Magi: a large and magnificent composition of near twenty figures, in Rubens's best manner. Such subjects seem to be more peculiarly adapted to the manner and style of Rubens: his excellence, his superiority, is not seen in small compositions.

One of the kings, who holds a cap in his hand, is loaded with drapery: his head appears too large, and upon the whole he makes but an ungraceful figure. The head of the ox is remarkably well painted. — Engraved by Lommeli.

On the left of the great altar is another picture of Rubens, St. Gregory with the Dove, dressed in the sacerdotal robes; behind him is St. George in armour; both noble figures; and the female saint, who is likewise in the front of the picture, is, for Rubens, uncommonly beautiful. Behind is St. Sebastian, and other Saints; and above are angels bearing a picture in a frame, of the Virgin and Child. The print by Remoldus Eynhovedts.

Near this is a monument of Rubens's brother Philip, with an inscription and a portrait in oval, by Rubens. In this church are many fine portraits inserted in

monuments.

SIMON DE VOS.-St. Norbert receiving the Sacrament, by Simon de Vos; in which are introduced a great number of portraits extremely well painted. De Vos was particularly excellent in portraits. There is in the poor-house in this city, his own portrait by himself, in black, leaning on the back of a chair, with a scroll of blue paper in his hand, so highly finished, in the broad manner of Correggio, that nothing can exceed it.

ERASMUS QUEllinus. On the right cross is an immense large picture, by Erasmus Quellinus, containing some good heads, and figures not ill drawn ;

but it is an ill-conducted picture, and in bad condition.

The Minimes.

There is nothing curious in the church; but in passing to the cloisters are forty pieces of glass pane, by Diepenbeke, of the life of St. Francis; and in an adjoining room a crucifix of Jordaens, admirable for its colouring, and the expression is better than usual; but the drawing of the limbs of Christ is defective.

The Church of the Jacobins.

RUBENS. The altar of the choir is painted by Rubens: the subject the same as one mentioned before in the church of the Recollets at Ghent: Christ launching thunder on the world, the Virgin interceding; below are many saints, male and female, bishops and cardinals. Rubens acquired a predilection for allegories from his master, Otho Venius; but it may be doubted, whether such fancies in a Christian church are not out of their proper place. St. Francis is here, as in the picture at Ghent, the best head. This picture has been much damaged, and St. Sebastian in particular has been repainted by some ignorant person: the sky has likewise been badly repaired. GOD the Father who is leaning on a globe, has something majestic in the attitude.

A Council composed of saints, popes, cardinals, and bishops, by Rubens, the same subject as Raffaelle's, in the Vatican, called the Dispute of the Sacrament. God the Father is represented alone in the distant sky; boy angels with labels.—Engraved by Snyers. The sky has been ill repainted, and does not harmonise with the rest of the work. The whole picture, indeed, seems to have suffered; for there is not that brilliancy

which might be expected, nor indeed any extraordinary character of heads: the best is that immediately behind the bishops on the fore-ground.

Snyers.

A print by

At an altar on the entrance to the choir, Christ carrying the cross; said to be one of the most early pictures of Vandyck. It is in many parts like the works of Rubens, particularly the figure with his back towards the spectator, which is well drawn.

The drapery of the Christ being dark, having become so probably by time, is scarcely at all seen, which makes the head look like that taken by St. Veronica. This picture is much cracked, particularly the blue drapery of the Virgin, and the naked back of the figure above-mentioned. —A print by Alexander Voct.

CARAVAGGIO.- The altar of the chapel of St. Dominick, a black picture by Caravaggio; the Virgin and Christ with St. Dominick, and other saints.

:

About the church are represented the mysteries of St. Rosaria, and other subjects painted by various painters the best of these pictures are those by Rubens and Jordaens: The flagellation of Christ is by Rubens. This picture though admirably painted, is disagreeable to look at; the black and bloody stripes are marked with too much fidelity; and some of the figures are awkwardly scourging with their left hand. -A print by Pontius.

JOURDAENS. The picture of Jordaens is the Crucifixion, with the Virgin, St. John, Mary Magdalen, and St. Elizabeth; much in the manner of Rubens.

The Adoration of the Shepherds. The light coming from Christ is said to be of Rubens, but there is nothing in the picture by which his manner can be with certainty recognised: there are parts which were cer

tainly not painted by him, particularly the drapery of the Virgin.

St. Augustin.

RUBENS.- The Altar of the Choir is by Rubens. From the size of the picture, the great number of figures, and the skill with which the whole is conducted, this picture must be considered as one of the most considerable works of Rubens.

the steps.

The

The Virgin and Infant Christ are represented at one distance, seated on high on a sort of pedestal, which has steps ascending to it: behind the Virgin is St. Joseph. On the right is St. Catharine, receiving the ring from Christ. St. Peter and St. Paul are in the back-ground; and on the left, on the steps, St. John the Baptist, with the Lamb and Angels. Below are St. Sebastian, St. Augustin, St. Laurence, Paul the Hermit, and St. George in armour. By way of link to unite the upper and the lower part of the picture, are four female saints half way up subject of this picture, if that may be called a subject where no story is represented, has no means of interesting the spectator: its value therefore must arise from another source: from the excellence of art, from the eloquence, as it may be called, of the artist. And in this the painter has shown the greatest skill, by disposing of more than twenty figures, without composition, and without crowding. The whole appears as much animated, and in motion, as it is possible for a picture to be, where nothing is doing; and the management of the masses of light and shade in this picture is equal to the skill shown in the disposition of the figures.

There is a similar subject to this painted by Titian, which was in the church of St. Nicola de Fiari at

Venice, where he has represented the same saints. which are placed all on a line, without any connexion with each other; and above is the Virgin and Infant, equally unconnected with the rest of the picture. It is so completely separated, that it has been since made into two distinct pictures; the lower part forming that which is now in the Pope's collection in the Capitol.

By the disposition, Titian has certainly saved himself a great deal of that trouble of contrivance which composition requires. This artless manner is by many called simplicity; but that simplicity, which proceeds either from ignorance or laziness cannot deserve much commendation. As ignorance cannot be imputed to Titian, we may conclude it was inattention; and indeed he has sufficiently shown that it did not proceed from ignorance by another picture of the same kind of subject in the church de Frari at Venice, where it is treated in a very different manner. Here the Virgin and Child are placed on an altar, instead of a pedestal ; St. Peter with an open book leaning on the altar, and looking at St. George, and another figure, which is kneeling. On the other side is St. Francis looking up to Christ, and recommending to his protection a noble Venetian, with four other figures, who are on their knees. Nothing can exceed the simplicity and dignity of these figures. They are drawn in profile, looking straight forward in the most natural manner, without any contrast or affectation of attitude whatever. The figure on the other side is likewise in profile, and kneeling; which, while it gives an air of formality to the picture, adds also to its grandeur and simplicity. This must be acknowledged to be above Rubens; that is, I fear he would have renounced it, had it occurred. Rubens's manner is often too artificial and picturesque