The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (4.1790)

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" where there are none, and working over parts, which
" are left clear and light in the originals." But in this
inftance he either was not informed, or had forgotten,
that Marc Antonio, and the greater part of his difciples,
worked immediately under the eye of Raphael; and
thofe alterations were mod probably made by the painter
himfelf. So alfo, if we look at the Saint Cecilia from
Raphael, as engraved by Marc Antonio, and compare it
with the engraving by Strange, from the picture at Bo-
logna, we (hall find the compofition confiderably varied ;
and fome of the figures, that efpecially of Mary Mag-
delen, totally changed. But the reafon is evident; the
print by Marc Antonio was taken from the original
drawing ; and the alterations took place, when the artift
painted his defign upon the canvafs. Indeed, not only
he, but his difciples, alfo, worked, in general, from the
drawings of Raphael, and very feldom from his pic-
tures.

' Byway of foftening the feverity of his other remarks,
he adds, " Give Marc Antonio and the old matters their
u due, for they claim indulgence. It is extraordinary,
*' that they mould have pufhed the art fo far as they did,
° at fo early a period. But," continues he, " when
u the advocates for them pretend to fay, that the art of
" engraving has not been improved fince their time,
" they talk abfurdly." Without doubt, if any one did
pretend to affert fo manifeft a falfehood, it would be
abfurd; but till the old matters do meet with fo extra-
ordinary an advocate, no arguments on the contrary are
neceffary : the fa£t is too generally known, even by
people who are not judges, to need them. Therefore.

fo