Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/22

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lives of the artists.

disputations. There are certain astrologers standing apart who have made figures and characters of geomancy^[1] and astrology, on tablets which they send by beautiful angels to the evangelists, who explain them.^[2] Among the figures in this painting is Diogenes with his cup; he is lying on the steps, an extremely well-imagined figure, wrapt in his own thoughts, and much to be commended for the beauty of the form and characteristic negligence of the garments. There are likewise Aristotle and Plato in this work, the one with the Timasus, the other with the Ethics in his hand; around them is gathered in a circle a large school of philosophers. The dignity of those astrologers and geometricians who are drawing various figures and eharacters with the compasses on a tablet, is not to be described: among these is the figure of a youth of the most graceful beauty, who extends his arms in admiration and inclines his head, this is the portrait of Federigo, second Duke of Mantua, who was at that time in Rome. There is also a figure stooping to the ground and drawing lines with a pair of compasses which he holds in his hand; this is said to be the architect Bramante, and is no less life-like than that of Federigo previously described, or than it would be if it were indeed alive. Beside him is one whose back is turned towards the spectator, and who holds a globe of the heavens in his hand: this is the representation of Zoroaster; and near to this figure stands that of Raphael himself, the master of this work, drawn by his own hand

↑ Geometrical and astronomical figures are here meant. AstronomiV and astrology were identical, as our readers will remember, when our author wrote, in the ideas of all but the learned.
↑ “What a medley!” exclaims one of the angry Italians, at this description, “he has coupled the Evangelists with Diogenes and Plato,” and that our author is somewhat confused in his description of this painting, cannot be denied; he has mingled the personages of the Disputa with those of the Scuola di Atene; but his compatriots have fallen on him for the same with so little mercy, that we may spare him any further reproaches, and the rather, as we have ample means for the rectification of his mistakes in the numerous “biographies,” “treatises,” and dissertations in every form, on the works of the Prince of Painters which abound in all languages. See Richardson, Treatise on Painting and Sculpture, Amsterdam, 17‘28; Duppa, Life of Rajfaello Sanzio, London, 1816; Bellori. Descrizione delle Immagini depinte da Baffaello da Urhino, nel Palazzo Vaticano, &c., Rome, 1672, 17.51; Rehberg. Quatremere de Quincy, Platner and Bunsen; Passavant, &c., as above cited, with many others.

[1] Geometrical and astronomical figures are here meant. AstronomiV and astrology were identical, as our readers will remember, when our author wrote, in the ideas of all but the learned.

[2] “What a medley!” exclaims one of the angry Italians, at this description, “he has coupled the Evangelists with Diogenes and Plato,” and that our author is somewhat confused in his description of this painting, cannot be denied; he has mingled the personages of the Disputa with those of the Scuola di Atene; but his compatriots have fallen on him for the same with so little mercy, that we may spare him any further reproaches, and the rather, as we have ample means for the rectification of his mistakes in the numerous “biographies,” “treatises,” and dissertations in every form, on the works of the Prince of Painters which abound in all languages. See Richardson, Treatise on Painting and Sculpture, Amsterdam, 17‘28; Duppa, Life of Rajfaello Sanzio, London, 1816; Bellori. Descrizione delle Immagini depinte da Baffaello da Urhino, nel Palazzo Vaticano, &c., Rome, 1672, 17.51; Rehberg. Quatremere de Quincy, Platner and Bunsen; Passavant, &c., as above cited, with many others.

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