e glory of the Virgin
with such rapture. In fact, these angels seem to be painted as an
afterthought, for, laid in with a light brush, they scarcely cover the
clouds, but allow the underlying pigment to show through.

Little wings of vivid tint complete these aerial creatures, always
living around Raphael and always ready to come from his brush. Although
held to nature by the most intimate ties, although perhaps too familiar
in attitude and manner, they are yet supernatural by the clearness of
their intelligence and by the power of their admiration. We are
enchanted with their candour and beauty. They are full of zeal and
enthusiasm; they possess the grace of the Pagan Loves merged into
Christian innocence and chastity. Their faith is as beautiful as the
sky, and in loving them it is almost for God himself that we feel the
love.

Such are the various parts of this work; their union forms the most
sublime harmony, and each in particular brings a divine note to this
celestial concert. By what process was this picture produced? We can
scarcely say, so greatly does the inspiration predominate over the
technique.

Raphael aimed at the sublime; and the rest was given to him as increase.
The colour is just what it should be in such a subject; whilst keeping
to a sweet, calm, and peaceful scale, it is resplendent with light, and
we ask ourselves whether it is not the hand of an angel rather than that
of a man that has been able to realize such a marvel.

The _Virgin of St. Sixtus_ is the most beautiful picture in the world.
To copy this Virgin is to attempt the impossible. Study it a hundred
times and a hundred times it will reveal itself under a new aspect. It
was before this picture, it is said, that Correggio cried: "And I also,
I am a painter."

The _Virgin of St. Sixtus_ was immediately placed where it was meant to
be; it was present in triumph every day for two hundred and thirty-six
years at the divine sacrament; and never was a human work so worthy of
that signal honour.

In 1734 the degenerate monks of St. Sixtus preferred a little gold to
their inestimable masterpiece, and for a miserable sum of a hundred and
some thousands of francs (110,000 to 120,000), they sold their Virgin to
Augustus III., Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. That day the
barbarians were not those the Italians think....

At Dresden, the Madonna was received with great pomp. Augustus III. had
it brought in haste into the reception hall