THE PAINTER, GIULIO ROMANO.[1]
[born 1492—died 1546.]
Among the many, nay, rather, the innumerable scholars of Raphael of Urbino, although the greater part of them became able artists, there was none who pursued the footsteps of the master more closely, whether as regarded manner, invention, design, or colouring, than Giulio Romano; nor was there any one among them who was better versed in the principles of art, of bolder genius, richer fancy, or more varied and abundant resources;[2] to say nothing at the present moment of his pleasing conversation, his cheerful and obliging disposition, his graceful demeanour, or the propriety of his deportment, qualities for which he was so much beloved by Raphael, that he could scarcely have been more so had he been a son of his own. Whence it happened, that on all occasions of especial importance, it was of Giulio’s services that Raphael constantly availed himself, and this was more particularly the case in the works undertaken by the divine master for Pope Leo X.[3] in the papal Loggie. The designs for the architectural details for the ornaments, and for the pictures, were prepared by Raphael, but he then made Giulio Romano execute several of these pictures, as for example, the Creation of Adam and Eve, that of the Animals, the Building of Noah’s Ark, the Sacrifice, and many other works, which are known by the manner; among others that of the Daughter of Pharaoh, who, with her women, discovers Moses in his ark of bulrushes, when he has been thrown into the river by the Hebrews: a work considered admirable for the beauty of a landscape, which is very finely executed therein.
Giulio Romano assisted Raphael in the painting of many things in that apartment of the Torre Borgia wherein is the Conflagration of the Borgo, more particularly the basement,
- ↑ The family name of Giulio Romano was Pippi.
- ↑ Modern authorities are not in all cases willing to subscribe to the amount of praise bestowed by our author on Giulio Romano. See Kugler, Geschichte der Malerei; Platner and Bunsen, Beschreibung der Stadt Rom.; and others.
- ↑ The paintings of the Loggia have been engraved in thirty plates by G. Ottaviani. It will be observed that in the life of Raphael Vasari has spoken of Giulio Romano as having worked but little in the Loggia.
