surpassed
his masters--is an instance of blindness to a power in art which we
would almost call new, that is very strange to see. "Domenichino, more
obedient than the rest to his masters, aimed at the beauty of the
antique, the expression of Raphael, the vigour of Annibal, the colour of
Ludovico; and mixing something of each, fell short of all." Nor do we
think him just with regard to Guercino, or even at all describing his
characteristic style, when he speaks of his "fierceness of chiaroscuro,
and intrepidity of hand." We readily give up to him "the great but
abused talents of Pietro da Cortona," a painter without sentiment, and
the "fascinating but debauched and empty facility of Luca Giordano."

The German schools here come under consideration, which, simultaneously
with those of Italy, and without visible communication, spread the
principles of art. "Towards the decline of the fifteenth century, the
uncouth essays of Martin Schoen, Michael Wolgemuth, and Albrecht
Altorfer, were succeeded by the finer polish and the more dexterous
method of Albert Durer." His well-known figure of "Melancholy" would
alone entitle him to rank. The breadth and power of his wood engravings
are worthy of admiration. Mr Fuseli thinks "his colour went beyond his
age, and as far excelled, in truth and breadth of handling, the
oil-colour of Raphael, as Raphael excels him in every other quality.
His influence was not unfelt in Italy. It is visible in the style of
even the imitators of Michael Angelo--Andrea del Sarto, particularly in
the angular manner of his draperies. Though Albert Durer had no
scholars, he was imitated by the Dutch Lucas of Leyden. Now it was that
the style of Michael Angelo, spread by the graver of Giorgio Mantuano,
brought to Italy "those caravans of German, Dutch, and Flemish students,
who, on their return from Italy, at the courts of Prague and Munich, in
Flanders and the Netherlands, introduced the preposterous manner, the
bloated excrescence of diseased brains, which, in the form of man, left
nothing human; distorted action and gesture with insanity of
affectation, and dressed the gewgaws of children in colossal shapes."
But though such as Golzius, Spranger, Heyntz, and Abach, "fed on the
husks of Tuscan design, they imbibed the colour of Venice, and spread
the elements of that excellence which distinguished the succeeding
schools of Flanders and of Holland." So it was till the appearance of
Rubens and Rembrandt--"bot