DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51585#0144
140 EARLY ITALIAN PAINTERS.
the 15th of June, 1515, and one hundred and
thirty-four in December, 1516. The rich tapes-
tries worked from these cartoons, in wool, silk,
and gold, were completed at Arras, and sent to
Rome, in 1519. For these the Pope paid to the
manufacturer at Arras fifty thousand gold ducats ;
they were exhibited for the first time on St. Ste-
phen’s Day, December 26,1519. Raphael had the
satisfaction, before he died, of seeing them hung
in their places, and of witnessing the wonder and
applause they excited through the whole city. Their
subsequent fate was very curious and eventful. In
the sack of Rome, in 1527, they were carried
away by the French soldiery ; but were restored, in
1553, during the reign of Pope Julius III. by the
Due de Montmorenci, all but the piece which re-
presented the Coronation of the Virgin, which is
supposed to have been burned for the sake of the
gold thread. Again, in 1798, they made part of
the French spoliations, and were actually sold to a
Jew at Leghorn, who burnt one of them for the
purpose of extracting the precious metal contained
in the threads. As it was found, however, to fur-
nish very little, the proprietor judged it better to
allow the others to retain their original shape, and
they were soon afterwards re-purchased from him
by the agents of Pius VII., and reinstated in the
galleries of the Vatican. Several sets of tapestries
were worked from the cartoons: one was sent as
the 15th of June, 1515, and one hundred and
thirty-four in December, 1516. The rich tapes-
tries worked from these cartoons, in wool, silk,
and gold, were completed at Arras, and sent to
Rome, in 1519. For these the Pope paid to the
manufacturer at Arras fifty thousand gold ducats ;
they were exhibited for the first time on St. Ste-
phen’s Day, December 26,1519. Raphael had the
satisfaction, before he died, of seeing them hung
in their places, and of witnessing the wonder and
applause they excited through the whole city. Their
subsequent fate was very curious and eventful. In
the sack of Rome, in 1527, they were carried
away by the French soldiery ; but were restored, in
1553, during the reign of Pope Julius III. by the
Due de Montmorenci, all but the piece which re-
presented the Coronation of the Virgin, which is
supposed to have been burned for the sake of the
gold thread. Again, in 1798, they made part of
the French spoliations, and were actually sold to a
Jew at Leghorn, who burnt one of them for the
purpose of extracting the precious metal contained
in the threads. As it was found, however, to fur-
nish very little, the proprietor judged it better to
allow the others to retain their original shape, and
they were soon afterwards re-purchased from him
by the agents of Pius VII., and reinstated in the
galleries of the Vatican. Several sets of tapestries
were worked from the cartoons: one was sent as