of the Monks, to whofe convent this church belongs. In the fifth chapel, to the right, is a descent from the crofs, and a Martyrdom of St. Placid, both by Corregio. The first is the beft, but they are both incorrectly defigned; their colouring is their principal merit, and that is not fufficiently glowing.

gianino.

There are feveral arches painted in fresco, at the entrance of the chapels, by Parmegianino, which Parmehave great merit. In the refectory of the convent is a very indifferent picture, by the same master; but it is (in a manner) framed by two colonnades of the Doric order, which form a beautiful morfel of perspective; this deception is by the hand of Corregio.

church of.

Corregio. In the Church of St. Sepulchre is another pic- St. Seture of his, reprefenting a little Jefus, a Madona, pulchre, and a St. Jofeph gathering palms. The three faces are very fine, but the whole is faulty in the drawing, and the colouring weak. This picture is called the Madona della Scodella, on account of the porringer she holds in one of her hands. In the back ground is an Afs, and an Angel taking care of him. The fubject means, doubtless, to reprefent a repofe of the flight into Egypt.

cata

The Madonna della Steccata is the fineft church Madonna at Parma. It is built in the form of a crofs; but della Steceach end is circular. It is the ducal church; church. many of the Princes of the Farnefe family have been interred here. Alfo the Installation of the InftallaKnights of the Order of St. George is here per- Order of formed, St.George.

tion.

M. Angelo.

Parmegi. anino.

Proccacino of Milan.

formed, with all the religious ceremonies peculiar to that inftitution. There is a painting in fresco over the altar, by Michael Angelo of Sienna; it represents the crowning the Virgin by God the Father and Jefus Chrift; but it is fo blackened, as to make it difficult to form any judgment of its merit. Three Sibyls over the organ, with Mofes, Adam, and Eve, below the arcade, are executed in clair obfcure, by Parmegianino. He had painted several other pictures for this church, which he totally defaced in a violent paffion, having loft confiderably at play: thus revenged upon his own works, he fled to Cafal Magiore, where he died in want. The Parmefans regret a picture of this master, known by the name of the Madonna del Collo longua, which was removed from hence to Florence, and from Florence to Vienna. His works are at prefent rare, and held in high eftimation by the connoiffeurs. At the bottom of the choir, behind the great altar (called the cul-du-four in French], is a large picture, by Proccacino of Milan; its fubject, the Marriage of the Virgin Mary with St. Jofeph. The colouring is warm; the clair obfcure, with regard to the heads, correct and well thrown, but has not been the leaft attended to in respect of the folds of the drapery. The Virgin's countenance expreffes dignity, blended with modefty. St. Jofeph appears like the most difcontented, and the moft mortified of mankind. On one fide of this picture is a flight into Egypt, which pleased me much for its landscape, and the

effect of the high wind, which blows about the drapery and hair of the angels that conduct the afs; I could almoft fancy I felt myself colder from its vicinity to me. The landscape reprefents a wild and romantic country: a ftork and wild duck fly screaming over a marfh, in the foreground of the picture, extremely well done. The Virgin is beautiful, and fits in an easy, natural attitude upon the afs. Behind the high altar, and oppofite to the Marriage of St. Jofeph, is a picture by an unknown mafter. It reprefents Chrift bound to the pillar; yet is not a Flagellation. Roman foldiers, furrounding him, seem to have just fastened the cords. A ftranger, ftruck with the merit of this piece, offered the convent of Channoines to cover it with Louis d'ors; but they refused to part with it at that price. In my opinion, the flesh is paler than it fhould be, and the figure looks more like a dead, than a living man : the hair and beard are too red; nor can I imagine why all the Italian painters reprefent our Saviour as red-haired. I do not believe they can find Scripture-authority for this cuftom. The characters of the foldiers, as Romans, are not decifive.

We have feen no more churches; thefe are the most famous for their paintings; nor had we time to vifit others.

I do not question your being extremely impa- Corregio, tient to hear why I was fo difappointed in the his famous famous picture of Corregio, in favour of which cribed

the

picture de

and cri

ticifed.

the whole world of virtuofi can scarce find words to express the enthusiasm of their feelings, when they would display its merits. Notwithstanding my prejudices in its favour were strong, yet I muft confefs, though I expofe myfelf to the cenfure of the first connoiffeurs, that I do not like this picture; and now I will proceed to give you its description as well as the reafons of my disapprobation. It is a very large picture, higher than wide about the middle of the canvass the Virgin is feated with the Infant Jefus on her knees; a little to the right, and forward, Mary Magdalen, in a kneeling posture, holds the foot of the little Jefus in one of her hands, and is supposed to incline her head to kifs it; the other hand hangs down to the left, and on the fore-ground, appears St. Jerome; his back turned to the fpectators, but by looking over his fhoulder he dif covers his profile: between him and the Virgin, and farther back, is an angel who fings from a book: behind Mary Magdalen is another angel, or young man, who feems to drink out of a vafe. The character of the Virgin's face is fuch as you often fee in the lowest rank of people or peasants; an unmeaning breadth, l'air d'hibou, le vifage plate, &c. She appears extremely tanned, like a Vendangeufe. The colouring is coarse, and the fhadowing of a dirty brown. The infant is one of the homelieft children I ever faw, that was not deformed. The face fhort, the mouth wide, and the lips turn outwards. The more one confiders

the

the countenance, the more it seems to be in contorfions. The anatomy is falfe, and the attitude ungraceful, to fay the leaft. The Magdalen has the face of an idiot; and not of a handfome one. The little Jefus has hold of her by the hair; but his figure and face are turned from her. Her hair is too short and ftraight, not curling in natural ringlets, but heavy and greafy. Her attitude is fo unnatural and ftrained, that it is not poffible for her, in her prefent inclination of body, to apply her lips to the foot of the Infant; poffibly fhe might her ear, for fhe is in the moment of raising his foot towards her head: her arm and hand, that hang down, are ill proportioned; her fingers long, lank, and lean, like thofe of a crooked woman; her arm thin, fkinny, and flat; her elbow sharp, and seems as if it would wear a hole through the drapery; her toes are long, fwelled and red; her drefs diforderly; the folds of her drapery confufedly drawn; that of the Virgin is as bad. As to St. Jerome, he has the air of a miferable old beggar. The finging angel opens a mouth like that of a john-dory; and the young perfon behind the Magdalen has the fame mouth and lips with the other perfonages; the latter he projects in an extraordinary manner towards the vafe. In the back ground appear fome remains of a ruined theatre, with cottages; they ftick to the back of the angel's head, fo ill is the keeping preserved. There is alfo a kind of withered faggot, which is meant for a tree. Vexed

at