Venetian Ambassadors with a friendly aspect, and next, where he is angrily preparing for war; fine views in perspective are here delineated, with an immense number of figures and numerous portraits, all executed in an excellent manner and with extraordinary grace. In the picture next following, is also the Pope, encouraging the Doge and Venetian nobles to arm thirty galleys at the common expense, wherewith they are to proceed to battle against the emperor Frederick Barbarossa. The Pope is seated on the pontifical seat, clothed in his rochet; the Doge is beside him, with numerous senators around and at the foot of the papal throne. In this picture also, Gentile Bellini depicted the Piazza and Façade of St. Mark’s, with the sea, but in a different manner from that of the preceding story, and with so vast a multitude of figures, that it is really a marvel. In another compartment the same Pope is again represented standing in full pontificals, and conferring his benediction on the Doge, who is armed, and, having a large train of soldiers, would seem to be departing for the field: in long procession behind the Doge is an immense number of nobles, and the palace of San Marco is seen in perspective. This work is one of the best executed by the hand of Gentile, although the picture wherein there is the representation of a sea-fight displays more invention; for in the last there are numerous galleys engaged in battle, with an almost incredible number of men, and, in fine, because the artist has here proved that he was no less accurately acquainted with maritime warfare than with the details of painting. The crowd of galleys, involved in all the confusion of battle, the fighting men, the barks seen in perspective, and diminished with the most correct proportions, the well-ordered combat, the attack, the defence, the fury of the combatants, the wounded soldiers, and those who, in various manners, are dying, the cleaving of the waters by the galleys, the movement of the waves, the variety of weapons proper to the sea service—all this immense diversity of objects cannot but serve to show the vast ability of Gentile, his power of invention, his rectitude of judgment, and his knowledge of art, every part being perfect in itself, and the whole admirably composed.[1]
- ↑ Sansovino attributes this story to Giovanni Bellini, but neither Giovanni nor Gentile did more than restore it, as we find from Malipiero,
