pictures is the Sacrifice of Isaac by his father Abraham; in the second, David taking off the head of Goliath; and in the third, Cain killing Abel.[1] About the same time Titian painted his own Portrait, that this memorial of himself might be left to his children; and in the year 1546, being invited to Rome by the Cardinal Farnese, he repaired to that city accordingly. There he found Vasari, who had then returned from Naples, and was painting the Hall of the Chancery for the Cardinal Farnese, by whom Titian was recommended to his care, whereupon Giorgio kept him faithful company in his visits to the remarkable objects of Rome.
Having rested himself for a few days, Titian then received rooms in the Belvedere, and was commissioned to make another full-length Portrait of Pope Paul III., with that of Farnese,[2] and of the Duke Ottavio; all of which he executed to the great satisfaction of those Signori, who then prevailed on him to paint a half-length figure of Christ, in the manner of the Ecce Homo, as a present for the Pope. But this work, whether it were that the paintings of Michelagnolo, of Rafiaello, of Polidoro, and of others, had made him lose courage, or from some other cause, although a good picture, did not appear to the painters equal in excellence to others of his productions, more particularly his portraits.
Now it chanced that Michelagnolo and Vasari, going one day to see Titian in the Belvedere, beheld a picture, which he had just then finished, of a nude figure representing Danae, with Jupiter transformed into a shower of gold in her lap,[3] many of those present beginning to extol the work (as people do when the artist stands by) praised it not a little: when, all having left the place, and talking of Titian’s work, Buonarroto, declared that the manner and colouring of that artist pleased him greatly, but that it was a pity the Venetians did not study drawing more, “for if this artist,” said he, “had been aided by Art and knowledge of design, as he is by nature, he would have produced works which none could surpass, more especially in imitating life, seeing that he has a fine genius, and a graceful animated manner.”
