vm. NOT. 9, 1901.] NOTES AND QUERIES.
395
before we are led to the consideration of Mantegna's
work, the earliest surviving specimen of which on
a grand scale consists of the frescoes in the chapel
at Padua of the Eremitani. The scheme of decora-
tion in these is due to Mantegna, who designed
more or less exactly the portions confided to other
artists and superintended the whole. These frescoes,
which show at its best the early style of Mantegna,
are the subject of close study, and many of the
most striking designs are reproduced. The natural-
istic effects obtained are admirably shown in the
photographic reproductions. Especially striking
are the heads appearing in ' The Burial of St. Chris-
topher.'
The study of the easel pictures begins with the 'Madonna and Child' in the Berlin Museum, a characteristic work, in which the dreamlike tender- ness of the Virgin's face contrasts strikingly with the joy and vitality of the infant. A child's head, similar in many respects, is frequent in succeeding pictures. ' St. Euphemia,' in the Naples Museum, is interesting as the first dated work of Mantegna, the date it bears, 1454, being called a forgery by Morelli in support of a theory. A fine
- St. Sebastian ' is from the church of Aigueperse.
This is shown conclusively to be a very early
work.
this
are compared the ' St.
Christophers' later in date, and far more
suffering in expression of the Belvedere, Vienna,
and of the Franchetti Collection, Venice. A chapter
is devoted to the triptych in S. Zeno at Verona
and contemporary works, the remarkable ' Cruci-
fixion,' now in the Salon Carre" of the Louvre, being
finely reproduced. Mantegna departed from Verona
to fulfil a long-standing promise to devote his ser-
vices to the Marquis Lodovico Gonzaga, known as
II Turco. Beyond the frescoes of the Camera degli
Sposi in the Castello di Corte, nothing practically
remains of a period of splendid activity during the
reign of Lodovico, the other productions having
been destroyed by human agency or perished with
the decay of the castles and villas of the Gonzagas.
To this period belongs, however, the triptych repre-
senting the Adoration of the Magi, the Circum-
cision, and the Resurrection, once belonging to a
chapel of the Gonzagas, but now in the Uffizi
Gallery. About four years earlier in date, pre-
sumably, is the ' Agony in the Garden ' belonging
to Mr. Baring. Successive Marquises of Mantua
patronized Mantegna, much of whose noblest work
was executed in that city. The masterpiece of
Mantegna, in his own estimation and in that of
judges old and new, is the ' Triumph of Caesar, 5 the
large pictures of which constitute a chief glory
of the collection at Hampton Court. These belong
to 1489.
We may not deal further with the pictures described or reproduced in Herr Kristeller s noble book. With the engravings of Mantegna we have not attempted to concern ourselves. How much credited to Mantegna, of later things especially, was really his, and how much must be ascribed to his pupils, are matters keenly disputed. Over the schools of Northern Italy Mantegna exercised a potent in- fluence. A certain harshness of style has blinded critics to the boldness and fidelity to nature of Mantegna's designs. Goethe stood almost alone in his day in his perception of the relations between the art of Mantegna and nature. Sympathy with the sane and vigorous art of the Quattrocento is a modern revival, if not a modern growth. In the spread of this Herr Kristeller's book will exercise
a powerful influence. It is a work of profound
erudition, penetrating insight, and sound judg-
ments. Among works of its class it is entitled to
a prominent place. It is, moreover, an outcome
of modern scientific knowledge, the production of
which would not have been possible until recent
years. Something should be said concerning the
merit of the reproductions and the general beauty
of the execution. Mantegna will never be a popular
artist. He may always count upon admirers fit,
though few, and to such Herr Kristeller's book
makes direct appeal. A useful feature in it is the
appendix, consisting of a list of works which
are wrongly attributed to Mantegna. with their
present owners and an ascription to their pre-
sumed producers.
THE Fortnightly opens with an article by the President of the United States on 'Reform through Social Work.' This deals with the attempt to remedy the disastrous influences of the Tammany ring in New York, and is not wanting in courage and outspokenness. The President speaks of that "huge and highly organized system of corruption tempered with what may be called malevolent charity, which we know as Tammany," and gives a deeply interest- ing account of the methods taken to counteract its influences. Sir Lepel Griffin speaks with close knowledge concerning 'The Late Amir and his Successor.' Much attention is likely to be inspired by the essay of M. Maurice Maeterlinck on ' The Mystery of Justice,' though the subject is one with which it would be no more salutary for us to deal than it would with the second part of Mr. Mallock's ' Religion and Science at the l)awn of the Twentieth Century.' Mrs. Chapman writes sympathetically concerning Madame de Sevigne", the most natural, agreeable, and in a sense coquettish of letter- writers and chroniclers. Mr. J. B. Firth discourses on ' The Guerilla in History,' and draws many conclusions appropriate to the present emergency. Mr. Sydney Buxton has a paper upon ' Shooting,' a matter with which we have no great sympathy. We cannot, however, resist a smile at what is said to have been the best bag ever secured by an inexpert shot. It consisted, we are told, of " one rabbit (the cause of the shot), one beater, one onlooker (a French cook), a boy, and a dog." Mrs. Hugh Bell writes on Lucas Malet's ' Sir Richard Calmady,' and Mr. Courtney has an appreciative and analytical notice of Mr. Pinero's ' Iris.' The contents of the number are much more varied than usual, and there are other articles of interest to which, did space permit, we might draw attention. The editor of the Nine- teenth Century invites special attention, on behalf of the Administrative Reform Association, to the opening essays on ' The Militia Ballot.' We comply with his request to give them publicity, but are ourselves unable to discuss the scheme. Vice- Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge, K.C.B., answers in the negative the query, ' Did Elizabeth Starve and Rob her Seamen?' and lays upon Froude the blame for insinuating a false notion, which sub- sequent writers of more authority have repeated. By statistics it is shown that the sailors in Eliza- bethan days were better fed than those in early Victorian. ' Omens at Coronations,' by Mr. Charles Benham, seems derived principally from Mr. W 7 illiam Jones's ' Crowns and Coronations.' Mr. R. B. Marston asks the important question, ' Can the Sea be Fished Out?' and answers it, happily, in the negative. Fish production is, it is stated, " an
