PLAGUE x 5 ft. 8 in. Illustration of the description by Thucydides (ii. 47-52). A magnificent street in Athens, with many groups of plague-stricken inhabitants, some extended on the ground, others prostrated at the portals of the temples and other public buildings. A masterly treatment of a heart-rending subject. Engraved by J. Fittler. Taken to London from Cadiz ; sold at Christie's in 180-4 for 1,000 guineas ; collection of Henry Hope (181G), 200 guin- eas ; Leigh Court sale (1884), bought in at 420. Waagen, Treasures, iii. 180 , Smith, viii. 95. PLAGUE OF JAFFA. See Ju/. PLAGUE OF SERPENTS, Tintoretto, Scuola di S. Rocco, Venice ; centre of ceil- ing of upper room. Rubens and Michel- angelo make the fiery serpents boa-con- strictors, but Tintoretto's conception is truer to Scripture ; his serpents are little, fluttering monsters, like lampreys with wings, perhaps suggested by the sea-horses of the lagoons. They are biting the people everywhere, and to give the appearance of great extent to the plague a cavern opens in the right of the foreground, through which are seen another sky and horizon ; above, the Supreme Being is borne by an- gels, passing over the congregation in wrath ; in background, the angel of mercy is descending towards Moses, surrounded by a globe of white light. The upper part of the picture is magnificent ; the lower figures are not so interesting. Painted in 1576. Ruskin, Stones of Venice, iii. 345 ; Ridolfi, Marav., ii. 198. PLASSAN, (ANTOINE) EMTLE, born at Bordeaux, Sept. 29, 1817. Genre painter. Medals : 3d class, 1852, 1857, 1859 ; L. of Honour, 1859 ; medal, Philadelphia Expo- sition, 1876. Works : Market in the House, Indolence (1868) ; Studio, Armed to the Teeth (1872) ; Breakfast (1873) ; Branch of Boxwood, Sick Child, Good Digestion (1874) ; Sleeping Girl ; Before the Mirror (187G); Contemplation, Reading (1877); Palm Sunday (1878) ; Letter, Slipper (1879) ; Interrupted Work (1880) ; Quay of Lower Meudon, Factories of Molineaux (1882) ; Two Sisters, A Suburb of Chinon (1883) ; Entrance to the Bath (1884) ; Lady and Gen- tleman in Painter's Studio, Fodor Museum, Amsterdam ; Table Supplies, New York Mu- seum ; Disappointment, Prayer, Devotion, The Model, W. T. Walters, Baltimore ; Al- bum, August Belmont, New York ; Lesson, Robert Hoe, ib. ; Lady Undressing, R. G. Dun, ib. ; Lady at Bedside, At the Mantel, Scene from " Le Bourgeois Gentilhoinme," Israel Corse, ib. ; Table Supplies, T. R. But- ler, ib. ; Maiden's Night Toilet, Mrs. Paran Stevens, ib. ; Landscape, J. C. Runkle, ib. ; Gallant Reading at Mantel, Lady Listen- ing, J. P. Morgan Collection, ib. ; Maternal Love, Morris K. Jesup, ib. ; Demand in Marriage, New-born Babe, Young Mother, R. L. Stuart Collection, ib. ; Home Pleas- ures, C. P. Huntington, ib. ; Return of the Nurse, Toilet, Maternal Love, John Hoey, ib. -Bellier, ii. 285 ; Claretie, Peintres (1874), 331 PLATHNER, HERMANN, born at Gro- nau, Hanover, in 1831. Genre painter, pu- pil of Diisseldorf Academy, and of Tide- mand and Jordan ; travelled in Northern Germany and the Black Forest. Works : Old Woman and her Pupils (18(10) ; Mid- day Nap (1861) ; Hour of Rest (18G3) ; Politicians (1866) ; Unstamped Cards (1867) ; Caught in Evil Ways (1874), Leipsic Muse- um ; Christmas Eve ; Successful Portrait ; Joyous Surprise ; Household Pets, Game of Checkers, John D. Lankenau, Philadelphia. Miiller, 426. PLATTE-MONTAGNE, NICOLAS DE (la), born in Paris, Nov. 19, 1631, died there, Dec. 25, 1706. French school ; history and portrait painter, sou of Mathieu van Plat- tenberg (1608-60, an able landscape and marine painter of Antwerp who settled in Paris at an early age and changed his name to the French form), pupil of Philippe de Champaigue, of Le Brun, and of the en- graver Jean Morin, his uncle, with whom he lived. Member of the Academy, 1663 ; 451
