Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/503

Rh amidst the clouds; and one of Temperance, having wings of singular beauty, and holding a cup of gold and a bridle in her hand; beneath is a fine landscape, with the figure of Sant’ Eustachio kneeling before the stag, which bears the crucifix between its horns. This is an admirable engraving, more particularly for the beauty of the dogs in various attitudes delineated therein, and which could not be more entirely perfect than they are. Albert Dürer frequently took children for his subjects; and among the many wherewith he adorned escutcheons of arms, shields, and other things, are some which support a shield whereon is the figure of Death; this has for its crest a Cock, the feathers of which are so carefully and minutely rendered that it would not be possible for the burin to produce anything finer or more delicate.

Finally, Albert Dürer sent forth his plate of San Jeronimo, robed in the vestments of a cardinal, and writing, with the Lion sleeping at his feet. In this engraving the master has imitated a chamber with windows of glass, and the rays of the sun streaming through them, fall on the place where the saint sits writing, in a manner which is so natural as to be a marvel. There are, moreover, books, clocks, writings, and a large number of objects besides, all so well done, that in this branch of art there could not well be imagined anything better. He did little after this, and almost the last of his works was a small engraving of Christ with the twelve Apostles, executed in the year 1523. There are many portraits engraved from the life by this master, that of Erasmus of Rotterdam, for example, that of the Cardinal Albert of Brandenburgh, Elector of the Empire, and his own likeness also. But, notwithstanding the zeal with which he pursued the practice of engraving, Albert never abandoned painting; on the contrary, he constantly executed pictures on canvas, panel, and other substances, which are ail excellent works. Nay, what is still more, he left many writings on subjects