CHAPTEE XX 



THE BARBERINI OR PORTLAND VASE 



THE Barberini or Portland Vase, now in the British 

 Museum, is perhaps the finest work of the kind made 

 by the Ancient Greeks. It was found deposited in a 

 marble urn within a sepulchral monument, under the 

 Monte del Grano, two and a half miles from Eorne on the 

 road to Erascati. Thence it came into the possession 

 of the Barberini family ; and when they desired in 

 1770 to raise money by the sale of their works of art, 

 it was purchased by the antiquary Byres, and afterwards 

 sold by him to Sir William Hamilton. 



Hamilton, in writing to Wedgwood about the pur- 

 chase of the Vase, said : " The person I bought it of at 

 Eome will do me the justice to say that the superior 

 excellence of this exquisite masterpiece of ancient art 

 struck me so much at first sight, that I eagerly asked, 

 ' Is this yours ? Will you sell it ? ' He answered, ' Yes, 

 but never under 1000.' 'I will give you 1000,' and 

 so I did, though God knows it was not very convenient 

 for me, and the business was concluded in a moment. 



