Giulio was ever profuse in his colouring, it would have been altogether perfect, but this darkness takes from the work much of its grace and beauty.[1] In the painting here in question, there is a landscape representing the entire declivity of Monte Mario, with the river Tiber, through which Maxentius is swimming his horse, in a bold and fierce attitude; Giulio has, in short, acquitted himself in such a manner throughout this picture, that all the artists who have succeeded him have found the work a great light and valuable assistance for battles of similar kind. He had himself meanwhile acquired much knowledge from the study of Trajan’s pillar, of the column of Antonine, and of other antique pillars which exist in Rome, and of which he availed himself largely for the dresses of the soldiers, and for the arms, ensigns, bastions, stoccades, battering-rams, and other engines of war, examples of which are to be seen depicted over every part of that Hall. Beneath these stories, and in colour to imitate bronze, the master then depicted various subjects, all of which are beautiful and praiseworthy productions.[2]
On the other side our artist painted Pope Silvester baptizing Constantine, and here he represented the very baptistery which is now at San Giovanni Laterano and was erected by Constantine himself. Here we have the Pontiff, Clement VII. also, taken from the life and represented as Pope Silvester, with numerous assistants in their priestly vestments, and a large body of the people. Among the many attendants of the Pope here taken from nature, was the little Cavalier Messer Niccolo Vespucci, Knight of Rhodes, who was at that time all-powerful with his Holiness. Beneath this story, and in the basement, Giulio painted a group to imitate bronze, the subject presenting the Emperor Constantine, engaged in the building of the church of San Pietro at Rome, and alluding to Pope Clement: in this part of the work are the architect Bramante and Giuliano Lemi,[3] the latter
- ↑ For which reason Mengs accuses Giulio Romano of having a naturally cold and hard taste.— Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
- ↑ The chiari-scuri of this hall, as well as the other frescoes, were admirably engraved by Pietro Santi Bartoli.
- ↑ Or Leno, named by Vasari in the Lives of Bramante and Marcantonio. The execution of this work is attributed by some authorities to Il Fattore.
