A remarkable peculiarity appears in this composition, as it presents two children, two women, and two old men; these six figures form two groups of three each, and are both composed after the same manner. This is certainly a strange fault to meet with in such a painter as Rubens, who is as much distinguished by the beauty of his compositions as by the truth and vigour ot his colouring.

On the left are saint Joseph, the Virgin, and the infant Jesus; on the right are Zachary, saint Elisabeth, and saint John; the back-ground represents a landscape, where a long veil hangs on a tree loaded with fruit, a bough of which Zachary has just gathered, and is offering to the child Jesus. On the right of the fore-ground is the little saint John's lamb, and two rabbits on the left.

This picture was to be seen in Saint James's church, at Brussels; there was probably a copy of it in the earl of Chesterfield's collection, from which an engraving was made by R. Earlom, in 1771.

Height, 11 feet 8 inches; breadth, 7 feet 5 inches.

ÉCOLE FRANÇAISE. P. DE CHAMPAGNE. ↔ MUSÉE FRANÇAIS.

PORTRAITS

DE LA MÈRE ANGÉLIQUE ARNAUD

ET DE LA MÈRE CATHERINE AGNÈS.

Champagne, né à Bruxelles, quitta sa patrie dès l'àge de vingt ans. Il vint à Paris où il fut fort employé, et devint peintre de la reine Marie de Médicis. S'il se fut contenté de faire des portraits, il aurait sans doute obtenu une réputation plus durable; mais il fit des tableaux d'histoire, dans lesquels il ne sut qu'imiter la nature sans savoir la choisir. Il savait rendre son modèle avec un exactitude parfaite, mais il n'est pas parvenu à lui donner le sentiment et l'action nécessaires pour caraetériser un grand peintre.

Ce tableau est le cachet du talent de Champagne. Il y a représenté sa fille malade depuis long-temps, et recouvrant

la santé.

Cette composition des plus simples est aussi des plus vraies : l'immobilité des personnages parait être l'effet du recueillement de pieuses personnes qui adressent à Dieu des actions de grâces pour le rétablissement presque inespéré de l'une d'elles. On y trouve l'expression d'âme d'une piété sincère et d'une confiance parfaite.

Haut., 5 pieds 4 pouces; larg., 6 pieds 8 pouces.

PORTRAITS

OF THE NUNS ANGELICA ARNAUD
AND CATHERINE AGNES. ✓

Champagne, born at Brussels, left his country at the age of twenty. He came to Paris where he was much employed, and became painter to the queen Mary de Médicis. Had he confined himself to portrait painting, he would doubtless have acquired a more durable reputation; but he took to historical pieces in which he was a close but not select imitator of nature; he rendered his model with perfect exactitude, but was deficient in giving it that soul and action characteristic of a great painter.

This picture, which is Champagne's master-piece represents his daughter recovering from a long illness.

:

Nothing can be more simple and natural than this composition the immobility of the figures seems as if produced by the grateful reminiscence of pious persons, who are offering up thanks to God for the almost unhoped for recovery of one of them. The silent and soul-felt fervour of a sincere piety is there most forcibly expressed.

Height, 5 feet 8 inches; breadth, 7

feet.