170 The Picture Gallery of the Vatican. 



is here perhaps not so great as in some of the last works of the same 

 master. The picture is a recent acquisition to Rome, and comes 

 from the Marescalchi gallery at Bologna. 



No. 20. Venetian School St. Sebastian, by Titian. 

 This large altar-piece, painted by Titian for the church of S. 

 Nicoletto in Venice, represents the Virgin and the Infant Saviour 

 aloft among the clouds surrounded by angels, and beneath, various 

 saints, according to the mode which was in fashion for such repre- 

 sentations in the sixteenth century. It was procured from Venice by 

 Clement XIV., at the advice of the celebrated artists Volpato and 

 Hamilton, and placed in the Quirinal Palace, from whence it was 

 removed to this gallery by Pius VII. for the benefit of young paint- 

 ers. Even if there were not in the centre the inscription Titianus 

 faciebat, still no one could have any doubt about the artist. It must 

 be confessed, however, that this picture is the acme of anachronism 

 and unmeaningness. Without the least attempt at grouping or con- 

 trast of movement, we have St. Sebastian naked, with the arrow* 

 sticking in his body, St. Francis with the cross, St. Antony of Padua 

 with his lily, St. Peter, St. Ambrose, and St. Catherine. In similar 

 compositions Titian usually disposes the figures of the saints after the 

 manner of the antique bas-reliefs, entirely avoiding all action and 

 movement, which he reserved for his battles, bacchanalian scenes,, 

 and other subjects which necessarily require them. The figure of 

 St. Sebastian well displays his peculiar manner of treating the naked 

 figure, avoiding masses of violent shade and all strong shadows, which 

 assist the relief but spoil the delicacy of the flesh. His method of 

 colouring admits of nothing harsh, but is always soft and harmonious; 

 he always worked with but few colours on his pallet, but he was well 

 acquainted with the use of their different shades and the favourable 

 moments for their opposition. By following nature more than any 

 other painter had ever done, he carried his peculiar merits to the 

 highest possible point, and on this account was surnamed the Patri- 

 arch of Colourists. Vasari lauds him extremely for his expression, 

 but this is certainly not the performance in which to look for it ; it 

 much better exemplifies the opinions given by Sir Joshua Reynolds 

 and Zannetti. The former says that although the style of Titian is 

 not so chaste as that of some others of the Italian schools, still he is 

 always accompanied by a certain sort of senatorial dignity. The 

 latter observes, that the women and infants of Titian are always 

 noble and correct, his men majestic and magisterial. This remark- 

 able painter, who ranks with Raffaelle, Michelangelo, Corregio, and 

 Leonardo da Vinci, lived ninety-nine years, and then died of the 

 plague. He is the best landscape painter among the historical masters, 

 and the finest draughtsman among the colourists. 



No. 21. Roman School. St. Michelina, by Baroccio. 



This female pilgrim praying upon Mount Calvary in the most 

 tranquil attitude of contemplation, certainly forms one of the most 

 interesting works of Baroccio ; and the celebrated painter Simon 

 Canterini pronounced it to be the chef tfceuvre of the master, from 

 the beauty of the blooming countenance, the boldness of light and 

 shade, the expression, and other tokens of a first-rate artist, who had 



