and the public to the Gallery. A committee of six gentlemen was named to undertake the general superintendence. Subsequently this committee was changed into a trust; the number of trustees was increased to seventeen; and the first Lord of the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer became ex officio members of the board.

ment. Such, with one exception, which we shall presently notice, is the actual constitution of the National Gallery.

6

But a question no less important than the improved system of management had previously presented itself. Where was the national collection to be exhibited? It had rapidly outgrown the space originally allotted to it, and required a building exThe inconvenience attending this sys- pressly constructed for its reception. It tem of administration, the incompetence was at length determined to raise a suitaof the trustees to deal with the interests ble edifice, and Government chose for this confided to them, and their want of the re-purpose the finest site in Europe,' which quisite experience and knowledge, which had been recently cleared to Charing Cross. led to the loss of some of the best oppor- In 1832 Mr. W. Wilkins, the architect setunities ever offered to this country of ac- lected, commenced his work: six years quiring valuable pictures, and to the seri- after, it was opened to the public. ous injury of those committed to their charge, were so generally recognised, that the House of Commons appointed a select committee in 1853 to inquire into the management of the National Gallery. The Committee recommended, amongst other things, that a board of trustees should be continued, but without ex officio members; that its numbers, which were then thirteen, should be reduced as vacancies occurred; that the office of keeper should be abolished, and a salaried director appointed instead, who should recommend the purchase of pictures; and that a sum should be annually voted in the estimates, to be placed at the disposal of the trustees for the purpose of adding to the collection. The Board of Treasury, acting upon these recommendations, limited the number of trustees to six. They appointed a director invested with sufficient power and authority for five years with a salary of 1000l. a-year, selecting for the office the President of the Royal Academy, Sir Charles Eastlake, a gentleman admirably qualified in every respect to discharge the duties assigned to him. They further named Mr. Wornum keeper and secretary, with a salary of 750l. a-year and a residence, confiding to him the actual custody of all the works of art comprised in the National Gallery, the compilation of the catalogues, and the duties of secretary to the Board of Trustees. M. Otto Mündler became travelling agent, at a salary of 300%. a-year, and travelling expenses. His duty was to ascertain and describe the contents of private and other collections abroad, and to obtain the earliest information of any intended sale. Sixteen subordinate attendants completed the establish

The architectural features of this building have been unmercifully criticised, whilst its failure, as regards the specific object for which it was intended, has been generally admitted. Few will be found. to deny that the edifice is unworthy of the site it occupies, and that a gallery could scarcely be devised more mean in its proportions, and less calculated to exhibit a collection of pictures even of moderate extent. In fairness, however, to the architect, it must not be forgotten that he had no ordinary difficulties to contend withthat he was cramped for space, and fettered by the exigencies of a style then popular. At the very outset a grave mistake was committed-that of consigning half the building to the Royal Academy, a private association of living artists, who, whatever their claims may have been upon the Government, should not have received for the exhibition of their works any part of the space intended for the national collection. In consequence of this division, it was found that only the pictures by the old masters could be exhibited with tolerable light and convenience. The collection of English pictures had been increased by the munificent bequest of Mr. Vernon, consisting of no less than 147 works of the best painters of the modern English school. It was consigned to the basement floor, and condemned, for want of room, to the dark chambers known as the cellars. In consequence of a general outcry at this unworthy treatment, it was removed to Marlborough House, and then commenced that series of shifts and expedients which has never ceased. As in the case of the British Museum, the evil was one that might have been foreseen by any man of ed in the first instance. It has long reachcommon sense, and might have been avoided that point at which every one joins in the cry that something must be done.'

When the new building was opened in | himself upon being an excellent connois1838, the collection of ancient masters seur of pictures, but was himself something comprised 110 pictures-about the num- of a painter, induced his courtiers and ber the rooms allotted to them could con- foreign powers who desired to conciliate veniently hold, if paintings are hung to be his good will to offer him presents of paintseen, and not as mere furniture to cover ings, curiosities, and objects of virtu the nakedness of the walls. It has now Amongst the gifts brought by the Dutch increased to about 350. To the collection embassy sent to congratulate Charles on of modern pictures of the English school the birth of his second daughter Elizabeth, have been added the Vernon Gallery ; and were four rare pieces of Tintoret's and Turner has bequeathed no less than 282 Titian's painting. Philip IV. of Spain pictures and 19,331 water-colour drawings gave him a famous Titian, the Venus del and sketches by his own hand, to the Prado; and Louis XIII. of France the St. nation, on the condition that a room or John the Baptist, by Leonardo da Vinci, rooms be expressly provided for their re- now in the Louvre. He liberally encou ception. The entire number of paintings, raged artists at home, and employed agents ancient and modern, now forming the Na- abroad to purchase pictures and statues tional Gallery, without including the Na- wherever they could be obtained. Nitional Portrait Gallery, exceeds 600. It is cholas Lanier, his principal agent, received almost daily increasing, through fresh pur- no less a sum than 15,000l. at one time for chases, donations, and bequests; in a very works of art, to the great discomfort of few years it will probably have doubled. Burlamachi, the royal banker, who was The present collection of the ancient mas- called upon to make provision for this ters can be considered but as the nucleus large amount. His chief acquisition was if it is intended to illustrate with any de- the gallery of the Dukes of Mantua, one gree of completeness the various schools of the oldest and most celebrated in of painting of different countries and dif- Europe. ferent periods. It will not bear compari- In the interesting collection of the ori son in size with any of the principal Euro-ginal papers of Rubens, recently published pean galleries. The Brera at Milan con- by Mr. Sainsbury, we find some curious tains above 500 pictures by the old masters, particulars of this purchase. One Daniel the Royal Gallery of Turin 569, that of Nys was employed to negociate. Naples, 700, that of Madrid 1833, that of I came into the world,' he writes to EnDresden 1860, that of Munich 1270, that dymion Porter, 'I have made various of Vienna upwards of 1300, the Louvre contracts, but never a more difficult one 1800, the two great collections of Flo- than this, which has succeeded so happily. rence above 2000, and the gallery of Ber- In the first place, the city of Mantua, and lin, the most recently founded, 1350. It is then all the princes of Christendom, both even exceeded or rivalled in extent by great and small, were struck with astonishmany private collections. That of the ment that we could induce the Duke VinBorghese Palace at Rome contains 526 cenzo to dispose of them. The people of pictures, of the Duke of Sutherland 323, Mantua made so much noise about it, that and of the late Lord Northwick 700. The if Duke Vincenzo could have had them Gallery of the Vatican is probably the back again he would readily have paid smallest in Europe, having scarcely fifty double, and his people would have been pictures, but no attempt has been there willing to supply the money.* For this made to illustrate the schools of painting, collection he paid, as we learn by the royal and only works of the very highest order warrant, still preserved, 18,2807. 12s. 8d.t of merit, without reference to chronologi- which, considering the then rate of money, cal arrangement, are admitted. was an enormous sum for those days. But it contained masterpieces of the greatest painters of the end of the fif teenth and commencement of the sixteenth centuries. To them were afterwards added Raphael's Cartoons, brought He by Rubens to the notice of the King, and

If the magnificent collection brought together with singular judgment by Charles I. had not been dispersed, we might now have boasted not only of one of the most ancient but of one of the richest public galleries in Europe. had inherited a few pictures and statues belonging originally to Henry VIII. and to Prince Henry his elder brother. Immediately after his accession he began to acquire works of art. The well-known taste of the King, who not only piqued

Since

*Translation of a letter dated from Venice in April, 1628; appendix to Mr. Sainsbury's 'Original unpublished Papers of Sir Peter Paul Rubens,' p. 325. Dr. Waagen says 80,0001; probably a mis print for florins.-Art-Treasures in England, vol i p. 7.

purchased through his intervention. Ac-| Europe were enriched by the spoils of cording to a catalogue compiled by Van- Charles's collections, whilst a share in them derdoort, who was the keeper of the royal fell to private purchasers, chiefly to Jabach, pictures, there were in the Palace of a well-known banker of Cologne, living in Whitehall 460 paintings, amongst which Paris. His extravagance, principally diswere no less than 9 Raphaels, 2 Leonardo played in the acquisition of works of art, da Vincis, 11 Correggios, 28 Titians, 16 soon ended in bankruptcy, and the greater Giulio Romanos, 7 Tintorets, 3 Rem- part of his paintings were bought for Louis brandts, 7 Rubens, 16 Vandycks, and 3 XIV.-amongst them the Jupiter and Albert Dürers. The collection seems to Antiope by Correggio, and the Entombhave been scarcely less rich in master-ment, and Christ with the Disciples at pieces of the Dutch and German than of Emmaus, by Titian, now the chief ornathe Italian schools. ment of the Louvre.

Some of Charles's pictures were purchased by English collectors and dealers, and did not leave the country. After the Restoration many were recovered from their then possessors, and becoming, with those that had remained unsold, the property of the royal family, are mentioned in the catalogue of the collection of James II. The greater part of them, however, were unfortunately burnt in the fire which destroyed the Palace of Whitehall in 1697; the remainder are still preserved in the royal collections at Kensington, Hampton Court, and Windsor Castle.*

At the King's death pictures in various royal palaces were sold by public auction for the sum of 38,025l. 4s. 6d. Cromwell appears to have been desirous of preventing the dispersion of this magnificent gallery, but was thwarted by the opposition of a party in the House. He, however, succeeded at a later period in stopping the sale, having previously purchased Raphael's Cartoons for the nation for 3007.; a remarkable and very fortunate instance of his judgment and taste, considering the spirit of the times and the more attractive appearance of many of the pictures. It is curious to compare the prices at this sale A sketch of the history of the principal with those of modern times. The Tri- galleries of Europe may not be uninterestumphs of Julius Cæsar by Mantegna, from ing. That of the Uffizi at Florence reprethe Mantua collection, fetched 1000l., a sents probably the earliest existing collecproof of the very high estimation in tion of pictures, and taken with that in which this great master was held; the the Pitti Palace, brought together by the Twelve Cæsars by Titian 12007., his Venus same illustrious family, forms undoubtedly del Prado 600.; the Sleeping Venus by the richest and most varied possessed by Correggio 1000l., the Satyr Flayed, by any state. The Medici were powerful when the same master, 1000., and his Mercury the condition and purpose of art were for teaching Cupid to read 800l. (this picture the first time in modern ages favourable was purchased for the National Gallery to the foundation of a museum. In the from the Marquis of Londondery, together with the Ecce Homo' by the same master, in 1834, for 11,5007.); Raphael's 'Little Madonna and Child' 8007., his St. George only 150%., his portrait of the Marquis of Mantua 2007., and the St. John by Leonardo da Vinci 140l., showing either that the reputation of these two great masters had fallen, or that these were considered inferior or doubtful specimens of their works.

The principal purchaser was the Spanish Ambassador, who sent to Spain eighteen mule loads of pictures, amongst which was the celebrated Holy Family by Raphael, known as the 'Perla,' bought for 2000l., and now the gem of the fine gallery of Madrid. On their arrival the English ambassadors, Lords Clarendon and Cottington, were hastily dismissed from the capital that they might be spared the grief of seeing the plundered property of their fallen master. Other royal galleries in

history of art there must always be periods when painting and sculpture have higher and more definite ends and functions than the mere furnishing of specimens to the cabinet of the collector and connoisseur. It was not until long after the great sculptors of Greece had raised her noblest monuments, and had passed away, that they began to be looked upon as old masters, and their works to be collected as objects of beauty and rarity, without any reference to their original office and intention. It was not until long after the death of the great Italian painters of the Revival, who had devoted their genius to the service of religion, and to public instruction, that their works were torn from the sanctuaries in which they had placed

* Dr. Waagen, in the first volume of the Art Treasures of Great Britain,' has given an interestCharles I., and of the origin of the principal public ing account of the dispersion of the collections of and private galleries in England.

them and hung in galleries to gratify pri- | both then and since, offered for sale the vate vanity or ambition. In the time of noble collection of pictures inherited from Lorenzo the Magnificent this change in the his ancestors. Negociations were carried condition of art began to take place. His on through the agents of the Saxon Gopatronage and his taste may have chiefly vernment with the greatest secrecy in the contributed to it, and in some respects we dread of an attempt on the part of the may rejoice that it was so, as many pre- people to oppose by open violence what cious things were thus rescued from future they considered an alienation of national neglect and destruction. The discovery, property. The intrigues and artifices dein his day, of some of the most valuable vised by the Duke's Minister to outwit relics of antiquity increased this love of and cheat his German rival were worthy collecting. No royal house ever had the of the best period of Italian diplomacy. opportunities enjoyed by this princely fa- The price was, after prolonged wranmily, through ecclesiastical, political, and gling, fixed at 100,000 golden sequins; but commercial influence and relations, of gra- the Minister insisted upon a bribe of 100 tifying the desire. Lorenzo must then be sequins for himself, then exacted 8000 more considered as the real founder of the noble by sundry ingenious tricks, and triumphantFlorentine Gallery, which has been conti- ly concluded the negotiations by robbing nually increased by works expressly paint- the Saxon of the gilded frames. The colleced for it, by purchase, and by inheritance, tion contained six pictures by Correggio, from some of the most powerful houses of including the celebrated 'Notte' and the Italy. It is true that his collection was dispersed on the expulsion of Pietro, his son, in 1494, but eighteen years later it was again brought together on the return of the family to Florence. Cosimo I. employed Vasari, a better architect than painter, to raise the building which still contains the gallery in its upper story-an edifice of beautiful design and proportions, but ill adapted to the exhibition of pictures, its best disposed chamber as to light, the celebrated Tribune, having been constructed some years later by Bernardo Buontalenti. The collection remained the patrimony of the Medicean family until the Grand Duke Peter Leopold, after making valuable additions to it of paintings, statues, and antiquities, declared it public property, reserving as private that noble selection from it still preserved in the Pitti, which is, however, as freely open to all as the Uffizi.

Magdalen,' Titian's Christo della Moneta,' and Holbein's superb portrait of Thomas Morrett, goldsmith to Henry VIII., then believed to be that of Ludovico Sforza, surnamed il Moro,' by Leonardo da Vinci; a remarkable instance of the uncertainty of picture nomenclature, as well as a signal tribute to the genius of the German Painter.* The next important addition to the gallery was the exquisite picture of the Holy Family' by the same great master, which had passed from the possession of the descendants of the wealthy burgomaster, Jacob Meyer of Basle, for whom it was painted, into that of the Delfino family of Venice. The learned Alga rotti, the friend and correspondent of half the royal literati of Europe, acted for the Elector, and the painter Tiepolo was the go-between. A thousand golden sequins was fixed as the price of the picture, but various conditions were insisted upon by The next in extent if not in importance to the owners not unlike those attached to the the Gallery of Florence is that of Dresden. sale of our own Paul Veronese by Count It may be said to have been founded as Pisani, and much cavilled at by hasty criearly as in the middle of the sixteenth cen- tics not acquainted with the manner of tury, by the Elector Augustus I., who'doing business' in Italy. Signor Tiepolo collected pictures by Cranach, Albert Dürer, and other early German painters. It was enlarged by his successors, who brought together paintings scattered in royal residences, churches, and public buildings, and purchased various specimens of the Italian and other schools. But it was the Elector Augustus III. (17331763) and his Minister Count Brühl, who acquired for the Dresden Gallery those treasures which have raised it to the first rank amongst the galleries of Europe. The Duke of Este Modena, being in want of money, like many other Italian princes

was to receive a present in silver plate and chocolate, and a cane with an amber head mounted in gold, worth fifty sequins,' whilst 462 livres were to be divided between the major-duomo and other servants of the Delfino family.

Ten years later the gallery acquired its greatest treasure-the Madonni da S. Sis

*Von Rumohr was the first to restore this fine picture to its true author. His judgment has since been ratified by the opinion of the best critics, and The misnomer seems to have first arisen from an has been confirmed by the engraving of W. Hollar. Italian confusion between 'Morrett' and 'Moro.'