Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 12.djvu/739

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
*
657
*

MADONNA. Of the eiieular type the best known are the '"Madonna della candelabra" (National Gallery), executed by a pupil ; the beautiful " Jladuuua Al- ba" (St. Petersburg), and, chief of all, the '"Madonna della sedia" or ""seggiola," 'ying with the .Sistine in-popularity. (See Raphael.) He also found time to paint three large altarpieces, the ""Madonna di Foligno" (Vatican), in which the Virgin is enthroned in the .clouds, with saints and the donor below, while the background is filled with the representation of Foliguo struck by a thunderbolt. Another famous example is the ""Madonna del pesee" (Madrid), so called from the fish which Tobias, escorted by the Angel, presents to the iXadonna. But grand- est of all, the culmination of Raphael's Madon- nas, and the most perfect representation of the Queen of Heaven in art, is the Sistine Madonna. See Raphael. Many of Raphael's Madonnas during this jjeriod were only designed by him and exe- cuted by his pupils, especially by Giulio Romano: as, for example, the "Madonna del impannata" (window-pane), in the Pitti Palace,the "Madonna del passeggio." in Bridgewater House (London), and the ""Madonna della gatta" (cat), in the Museum of Naples. Besides the works executed after the designs of Raphael, Giulio Romano designed Madonnas of his own, the best known of which, the "Madonna della catina" (Dresden) , is so called because of the basin in which the Christ-child is being bathed. In general, the Madonnas of the Mannerist and Electie schools are of little interest, on account of the lack of real depth of feeling. In Northern Europe fewer examples of ""Ma- donnas" survive, owing in part to the Iconoclas- tic storms which devastated the churches. Though realistic in type, those of the Early Flemish and German schools do not endeavor to repre- sent the subject as a mere family scene, but retain much of the mediEeval dignity. Among the best examples by Jan van Eyck are the '"Ma- donna of the Canon van der Poel" (Bruges) ; the '"Virgin in a Gothic Chapel" — reputed part of a traveling altar of Charles V.. at Dresden; the "Lucca Madonna." suckling her Child (Frank- fort), and the famous ""Madonna" of Chancel- lor Rollin (Louvre). Stephan Lochner's "Virgin in the Arbor of Roses" (Cologne Museum) is a gem among the works of the early German school, soft and idyllic in character, while the same subject by Schongauer, in the church of Saint Martin. Col- mar, is more solemn and grandiose. Diirer's "Madonna with the Pear' (Imperial Gallery. Vienna) is his chief representation of the sub- ject. First in rank among all German Madon- nas, as the Sistine among Italian, is the "'Ma- donna of Burgomaster !Meyer" at Darmstadt. (For description and illustration see HoLREix.) The great Dutchmen of the seventeenth century were little concerned with ^Madonnas, the Flem- ings somewhat more so. The best example by Rubens is the beautiful "^Madonna of the Inno- cents" (Louvre), in which she is portrayed as surrounded by crowds of innocent children : while in Van Dyke's "iladonna of the Rosary" (Compania del Rosario. Palermo), ohenibim and saints surround the Virgin, holding the rosary to Saint Dominic. Among Spanish painters !Murillo's Madonnas are of rare coloristic charm and deep religious 65T MADOXJ. feeling. Perhaps the finest examples, represent- ing only the Virgin and Child, are in the Pitti (Florence) and Corsini (Rome) palaces, while in the grand example of the LouTe Saint Eliza- beth and .John are also represented. Madonnas in contemporary art are of less interest, because they are no longer the highest expression of the religious spirit of the day. Prominent among German examples are those by Overbeck (New Pinakothek, Munich), a reflection of the old Umbrian type; of Bodenhausen, Defregger, and Max ( Leipzig Museum ) . The best known among the French are Bouguereau's ""Madonna of the Angels" and "La Vierge consolatrice" ( Paris, Luxembourg), and Dagnan-Bouveret's "Virgin in the Carpenter Shop." Although the subject was often carved in stone, especially during the Gothic period, when it might be seen upon wellnigh every cathedral por- tal, these representations are not sufficiently im- portant to require especial mention in this brief eniuneration. A celebrated example is Andrea Pisano's relief over the side portal of Florence Cathedral. The exquisite terracotta reliefs of Luca della Robbia (see illustration) and his followers, of which there are numerous examples in the Museo Nationale and elsewhere in Flor- ence, often represented the JIadonna. The most celebrated example of a sculptured Madonna is Michelangelo's ""Madonna of Bruges," in the cathedral of that city — a beautiful example of his early or realistic period. See Michelan- gelo. BiBLiOGBAPHY. A popular book on the ila- donna in art is Mrs. .lameson. Legends of the Madonna (London, 1857). A more recent and scholarly work, especially important for the earlier periods, is Rohault de Fleury, La Sninte Vierge (Paris, 1878). The last and best, both as to critical value and illustrations, is Adolfo Venturi, La Madonna (Florence, 1900). The standard German works are: Fiih, Das Madon- nenideal in den iiltern deutsehen Sehuteti (Leip- zig, 1884) ; Schreibershofen. Die Wandliingen der Mariendarstellungen in den Bildern der Kiinst (Heidelberg. 1886); Baumbach. Die Madonnen- darstellung in der Malerei ("2d ed., Dresden. 1896). Consult also Gruyer. Les Vierges de Ra- phael et Viconographie de la Fieri/e ( Paris. 1869) : Karolv, The Madonnas of Raphael (London. 1804)". MADOQTIA. mii'do-kwa. The native name for a species of antelope in Abyssinia. See DnKEB. MA'DOB, Sib. A Scottish knight who accused Queen Guinevere of poisoning his brother. Her part was espoused by Lancelot of the Lake, who slew MadoTr in a combat, and received as a re- ward the castle thereafter known as the loyeuse Garde. MADOtr. ma'doo', .Jean Baptiste (1796- 1877). A Belgian artist, born in Brussels, and early distinguished for his talent in depicting picturesque phases of life. He became professor of the royal school of Brussels and member of the academy of Antwerp. In 1821 he published a superior lithographic work entitled Vogage pif- toresque dans les Pags-Bas. which was followed by works on the ancient and modern costumes of the Low Countries, and scenes in the lives of the Flemish and Dutch painters. His latest work was the valuable Phgsionomie de la soct<?<<? en Europe, dc Louis XI. a nos jours.