100 THE FINE ARTS. 
works, which were constantly advancing nearer to perfection, with any- 
thing borrowed from another hand. Correggio was never in Rome; and 
hence it is impossible that he should, as many have asserted, have formed 
himself on the study of Raphael ; besides, it would be no difficult matter to 
show a complete contrast between the manners of these two masters. 
Raphael was, so to speak, an enemy to foreshortenings, Correggio was very 
fond of them, as being so favorable to graceful turns; Raphael sacrificed 
everything to expression, Correggio to harmony; Raphael sought beauty 
in a certain nobleness of form, Correggio in a luxurious wantonness ; 
Raphael made use of a natural, open light, Correggio always produced it 
artificially ; and this contrast might be extended even to the details of their 
works. The first pictures of Correggio are to be found in his birth-place; 
yet the originals have been removed, some of them at the command of the 
lords of Correggio, and others in some inexplicable manner, so that copies 
are now found in their stead. One of his earliest productions is the St. 
Cecilia in the Borghese gallery. This picture reminds us strongly of 
Mantegna; yet the peculiar illumination which proceeds from an angelic 
glory and spreads almost imperceptibly over the whole picture, leaves no 
room to doubt its belonging to Correggio, notwithstanding that certain 
hardnesses are to be found init. A work of Correggio’s of the year 1520 
exists in a convent of Parma, but it is so little accessible to visitors, that 
we had no account of it till quite lately. Seroux d’Agincourt was the first to 
publish a drawing of it (in his “‘ Painting,” pl. 202). It was about this time 
that our master began the cupola of St. John’s church, which he finished in 
the year 1524. It represents the Ascension of the Saviour, together with 
the apostles, Mary, &c., and was so beautiful that the superintendents of 
the cathedral as early as 1522 contracted with Correggio, at the price of a 
thousand sequins, for the painting of a picture for the cupola, which, how- 
ever, was not begun till 1526. This sum as well as other prices which 
were paid Correggio for his works, and which for that time were very con- 
siderable, furnish the best refutation of the statement of the artist’s poverty ; 
the story of his having expired under the burden when paid a fee of sixty 
sequins in copper money is likewise fabulous, it having been proved that the 
fee was paid in gold and that Correggio lived for several years afterwards. 
The cupola of the cathedral represents the Assumption of the Virgin ; and 
Mengs says with justice that no more beautiful cupola has been painted 
either before or since. While this work was going on Correggio painted his 
St. Jerome and his famous Wight. For the former he received 400 lire; 
the King of Portugal afterwards offered 40,000 ducats, and Frederick the 
Great 25,000 sequins for it. There are many who prefer this picture to the 
works of Raphael. The Wight, 7. ¢. of the Savior’s birth, was ordered by 
Alberto Pratonieri, and the price of it was 208 lire (474 sequins). The 
picture was finished in 1530 and set up in the church of St. Prosperus ; in 
1640 it was removed to the gallery at Modena, whence again it was taken 
to Dresden, and only a copy on canvas by Nogari remained in Modena. 
There are many good old copies of this famous picture. Among other 
things Correggio painted about this time for the Duke of Mantua a Leda 
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