle Arti, about 300. The Vatican contains only 37 pictures, and the Capitol 225. In the Academies of Venice and Bologna, there are about 280 each; in that of the Brera, at Milan, 503; and at Naples, exclusive of those of ancient Greece and Rome, 700. The Pinacothek at Munich, of recent origin, already numbers 1,270, and the Berlin Gallery, still younger, has acquired 1,350 paintings. Vienna (the Belvidere) has 1,300 and upwards, and Madrid about 1,900. The Dresden Gallery outnumbers all the others, exceeding 2,000. At Amsterdam there are 386; at the Hague, 304; Antwerp has 387; and Brussels, 400. Some of the private galleries of Europe in number and value excel the public. The Borghese has 526 pictures; the Sciarra has few, but choice; the Bridgewater Gallery counts 318; the Duke of Sutherland's, 323; the Grosvenor Gallery, 157; and that of the Marquis of Exeter, upwards of 600. Lord Dudley's (formerly Ward) is one of the most choice and valuable in London.

This list could be indefinitely extended, for there is scarcely a city of repute in Europe which has not public or private galleries of established reputation, examples for us to follow, not only for our æsthetic satisfaction, but as investments materially contributing to the prosperity of their respective cities, by the numberless travellers they attract. The city of America which first possesses a fine gallery of art will become the Florence of this continent in that respect, and it will reap a reward in reputation and moneyed returns sufficient to convince the closest calculator of the dollar that no better investment could have been made.