DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22423#0165
Lettek XXV. EARL OF PEMBROKE'S COLLECTION.
153
3. Christ and St. John as children, with a lamb ; beside them a
little girl and an angel. A beautiful example of the picture so
often met with, to which, however, I prefer those in the Galleries
of Vienna and Berlin.
Vandyck.—1. The celebrated picture of Philip Earl of Pem-
broke, and his family. The Earl and the Countess, in dresses of
black silk, are seated on a platform raised three steps. On his
Lordship's right hand are five sons, most of them in gay-coloured
silk dresses. About the middle of the picture, on the steps, stands
Lady Mary, daughter of George Duke of Buckingham. On the
left hand of the Countess is her daughter, Lady Anna Sophia,
in a blue silk dress, with her husband Lord Caernarvon. Above
them, two sons and a daughter, previously dead, are introduced as
angels. The background is formed by hangings—on which are
the family arms—a green curtain, and two pillars. This largest
of all Vandyck's family pictures is about lift, high and 19ft.
wide. The persons are not dramatically connected together, but
all look out of the picture, and have in a high degree the ele-
gance peculiar to Vandyck. From some better-preserved parts
it appears that the execution was very careful, and the tone very
warm ; for, after the repeated ill-usage that this picture has under-
gone, scarcely a shadow of the original harmony, force, and deli-
cacy remains. The lower part especially had been damaged by
a fire, so that the canvas is much blistered. In 1773, being in a
very wretched condition, it was put into the hands of a Mr.
Brompton to be repaired, who, according to his, own account, pro-
ceeded in the following manner : after lining; it and taking the old
varnish off, he soaked it with poppy oil till it could imbibe no
more ; he then extracted the cement and the wax with which the
cracks in the colour had been filled, and replaced them by a pre-
paration of the finest white wax. He then proceeded to paint
over the background and some other less important parts, and to
restore the glazings where they had vanished ; and lastly, com-
pleted his work by two coats of the finest copal varnish. Truly
a horrifying example of the senseless restorations by which so many
masterpieces have been and are still daily sacrificed ! Vandyck is
said to have received for this picture the moderate sum of 500
jacobuses !—a gold coin of James I.
2. King Charles I. in armour, with a truncheon in his right
hand, and his left upon a helmet, which, with the crown, lies upon
153
3. Christ and St. John as children, with a lamb ; beside them a
little girl and an angel. A beautiful example of the picture so
often met with, to which, however, I prefer those in the Galleries
of Vienna and Berlin.
Vandyck.—1. The celebrated picture of Philip Earl of Pem-
broke, and his family. The Earl and the Countess, in dresses of
black silk, are seated on a platform raised three steps. On his
Lordship's right hand are five sons, most of them in gay-coloured
silk dresses. About the middle of the picture, on the steps, stands
Lady Mary, daughter of George Duke of Buckingham. On the
left hand of the Countess is her daughter, Lady Anna Sophia,
in a blue silk dress, with her husband Lord Caernarvon. Above
them, two sons and a daughter, previously dead, are introduced as
angels. The background is formed by hangings—on which are
the family arms—a green curtain, and two pillars. This largest
of all Vandyck's family pictures is about lift, high and 19ft.
wide. The persons are not dramatically connected together, but
all look out of the picture, and have in a high degree the ele-
gance peculiar to Vandyck. From some better-preserved parts
it appears that the execution was very careful, and the tone very
warm ; for, after the repeated ill-usage that this picture has under-
gone, scarcely a shadow of the original harmony, force, and deli-
cacy remains. The lower part especially had been damaged by
a fire, so that the canvas is much blistered. In 1773, being in a
very wretched condition, it was put into the hands of a Mr.
Brompton to be repaired, who, according to his, own account, pro-
ceeded in the following manner : after lining; it and taking the old
varnish off, he soaked it with poppy oil till it could imbibe no
more ; he then extracted the cement and the wax with which the
cracks in the colour had been filled, and replaced them by a pre-
paration of the finest white wax. He then proceeded to paint
over the background and some other less important parts, and to
restore the glazings where they had vanished ; and lastly, com-
pleted his work by two coats of the finest copal varnish. Truly
a horrifying example of the senseless restorations by which so many
masterpieces have been and are still daily sacrificed ! Vandyck is
said to have received for this picture the moderate sum of 500
jacobuses !—a gold coin of James I.
2. King Charles I. in armour, with a truncheon in his right
hand, and his left upon a helmet, which, with the crown, lies upon