Like The English
Of This Day, They Made A Figure In Poetry, History, And Ethics;
But The Excellence Of Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, And
Music, They Never Could Attain.
In the Palazzo Picchini I saw
three beautiful figures, the celebrated statues of Meleager, the
boar, and dog; together with a wolf, of excellent workmanship.
The celebrated statue of Moses, by Michael Angelo, in the church
of St. Peter in Vincula, I beheld with pleasure; as well as that
of Christ, by the same hand, in the Church of S. Maria sopra
Minerva. The right foot, covered with bronze, gilt, is much
kissed by the devotees. I suppose it is looked upon as a specific
for the toothache; for, I saw a cavalier, in years, and an old
woman successively rub their gums upon it, with the appearance of
the most painful perseverance.
You need not doubt but that I went to the church of St. Peter in
Montorio, to view the celebrated Transfiguration, by Raphael,
which, if it was mine, I would cut in two parts. The three
figures in the air attract the eye so strongly, that little or no
attention is payed to those below on the mountain. I apprehend
that the nature of the subject does not admit of that keeping and
dependence, which ought to be maintained in the disposition of
the lights and shadows in a picture. The groupes seem to be
intirely independent of each other. The extraordinary merit of
this piece, I imagine, consists, not only in the expression of
divinity on the face of Christ; but also in the surprising
lightness of the figure, that hovers like a beautiful exhalation
in the air. In the church of St. Luke, I was not at all struck by
the picture of that saint, drawing the portrait of the Virgin
Mary, although it is admired as one of the best pieces of
Raphael. Indeed it made so little impression upon me, that I do
not even remember the disposition of the figures. The altar-piece,
by Andrea Sacchi, in the church of St. Romauldus, would
have more merit, if the figure of the saint himself had more
consequence, and was represented in a stronger light. In the
Palazzo Borghese, I chiefly admired the following pieces: a Venus
with two nymphs; and another with Cupid, both by Titian: an
excellent Roman Piety, by Leonardo da Vinci; and the celebrated
Muse, by Dominechino, which is a fine, jolly, buxom figure. At
the palace of Colorina Connestabile, I was charmed with the
Herodias, by Guido Rheni; a young Christ; and a Madonna, by
Raphael; and four landscapes, two by Claude Lorraine, and the
other two, by Salvator Rosa. In the palazetto, or summerhouse
belonging to the Palazzo Rospigliosi, I had the satisfaction of
contemplating the Aurora of Guido, the colours of which still
remain in high perfection, notwithstanding the common report that
the piece is spoiled by the dampness of the apartment. The print
of this picture, by Freij, with all its merit, conveys but an
imperfect idea of the beauty of the original.
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