DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51584#0161
MANTEGNA.
157
chapel in the Belvedere. The Marquis of Mantua
permitted him to depart but for a time only; the
permission was accompanied by gifts and by letters
of recommendation to the pontiff; and the more to
show the esteem in which the painter was held, he
bestowed on him the honour of knighthood.
Mantegna, on his arrival in Rome, set himself to
work with his characteristic diligence and enthu-
siasm, and covered the walls and the ceiling with a
piultiplicity of subjects, executed, says Vasari, with
the delicacy of miniatures. These beautiful paint-
ings existed till late in the last century, when
Pius VI. destroyed the chapel to make room for
his new museum. While Andrea was employed at
Rome by Pope Innocent, a pleasant and charac-
teristic incident occurred, which does honour both
to him and to the pope. His holiness was at this
time much occupied and disturbed by state affairs;
and it happened that the payments were not made
with the regularity which Andrea desired. The
pope sometimes visited the artist at his work, and
one day he asked him the meaning of a certain
female figure on which he was painting. Andrea
replied, with a significant look, that he was trying
-to represent Patience. The pope, understanding
.him at once, replied, “ If you would place Patience
in fitting company, you should paint Discretion at
her side.” Andrea took the hint, and said no
more; and when his work was completed, the pope
h 3
157
chapel in the Belvedere. The Marquis of Mantua
permitted him to depart but for a time only; the
permission was accompanied by gifts and by letters
of recommendation to the pontiff; and the more to
show the esteem in which the painter was held, he
bestowed on him the honour of knighthood.
Mantegna, on his arrival in Rome, set himself to
work with his characteristic diligence and enthu-
siasm, and covered the walls and the ceiling with a
piultiplicity of subjects, executed, says Vasari, with
the delicacy of miniatures. These beautiful paint-
ings existed till late in the last century, when
Pius VI. destroyed the chapel to make room for
his new museum. While Andrea was employed at
Rome by Pope Innocent, a pleasant and charac-
teristic incident occurred, which does honour both
to him and to the pope. His holiness was at this
time much occupied and disturbed by state affairs;
and it happened that the payments were not made
with the regularity which Andrea desired. The
pope sometimes visited the artist at his work, and
one day he asked him the meaning of a certain
female figure on which he was painting. Andrea
replied, with a significant look, that he was trying
-to represent Patience. The pope, understanding
.him at once, replied, “ If you would place Patience
in fitting company, you should paint Discretion at
her side.” Andrea took the hint, and said no
more; and when his work was completed, the pope
h 3