Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/439

 1868.] The Minsters of Europe. 361 la the tower is a very extensive set of chimes, composed of ninety-nine bells, and one very large bell, at the baptism of which the renowned Charles V., of Germany, stood godfather ! It required sixteen men to ring it. Near the foot of the tower is an old draw-well, covered with an elegant Gothic canopy of iron, which is the work of the justly celebrated artist Quentin Matsys, the blacksmith of Antwerp, whose history is a bit of ro- mance. Having fallen in love with the daughter of a painter, he found he could not obtain the consent of the young girl's father, unless he relinquished his trade, and assumed a profession. Quen- tin Matsys was too much engaged in this affaire de cceur, to be thus debarred of his coveted prize. He turned his thoughts to Painting ; and soon mas- tered and excelled in that art. He won his lady-love and reputation at the one effort. At the west door of the Cathe- dral, on one side, is a tablet to his memoiy, whose wonderful works are the prized jewels of the museum. It bears a Latin inscription of which the transla- tion is as follows : " Twas love connubial taught the smith to paint." His body is interred at the foot of the tower But, after all its attractiveness of de- sign and execution, it is to its vast treasure of immortal paintings, that Antwerp draws the attention of the traveler. Amid the beautiful works of Rubens, which so enrich it, there is, perhaps, no picture there can compare, in all points, though some are truly wonderful, with that master's Descent from the Cross. It hangs commonly in the south transept, near the door leading out of the Place Verte. In the opposite, or north transept, is the Elevation of the Cross, which, though not so perfect a work of art, as the Descent, is still a wonder of effective drawing and painting. In the centre is Christ nailed to the Cross, with a num- ber of figures exerting themselves in different ways to raise it. One of the figures appears flushed, all the blood rising into his face, from his violent efforts ; others in intricate attitudes, which, at the same time, that they show the great energy with which the busi- ness is done, give that opportunity, which painters desire, of encountering the difficulties of the art, in foreshorten- ing and in representing momentary actions. It is, unquestionably, one of Rubens' best and most animated con- ceptions. One other of this great master's works is a Pieta, the dead body of Christ laid on a stone table, covered with straw, mourned over by the Virgin. This is one of his most careful pictures. The characters are of a higher style of beauty than usual, particularly the Mary Mag- dalen, weeping, with her hand clenched. The coloring of the Christ and the Vir- gin is of a most beautiful and delicately pearly tint, opposed by the strong, high coloring of St. Joseph. It has been said by his critics that Rubens does not appear to advantage but in large works. This picture may be considered an ex- ception. But, as we are reviewing the archi- tecture of the European Minsters, we will not venture farther on the en- chanting field of Painting, especially when Rubens witches us away To return, then, we will take a parting glance at the beautiful works of which we have endeavored, from memoiy, with the aid of books, to present to our readers. Cologne, magnificent in its incom- pleteness, gives the mind a chance to wander into the imaginative dreams of design, which will most suit each artist. Strasburg, in its gorgeous lace-work of stone, the very petrification of magic art leaves the mind bewildered in its mazes of intricate beauty. Antwerp, like an elaborated repository of the sublime in art, quietby presides over her domain of genius, an empress worthy of her throne.