Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/419

Rh accustomed to a simple and upright life, desires no contention with the subtleties and craft of those who proceed less openly. This master has lately executed a singularly beautiful picture for the Duchess of Savoy; it represents Venus and Cupid, sleeping under the guard of a servitor, and is so admirably executed, that words do not enable me to praise it sutficiently.

I must not here omit to mention that the art of Mosaic, almost abandoned in all other place, is encouraged and kept in life by the most Serene Senate of Venice, and of this Titian has been the principal cause; seeing that so far as in him lies, he has ever laboured to promote the exercise thereof, and to procure respectable remuneration for those who practise the art. Various works have thus been undertaken in the Church of San Marco, the old Mosaics having been almost wholly restored, and this mode of delineation being now brought to all the perfection of which it is susceptible, exhibits consequently a very ditferent aspect from that displayed in Florence and Rome, at the time of Giotto, Alesso Baldovinetti, the Ghirlandai, or the Miniaturist Gherardo. All that has been done in Venice has been executed after the designs of Titian and other excellent painters, who have made coloured Cartoons for the same; thus the works are brought to perfection, as may be seen in the portico of San Marco, where there is a Judgment of Solomon, so beautiful that it could scarcely be executed more delicately with the pencil and colours. In the same place is the Genealogical Tree of Our Lady, by Ludovico Rosso; the Sibyls and Prophets are admirably represented in this work, which is carefully conjoined, and displays excellent relief. But in the art of Mosaic there are none who have distinguished themselves more highly in our times than have Valerio and Vincenzio Zuccheri, natives of Treviso, many stories by whom may be seen in San Marco; those from the Apocalypse may more particularly be specified: in this work the four Evangelists, under the form of various animals, are seen to surround the Throne of God: the Seven Candle-