Passavant, Johann David: Raphael of Urbino and his father Giovanni Santi (London , New York: MacMillan and Co., 1872)

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reading attentively from a parcbment scroll, and for background we bave a land-
scape witb ruins surrounded b/ trees, and a mountain on tbs rigbt.
ffbis picture was probabl/ left unlinisbed at tire same time as tire " Virgin
witb tire Oanop/." It was given to tire Dmpress Dlirabetlr b/Dope Llement XI.
ol tire Albani family, and is now in tire Lsterbar/ collection at Vienna. On a
slip of paper, stuck at tire back of tire panel, tire following words, in Oernran, are
inscribed in Dlirabetb's own band-writing—" Idris picture of tire Virgin b/ Kaffael
of Urbino, togetlrsr witb tire case set in precious stones, was given to ms as a
present b/ Dope ^.Iban/.—Lni^LLrn H."
/'s/s //. 1508-15 11.
56.
ff'nL 8r?LK2L VLNI.L 8ivKLa'vnL, IK ms VL1ILLK.
ffrom 1Z08 to 1511.
Hrs 8tanrs were tbree rooms decorated witb Drescoes b/ Hapbael under
Julius II. and Deo X., for eacb of wlrick be received 1200 gold ducats. Ilsginning
witb tbs 8tan2a " Della 8ignatura," we will give a brief summary of tire subjects
represented.
Z7^
Inn ffnLSLo HHLOI.O0V.
Dsigbt 192 incbes, widtb Z2O^ incbes (arcb-top picture).
'blris painting, also called tbs "Dispute on tbs Hol)? 8acrament," is divided
into two parts; in tbs upper tbs Hol/ ffrinit/ is surrounded b/ tbs beavenl/
Irost, tbs 8aviour being placed between tbs Virgin and 8t. Jobn tbs baptist;
witb six saints, cbosen from tbs Old and blew ffestament, on eitber side.
In tbs centre ol tbs lower part tbs Ducbarist is displaced upon an altar,
round wbicb are grouped kort/-tbres figures: popes, bisbops, tbeologians, Lc.,
some of wbicb, tboss of Dante, 8avonarola, and Dra Angelico da Diesole, lor
instance, are portraits.
Ibis magnificent fresco surpasses an/tbing ol tire kind before produced; we
are struck alike b/ tbs grandeur and variety of tbs subjects treated, and tbs
barmon/ of tbs wbole. lbs execution is admirable, tbs great master bad now
acquired facility in tbs use of tire materials at bis command, and we see no more
trnisbing toucbss added on tbs dr/ fresco. ffbat tbis perfection was not obtained
witbout mucb trouble, is proved b/ tbs great numbers of studies and skstcbes
made lor tbis composition, of wbicb a list is given in tbs Drencb edition of
Dassavant's " Dike ok Lapbael," vol. ii. xp. 75 and 76.
lbs fresco itself Iras unfortunate!/ suffered a great deal, tbs colours are faded,
and it is cracked in tbree places, one crack cutting Obrist's figure in two, anotber
passing across )olrn tbe Baptist, 8t. Dlromas Aninas and tbs writer below, and
tire tbird spoiling tbs figure ok Dante. Measures bave recent!/ been taken to
prevent an/ kurtber deterioration.
It Iras been engraved b/ O. Mocetto, Xsller, Volpato, and man/ otbsrs.