RICHTER (1–15)

Notes from Professor Ruskin's Letters to the Principal

“I send you to-day the first nine of the sixty subjects for your Cabinet, with a few comments and explanations. Will you kindly let Mr. Williams (of Foord's) mount them up to the outer line, so as just to show the pencilled numbers—in my usual bevelled mounts,—and gradually I will fill your sixty with pretty things.”—Brantwood, lUh Oct., 1881.

“I was looking out some more Richters for you. They'll come tomorrow—six to be mounted, forming 15 with the nine you have—one quarter of the whole intended series. Those which I have rejected, for various reasons, from the two series of the Daily Bread and Sabbath, are unnecessary to their full chord, or discordant with it.

“To-day I send you the Child Book [Der Kinder-Engel] for general lying about on tables—never anything more heavenly has been sent down to earth since Angelico.”—Brantwood, Oct. 30th, 1881.

“THE BREAD WHICH COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN”

St. John vi. 33.—“For this is the Bread of God which came down from Heaven and giveth Life to the World.”

Meaning also the Sacrament of Cleansing.

Eve's apple on the left, the red cross on the right.

The fountain opened for sin in the middle.

Celestial mountains above; Earthly Paradise, that is to say. An ordinary scene in the Tyrol, below. I don't know the meaning of the little birds on the fountain-pipe, nor whether the angels on the ground, on the Madonna's left, are meant to be learning lessons.