ANCIENT PICTURE OF CLEOPATRA.
AN exhibition of pictures of a very miscellaneous kind, but possessing a variety of interest, has been recently opened at the Royal Bazaar in Ox- ford Street. The principal attraction consists in a picture of Cleopatra, which is represented to have been painted thirty-three years before Christ, by Tr MOMACHUS' a Greek artist, for the purpose of being dis. played in the triumph of Augustus Cusar, after his return from his Eastern conquests. The evidence of these facts is entirely presumptive and conjectural. The authenticity and age of this undoubtedly curious and ancient work of art, are best sought for in an examination of the picture itself. It is painted upon stone, in encaustic, as has been proved by chemical analysis ; and this method was practised by the Greeks, and is now unknown. But, presuming that it is a Greek painting, there is no other proof offered of its being the work of Tx mosracnos, than the circumstance of his having lived at the time of the triumph of Augus- tus, which occurred soon after the death of Cleopatra ; whence it is con- jectured, that this picture might have been painted for the purpose of supplying the place of the deceased Queen in the triumph. This tissue of circumstances is too slender to support the claims even of a picture to antiquity ; which, however, as far only as the materials of the painting are considered, deserve investigation. As regards the art of the picture, it does not appear, in our judgment, to be of an older data than the early Italian painters ; and we leave to the connoisseurs the task of assigning its birth and parentage, by the physiognomy of style and the physiology of handling. We choose rather to view it on the ground of its merit as a work of art, than merely as a curious relic of antiquity or a specimen of Greek painting; for, in our opinion, the value of a work of art is to be appreciated by its beauty, or the light which it throws upon the prac- tice of the artist or those of his school and age, and also for the hints which it may suggest to the student. Mere antiquity has been the pass. port to admiration of many worthless specimens ; and this has opened a wide door to imposture, the glaring instances of which have tended to defeat the evil. We would value a buckle or a patera of undoubted an, tiquity, as much as a picture or a statue, if the latter were destitute of any other claim to notice. The beautiful and voluptuous Queen of Egypt is represented fair, with golden hair; and is in the act of applying the asp to her breast, upon which the reptile has inflicted its deady bite. Her dark eyes are upturned, and suffused with tears ; and her small month is open, with an expression of pain. The face is oval, the forehead low, the eye- brows lightly pencilled, and the features not strongly marked. The nose, in particular, is but slightly relieved from the face. She wears a diadem of gold and pearls, and a necklace of gems of various hues, set separately, and united by large pearls. Her dress consists of a kirtle of crimson, united at the shoulders in a bow, and falling across one breast, in the Greek fashion. The folds of the drapery are gracefully arranged, and well painted, though in a hard manner. A plait of her hair encir- cles her neck, and is knotted in front. A pair of small quaintly-a-voted and jewelled ear-rings adorn her ears. The arms are bare, with slight gold, bracelets enriclled with pearls.. The bands appear to have been restored.; and the picture has evidently suffered much by dilapidation, the effects of time, neglect, and experiment. Those who are interested in such subjects, will have their curiosity, gratified by the sight of this picture ; of which there has been a lithographic print published. In the room are several old pictures of secondary merit, purporting to be by first-rate masters. A very elaborately-painted and beautiful pic- ture of the Virgin, by CARLO DOLCE, is deserving of attention, from the beauty and neatness of the drawing and colouring, and the brilliancy of the flesh tints ; and is, if not a genuine original, a very fine copy of a very fine picture. The expression, as well as the composition and effect, is admirable, and the drapery is extremely good. Among the originals by Old Masters, we should be disposed to class those by BAS- SANO, TINTORETTO, PAUL VERONESE, a portrait by GIORGIONE, and a small landscape by CLAUDE. There are also some good copies by Mr. RAMSAY REINAGLE, of several grand pictures by RUBENS ; two of 31r. R. II-Emu-12s mannerisms ; and a large and striking picture of the Loss of the Kent East Indianian, very cleverly painted by Monsieur
GUDIN.
The exhibition, altogether, is well worth a visit.
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