Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/408

396 said, and was finally invited by that monarch to his Court; there he painted him as he was in those last years; and so much was that most invincible Emperor pleased with the manner of Titian, that once he had been portrayed by him, he would never permit himself to be taken by any other person. Each time that Titian painted the Emperor he received a present of a thousand crowns of gold, and the artist was made a Cavalier, or Knight, by his Majesty, with a revenue of two hundred crowns yearly, secured on the Treasury of Naples, and attached to his title.

When Titian painted Filippo King of Spain, the son of Charles, he received another annuity of two hundred crowns; so that these four hundred added to the three hundred from the German Exchange, make him a fixed income of seven hundred crowns, which he possesses without the necessity of exerting himself in any manner. Titian presented the Portraits of Charles V. and his son Filippo to the Duke Cosimo, who has them now in his Guardaroba. He also took the portrait of Ferdinand King of the Romans, who was afterwards Emperor, with those of his children, Maximilian that is to say, now Emperor, and his brother: he likewise painted the Queen Maria; and at the command of the Emperor Charles, he portrayed the Duke of Saxony, when the latter was in prison. But what a waste of time is this! when there has scarcely been a noble of high rank, scarcely a prince or lady of great name, whose portrait has not been taken by Titian, who in that branch of art is indeed an excellent painter.

He painted King Francis I. of France, as we have said. Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan; the Marquis of Pescara, Antonio da Leva, Massemiano Stampa, the Signor Giovambattista Castaldo, and other Signori in vast numbers. He has, moreover, produced various works at different times, besides those above mentioned. At Venice, for example, and by command of Charles V., he painted a large Altarpiece, the subject of which is the Triune God Enthroned; Our Lady is present with the Infant Christ, who has the Dove over his head, and the whole ground is of fire, to signify Eternal Love; while the Father is surrounded by glowing Cherubim. On one side of this picture is the Emperor, and