Giorgio Vasari

“ The figures, the buildings, and the landscapes are all made duly to recede by the art of the master, and the nice arrangement of his colours; the laws of perspective are observed in every particular, and whether near or far, each portion of the work maintains its due place and is viewed with surprise and admiration ”

“ He was born in Sclavonia, or Croatia, at a town called Grisone, in the Diocese of Madrucci; his family was of Macedonian origin, and he was baptized Giorgio Giulio. From his childhood he was kept to the study of letters; but he took to design by instinct, and, desirous of improvement, he came to Italy when he had attained his eighteenth year, attaching himself to the service of Marino Cardinal Grimani; labouring for three years in the studies of design, with so much zeal, that his progress went much beyond what had previously been expected from him. ”

“ In the stories and inventions of these pictures there is the most admirable design; in the compositions the most perfect order; the vestments are singularly rich and varied; while the whole work is conducted in such a manner that one thinks it could not possibly have been executed by the hands of men; wherefore it is perfectly true, as we said at the first, that in this performance Don Giulio has surpassed both the ancients and moderns, having been the Michelagnolo in little of our day.
The same artist executed a small picture, with minute figures, for the Cardinal of Trent ”

“ Sant’ Elizabetta, the little San Giovanni, and other figures being in the same picture, which was sent to Rigornes in Spain. In another picture, which the Cardinal Farnese still retains, this artist painted San Giovanni Battista in the Desert: the work exhibits a beautiful Landscape with Animals; and Don Clovio made a second, exactly like it, for the same Prelate, who sent the work into Spain for King Philip. A Pieta by his hand was also presented by Farnese to Pope Paul IV., who kept it in his own apartments till he died. ”

“ These his good intentions were nevertheless interrupted by the unhappy sack of Rome in 1527, when the poor man, taken prisoner by the Spaniards, and finding himself in evil case, had recourse, in the extremity of his wretchedness, to the help of God, making a vow, that if ever he got safe out of that miserable ruin, and escaped from those modern Pharisees, he would immediately make himself a monk. ”

“ In many of these works, more particularly in the Office of the Madonna, there are figures not larger than a very small ant, which yet have all the parts so distinctly drawn and so perfectly formed, that they could not be more correctly exhibited in figures the size of life ”

“ Don Giulio also executed for His Excellency a Crucifix with the Mary Magdalen at the foot thereof, which is a work of infinite beauty. [5] The same artist likewise painted a small picture, the subject a Pieta, of which we have the design in our book, [6] with another, also by the hand of Don Clovio, representing Our Lady dressed in the Hebrew manner, and holding the Infant Christ in her arms; she has a choir of Angels around her, with several nude figures, representing Souls in the act of recommending themselves to her mercy. ”

“ All the colours or liveries given by the Cardinal Farnese to his people on that occasion are clearly to be distinguished in this singular production. [3] At Vespers we have the Flight into Egypt, with the Submersion of Pharaoh in the Red Sea on the opposite side, the framework exhibiting much and varied beauty of ornament. ”

“ But to return to the Signor Duke: that Prince has ever greatly admired the abilities of Don Clovio, and taken pains to procure his works; nay, had it not been for the respect due to Cardinal Farnese, he would not have permitted our artist to leave him at the time when he remained, as we have said, during some months in his service at Florence. ”