His talents in architecture and other qualities rendered Bramante highly acceptable to Pope Julius II., who was indeed so amicably disposed towards him, as to confer on our architect the office of clerk to the signet, and while holding this appointment he constructed an edifice for the furtherance of the business connected with it, and made a very beautiful press for the printing of the papal bulls. In the service of his Holiness Bramante repaired to Bologna, when that city returned to the protection of the church in the year 1504, and in all the war of Mirandola he occupied himself with various labours of great ingenuity, rendering very important assistance on that occasion.
This master prepared numerous designs for the groundplans of buildings, as well as for entire edifices, all of which are truly admirable, as may be judged from certain examples of them which appear in our book: the proportions in every instance are very fine, and the whole design gives evidence of consummate art. Bramante imparted considerable instruction in the rules of architecture to Raphael Sanzio of Urbino, arranging for him the buildings which he afterwards painted in perspective, in that Hall of the Papal palace wherein is the Mount Parnassus, and where Raphael placed the portrait of Bramante himself, whom he has represented in one of the pictures[1] with a compass in his hand, in the act of measuring certain arches.
Pope Julius, among his other undertakings, determined on that of uniting the Law courts and all other public offices in certain buildings, situate along the Via Giulia, which Bramante had thrown open and brought into a straight line. Now if all these offices of administration could have been assembled in one place, the arrangement would have been highly conducive to the interests and convenience of the merchants and others who had long suffered many hindrances from their separation: Bramante therefore commenced the construction of the palace of San Biagio, on the Tiber, and there is still a most beautiful temple in the Corinthian order, commenced there on that occasion by this master, but which has never been completed. The remainder of the fabric there in part erected is of rustic work most admirably executed, and it is much to be lamented that so honourable,
- ↑ In the School of Athens.
