Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/61

Rh had designed the object desired. Among the many valuable things which he had in his house was the likeness of Albert Diirer, drawn from the life on exceedingly fine linen by the hand of Albert himself, by whom it was sent, as we have before related, as a gift to Raphael. This portrait was a very extraordinary work painted in water colours with extreme care, and Albert had finished it without the use of any white, having used the white of the linen itself for the high lights; and in the exceedingly fine and subtle threads of this texture, he had so delicately rendered the hairs of the beard, that it was a thing which cannot even be fully imagined, much less imitated, and being held up to the light it shone through, and was seen on both sides. This portrait, which was held as a most precious possession by Giulio, was shown to me by himself as a kind of miracle, when I once went during his life-time for my affairs to the city of Mantua.

When the Duke Federigo died, Giulio Romano, who had been much favoured by that prince, nay, beloved by him more than words could express, was so deeply grieved that he would have left Mantua, if the Cardinal, the brother of the Duke, on whom the government of the state had devolved, because his children were very young, had not retained him in that city; persuading him to abide where he had a wife and children, and possessed houses and villas, with every other means of enjoyment that needs to be demanded by the richest nobleman. And to this the Cardinal was induced by the wish he felt to avail himself of the counsels and aid of Giulio Romano in the project which he was then meditating of restoring, nay, almost of rebuilding the whole fabric of the cathedral of Mantua. The master accordingly consented to set hand to that work in which he made considerable progress, imparting a very beautiful form to the fabric.

About the same time Giorgio Vasari, who was on the most friendly terms with Giulio, although they knew each other by fame and letters only—Giorgio Vasari, I say, being on his way to Venice, took the road by Mantua, for the purpose of there visiting Giulio and seeing his works. Arrived there,