Saturday, January 23, 2021

Frescoes in Mantua by Giulio Romano (and Workshop)

Giulio Romano and workshop
Psyche wakened by Cupid
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Psyche fetching Water from the River Styx
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Mercury preparing the Banquet for Cupid and Psyche (detail)
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Mercury preparing the Banquet for Cupid and Psyche (detail)
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

"Among his many, or rather innumerable, disciples, the greatest number of whom became able masters, Raffaello da Urbino had not one who imitated him more closely in manner, invention, design, and colouring, than did Giulio Romano, nor one who was better grounded, more bold, resolute, prolific, and versatile, or more fanciful and varied than Giulio; not to mention for the present that he was very pleasant in his conversation, gay, amiable, gracious, and supremely excellent in character.  . . .  By reason of all these excellent qualities, Giulio, after the death of Raffaello, was celebrated as the best craftsman in Italy.  And Count Baldassarre Castiglioni, who was then in Rome as ambassador from Federigo Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, and was much the friend of Giulio, having been commanded by his master the Marquis to send him an architect of whom he might avail himself for the necessities of his palace and of the city, the Marquis adding that he would particularly like to have Giulio – the Count, I say, so wrought upon him with entreaties and promises, that Giulio said that he would go.  . . .  His Excellency had a place with some stables, called the Te, standing in the middle of a meadow, in which he kept his stud of horses and mares.  Arriving there, the Marquis said that he would like, without destroying the old walls, to have some sort of place arranged to which he might resort at times for dinner or supper, as a recreation.  . . .  Thereupon Giulio made a very beautiful model, all of rustic work both without and within the courtyard, which pleased that lord so much, that he assigned a good sum of money for the building; and after Giulio had engaged many masters the work was quickly carried to completion."

– from Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects by Giorgio Vasari (1568), translated by Gaston du C. de Vere (1912)

Giulio Romano and workshop
Venus and Adonis
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Mars and Venus Bathing
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Bacchus and Ariadne
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Jupiter seducing Olympias
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Polyphemus
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Polyphemus (detail)
1526-28
fresco
Sala di Psiche, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Vault Panels
1526
fresco
Sala dei Cavalli, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Horse
1526
fresco
Sala dei Cavalli, Palazzo Te, Mantua

"In the hall to which the first entrance gives access the vaulting is wrought in various compartments and painted in fresco, and on the walls are portraits from life of all the favourite and most beautiful  horses from the stud of the Marquis . . . which were all designed by Giulio, and painted in fresco on the plaster by the painters Benedetto Pagni and Rinaldo Mantovano, his disciples, and so well, in truth, that they seem to be alive." 

– from Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects by Giorgio Vasari (1568), translated by Gaston du C. de Vere (1912)

Giulio Romano and workshop
Horse
1526
fresco
Sala dei Cavalli, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Horse
1526
fresco
Sala dei Cavalli, Palazzo Te, Mantua

Giulio Romano and workshop
Horse
1526
fresco
Sala dei Cavalli, Palazzo Te, Mantua