Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/48

40 Mercury preparing the banquet, while Psyche takes her bath; the Bacchantes are sounding musical instruments, and the Graces are busied in the decoration of the table, which they adorn with flowers. Silenus is sustained upon his ass by Satyrs, and near him is a Goat suckling two children; Bacchus is also present with two Tigers at his feet; he is leaning on the credenza or beaufet with one arm, and on one side of this table is a Camel, on the other an Elephant: the decorations of the credenza, which is of a coved shape, and forms a half-circle, being of festoons, foliage, and fruits intertwined; it is furthermore covered with vines laden with grapes, which throw their leaves and tendrils over three ranges of fancifully-shaped vases, goblets, beakers, and cups of the most fantastic and varied forms, all shining in such a manner that they appear to be of veritable silver and gold; the imitation being nevertheless effected by means of a simple yellow and some other colours only, but so admirably done that they bear ample testimony to the genius, talent, and art of Giulio, who proved himself in this part of the work to be gifted with the richest powers of invention and the most varied resources in art.

At no great distance from this picture is seen Psyche in the midst of a group of women, who serve, attend, and present her; and here we have Phoebus in the distance, rising from between the hills in his solar chariot, which is drawn by four horses, while Zephyr lies nude amidst fleecy clouds, breathing soft airs from a cornicle, which he has in his mouth, and wherewith he renders the atmosphere around the form of Psyche cheering and agreeable. These stories were engraved not many years since after the designs of Battista Franco of Yenice, who copied them exactly as they had been painted by Benedetto of Pescia and by Rinaldo of Mantua, who followed the great cartoons of Giulio, and by whom all the stories were executed, with the exception of the Bacchus, the Silenus, and the Two Children suckled by the Goat. It is true, that the work was afterwards almost wholly retouched by Giulio, whence it is very much as it might have