When the Cardinal Ippolito died,[1] that cameo fell into the hands of the Cardinal Farnese, for whom Giovanni afterwards executed many works in crystal, more particularly a figure of Our Lord on the Cross, with that of God the Father above; Our Lady and San Giovanni stand one at each side, of the Cross[2], and the Magdalen is at the foot thereof. In a triangle beneath the Crucifix, Giovanni then placed three stories from the Passion of Our Lord, one in each angle. For two chandeliers in silver he engraved six crystals! of a round form; the first shows the Centurion entreating the Saviour to heal his son, in the second is the Pool of Bethesda, in the third the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, the fourth has the Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two Fishes, the fifth presents Our Saviour expelling the Traders from the Temple; and in the sixth, which is the last, is the Resurrection of Lazarus; all of the most remarkable beauty.[3]
The Cardinal Farnese then desiring to have a very rich casket constructed of silver, committed the charge thereof to the Florentine goldsmith, Marino,[4] of whom we shall speak further hereafter; but the plates of crystal were all confided to Giovanni, who decorated them with stories, in mezzo-rilievo of marble, making the figures and ornaments in relief of silver, and executing the whole with so much care, that no work of the kind was ever completed to such perfection. In the inside of the casket are stories, also engraved by Giovanni in ovals, and with marvellous art. The subjects of these are the Chase of Meleager with the Caledonian Boar, Bacchanals, a Sea-fight, Hercules in combat with the Amazons, and other admirable fantasies of the Cardinal’s invention, who caused highly-finished designs of the same to be prepared by Perino del Vaga, and other masters.[5] Giovanni also engraved the fortunate Victory of Goletta on one
- ↑ The Cardinal Ippolito died in the year 1535. —Bottari.
- ↑ The Cross and the two chandeliers were presented by Cardinal Farnese to the Basilica of St. Peter’s.
- ↑ The design for the Resun-ection of Lazarus, which was formerly in the possession of that indefatigable collector, the Frenchman Mariette, is supposed to be by Perino del Vaga.
- ↑ Pietro Giulianelli, in his Memorie degli Intagliatori Moderni, in Pietre dure, &c., 1753, calls this goldsmith Mariano.
- ↑ Many of the drawings for these gems were in the collection of Mariette,
