Leonardo's Madonna with the Yarn WinderAuthor(s): Emil MoellerSource: The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 50, No. 286 (Jan., 1927), p. 50Published by: The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/863108 .

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analagous with the small Gothic carved stone- work of the fourteenth century. Although they can be chronologically arranged, it is difficult to determine the origin of their style which differs sharply from that universally accepted as Chinese. Wei terra-cottas are little known, though Mr. Eumorfopoulos possesses a fine example, and the Horseman in the Musee Cernuschi is very like that in the collection of M. Raymond Koechlin. These terra-cottas were found in North China. But though the objects mentioned have a very real interest, it is none the less difficult to regard them in the same light as the double-faced Chou statuette, also in terra-cotta, which is undoubtedly among the most ancient extant representations of a Chinese figure. It is probable that this statuette, which at a first glance recalls some sort of anthropomorphous Aztec pottery, had originally a mag-ical significance. It represents a warrior with the body encased in armour. Whether it is a spirit symbolizing war in the abstract or one whose function was to guard hearth and home from ill fortune, this head, of cubical rather than spherical construction, must undoubtedly throw light of some kind on the remote origins of Chinese art. Two other statuettes of warriors, less primi- tively treated, also in the Cernuschi Museum, are almost identical with the Chou (?) statuettes in the Field Museum, Chicago. To the Chou period also one may safely attribute a terra-cotta vase, in a hard, white material, of which both outline and ornament exactly correspond with those of bronze vases.

It is to Neolithic times that one must ascribe a Kansu vase with red-brown painting on a black ground, just acquired by the museum. The Siren and the Jean Sauphar collections both include examples of the same type of pottery. Mr. Loo has presented a Han polychrome terra-cotta dog to the Museum, while from another source a T'sin tri- pod vase has arrived to the enrichment of the Cernuschi collections. The bronze vases of the T'sin epoch have curious covers decorated in relief with crouching sacrificial animals. The series of

LETTER "LEONARDO'S MADONNA WITH THE

YARN WINDER " SIR,-In my article, " Leonardo's Madonna with

the Yarn Winder" in the August BURLINGTON MAGAZINE (end of p. 6r) appears the sentence: Calvi invented from this description the title " La Madonna dei fusi," translated " Madonna with the Spindles."

Dr. Girolamo Calvi, of Milan, our best authority on Leonardo, tells me that it was not his grand- father, Luigi Girolamo Calvi, who was responsible for this title. The mistake was mine in supposing that it was the fortunate discoverer of Pietro Nuvolaria's interesting letter who also gave the picture this name which has been generally adopted in the literature of Leonardo. I had noted the documents published by Calvi in T908 and have not seen the book since. Perhaps it was Miintz who first used the title " La Vierge aux Fuseaux " in

analagous with the small Gothic carved stone- work of the fourteenth century. Although they can be chronologically arranged, it is difficult to determine the origin of their style which differs sharply from that universally accepted as Chinese. Wei terra-cottas are little known, though Mr. Eumorfopoulos possesses a fine example, and the Horseman in the Musee Cernuschi is very like that in the collection of M. Raymond Koechlin. These terra-cottas were found in North China. But though the objects mentioned have a very real interest, it is none the less difficult to regard them in the same light as the double-faced Chou statuette, also in terra-cotta, which is undoubtedly among the most ancient extant representations of a Chinese figure. It is probable that this statuette, which at a first glance recalls some sort of anthropomorphous Aztec pottery, had originally a mag-ical significance. It represents a warrior with the body encased in armour. Whether it is a spirit symbolizing war in the abstract or one whose function was to guard hearth and home from ill fortune, this head, of cubical rather than spherical construction, must undoubtedly throw light of some kind on the remote origins of Chinese art. Two other statuettes of warriors, less primi- tively treated, also in the Cernuschi Museum, are almost identical with the Chou (?) statuettes in the Field Museum, Chicago. To the Chou period also one may safely attribute a terra-cotta vase, in a hard, white material, of which both outline and ornament exactly correspond with those of bronze vases.

It is to Neolithic times that one must ascribe a Kansu vase with red-brown painting on a black ground, just acquired by the museum. The Siren and the Jean Sauphar collections both include examples of the same type of pottery. Mr. Loo has presented a Han polychrome terra-cotta dog to the Museum, while from another source a T'sin tri- pod vase has arrived to the enrichment of the Cernuschi collections. The bronze vases of the T'sin epoch have curious covers decorated in relief with crouching sacrificial animals. The series of

LETTER "LEONARDO'S MADONNA WITH THE

YARN WINDER " SIR,-In my article, " Leonardo's Madonna with

the Yarn Winder" in the August BURLINGTON MAGAZINE (end of p. 6r) appears the sentence: Calvi invented from this description the title " La Madonna dei fusi," translated " Madonna with the Spindles."

Dr. Girolamo Calvi, of Milan, our best authority on Leonardo, tells me that it was not his grand- father, Luigi Girolamo Calvi, who was responsible for this title. The mistake was mine in supposing that it was the fortunate discoverer of Pietro Nuvolaria's interesting letter who also gave the picture this name which has been generally adopted in the literature of Leonardo. I had noted the documents published by Calvi in T908 and have not seen the book since. Perhaps it was Miintz who first used the title " La Vierge aux Fuseaux " in

Scythian objects in the museum is being completed and a collection of prehistoric hatchets is being formed. The new case of Chou and Han jades deserves the most detailed examination. Among these is a ring formed of three related segments. Laufer' describes such objects as astronomical instruments. A group of Chou and Han ritual fish, the former frankly stylized, the others most naturalistic in treatment, are arranged beside the ring, and some grasshoppers (one with eyes incrusted with gold) such as were laid on the tongues of the dead before burial. The same case contains a bodkin fixed into a glass handle. This object, which was found in a Chou vase, throws back by several centuries the presumed date of the discovery of glass by the Chinese.

The Galleries Bernheim Jeune have got together an exhibition of drawings by Seurat. The impres- sion made as a whole is the greater since these drawings reveal the various aspects of the genius of the painter of La Grande Jatte. The same gallery groups some recent works by Pierre Bon- nard whose colour retains all its freshness. It seems, however, as though the artist now prefers to make use of more subdued harmonies than those to which he formerly accustomed us. This fluid and transparent colour is used with a candour entirely characteristic of the artist. Bonnard is one of those who have recovered that candour of vision the worth of which Academic art apparently scorns. Although he does not always escape from a merely decorative effect (due to the composition of his canvases on a two-dimensional basis, and to a certain equality of colour values which excludes all special effect), Bonnard is a magnificent little master.

The water-colours of Segonzac which have been shown at the Marseille Gallery, are expressed in a vehement and rapid calligraphy. Are they, one asks oneself, water-colours or pen drawings heigh- tened with colour? While they contain nothing new, they once more affirm the vigorous and highly personal talent of Segonzac.

Scythian objects in the museum is being completed and a collection of prehistoric hatchets is being formed. The new case of Chou and Han jades deserves the most detailed examination. Among these is a ring formed of three related segments. Laufer' describes such objects as astronomical instruments. A group of Chou and Han ritual fish, the former frankly stylized, the others most naturalistic in treatment, are arranged beside the ring, and some grasshoppers (one with eyes incrusted with gold) such as were laid on the tongues of the dead before burial. The same case contains a bodkin fixed into a glass handle. This object, which was found in a Chou vase, throws back by several centuries the presumed date of the discovery of glass by the Chinese.

The Galleries Bernheim Jeune have got together an exhibition of drawings by Seurat. The impres- sion made as a whole is the greater since these drawings reveal the various aspects of the genius of the painter of La Grande Jatte. The same gallery groups some recent works by Pierre Bon- nard whose colour retains all its freshness. It seems, however, as though the artist now prefers to make use of more subdued harmonies than those to which he formerly accustomed us. This fluid and transparent colour is used with a candour entirely characteristic of the artist. Bonnard is one of those who have recovered that candour of vision the worth of which Academic art apparently scorns. Although he does not always escape from a merely decorative effect (due to the composition of his canvases on a two-dimensional basis, and to a certain equality of colour values which excludes all special effect), Bonnard is a magnificent little master.

The water-colours of Segonzac which have been shown at the Marseille Gallery, are expressed in a vehement and rapid calligraphy. Are they, one asks oneself, water-colours or pen drawings heigh- tened with colour? While they contain nothing new, they once more affirm the vigorous and highly personal talent of Segonzac.

his book (p. 507) published in I899. Solmi's " Biography " cites (p. 328) " La Madonna dei Fusi."

In my MS. I wrote " Calvi took from this description the title ' La Madonna dei Fusi.' " The italicized word you altered to invented. This may conceivably have been interpreted as a re- proach to the author of the phrase. There is, how- ever, no doubt than anyone might, on the basis of Nuvolaria's letter, have proposed the title " Madonna dei Fusi." The yarn winder symboli- zing the sign of the cross in the Buccleuch Madonna and in its copies is the central feature of the composition, the basket and spindles being merely accessories, so that " Madonna with the Yarn Winder" may be regarded as the only correct title.

Yours faithfully, EMIL MOELLER

his book (p. 507) published in I899. Solmi's " Biography " cites (p. 328) " La Madonna dei Fusi."

In my MS. I wrote " Calvi took from this description the title ' La Madonna dei Fusi.' " The italicized word you altered to invented. This may conceivably have been interpreted as a re- proach to the author of the phrase. There is, how- ever, no doubt than anyone might, on the basis of Nuvolaria's letter, have proposed the title " Madonna dei Fusi." The yarn winder symboli- zing the sign of the cross in the Buccleuch Madonna and in its copies is the central feature of the composition, the basket and spindles being merely accessories, so that " Madonna with the Yarn Winder" may be regarded as the only correct title.

Yours faithfully, EMIL MOELLER

50 50

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