s in this
picture after Bolswert had engraved it. The horseman who is in the act
of piercing the side of Christ holds the spear, according to the print,
in a very tame manner, with the back of the hand over the spear,
grasping it with only three fingers, the forefinger lying straight over
the spear; whereas, in the picture, the back of the hand comes _under_
the spear, and he grasps it with his whole force. The other defect,
which is remedied in the picture, is the action of the executioner who
breaks the legs of the criminal: in the print, both of his hands are
over the bar of iron, which makes a false action; in the picture, the
whole disposition is altered to the natural manner in which every person
holds a weapon which requires both hands--the right is placed over, and
the left under it. This print was undoubtedly done under the inspection
of Rubens himself. It may be worth observing, that the keeping of the
masses of light in the print differs much from the picture; this change
is not from inattention, but design; a different conduct is required in
a composition with colours from what ought to be followed _when it is in
black and white only_. We have here the authority of this great master
of light and shadow, that a print requires more and larger masses of
light than a picture. In this picture, the principal and the strongest
light is the body of Christ, which is of a remarkably clear and bright
colour. This is strongly opposed by the very brown complexion of the
thieves, (perhaps the opposition here is too violent,) who make no great
effect as to light; the Virgin's outer drapery is dark blue, and the
inner a dark purple, and St. John is in dark strong red. No part of
these two figures is light in the picture but the head and hands of the
Virgin, but in the print, they make the principal mass of light of the
whole composition. The engraver has certainly produced a fine effect,
and I suspect it is as certain that if this change had not been made,
it would have appeared a black and heavy print. When Rubens thought it
necessary, in the print, to make a mass of light of the drapery of the
Virgin and St. John, it was likewise necessary that it should be of a
beautiful shape, and be kept compact; it therefore became necessary to
darken the whole figure of the Magdalen, which in the picture is at
least as light as the body of Christ; her head, linen, arms, hair,
and the feet of Christ, make a mass as light as the body of