related.[1] Arrived in Rome, Filippo painted a Chapel for the above-named Cardinal Caraffa, in the church of the Minerva; he there depicted events from the Life of St. Thomas Aquinas, with certain poetical compositions, all of which were ingeniously invented by himself, to whom Nature was at ail times propitious in such matters.[2] Here, then, we find Faith, by whom Infidelity, with all heretics and sceptics, has been made prisoner. Despair is, in like manner, seen to be vanquished by Hope, and other Virtues also subjugate the Vices which are their opposite. In another compartment St. Thomas is seated in the Professor’s chair, defending the Church against a School of heretics, and beneath his feet lie conquered Sabellius, Arian, Averroes, and others; the draperies of all these figures are exceedingly graceful and appropriate. In our book of drawings we have the whole of the story above described, by Filippo himself, with several others by the same hand, all so ably executed that they could not be improved. There is besides in this chapel the delineation of that event in the life of St. Thomas, when the saint being in prayer, was addressed by the crucifix, which said to him, —Bene scripsisti di me Thoma. A companion of St. Thomas, hearing the Crucifix thus speaking, stands utterly confounded and almost beside himself. On the altar-piece is the Virgin receiving the Annunciation from the Angel Gabriel,[3] and on the principal wall is the Assumption of our Lady, with the twelve Apostles round her tomb. The whole work was and is considered extremely fine, and for a painting in fresco is admirably executed. The above-named Olivieri Caraifa, Cardinal and Bishop of Ostia, is portrayed in it from the
- ↑ See the life of Fra Filippo, ante, p. 86.
- ↑ The frescoes of this chapel, with the exception of the lunette to the right, which is tolerably well preserved, have suffered much, both from time and restoration. —Bottari. 1759, The Disputation of St. Thomas has been engraved in the Ape Italiana delle belle Arti, vol. iii. tav. x.; and by Rosini, Storia, &c., tav. lxviii.
- ↑ The Angel Gabriel may in this instance be considered as announcing the death of the Virgin rather than the birth of the Saviour. This will be determined by the symbol borne in his hand. If that be the lily, it is an Annunciation, commonly so called; if a palm-branch alone, or one crowned with stars, we may consider it the announcement of Death. The painting is still in existence, but the present writer has no immediate opportunity of referring to it, nor is she acquainted with any engraving of this work, though such may and probably does exist.
