indeed, but has a very fenfible black and yellow face. -A Virgin, an Infant Jefus, and a St. John, an angel descending with a great quantity of flowers; the little Jefus grafps at a white rofe. Here is a fine glow of colouring and freshness, as if lately finished, although by Dionyfius Caloari, Guido's first master; its date 1579. It hangs in its original frame of filver, clumfily wrought.-A Holy Family, and a St. Jerome in the fame piece, by Andrea del Sarto. The colouring of this antique painter is very remarkable; he was fatisfied with fpreading over all the flesh a foft carnation; but never introduced, in his fhadowing, the teints of violet, yellow, nor even pea-green, which has fo fine an effect in the complexion of young and fair perfons. The eyes of all his figures are black, like a fpot made with charcoal; nor is there in any of them, the white fpeck, fo neceffary and now fo univerfal even in the worst pictures of the worst mafters. Nevertheless the works of this mafter have a peculiar foftnefs, and fo much eafe and gracefulness, that they are univerfally admired, and his faults forgot. -A picture, mentioned by Lalande thus: "Parmi les tableaux qui doivent le plus exciter la curiofité des connoiffeurs, il y a un Prêtre confeffant une bonne femme, & un Penitente qui attend, &e. On dit qu'il eft de l'Espagnolet" Pardonnez moi, Monfieur, on ne dit pas telle chofe à Turin. This picture is by no means in high eftimation, nor does it merit fo to be. It is cold and infipid; even its fubject does not prevent its being totally uninterefting. A

grotefque painter might have made a fatyrical representation of the above groupe; but Espagnolet had no turn that way; and probably, had he been abfurd enough to have attempted to turn into ridicule any part of their religion, he would have been in that day thrust into the inquifition for his wit, and his picture burnt by the hands of the executioner. I do not know where Monf. La. lande discovered that it was fupposed to have been painted by Efpagnolet. Monf. Groffo Cavallo, upon my inquiring particularly for this picture (from the account given of it by Lalande) fhewed fome surprise; for till then he had been fo obliging as to express himself in terms the most flattering to me, upon the juftnefs of my obfervations, &c. on most of the pictures; but I was too vain of the good opinion of Groffo Cavallo, to let him remain in an error; and upon my producing my authority, he fmiled, fhrugged his fhoulders, and faid, That Monf. de Lalande paffed but a very few days at Turin; that he had but flightly run over the pictures in the palace; and that it was fufficient for an Italian to diflike a picture, to give it perfection in the eyes of a Frenchman; adding, il faut laiffée caufée & jasée, les Meffieurs François.I fear your modefty begins to be alarmed, as I am now arrived at the indecent collection. The first objects that ftrike one's eye on entering, are our first parents, in their birth-day fuits. As Adam and Eve were not born, I should have faid (with more propriety) in puris naturalibus. Very indifferently

ferently done.-One of Ovid's metamorphofes, reprefenting Selmacis and Hermaphroditus. Poorly executed; their limbs appear lame, from the ill preservation of their proportions. Three Venuses, by Guido. The largest just sprung from the fea; the other two in fupine poftures. They are as large as life. One is finely done; the face, neck, and fhoulders, perfectly beautiful: the rest of their perfons, we may fuppofe, were as full of merit as might be expected, being the production of fo great a master; but that is left to the imagination, the good old King having caufed all these goddeffes to be cut in two, and from the breaft downward burnt, by his order.-A sketch in little, by Correggio, from his large picture of Io. Perfect of its kind, and univerfally admired by all connoiffeurs, excepting Monf. Lalande, who believes it a bad copy.-A Cleopatra, by Guido, large as life, applying the asp to her bofom. Much faded; but the air of the head perfectly graceful.-A Diana and Acteon, author unknown. The figure of the goddess is noble, and beautiful in every respect, both as to the truth of the anatomy, and the juftnefs of the colouring; the bubbles and circles formed by the water are surprisingly well imitated; her foot and part of her leg appears through the bath, and is finely done; her face betrays a tumult of different paffions; her dignity offended, her indignation and rage, gathered into a storm, seem ready to burst on the too presumptuous Acteon, who is fwimming towards her with all his might. -A Venus

5

A Venus and a fhepherd, in little, by Wanderwerf. This picture might pass for a Diana and Endymion. The thepherd is reclined in a fleeping posture; the Venus moft exquifitely finified, her countenance, her attitude, and her colouring are charming; her face and figure animated only by the fofteft paffions. She feems to approach (with the moft tender anxiety) the fhepherd, whofe doubtful repofe is finely expreffed. This delicate colouring, and exceffive high finish, is to be met with in no painter of his country to the fame degree, as in Wanderwerf. His painting is fmooth as ivory, and is not varnifhed. His dark fhadows have been objected to, but they give a foftnefs that no picture which is highly finished with a very ftrong oppofition of clair obfcure can never attain. - A Medea gathering fimples by night. This picture pleafed me much, but, by fome mistake in my notes, I am doubtful of the painter's name.-A portrait of a Lady, by Titian; and of a man who is offering her a chain of gold. It is but indifferently done, though afferted to be the work of fuch a mafter. It wants character, precifion, and fails even in colouring. Three Graces; much fpoiled by damp, or accident.-Six paintings, or rather sketches, by Raphael, on wood. They represent facrifices and proceffions; but have been fo much injured and abused, that were it not for the enthufiaftic admiration that every performance of this greateft of painters excites in all lovers of the art, one fhould be at a lofs to difcover the genius and native touch

touch of Raphael in thefe paintings. However, le Compte de Groffo Cavallo looks upon them as of ineftimable value; he fays, they were found amongst rubbish in the Vatican, and prefers them to any pictures in the palace.-Three fine Etrufcan vafes, of delicate texture, with human figures, in two colours.-Two Mofaic pictures; one reprefents Mofes. This manner of painting is wonderfully curious; it is a compofition of coloured glafs. You fay, you know that already; but as this ftyle of painting is peculiar to Rome, it is reasonable to forbear giving my opinion of it until I fhall have reached that famous city, when I may be able to form a better judgment of it perhaps, and be less liable to speak of what I do not understand.

The Theatre, the chapel of the St. Suaire, &c. I muft defer mentioning to another opportunity. Mean time, I hope you are not tired by this long letter; but why this to you. 米米米 I am, &c.

P. S. Hurried as I am, I muft add, that I think there is too much gilding and carving in this palace; which abounds fo much in every apartment, that the eye is fatigued with gaudinefs. It is remarkable, that in this collection of pictures, there is no Raphael, except thofe defaced sketches I mentioned; but one Titian, and that not a good one; a fingle portrait by Michael Angelo; one Scalken; and not one of Salvator Rofa, nor Correggio.

LE T