Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/415

Rh truly worthy of such a prince. These works having been seen by Giulio Romano, he declared that he had never beheld colouring executed with equal perfection. One of them was a nude figure of Leda, the other a Venus, painted with so much softness, and with shadows so admirably treated, that the carnations did not seem painted but to be truly the living flesh. In one of these pictures was a beautiful Landscape; in this respect there was indeed no Lombard who could surpass Correggio, he painted the hair moreover so admirably as to colour, and so delicately as to distinctness and finish, that nothing better could possibly be seen. There were besides Cupids trying their arrows on a stone, these weapons being formed with much judgment of lead and gold. A circumstance which imparted an added charm to this picture of the Venus, was an exceedingly bright and limpid stream running amidst pebbles and bathing the feet of the goddess, but scarcely concealing any part of them, so that the sight of their delicate whiteness almost dazzled the eyes beholding them. For these works Antonio certainly merited all praise and honour during his life, and well deserved to be celebrated both by word and in writings with the utmost glory after his death. Correggio painted a figure of the Virgin also in Modena, and this work was held in great esteem by aU painters, who considered it to be the best picture possessed by that city. In Bologna likewise, there is a work by Antonio, in the Palace of the Ercolani, one of the noble families of that place; the subject of this painting is Christ appearing to Mary Magdalen in the Garden, a very beautiful thing. Another admirable and delightful work by Antonio