enes of history divine,
Wherein for aye his memory shall shine."

JUAN FERNANDEZ NAVARRETE (1526-1579), called El Mudo, because deaf and
dumb, is a very interesting painter. He was not born a mute, but became
deaf at three years of age, and could not learn to speak. He studied some
years in Italy, and was in the school of Titian. In 1568 he was appointed
painter to Philip II. His principal works were eight pictures for the
Escorial, three of which were burned. His picture of the "Nativity" is
celebrated for its lights, of which there are three; one is from the
Divine Babe, a second from the glory above, and a third from a torch in
the hand of St. Joseph. The group of shepherds is the best part of the
picture, and when Tibaldi saw the picture he exclaimed, "O! gli belli
pastori!" and it has since been known as the "Beautiful Shepherds."

His picture of "Abraham and the Three Angels" was placed near the door
where the monks of the Escorial received strangers. The pictures of
Navarrete are rare. After his death Lope de Vega wrote a lament for him,
in which he said,

"No countenance he painted that was dumb."

When the "Last Supper" painted by Titian reached the Escorial, it was
found to be too large for the space it was to occupy in the refectory. The
king ordered it to be cut, which so distressed El Mudo that he offered to
copy it in six months, in reduced size, and to forfeit his head if he did
not fulfil his promise. He also added that he should hope to be knighted
if he copied in six months what Titian had taken seven years to paint. But
Philip was resolute, and the picture was cut, to the intense grief of the
dumb Navarrete. While the painter lived Philip did not fully appreciate
him; but after his death the king often declared that his Italian artists
could not equal his mute Spaniard.

JUAN CARRENO DE MIRANDA (1614-1685) is commonly called Carreno. He was of
an ancient noble family. His earliest works were for the churches and
convents of Madrid, and he acquired so good a name that before the death
of Philip IV. he was appointed one of his court-painters. In 1671 the
young king Charles gave Carreno the cross of Santiago, and to his office
of court-painter added that of Deputy Aposentador. He would allow no other
artist to paint his likeness unless Carreno consented to it. The pictures
of Carreno were most excellent, and his character was such as to merit all
his good fortune. His death was sincerely