In The Palazzo
Barberini, There Is A Great Collection Of Marbles And Pictures:
Among the first, I was attracted by a beautiful statue of Venus;
a sleeping faun, of curious workmanship; a charming Bacchus,
lying on an antient sculpture, and the famous Narcissus.
Of the
pictures, what gave me most pleasure was the Magdalen of Guido,
infinitely superior to that by Le Brun in the church of the
Carmelites at Paris; the Virgin, by Titian; a Madonna, by
Raphael, but not comparable to that which is in the Palazzo de
Pitti, at Florence; and the death of Germanicus, by Poussin,
which I take to be one of the best pieces in this great
collection. In the Palazzo Falconeri there is a beautiful St.
Cecilia, by Guercino; a holy family, by Raphael; and a fine
expressive figure of St. Peter weeping, by Dominechino. In the
Palazzo Altieri, I admired a picture, by Carlo Maratti,
representing a saint calling down lightning from heaven to
destroy blasphemers. It was the figure of the saint I admired,
merely as a portrait. The execution of the other parts was tame
enough: perhaps they were purposely kept down, in order to
preserve the importance of the principal figure. I imagine
Salvator Rosa would have made a different disposition on the same
subject: that amidst the darkness of a tempest, he would have
illuminated the blasphemer with the flash of lightning by which
he was destroyed: this would have thrown a dismal gleam upon his
countenance, distorted by the horror of his situation as well as
by the effects of the fire; and rendered the whole scene
dreadfully picturesque. In the same palace, I saw the famous holy
family, by Corregio, which he left unfinished, and no other
artist would undertake to supply; for what reason I know not.
Here too is a judgment of Paris, by Titian, which is reckoned a
very valuable piece. In the Palazzo Odescalchi, there is a holy
family, by Buonaroti, and another by Raphael, both counted
excellent, though in very different stiles, extremely
characteristic of those two great rival artists.
If I was silly enough to make a parade, I might mention some
hundreds more of marbles and pictures, which I really saw at
Rome; and even eke out that number with a huge list of those I
did not see: but whatever vanity I may have, it has not taken
this turn; and I assure you, upon my word and honour, I have
described nothing but what actually fell under my own
observation. As for my critical remarks, I am afraid you will
think them too superficial and capricious to belong to any other
person but - Your humble servant.
LETTER XXXIV
NICE, April 2, 1765.
DEAR SIR, - I have nothing to communicate touching the library of
the Vatican, which, with respect to the apartments and their
ornaments, is undoubtedly magnificent. The number of books it
contains does not exceed forty thousand volumes, which are all
concealed from the view, and locked up in presses:
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