Page:Cyclopedia of Painters and Paintings, 1887, vol 4.djvu/448

 VISITATION ground, baptism of Christ, with the Eternal blessing him from above. Painted about 1517 for Giovanni Battista Branconio of Visitation, Raphael, Madrid Museum, Aquila, who presented it to S. Silvestro at Aquila in the Abruzzi ; bought in 1655 by Philip IV. of Spain, who placed it in the Escorial ; carried to Paris in 1813 and trans- ferred to canvas ; returned in 1822. Al- most wholly by Raphael. Engraved by A. B. Desnoyers, and others. Gruyer, "Vierges de Raphael, ii. 63 ; Passavant, ii. 247 ; Ma- drazo, 189 ; Reveil, i. 61 ; Larousse, s 1116. By Rembrandt, Grosvenor House, Lon- don ; wood, H. 1 ft. 9 in. x 1 ft. 6 in. ; signed, dated 1640. Elizabeth embraces the Virgin at the bottom of the house steps, which the aged Zacharias, who is supported by a youth, is descending ; behind the Virgin, a negress, and farther back a servant housing an ass ; beside them a dog, a peacock, and a hen with chickens. Formerly in Collec- tion of King of Sardinia ; bought in Eng- land in 1812. Engraved by 3. Burnet (1813). Waagen, Art Treasures, ii. 165; Vosmaer, 455 ; Smith, vii. 22. By Rubens, Antwerp Cathedral ; wood, H. 13 ft. 6 in. x 4 ft. 10 in. The Virgin is received by Elizabeth at the entrance of a house with a vast portico supported by col- umns, while Zacharias greets Joseph, who is mounting the steps ; behind the latter, a maid-servant with a basket on her head, and in foreground a man-servant unlading an ass. Painted on the interior of one of the wings of the Descent from the Cross. En- graved by P. de Jode ; Ragot. By Tintoretto, Scuola di S. Rocco, Ven- ice ; canvas. The Virgin and Elizabeth, with Zacharias behind them leaning on his staff. " Painted in his very best manner ; exquisite in simplicity, unrivalled in vigour, well-preserved, and, as a piece of painting, certainly one of the most precious in Venice." Ruskin, Stones of Venice, iii. 332. Visitation, Rubens, Antwerp Cathedral. Subject treated also by Pinturicchio, Vatican ; Cristofano Allori, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence ; Federigo Barocci, Vienna Muse- 384