duced a fresco of the most exquisite beautj, in a Loggia of his palace, in the Trastevere, now called the Chisi;[1] the subject of this is Galatea[2] in a car on the sea drawn by two dolphins and surrounded by Tritons and different marine deities.[3] Having made the cartoon for the above named chapel, which is at the entrance of the Church of Santa Maria della Pace, on the right as one enters by the principal door, the master executed it in fresco, and in his new manner, which was somewhat grander and more majestic than the earlier one. In this picture Raphael painted some of the Prophets and Sybils, before Michelangelo had thrown open the chapel, which he had nevertheless seen, as has been related;[4] and of a truth, these figures are considered to be the best, and among so many beautiful the most beautiful, seeing that in the women and children represented, there is the very perfection of truth and animation; the colouring, moreover, is faultless.[5] This work caused the master to be most highly extolled, both during his life and after his death, being, as it was, the most remarkable and most excellent one that Raphael ever executed. Raphael being earnestly entreated by a chamberlain of Pope Julius II.[6] to paint the picture for the high
- ↑ The Chigi Palace, is now the Farnesina.
- ↑ The Galatea was painted in 1514.
- ↑ The following passage will be found in a letter on the subject of ideal beauty in works of art, from Raphael to Baldassare Castiglione:—“With respect to the Galatea, I should hold myself to be a great master, if there were in it one-half of the merits of which you write, but in your words I cannot fail to perceive the partiality of your friendship for myself. To paint a figure truly beautiful, it might be necessary that I should see many beautiful forms, with the further provision that you should yourself be near, to select the best; but seeing that good judges and beautiful women are scarce, I avail myself of certain ideas which come into my mind. Whether I have in myself any portion of the excellence of art, I know not, but I labour heartily to secure it.”
- ↑ In the life of Michael Angelo, Vasari himself asserts that the Prophets and Sybils were painted by Raphael after the Sistine Chapel had been publicly opened. Quatremere de Quincy remarks of Raphael, that “so far from having imitated Michael Angelo in these figures, it might be supposed that he had in fact designed to make manifest in his own production, what it is that the work of Buonarroti wants to be perfect.”
- ↑ These admurable paintings of the Church called Della Pace having Buffered much from time, were carefully restored some years since by Palmaroli. Masselli and Passavant.
- ↑ Sigismondo Conti of Fuligno, private secretary to Pope Julius, and a learned historian.
