Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/326

318 cornice were ornaments composed of exceedingly rich festoons, of fruit and foliage passing from pillar to pillar, some in stucco-work, and others painted.

In a large space of these walls likewise, if I have been rightly informed, this master caused some four and twenty pictures, from the life, as I believe, of Alexander the Great, to be painted after his designs. Rosso preparing, as I have said, all the drawings, which were in cliiaro-scuro executed in water colours. At the two ends of this gallery are two pictures in oil by his own hand, designed and painted with so much ability that few better things are to be seen in the art. In one of these are Bacchus and Venus, executed with remarkable judgment, and showing great knowledge of art: the figure of Bacchus is that of a youth undraped, the form so blooming, delicate, and soft, that it looks as if it were indeed the yielding and palpable fl.esh, seeming rather to be alive than merely painted. Around this work are vases painted to imitate gold, silver, and crystal, or different precious stones, with so many other fanciful decorations that all who see them are amazed at the infinite variety of invention displayed therein. Among other things is a Satyr who is raising one side of a tent or pavilion, and the head of which, notwithstanding its goat-like character, is of marvellous beauty, the radiance of the smiles and the pleasure which he seems to feel at the sight of so beautiful a youth, being particularly remarkable. There is a Child also of extraordinary loveliness mounted on a bear, with many other graceful and beautiful ornaments in every part of the work.

In the second picture are Cupid and Venus with numerous figures of great merit; but that to which Rosso gave his most particular attention was the Cupid: he has represented him as a boy of twelve years old, but well grown and with more development of feature than is expected at that age. Every part of this figure is eminently beautiful.