LETTER XII.

RAFFAELLE'S FRESCOES.-THE SISTINE CHAPEL. -MICHAEL ANGELO'S FRESCOES.-THE LAOCOON. THE APOLLO BELVIDERE.

To the Editor of the Halifax Express.

Rome, Dec. 9, 1840.

Dear Sir,-In my last letter, I gave you an account of the frescoes painted by Raffaelle in two of the rooms in the Vatican; and I shall now describe to you those in the other two rooms.

In the third room, the first painting is the Justification of Leo the Third. That Pope had been accused, by his enemies, who are understood to have aimed at deposing him from the Chair of St. Peter, of many grievous crimes; and the Emperor Charlemagne, who was then in Rome, instituted an inquiry. He demanded of the prelates and clergy an account of the life and manners of the Pope; but they refused to render any account, and insisted on the privileges of the church,denying that the clergy, and especially the Supreme Pontiff, were accountable for their actions, to any but to God, and certainly not to the laity. The matter was set at rest by the Pope himself, who voluntarily took an oath, in the presence of the Emperor and a large assembly, that he was innocent of the crimes of which he had been accused. This was about the close of the eighth century. The picture is finely conceived. The artist has given to the Pontiff all the appearance of zeal, piety, innocence, and humility. To the assembly he has imparted an air of dignity and solemnity; and he

has beautifully expressed the effect produced, by the scene, upon the minds of the spectators.

The scene

The Coronation of Charlemagne, by the same Pope, is the subject of another picture in this room. is magnificent, and the artist has done justice to the grandeur of his subject.

The third painting has for its subject a terrific conflagration which occurred in Rome, when Leo the Fourth occupied the papal chair. It broke out in the Borgo di Santo Spirito, and the devastating element approached so near to the Vatican, as to threaten the safety of that building. The tradition is that the flames were miraculously extinguished, on the Pope making the sign of the cross, and pronouncing the benediction. Raffaelle has chosen, for this picture, the moment in which the principal action was performed. The Pope is at the window of his palace; and the attention of the populace is directed towards his Holiness, whom they are imploring to assist them in their extremity. The extent of the calamity is indicated more by the distress of the people, than by the raging of the flames. Men, women, and children,-the old and the young,—the robust and the feeble,-are employed in different ways; and the whole scene conveys the impression of a vast and overwhelming calamity; consequently exhibiting the greatness of the miracle. The artist has finely expressed the effects of the high wind which prevailed at the time, and which appears to be rudely blowing about the streaming hair and garments of the parties engaged in the scene. All the figures appear as if in motion, and under a high degree of excitement.

The fourth picture represents the Battle of Ostia, a naval victory gained over the Saracens by Leo the Fourth. The principal figure in the painting is the Pope, who is devoutly raising his hands and eyes towards heaven, in adoration of the goodness of God in delivering him and his people from their enemies. Some of the captured Saracens are brought before him; but he is too intent upon his devotions to take any notice of them. The painting is of surpassing excellence; the

colouring is beautiful; the drawing correct, and executed with a free pencil.

The last room is usually called the Hall of Constantine, because the subjects of the pictures are all taken from the life of the first Christian Emperor. Very little of the painting in this room was executed by Raffaelle himself; but it was chiefly the work of his pupils, Giulio Romano, Francesco Penni, and Raffaello del Colle, by whom it was finished, from his designs, after his death.

The first painting represents the Vision of the Cross. Constantine is making an oration to his soldiers, just before the battle with Maxentius; and the artist has selected the moment when the cross appeared in the heavens, with the motto "Conquer by this."

This fine piece was coloured by Giulio Romano; and at the sale of Sir Peter Lely's collection, Raffaelle's sketch of this scene was sold for one hundred guineas.

The battle which followed this miraculous vision, is the subject of the next fresco. It was fought near the Ponte Molle, in the year 312; the army of Maxentius was signally defeated, and he himself was drowned in the Tiber.

This was also coloured by Giulio Romano; but Raffaelle has painted, in oil, two figures, which his pupil respectfully left untouched, and finished the rest in fresco.

The composition, the extent, and the grandeur, of these frescoes are beyond all praise. The battle piece, with its numerous figures,-full of fine drawing,-composed and finished as if it were an easel-picture,—is indeed superb. Not a single figure appears to be out of its place; and there is not one but seems so essential to the composition, that its removal would spoil the effect of the whole. No one can examine these splendid frescoes without entertaining an exalted idea of the extraordinary powers of the artist by whom they were designed, as well as of the illustrious pupils by whom they were completed.

The battle piece takes up one side of the room. It is 84 feet long and 15 feet high, and is elevated ten feet from the ground.

The next painting is the Baptism of Constantine. It was coloured by Francesco Penni, and is an admirable contrast to the battle. The scene represents a mighty Emperor, surrounded by his victorious troops and at the height of worldly glory, humbly enlisting himself under the banner of the cross. Naked, and with a meek aspect, he is kneeling, and receiving baptism at the hands of Pope Sylvester.

The last picture in this room is the Donation of the Patrimony of the Church, or, in more explicit terms, Constantine presenting the city of Rome to the Pope. The scene is laid in a magnificent church. The Pope is seated on an elevated throne, beneath a splendid canopy. The Emperor, kneeling on one knee, on the steps of the throne, places one hand on his breast, and with the other offers to the Pontiff a small image which represents the city of Rome. The Pope is accepting the Behind the Em

present, and giving his benediction. peror are two ecclesiastics, kneeling; and behind them are two laymen, also kneeling. The Emperor has a few halberdiers in his train, and three or four priests are in attendance upon the Pope. There are many subordinate figures, and some of them present interesting episodes. This painting was coloured by Raffaello del Colle.

The Sistine Chapel is the finest and the most celebrated part of the Vatican. It was designed by Baccio Pentelli, a Florentine architect, and was built by Pope Sextus the Fourth. It is only used for religious services on great occasions, as on the first Sunday in Advent and during the Holy Week. It is the place where the Cardinals meet, in conclave, when a new Pope is to be elected. The principal attractions of this chapel are the frescoes of Michael Angelo; but, at first sight, the room appears so gloomy, and so deficient in light, that the visitor must remain a little time, and get accustomed to it, before he can perceive the grandeur of the paintings.

It is said that Michael Angelo painted the ceiling in twenty months, entirely with his own hands, and without even an assistant to grind his colours. The subjects are taken from the old testament. They are treated in a most sublime manner, and with an effect that is truly astonishing. The prophets and the sybils, over the windows, are considered some of the finest of his works.

Above the altar is the same artist's celebrated painting of the Last Judgment, which is said to have occupied a considerable portion of his time for eight years. It is a most surprising production; and its effect upon the spectator, as he enters the great door of the chapel, is very imposing. It occupies the entire end of the chapel, from the ceiling down to within six feet of the floor. When standing before this wonderful creation of human genius, the spectator feels a kind of awe or dread. The figures appear to be gifted with supernatural powers,they seem to possess a superiority over the common lot of humanity. An accurate knowledge of anatomy, and a thorough mastery of fine drawing, are displayed in the figures; and the arrangement of the different groups is managed with extraordinary ability.

On the sides of the chapel, near the entrance, are several sacred histories, painted by Pietro Perugino; and, could we view them by themselves, they would appear to advantage, and reflect credit on the artist; but, when contrasted with the Last Judgment,-when compared with the Prophets and the Sybils, they seem tame and spiritless.

The frescoes of Raffaelle, and those of Michael Angelo, are of a very different character, although none but a consummate master of the art could have produced either. In the productions of Raffaelle, we have dignified and exalted representations of the human form; but in those of Michael Angelo there is something superhuman, impressing the mind with awe or dread.

The Capella Paolina, another chapel in the Vatican, contains two other frescoes by Michael Angelo,-the Conversion of St. Paul, and the Crucifixion of St. Peter. These are said to have been his last works, and