Sir Joshua Reynold's Notes and Observations on Pictures, Chiefly of the Venetian School, Being Extracts from His Italian Sketch Books (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1859 edition. Excerpt: ...as Ariosto and other Venetian poets treat us to a ludicrous episode in the midst of a serious narrative."--See "Reynolds and his Works," p. 222. Opposite is--' St. Anthony tempted by the Devil and some handsome Women; N. S. descending to succour him, ' by Tintoret. A good picture. The upper part of the saint, the same colour as the ground. Christ descending comes dark on the light ground; his legs, &c., are lost in the dark sky. The Great Altar--A most sumptuous ' Slaughter of the Innocents.' A deal of merit, but the subject does not require so much magnificence.1 Near this church is thel Casa Toffetti, ' painted in fresco by Tintoret, with friezes of boys and naked figures, admirably drawn and coloured. Below, Aurora and Titan; on the other side, ' Cybele in a Car.' This is esteemed the best fresco in Venice; (it is) much damaged. Prints of these two last by Lovisa..S. Maria Maggiore. High Altar--An ' Assumption, ' by Paolo. The principal light is very strong. A kneeling figure in the middle of the picture, his back towards you--a white loose drapery on him. On the side, the ' Visit of the Wise Kings, ' by Tintoret. In the chapel, on the left, the fine' St. John Baptist, ' by Titian.2 In perfect preservation, and admirably drawn and coloured. The flesh on a blue sky, with white clouds; the breast forms the principal mass of light; the mass of the face separated by a black beard; the thigh, by the skin he holds in his hand; the legs of a low tint; the right thigh quite lost; shadow of the drapery ditto; veins marked, but not blue, have the same effect as those in the Laocoon. The whole finely drawn. The lamb another mass; the white clouds, another; waterfall, another; scarce anything seen but the white of the waterfall;...