the charge of conducting so great a fabric to its conclusion, after the manner already commenced. None appeared to them better fitted for that office than Giulio Romano, with whose admirable qualifications they were all acquainted, and who, as they believed, would accept the charge more than willingly, for the purpose of honourably reinstating himself in his own country, and that with a large income. They consequently caused him to be questioned on the subject by several of his friends, but in vain, for although he would himself have agreed to this proposal with the utmost readiness, two things withheld him from doing so—the opposition of the Cardinal, who would on no account permit him to leave Mantua, and that of his wife with her kindred and friends, who discouraged the idea of his removal by all the means in their power.
It is true, that neither of these two obstacles might have been sufficient to restrain him, had he been in perfect health, seeing that his conviction of the great advantage that must needs be secured to himself and his children from the acceptance of so honourable an appointment, had fully disposed him to accept it; he was indeed prepared to make every effort that might induce the Cardinal to refrain from offering impediments to his purpose, when his malady began to give evidence oj. aggravation. It was in fact decreed from on high, that he was no more to visit Rome, and that this was to be the final termination of his days: thus, between vexation and sickness, his life departed, and he died after the lapse of a few days, in Mantua, which city might, nevertheless, have permitted that, as he had embellished her, so he might also have adorned and done honour to his own native city of Rome.
Giulio died in his fifty-fourth year,[1] leaving one male child only, to whom he had given the name of Raphael, for the love which he bore to the memory of his master. But
- ↑ Gaye, Kunstblatt for 1838, No. 73, cites a document from a public office in Mantua, whence it appears that there died “on the first of November, 1546, Il sior Julio romano di Pipi, superior de le Fabriche Ducale, de febra, infirmo giorno 15, morto di anni 47.” —“Julio Pippi of Rome, Intendant of the Ducal buildings, died after illness from fever oi fifteen days, at the age of forty-seven.” The Abate Zani remarks with justice that the age has here been most probably given after some inaccurate report; all the probabilities being in favour of the more advanced age assigned by Vasari.
