DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18549#0023
CARTONS of RAPHAEL U R B I N.
is moderately extended, and his hand appears directly over the cripple's head ; the woman's arm
is employed in holding the child, and confequently does not appear; and a light Well-folded
piece of drapery fuppiies the place, and forms a mafs which receives the fhadowed parts of the
cripple's head and body. The man is in an attitude fimilar to that of Peter; but the column is
placed fo as to be partly hid by his hand, by which he exprcfies his aftonithment *, Falls exactly
in the centre between the two columns, as does that of Peter in the principal groupe; but led
this mould be too remarkable, the hand of the woman is feen clofe by it, naturally and grace-
fully applied to her breaft ; and this with the infant's head make a fufficient variation, and does
not in the leaft deftroy the principal intention. It being abfolutely necefiliry to introduce the whole
arm of the figure of the man, and the hand being to be placed in the centre, the arm is un-
avoidably required to be bent rather more than that -of Peter ; but this was not a fufficient vari-
ation, and therefore a kind of fhort open fleeve, which reaches about half way down to the elbow,
was added ; and this alfo produces another variation. To carry on this artifice in every part,
Raphael judged it expedient to have the fame number of figures in each groupe ; but whereas
in the principal one there are three heads between that of John and the column, and hone be-
tween that of his and Peter's, fo in this there appears but a part of one between the woman and
the column, and the other three are placed in the fpace between the man and Woman. The fame
artifice is alfo finely kept up in the difcant colonade; where, in the fame fpace, two rows of
the fame columns appear in perfpective, and by their contraff. occafion the diftance between the
columns on the eppofite fide to appear larger than it really is. In fhort, this Carton is altogether
the moft confummate piece of art that probably ever was or ever will be produced.
CARTON IV.
*The DEATH of ANANIAS.
But Peter faid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghofl, and to
keep back part of the price of the land? Whilft it remained, was it not thine own? And
after it was fold, was it not in thine own power? Why haft thou conceived tins thing in
thine heart ? Thou haft not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing thefe words
fell down, and gave up the ghofl. And great fear came on all that heard thefe things.
Acts, chap. v. ver. 3, 4, 5.
^""X F all the various ways ordained by the Almighty for putting a period to the prefent exift-
V>7 ence of human nature, there is none fo affecting or alarming as the ftroke of fudden
death ; whenever, therefore, this happens, it appears more or lefs terrible to thofe who furvive,
according to the ftate of the foul at that moment when it is feparated from the body. The
death of Ananias was, therefore, a fubject capable of exciting horror in an extraordinary de-
gree, fuppofing it to have been only a common accident: but the circumfhnce of his death was
much more terrifying, as it was a manifestation of the divine wrath upon him, e who had not lied
1 unto men, but unto God.' This alarming event happened at a time when the minds of the peo-
ple were filled with the amazing things which they both faw and heard; when univerfal benevo-
lence pofTeffed the hearts of thofe who adhered to the doctrine taught by the apoftles. There-
fore fuch an event muft have ftruck thofe, who were witnefies to it, with horror and reverence ;
with deteftation of the act itfelf, and with reverential awe for the apoftle, whofe fore-knowledge
of the fraud practifed by Ananias, made him openly accufe him in the words above mentioned.
Raphael has told this flory in a manner worthy of his fublime genius; and the time chofea is fo
Very evident, that it needs not be mentioned.
This Carton is compofed of three diftindt groupes, and Ananias is the principal figure; but it
required no lefs than the profound fkill of this great matter to make him appear fo; the figure
being proftrate by necefiity, muft have appeared to fome diladvantage had the fpectators been all
(landing, even though they had inclined as much as the two men who are ftooping over him. Ra-
* Plate ii. No. I.
phael,
is moderately extended, and his hand appears directly over the cripple's head ; the woman's arm
is employed in holding the child, and confequently does not appear; and a light Well-folded
piece of drapery fuppiies the place, and forms a mafs which receives the fhadowed parts of the
cripple's head and body. The man is in an attitude fimilar to that of Peter; but the column is
placed fo as to be partly hid by his hand, by which he exprcfies his aftonithment *, Falls exactly
in the centre between the two columns, as does that of Peter in the principal groupe; but led
this mould be too remarkable, the hand of the woman is feen clofe by it, naturally and grace-
fully applied to her breaft ; and this with the infant's head make a fufficient variation, and does
not in the leaft deftroy the principal intention. It being abfolutely necefiliry to introduce the whole
arm of the figure of the man, and the hand being to be placed in the centre, the arm is un-
avoidably required to be bent rather more than that -of Peter ; but this was not a fufficient vari-
ation, and therefore a kind of fhort open fleeve, which reaches about half way down to the elbow,
was added ; and this alfo produces another variation. To carry on this artifice in every part,
Raphael judged it expedient to have the fame number of figures in each groupe ; but whereas
in the principal one there are three heads between that of John and the column, and hone be-
tween that of his and Peter's, fo in this there appears but a part of one between the woman and
the column, and the other three are placed in the fpace between the man and Woman. The fame
artifice is alfo finely kept up in the difcant colonade; where, in the fame fpace, two rows of
the fame columns appear in perfpective, and by their contraff. occafion the diftance between the
columns on the eppofite fide to appear larger than it really is. In fhort, this Carton is altogether
the moft confummate piece of art that probably ever was or ever will be produced.
CARTON IV.
*The DEATH of ANANIAS.
But Peter faid, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghofl, and to
keep back part of the price of the land? Whilft it remained, was it not thine own? And
after it was fold, was it not in thine own power? Why haft thou conceived tins thing in
thine heart ? Thou haft not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing thefe words
fell down, and gave up the ghofl. And great fear came on all that heard thefe things.
Acts, chap. v. ver. 3, 4, 5.
^""X F all the various ways ordained by the Almighty for putting a period to the prefent exift-
V>7 ence of human nature, there is none fo affecting or alarming as the ftroke of fudden
death ; whenever, therefore, this happens, it appears more or lefs terrible to thofe who furvive,
according to the ftate of the foul at that moment when it is feparated from the body. The
death of Ananias was, therefore, a fubject capable of exciting horror in an extraordinary de-
gree, fuppofing it to have been only a common accident: but the circumfhnce of his death was
much more terrifying, as it was a manifestation of the divine wrath upon him, e who had not lied
1 unto men, but unto God.' This alarming event happened at a time when the minds of the peo-
ple were filled with the amazing things which they both faw and heard; when univerfal benevo-
lence pofTeffed the hearts of thofe who adhered to the doctrine taught by the apoftles. There-
fore fuch an event muft have ftruck thofe, who were witnefies to it, with horror and reverence ;
with deteftation of the act itfelf, and with reverential awe for the apoftle, whofe fore-knowledge
of the fraud practifed by Ananias, made him openly accufe him in the words above mentioned.
Raphael has told this flory in a manner worthy of his fublime genius; and the time chofea is fo
Very evident, that it needs not be mentioned.
This Carton is compofed of three diftindt groupes, and Ananias is the principal figure; but it
required no lefs than the profound fkill of this great matter to make him appear fo; the figure
being proftrate by necefiity, muft have appeared to fome diladvantage had the fpectators been all
(landing, even though they had inclined as much as the two men who are ftooping over him. Ra-
* Plate ii. No. I.
phael,