talian schools, there is full as great a disparity
in the effect of their pictures as produced by colours. And though in
this respect the Venetians must be allowed extraordinary skill, yet even
that skill, as they have employed it, will but ill correspond with the
great style. Their colouring is not only too brilliant, but, I will
venture to say, too harmonious to produce that solidity, steadiness, and
simplicity of effect which heroic subjects require, and which simple or
grave colours only can give to a work. That they are to be cautiously
studied by those who are ambitious of treading the great walk of history
is confirmed, if it wants confirmation, by the greatest of all
authorities, Michael Angelo. This wonderful man, after having seen a
picture by Titian, told Vasari, who accompanied him, "that he liked much
his colouring and manner; but then he added, that it was a pity the
Venetian painters did not learn to draw correctly in their early youth,
and adopt a better manner of study."

By this it appears that the principal attention of the Venetian painters,
in the opinion of Michael Angelo, seemed to be engrossed by the study of
colours, to the neglect of the ideal beauty of form, or propriety of
expression. But if general censure was given to that school from the
sight of a picture of Titian, how much more heavily, and more justly,
would the censure fall on Paulo Veronese, or more especially on Tintoret?
And here I cannot avoid citing Vasari's opinion of the style and manner
of Tintoret. "Of all the extraordinary geniuses," says he, "that have
ever practised the art of painting, for wild, capricious, extravagant,
and fantastical inventions, for furious impetuosity and boldness in the
execution of his work, there is none like Tintoret; his strange whims are
even beyond extravagance; and his works seem to be produced rather by
chance than in consequence of any previous design, as if he wanted to
convince the world that, the art was a trifle, and of the most easy
attainment."

For my own part, when I speak of the Venetian painters, I wish to be
understood to mean Paulo Veronese and Tintoret, to the exclusion of
Titian; for though his style is not so pure as that of many other of the
Italian schools, yet there is a sort of senatorial dignity about him,
which, however awkward in his imitators, seems to become him exceedingly.
His portraits alone, from the nobleness and simplicity of character which
he always gave