go

delight in speaking well of their friends, so I about collecting with vain-glorious lips that flattery which is given me by your exceeding courtesy. Not having any other means of returning your kindness, I have not failed using every exertion to induce Master Titian to put a finishing hand to the picture, which you will soon have again, retouched with that care and diligence which in truth it wanted; and which

case,

you for his honour desired. He has added to it the protector of your country, armed; and instead of the cherubims, you will see two angels of heavenly beauty and exquisite grace. However, I lament much that I cannot be with him enough to make him satisfy you in deeds, as I try to please you with words. This being the I fear you will confess when you receive the picture of the Nativity, that it is rather a miniature than an oil-painting; and although I make excuses for him, yet I do assure you that he has a great desire to please you, as you are both an extraordinary architect, and a magnificent gentleman, together with his respect for excellent Messer Girolamo, who is an honour to the medical profession, a credit to Novarro, and a worthy relation of yours. "PIETRO ARETINO.

"Venice, August 6th, 1542."

Our artist now painted a portrait (the size of life) of a citizen of Venice, his particular friend, called Sinestri; and another, whose name was Paolo di Ponte. At the same time, he painted the daughter of this person, a beautiful young woman, called La Signora Julia di Ponte; she was also Titian's god-daughter. He likewise drew the portrait of La Signora Irene, a maiden lady, very learned, an excellent musician, and with considerable talents for the art. According to Ridolfi, this ingenious lady, whose name was Irene di Spilembergo, was of an illustrious family of Venice, and flourished about the year 1550. Although she only practised painting as an amusement, she applied herself to the study of it with all the zeal of a professor; and is said to have had the advantage of receiving lessons from Titian. Lanzi mentions three pictures by her, representing subjects of sacred history, preserved in the Casa Maniago; which, though not very correctly drawn, are coloured with a richness and harmony worthy of the ablest artists of that school. The portrait Titian painted of her is said to have been a most admirable likeness of his noble pupil, with whose family he lived in habits of intimacy. She has the honour of being celebrated by most of the authors of Italy.

There is somewhere a picture by Titian of the Death of Germanicus, in which he has concealed the mother's face with a veil, thus imitating Timanthes, who in his famous picture of the Sacrifice of Iphigenia has hid the father's face, a circumstance which has been much admired. But this contrivance to avoid a vast difficulty and excellence in the art cannot be resorted to a second time with any credit, as the whole merit of it lies in the originality of the thought.

Titian (now in his sixty-third year) painted a picture for his native place, Cadore, in which he represented the Holy Virgin with St Titian, a Saint of his own family, who was also a Bishop. He has introduced a likeness of himself on his knees behind the Bishop, and supporting the crosier.

CHAPTER XVI.

SENT FOR TO BOLOGNA BY POPE PAUL III.-EMPLOYED BY THE DUKE OF URBINO-PORTRAIT OF THE INFANT '. DAUGHTER OF SIGNOR STROZZI.

IN the year 1543, Pope Paul III visited Bologna and Ferrara. Titian on that occasion came to Court, and painted the portrait of that pontiff; a most excellent work, of which he made a copy for the Cardinal Santa Fiore.* For both of these he was most handsomely rewarded by the Pope. There is another copy of this picture in the palace of the Cardinal Farnese at Rome; as well as that belonging to the family of the Cardinal Santa Fiore. In

Sforza Sforza, son of Bosio, Count of Santa Fiore, and Costanza Farnese, a natural daughter of Paul III. He was at this time only a youth of sixteen; but had at that period volunteered into the veteran army of Charles V, and afterwards proved one of the first commanders of the age.-Vide Ratti's "History of the Sforza Family."

deed, a multitude of copies were taken from it, which are dispersed all over Italy.

The Pope was so well satisfied that he invited Titian to Rome; but having formed an engagement with Francesco Maria della Rovera, Duke of Urbino, he was under the necessity of declining the offer. Accordingly, he painted the portrait of the Duke of Urbino, a most admired performance, insomuch that his friend Peter Aretin celebrated it in a sonnet, which begins thus

"Se il chiaro Apelle, con la man dell arte,

Rassembra d'Alessandro il volto ed il petto," &c.

There are also in the collection of the Duke of Urbino, two female heads by Titian, which are extremely beautiful; and a young Venus, reposing on a bed with flowers and a thin veil thrown over her, finely painted and highly finished; also a half-figure of Mary Magdalen, with dishevelled hair, a rare work of like excellence. In the same collection are to be seen the portraits of Charles the Fifth, of the French king Francis the First, when young; also the portrait of the Duke Guidobaldo the Second; of Pope Sixtus the Fourth, of Pope Julius the Second, Pope Paul the Third, the old Cardinal of Lorrain, and of Solyman, Emperor of the