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story is of a fire at Rome miraculoussy extinguished by S. Leo IV.
Because a fire is seldom very great but when there happens to be
a high wind, he has painted such a one, as is seen by the ssying of
the hair, draperies, &c. There you see a great many inslances of
distress, and parternal, and filial love. I will mention but one,
where the story of Tineas and Anchises was thought of; they were
already out of the great danger, and the son carries the old man,
not only as commodiously as possible, but with the utmost care, lest
he Should stumble or fall with his precious burthen. I reser you to
the print, for there is one of this picture.
The same Rafaelle, in the story of the delivery of St. Peter out
of prifon (which by the way is finely chosen to complement his
patron Leo X. the then Pope, for it alludes to his imprisonment
and enlargement, when he was Cardinal Legate) has contrived three
several lights, one from the angel, a second from a torch, and the
other the moon gives; which being attended with proper ressexions,
and all perfectly well understood, produces a surprising effe&; espe-
cially where it is painted, which is over a window. There are other
circumstances finely invented in this picture, for which I refer you
to Bellori's description of it. One might give innumerable instances
to this purpose, but let these suffice.
A painter is allowed, sometimes, to depart even from natural, and
historical truth.
Thus in the carton of the draught of fillies, Rafaelle has made a
boat too little to hold the figures he has placed in it ; and this is so
visible, that some are apt to triumph over that great man as having
nodded on that occasion; which others have pretended to excuse,
by saying, it was done to make the miracle appear the greater; but
the truth is, had he made the boat large enough for those figures, his
pidure would have been all boat, which would have had a disagree-
able effea; and to have made his figures Imall enough for a vessel
of that size, would have rendered them unsuitable to the rest of
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