bronze, resembling those of the antique, were afterwards cast from the same. These preparations completed, Primaticcio returned to Prance, taking Vignola with him, and employing him in architectural works, as well as in the casting of the bronze statues above-mentioned, all of which Barozzi did with much diligence and good judgment.
Two years later our artist returned to Bologna (as he had promised the Count Filippo Pepoli that he would do), there to work at the fabric of San Petronio. But here he consumed several years in disputes with his competitors, without having done anything, with the exception of the Canal which was constructed after his designs, and by means of ,which the vessels, which previously could not come within three miles of Bologna, were enabled to enter the city. Nor has a more useful or more praiseworthy undertaking than is this Canal ever been executed, although Vignola, who was the inventor of that work, was but poorly renumerated for his pains.
In the year 1550 Julius III. was elected Pope, when Barozzi, by the intervention of Vasari, was appointed arc*hitect to His Holiness, from whom he received charge of the Acqua-Vergine, and of all the works at the Vigna of the Pope, His Holiness receiving Vignola into his service all the more readily, as he had known him when he, Julius, was Legate at Bologna.
In these works for the Pontiff, Barozzi underwent great fatigues, but was as before very poorly remunerated. At length his abilities were made known to the Cardinal Parnese, by whom he was ever afterwards greatly favoured, and who would have everj'-thing in his Palace of Caprarola, arranged after his designs and invention.
Nor was the judgment of the Prelate in selecting so good an architect, less remarkable than his greatness of mind in constructing so noble and magnificent an edifice, which is not indeed in a position to be much enjoyed by the public, being in a remote and solitary district, but is nevertheless admirably placed for one who desires to escape for a time from the toils and vexations of cities.[1]
This edifice has the form of a pentagon; it is divided
- ↑ The paintings in the Farnese Palace at Caprarola were published in Ivoine by G. Prenner, in the year 174b. The work consists ot thirty-six copper-plate engravings, the subjects being events from the lives of the most illustrious members of the Farnese family.
