In Room VI we leave Lombardy and enter Venetia. The first picture on the right is a work of dazzling distinction and delight, " SS. Antony and George," No. 776, painted before 1450, by Pisano, or Pisanello, who is chiefly famous for his medals. Next it is another picture by the same hand, but not so brilliant, " The Vision of S. Eustace." We now come to that severe and most thoughtful of painters, Andrea Mantegna, who usually preferred strength to sweetness, but in No. 274, "Madonna and Child with Saints," has both. This is a very beautiful picture. An even more beautiful touched with a deeper emotion and painted with a rare simplicity is the " Crucifixion " by Antonello da Messina, No. 1166, which I have always thought one of the most notable pictures in the whole Gallery. Antonello, who was born in 1430 and died in 1479, painted this in 1477. In his work he combined Italian and Flemish methods, and it is probable that he sojourned in Flanders.

We come now to the two Bellinis, in whose work the Gallery is rich. Giovanni is the more remarkable and the five pictures confidently given to him are all treasures. The portrait of Doge Leonardo Loredano, No. 189, is probably the most popular, but there is some amazing work in No. 1233, " The Blood of the Redeemer," which is full of light. It is interesting to remember that Titian and Giorgione were probably pupils of the Bellinis. Another pupil was Basaiti, the painter of the charming "Madonna of the Meadow," No. 599, which brings so much fresh air into this room. Cima, the painter of No. 300, also came under the Bellini influence, and so did Catena, whose gentle placid scene of "A Warrior adoring the Infant Christ," No. 9.34, is on the opposite wall. Catena was influenced also by Giorgione and two pictures which might be by him, and one which is, hang close by. Who else could have painted Nos. 1160 and 1173 it would be difficult to say, but there is a conspiracy to deprive Giorgione of everything but his School. For some years No. 269 was taken from him, but I am glad to see that the old ascription has been replaced. This figure has enough resemblance to the figure of San Liberale in the famous altar piece at Castel Franco (Giorgione's birthplace) to be called a study for it. Samuel Rogers, the banker-poet, owned the picture and bequeathed it to the nation. His ghost should be pleased to read Giorgione's name, without dilution, again beneath it. It would not surprise me if it were found that Giorgione (who, after all, must have painted something) had a hand in No. 270, which bears Titian's name.

Three other artists to scrutinise in this room are Piombo, who began by being Venetian and rich in colour, and then passed under the severe influence of Michelangelo, and Carpaccio, who is represented here by a scene in the S. Ursula series, smaller than any of those in the Accademia, in Venice and not of the same quality. Lastly, Carlo Crivelli, whose altar pieces we saw in Room VIII. In this room is his " Annunciation," No. 739, where the golden shaft of light, bearing the message of the Holy Ghost to the poor little Virgin, reaches her through a loophole left by the builder for the purpose! The picture is full of detail, all worth study, and not the least attractive accessory is the little inquisitive child on a balcony at the left.

Immediately on the right of the entrance to Room VII, is a curious and fascinating battle scene, more important as decoration than as a picture, by an unknown Ferrarese artist, No. 1062. Next is the first of a number of fine portraits by Moretto of Brescia, and then we come to the first of the portraits by his pupil Moroni, who some think surpassed him. Each seems to me superb ; Moroni has nothing better than Moretto's Italian nobleman, while Moretto has nothing better than Moroni's lawyer and tailor. Moroni perhaps was gentler.

And now Titian, of whose paintings the National Gallery possesses seven that are unquestioned, including that supreme achievement " Bacchus and Ariadne," No. 35, which burns like a jewel. It was one of the earliest pictures bought for the Gallery, the date being 1826, or three hundred and six years after it was painted, and it has now passed its fourth centenary and is still gloriously glowing with life. Titian both as a religious painter and as a portrait painter is also found on this wall, and here is No. 270 which Giorgione might possibly have painted. The two men were of the same age and both studied under the Bellinis, but whereas Giorgione died of a fever at the age of thirty-three, Titian lived to be -ninety and nine and was painting almost to the last minute.

No. 1 in the collection Sebastian del Piombo's "Raising of Lazarus" divides the wall in two. Here was once a doorway, which the picture has closed. On the other side, with its back to this, is "The Ansidei Madonna" by Raphael, under whose influence Piombo passed when he left Venice for Rome. Later, Michelangelo tinctured his style and it has been suggested that the great master may have touched this work, which was painted for Giulio de' Medici in competition with Raphael's "Transfiguration." Hanging next it is a "Holy Family," No. 1450, with a fine freedom of design, also by Piombo.

We come now to the more recent Venetians : the daring and splendid Tiepolo, last of the Old Masters ; Guardi with his sparkling water and palaces ; Canaletto, with his accurate architecture ; and Longhi, the Venetian Hogarth. The best Canaletto is perhaps No. 19.7, presented to the Gallery by one of its earliest and best friends, himself an amateur artist, Sir George Beaumont.

And now we find a run of the sumptuous Paul Veronese, including two allegorical subjects, drawn as only a giant could draw; his golden S. Helena, the "Vision of the Cross," perhaps the most spiritual of all his works ; and the great "Family of Darius before Alexander," a glorification of the Pisani family of Venice.

Lastly for I have already said something of the Morettos and Moronic there is that magnificent piece of drawing and colour and invention, Tintoretto's "Origin of the Milky Way." I once startled and embarrassed a dinner table of artists and art critics by asking which was the best picture in the National Gallery. On my modifying this terrible question to the more human form, "Which picture would you choose if you might have but one?" and limiting the choice to the Italian masters, the most distinguished critic present (the late Mrs. Meynell) named at once Tintoretto's "Origin of the Milky Way." One could understand the selection, so splendid in vigour and colouring and large audacity is this wonderful work; but it would never be my choice to live with. Another, an artist, also without hesitation chose Titian's "Bacchus and Ariadne"; and I can understand that too. Before leaving this room I recommend the reader to come to an independent decision with regard to these two pictures, which face each other.

My own impression and belief is that "The Origin of the Milky Way" was painted for a ceiling, but the official catalogue (which, by the way, is a very interesting book) does not support this view.'

The room that leads from the long Venetian Gallery where we now are is No. IX and is given to Dutch pictures. But before we enter it there is another Italian room which, though out of the numerical sequence, should be seen now, so that the Italian survey may be complete : Room XXIX. We come at once to another Botticelli, the Mars and Venus, with its masterly draughtsmanship, and here is Correggio, that voluptuous colourist, who although his pictures often have religious titles, was a Pagan at heart and never so happy as in his masterpiece here, the "Mercury instructing Cupid." Then comes the wistful and aristocratic portrait of a "Young Sculptor," by Andrea del Sarto, one of the best known pictures ever painted, and then the giant hand of Michelangelo is found, in the "Entombment," which, were it finished, might be the greatest picture in the world. Another unfinished work by Michelangelo is on the next wall. Even in their broken state they are among the most beautiful things in the Gallery, as well as the firmest.

After the dashing allegory of Bronzino, with such power in its drawing, we come to Raphael again, but here he is represented only by small pictures. The Child in No. 744 is surely one of the triumphs of pigment. His .vivacity is complete. The whole picture is as near perfection as one can ask. Note the pyramidal scheme of composition. Whether or not Raphael painted No. 2069, "The Madonna of the Tower," we shall never know, but its golden mistiness is very pleasing. Raphael's little gay romantic scene No. 213, with the drawing from which it was traced hanging beneath it, is delicious ; and we get an idea of the variety and catholicity of his mind from its presence here, among the Church pieces. Next is another very typical example of Andrea's tender sorrowful manner. The other pictures of special note are the very beautiful Filippino Lippi, No. 293, one of the gems of the Gallery, the amusing Gozzoli with its goldfinches, and Piero di Cosimo's romantic and tragic "Death of Procris" set in a fairyland scene.

The room leading from XXIX is XXVII, and here are gathered examples of the seventeenth-century Italians, the painters of the decline, such as Guercino, and Carlo Maratti and Baroccio and Carlo Dolci and Guido Reni and the Carracci. After the great men, these will not do; but they had brilliancy and power. It is better to begin with these pictures rather than to end with them.

In the basement are a number of Italian paintings of a lower quality than those that we have been seeing. If any old friend is missing, it should be looked for there.