Studio: international art (15.1899)

Studio- Talk

mother are sitting to reach down an olive spray from sentiment. There are no strong effects either of
among the red and black jars, the brightly coloured chiaroscuro or of colour. The relief, which is
rugs, &c, placed in the niche. As he turns with surprisingly strong, is obtained entirely by minute
his plaything (which, it must be remembered, is the attention to modelling and perspective. The
symbol of peace) an expression of intent thought, colouring is light, brilliant even under the crude
almost of awe, shadows his face. Those who are white of the wall. The strongest tone is in the
familiar with children know the expression; though camel-skin, which is out of the way of the white
we may here read into it a prophetic meaning, reflections. The lightness of the Madonna's
Joseph gazes at the Child in wondering admira- traditional blue mantle, the peach pink of the
tion ; but the mother recognises that he is for the Child's tunic, the clear green, tending towards that
moment eluding her. She takes his hand and pre- of the olive leaf, of St. Joseph's robe—these are all
pares her face to the smile which shall greet him framed, rounded off as it were, by the yellowish-
when he lowers his glance and comes back to the white of the Madonna's wimple and of St. Joseph's
world of human affections. mantle, which sustain the note given by the wall

and prevent the impression of a division of the
picture into two parts by the dark line of the camel-
The execution is as delicate as the inspiring skin. The effect of brilliancy is heightened by

the fair hair and florid
complexion of the stand-
ing central figure. The

"the holy family" by giacomo martinetti I. M. A.