states, solves the
paint of old pictures, and leaves the modern untouched. In a former
paper, in which we dwelt much on this subject, we mentioned that we had
the report of a very scientific friend, who had spent nearly a life of
leisure and competence in experiments on pictures, that the paint of the
old masters _fused_, not only where white lead had been used, but in
every part; and we ourselves saw him try the experiment upon the
background of an old picture, by means of the blow-pipe, and the result
was a fused substance--a glass. We here leave the question of the
discovery of a vehicle by Van Eyck, or by any other person, satisfied
that there was a discovery by some one at some time, of a vehicle
different from the first painting with oil, and from any of modern use.
To dispute this fact, appears to us as absurd as if any one should deny
the discovery of America, because there may be disputes as to dates and
persons of the first discoverers. We are only surprised that Tambroni
and others do not take any notice of the chemical differences in the
substances of old and new paint--we mean subsequent to the supposed
discovery; and we confess we are surprised at the unworthy,
unsatisfactory, and ambiguous manner in which Tambroni settles the
matter. "Now, being willing to act with generosity towards this noble
writer, and to believe that his religion was not overcome by deception,
we should perhaps be able to admit that we were indebted to John of
Bruges for the practice of tempering colours with both nut and linseed
oils, and to Antonello for having used and made common, through all
Italy, a method which, in beauty, greatly exceeds distemper-painting,
which, until his time, had always been preferred." Does he really mean,
or believe, that this new method consisted only in the use of linseed
and nut oils? Is he acquainted with the works of John of Bruges, or with
that picture of Andrea del Castagno, the supposed murderer of Domenico,
which is called by Guarienti "the wonder of painting;" and which, by the
description of its finish, _particularly of the room in which the action
is represented_, is supposed to have been an imitation of the style of
the Flemish master? If it be asked, how could any good practice in any
art be lost? we have only to answer that we are not bound to _account_
for a notorious fact with regard to arts in general. Many have been
totally lost; but the troubles, the plague, and dispersion of artists i