Examples of the Coronation of the Virgin from various Painters.

THE CORONATION as distinguished from the Incoronata; how treated as an historical Subject.

The Tree of Life, the Fall, or Eve holding the Apple, are constantly introduced allusively in the Madonna pictures, as ornaments of her throne, or on the predella of an altar-piece, representing the Annunciation, the Nativity, or the Coronation.

In a Nativity they sing the "Gloria in excelsis Deo;" in a Coronation, the "Regina Coeli;" in an enthroned Madonna with votaries, the "Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiæ!"

The Coronation.

The Seven Joys are, the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, the Presentation in the Temple, Christ found by his Mother, the Assumption and Coronation.

In a "Coronation," by Piero Laurati, the figures of Christ and the Virgin, seated together, resemble in sentiment and expression those of Giotto.

One of the most beautiful and celebrated of the pictures of Angelico da Fiesole is the "Coronation" now in the Louvre; formerly it stood over the high altar of the Church of St. Dominick at Fiesole, where Angelico had been nurtured, and made his profession as monk.

In strong contrast with the graceful Italian conception, is the German "Coronation," now in the Wallerstein collection.

There is a "Coronation" by Vivarini (Acad. Venice), which may be said to comprise in itself a whole system of theology.

In a "Coronation" by Sandro Botticelli, we find below, St. John the Evangelist, St. Augustine, St. John Gualberto, St. Bernardo Cardinale.

The coronation above is small and seen as a vision; the saints below, St. Bernard and St. Catherine, are life-size.

] The "Coronation of the Virgin" by Annibale Carracci is in a spirit altogether different, magnificently studied.

Rubens, also, painted a "Coronation" with all his own lavish magnificence of style for the Jesuits at Brussels.

After the time of Velasquez and Rubens, the "Immaculate Conception" superseded the "Coronation."

1. The dress of the Virgin in a "Coronation" is generally splendid, too like the coronation robes of an earthly queen,it is a "raiment of needlework,""a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours"generally blue, crimson, and white, adorned with gold, gems, and even ermine.

1. The dress of the Virgin in a "Coronation" is generally splendid, too like the coronation robes of an earthly queen,it is a "raiment of needlework,""a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours"generally blue, crimson, and white, adorned with gold, gems, and even ermine.

In the "Coronation" by Filippo Lippi, at Spoleto, she wears a white robe embroidered with golden suns.

In a beautiful little "Coronation" in the Wallerstein collection (Kensington Pal.)

3. It will be interesting to remember that the earliest existing impression taken from an engraved metal plate, is a "Coronation of the Virgin."

Maso Finiguerra, a skilful goldsmith and worker in niello, living at Florence in 1434, was employed to execute a pix (the small casket in which the consecrated wafer of the sacrament is deposited), and he decorated it with a representation of the Coronation in presence of saints and angels, in all about thirty figures, minutely and exquisitely engraved on the silver face.

This is the moment which precedes the Coronation, as the group already described in the S. Maria-in-Trastevere exhibits the moment which follows the Coronation. 5.

This is the moment which precedes the Coronation, as the group already described in the S. Maria-in-Trastevere exhibits the moment which follows the Coronation. 5.

We find, however, that the growing belief in the pure Conception and miraculous sanctification of the Virgin multiplied the representations of her coronation and glorification, as the only permitted expression of the popular enthusiasm on this point.

For the powerful Order of the Franciscans, who were at this time and for a century afterwards the most ardent champions of the Immaculate Conception, were painted most of the pictures of the Coronation produced during the fourteenth century.