ページの画像
PDF
ePub

THE

THIRTY-THIRD BOOK

OF

ORLANDO FURIOSO.

THE ARGUMENT.

BRADAMANT hears from her host an explanation of the pictures in Sir Tristram's lodge, representing the future wars of France in Italy. The manner in which Bradamant passes the night: next morning she departs, and unhorses the three kings a second time. Description of the combat between Rinaldo and Gradasso for Rinaldo's horse Bayardo. Their combat strangely broken off. Gradasso gets possession of Bayardo, and embarks for his own country. The flight of Astolpho through the air, till having travelled over many countries, he at last arrives at the capital of king Senapus, in Æthiopia, and undertakes to drive away the harpies from his table.

THE

THIRTY-THIRD BOOK

OF

ORLANDO FURIOSO.

TIMAGORAS, Parrhasius, far renown'd;
With wreaths as fair Apollodorus crown'd:
Protogenes, Timanthes, ever fam'd:

Apelles, first of heavenly artists nam'd:

Ver. 1. Timagoras,---Parrhasius,--] Timagoras was a painter of Chalcedon, and in painting excelled all the artists of his age, who in vain endeavoured to contend with him.

Parrhasius was born at Ephesus, the son and disciple of Evenor and contemporary with Zeuxis. He spoke contemptuously of all others, and stiled himself the prince of painting.

Ver. 2.--Apollodorus--] This painter is mentioned by Pliny, who relates, that he was the great improver of the art of painting, which after him Zeuxis brought to such perfection.

Ver. 3. Protogenes, Timanthes...] Protogenes was a native of Caunus, a city subject to the Rhodians, and was contemporary with Apelles. His famous work was the picture of Jalesus, which saved the city of Rhodes when besieged by Demetrius; for not being able to attack it but on that side where Protogenes worked, he chose rather to abandon his design than destroy so fine a picture. It is said that the king sending for him, asked him" with what assurance he could work in the suburbs of a city that was besieged ?"...his answer was, "That he understood the war he had undertaken was against the Rhodians, and not against the arts."

Timanthes lived in the reign of Philip of Macedon; the place of his birth is not known, but he was one of the most learned and judicious painters of his age. He drew the famous picture of the sacrifice of Iphigenia, where, unable to express the sorrows of a father on such an occasion, he concealed the face of Agamemnon with a veil.

[ocr errors]

Ver. 4. Apelles,] Apelles, the first in fame of all the ancient

Zeuxis and Polygnotus: all the train

That flourish'd once, in mem'ry shall remain,

Though Clotho lòng has mix'd them with the dead,
And time on every work oblivion spread:

Yet shall they live and live to future days,
While writers tell and readers learn their praise.
Our age may boast with these an equal band
In painting's school to lift the forming hand.
Lo! Leonardo! Gian' Bellino view;

Two Dossi, and Mantegna reach'd by few :

5

10

painters, was born in the Island of Coös, in the Archipelago. He was much beloved by Alexander the Great, who employed him to draw the portrait of a favourite mistress named Campaspe, when finding that the painter was deeply enamoured of her beauty, he generously resigned her to him. His most celebrated picture was a Venus rising from the waves, on which the following lines were written by Ovid.

Si Venerem Cöos nunquam pinxisset Apelles,

Mersa sub æquoreis illa lateret aquis.

Apelles' pencil heavenly Venus drew,

Or still the waves had veil'd her charms from view.

Ver. 5. Zeuxis and Polygnotus:---] Zeuxis was a native of Heraclea in Macedonia, and lived 400 years before the birth of Christ, being contemporary with Timanthes and Farrhasius. He painted the famous picture of Helen, for which he is said to have selected the finest parts from five of the most beautiful virgins sent to him for that purpose. An incredible story is related of his death, that having drawn the picture of an old woman with exquisite humour, he fell into such a fit of laughter at the contemplation of his own work that he expired.

Polygnotus was a painter of Athens after Zeuxis. He was the first who revived the dignity of painting in Greece, which had fallen into disrepute.

Ver. 13.-Leonardo! Gian' Bellino--] Leonardo da Vinci was of a noble family in Tuscany, and a man of universal knowledge. He painted at Florence, Rome, and Milan. He drew a picture of the last Supper, but did not finish the head of Christ, because he could not find an image answerable to his idea before he was obliged to leave Milan. He did the same by Judas; but the prior of the convent being impatient to see the piece finished, pressed him so earnestly, and probably indecently, that he drew the head of the importunate friar upon the shoulders of Judas. He was greatly esteemed by Francis I. and died in the arms of that monarch, who came to visit him in his last sickness.

Giovanni Bellino laid the foundation of the Venetian school by the use of oil: he died in the year 1512, aged ninety years.

Ver. 14. Two Dossi,--] The two Dossi were of Ferrara, and were

With these, an Angel, Michael styl'd Divine,
In whom the sculptor and the painter join:
Bastiano, Titian, Raphael, three that grace
Cadora, Venice, and Urbino's race:

15

much employed by Alphonso duke of Ferrara. The elder growing old, had a pension for his subsistence, and his younger brother, whose name was Baptista, surviving him, painted many excellent pieces after the death of his brother.

Mantegna was born in a village near Padua, and in his youth kept sheep, but his genius discovering itself very early, he was put to a painter, who adopted him for his son. He painted for the duke of Mantua, and executed that fine piece of the triumphs of Julius Cæsar, in nine parts, in the royal palace of Hampton Court. He died at Mantua in the year 1517, aged 66.

Ver. 15.--An Angel, Michael--] Michael Angelo Buonarotti was born in the year 1174 at Arezzo in Tuscany. This seems rather a play upon his name of Angelo (Angel). He was not only a great painter but an excellent architect and statuary, particularly the lat. ter. He painted his great picture of the last Judgment, at the command of Pope Paul III. He was beloved by all the sovereign princes of his time, and died at Rome in the year 1564, at ninety years old.

Ver. 17. Bastiano, Titian, Raphael--] Bastiano del Piombo took his name from an office given him by Pope Clement in the lead mines. He was born at Venice, and first studied under Gian' Bellino, and after Raphael's death became the chief painter in Rome, Julio Romano only disputing the prize with him. It is rather singular that Julio Romano has not a place here in Ariosto's list. Bastiano died in 1547, aged 62 years.

Titiano Vecelli was born at Cadora, a province in the state of Venice, in the year 1477. He was of noble extraction, being de scended from the ancient family of the Vecelli: He drew the portrait of the emperor Charles V. three times, and that monarch used to say on the occasion, that he had been made thrice immortal by the hands of Titian. He was universally esteemed, full of years, honours, and wealth, and died at last of the plague, aged ninety-nine years.

Raphael Sanzio, born at Urbino in the year 1483, was one of the handsomest and best tempered men living. He is acknowledged to have been the prince of modern painters, and is often stiled, the divine Raphael, for the inimitable graces of his pencil; he was beloved in the highest degree by Pope Julius II, and Leo X. he was

« 前へ次へ »