162 The Picture Gallery of the Vatican. 



deal, and in a ferocious style, in accordance with his natural character. 

 Milizia calls him a man " detestable in painting" as well as in man- 

 ners;" Poussin also exclaimed against him, saying that "this fellow 

 was come to destroy painting ;" but this picture is a great advocate 

 in his favour; it is a prodigy of art, and is indeed his chef d'oeuvre. 

 Before its journey to Paris, it belonged to the church of the Philip- 

 pines in Rome, commonly called the New Church. At St. Peter's 

 there is a mosaic copy of this picture, which, however, is consider- 

 ably darker than the original. 



No. 4. Roman School. St. Romualdo, by Andrea Sacchi. 



This picture also was taken to Paris in 1797, till when it had be- 

 longed to the church of St. Romualdo at Rome. It is not a very 

 pleasing picture. It represents a vision which appeared in the open 

 fields to the Saint, and the monks his companions. A ladder is seen, 

 like that of Jacob, rising from earth to heaven, and many monks of 

 his order are seen ascending to enjoy the glory of the blessed. The 

 most ingenious part of this picture is the arrangement of a tree which 

 subdues the monks, who are dressed all in white, and which gives an 

 opportunity of making use of its shade in the necessity in which the 

 artist stood of representing a number of figures all in the same dress, 

 of the same colour, and nearly uniform in appearance. *' I know 

 not," says Passeri, " how any one else would have contrived to ex- 

 tricate himself with so much prudence. Whoever judiciously 

 observes the taste of this picture, the excellence of its colouring, and 

 the delicacy of its drawing, will not spare his praises, when he also 

 finds it so remarkably perfect and highly finished." In fact, this 

 picture is reckoned one of the best in Rome, and the chef d'oeuvre of 

 the master. After RafFaelle, he was the best colourist of the Roman 

 school, and also one of the most distinguished draughtsmen. 



No. 5. Bologna School. The Communion of St. Girolamo, by 

 Domenico Zampieri, commonly called Domenichino. 



Among artists the contest is yet undetermined, whether this, or 

 the Transfiguration by RafFaelle, be the best picture in the world. 

 There are mosaic copies of both in St. Peter's; but the copyists have 

 scarcely done justice to the production of Domenichino. It is per- 

 haps the only picture which could safely be confronted with those of 

 RafFaelle. Every thing which it contains is pure, well arranged, 

 noble, and expressive. As the Saint died at Bethlehem, the minis- 

 tering priest, St. Efrem Sirus, is dressed as a Greek, and the deacon 

 who carries the chalice as a Dalmatian. The kneeling sub-deacon 

 holds in his hand the volume of the Gospel, and the painter has also 

 introduced St. Paula prostrate, in the act of kissing the hand of the 

 dying anchorite. There is besides the figure of an Arab, which 

 while it serves to point out in some degree the place of action, at the 

 same time gives variety by its difference of costume. The naked 

 Saint, and particularly his head, is painted with inimitable care and 

 delicacy. Whether we consider the richness and the dignity of the 

 whole composition, the truth and the variety of the characters intro- 

 duced, the correctness of the drawing, or the touching expression, it 

 must be confessed that, in regard to this subject at least, Domenichino 

 is not a little superior to Agostino Caracci. This picture, therefore, 



