APPENDIX. APPENDIX A. GALLERY OF VALENCIA. There are many splendid works of the great Valencian masters in this museum. The first gallery is ornamented with a numerous series of paintings, by Fra Antonio de Villanueva (born at Lorca in 1714), representing the life of St. Francisco d'Assis, but few of them of any merit. The first picture I observed of great talent is a large one by Espinosa. The keeper, who is not always in the way, knows most of the paintings: he was not, however, aware that there had been more than one Espinosa in Spain. The great Valencian painter was Jacinto Geronimo, whom I have given an account of; but probably many of the paintings ascribed to him were executed by Geronimo Rodriguez, his father, who died in Valencia in 1630, or more probably his son, Miguel Geronimo, who imitated his style. There was also a third painter of that name, Miguel de Espinosa, who worked at Saragoza in the seventeenth century, but it is not probable that any of his pictures have travelled here. Several paintings of this collection bear the name of Geronimo only, and the distinction in style may be observed; the father's being more obscure, Jacinto, the son's, more vivid in colouring. This painting, by Espinosa, is No. 112. A cavalier is represented on a very heavy horse, in the act of firing a pistol at a priest, St. Luis Beltran, who had reproved him, when an image of Christ starts out of the pistol, instead of a ball. The priest, and a labourer witnessing the miracle, are finely drawn. The colouring has, I think, never been good; but the picture is much injured, and the landscape is badly painted. No. 100, by Ribalta, is in a bad state, but the drawing is good. 145. The Adoration of the Magi, by Gaspar de la Huerta, who was born at Campillos de Altobuey, in the province of Cuenca, in 1645, and died in 1714. The Virgin and Child are beautiful, but the colouring of the painting is not good. 146. An Assumption of the Virgin, by Ribalta; the Virgin very nicely done. 167. St. Dominick beseeching the Virgin not to punish the people, by Vicente Salvador Gomez, a pupil of J. G. Espinosa's; the colouring is dark, but the drawing is good. 164. An Adoration of the Magi, by Padre Borras; well drawn. 169. St. Dominick having called to life a man he was accused of murdering; this painting, by Orrente, represents the murdered man exonerating the Saint. The dead body, thus brought to life, is finely drawn, and the peasant on the left is admirable, for the correct delineation and picturesque effect; but the colouring of the painting is not good. Pedro Orrente was born at Monte Alegre, in the kingdom of Murcia, about the end of the sixteenth century, and died in 1644, at Toledo. He was a pupil of El Greco, but retained little of his master's style. He is called the Spanish Bassano, many of his paintings being in imitation of the style of the Venetian painter; but there are others much grander and better drawn than anything Bassano ever produced. Conscious of his inimitable power in delineating sheep, really almost as well as Murillo, he made few pictures without introducing them. 173. A battle and fine architectural background, by an artist from Minorca. 466, 468, 470. By Josef de Vergara, who was born at Valencia in 1726; colouring not good. 449. By Camaron, also one of the more modern school, is a better-coloured Deposition. La Madonna de la Merced, by Lopez; a group of children in this painting is beautifully painted. 414 to 420. A series of large works, by Espinosa, representing the history of the first Christian King. The drawing of these is frequently very good, but they are not well coloured, and much injured; still some parts of them are very fine. 380. A good Virgin and Child, by Camaron. 373 to 375 are by Espinosa. The Presentation at the Temple is well done, also Christ disputing with the Doctors, and St. Ann and other Saints. The colouring of these is better, and the drawing excellent. 370 is a very fine painting of St. Michael conquering the Devil, by Ribalta, in imitation of the style of Guido; expression good, and colouring excellent. 364. The Virgin of Porta Celi, by Ribalta; the Child, and a head to the left, very exquisite; well drawn and nice colouring, but the features of all the figures are large and uninteresting. 350 is St. Isidoro, by Juan Ribalta, a noble figure of a peasant with a cow; but the colouring is brown. 338. The Holy Ghost descending on the Apostles and the Madonnas, every head with a flame above it, which looks frightful; but the figures are well drawn, particularly one to the left; I should, however, almost doubt this painting being done by Joanes, to whom they ascribe it. It is the only large one here by this master, whose works seldom exceed three or four feet in size, which admits of their being more exquisitely finished. 297 to 314. Some curious paintings, by Padre Borras, hard in style, but some parts of them elaborately finished. In the Christ on the Cross, observe the heads of the men; and in 297, representing hell and purgatory, the angel, and also the figure of the Padre on his knees to him, are painted very well. We then went into another room, where the best paintings of the Museum are collected. On the staircase are some large Espinosas, finely drawn; some good paintings by Borras, one very clever; and also a Ribalta. On entering, 236, the Assumption of the Virgin, rivets the attention. The exquisite faces of the angels bearing her up to heaven, are truly angelic, especially of the two below looking up to the Saint; the Virgin is also beautiful; indeed, this is an admirable painting, the expression of all the figures perfect, and the colouring quite Raphaelesque; the background is yellow. There can be no doubt of its being an original by Joanes; no other Valencian painter could have produced such a painting as this or the two adjoining it, 239 and 244, also by the same master, representing two half-figures of our Saviour, with the wafer raised in the right hand. These heads are wonderfully drawn, and splendidly coloured, on a gilt ground, and so elaborately finished, that every hair of the beard may be distinguished. I have rarely seen a portrait by Raphael which exhibited such a combination of strength and beauty. 246. An Ecce Homo, by Joanes, is bloody, but the expression is fine; and above it is a painting by his pupil, Padre Borras, which is not to be compared to his master's. 247, the Flagellation, is by Padre Villaguera; and 248, is a very beautiful Holy Family, by the same artist (figures full-length). A very young St. Ann, St. John and the Lamb, a fine picture by Ribalta. A group carved in wood and coloured, represents St. Michael destroying the Devil, by Vergara, very well executed; but I know not whether it is by Francisco Vergara, who was born here in 1681, his nephew of the same name, born in 1713, or the son of Francisco Ignacio, born in 1715, as they were all sculptors. 264. By Ribalta, remarkable for the fine expression of St. Francis embracing Christ upon the Cross; but the colouring is too dark. 264. A Crucifixion, by Juan Ribalta. This is almost the only one that is ascribed here to this artist, and a wonderful painting, considering the inscription on it, and Bermudez' account of it, that he did it when he was only eighteen. It is much injured, but is well drawn, though I cannot think the colouring of it has ever been good. 267. A Virgin and Angels, by Espinosa, is also well drawn. 263, 266, 268, 269. By Ribalta, representing St. John, St. Paul, St. Bruno, and St. Peter; the two latter the best; the colouring better than usual; the flesh very brown. 270. The Communion of the Magdalene, by Espinosa; the white cloth in her hand, and the head and garments of the priest are admirable. 220. The Coronation of the Virgin, by the same artist, is a sweet little painting, and well finished. 221. St. Pedro Pasqual and the Virgin, by Vicente Salvador; the colouring is dark, the Saint and the books are very well done, but the little figure of the Virgin above badly executed. 230. Jesus bearing the Cross, by Espinosa, colouring not so good as the drawing. 233 and 234, by Padre Borras, St. Sebastian and Christ bearing His Cross; the latter the best, almost equal to his master, Joanes. 252. By Savignera Andrea del Sarto, style of colouring and expression but very inferior. 468, is a good Vergara. APPENDIX B. GALLERY AT MURCIA. The gallery of Don José Maria Estor contains some interesting paintings. A St. Peter and a Santiago, by El Moya, who was born at Granada in 1610, and studied in London for about six months under Vandyke. There is considerable talent in the drawing and colouring, and they are rather like the first style of Joanes; the sky yellow. 18 and 20, and 32 and 34. Landscapes, by Rosa de Tivoli ; some of them exceedingly good. 60. An excellent Espinosa, representing the Martyrdom of St. Stephen. The Saint with his hands crossed, and raising his eyes to Heaven, and the other figures preparing to stone him, and more especially the two looking on in the foreground, are very fine. 61. A large painting, |