Aparicio, a Spanish painter who died in 1838, possessed little merit, but great vanity. Among other works, he painted the Ransoming of 1700 slaves at Algiers, which occurred in 1768, by order of Charles III. When the picture was exhibited at Rome, Canova, who knew the man, told Aparicio, "This is the finest thing in the world, and you are the first of painters." Soon after, Thorwaldsen came in and ventured a critique, whereupon the Don indignantly quoted Canova. "Sir, he has been laughing at you," said the honest Dane, to whom Aparicio never spoke again.
BARTOLOME ESTEBAN MURILLO.
This preëminent Spanish painter was born at Pilas,
near Seville, in 1613. There is a great deal of contradiction
among writers as to his early history, but
it has been proved that he never left his own country.
He first studied under Don Juan del Castillo,
an eminent historical painter at Seville, on leaving
whom, he went to Cadiz. It was the custom of the
young artists at that time to expose their works for
sale at the annual fairs, and many of the earliest
productions of Murillo were exported to South
America, which gave rise to the tradition, that he
had proceeded thither in person.
MURILLO AND VELASQUEZ.
The fame of Velasquez, then at its zenith, inspired
Murillo with a desire to visit Madrid, in the
