His first patron was Cardinal Gonzaga, who
brought several painters from Verona to Mantua; but Mantua was no longer
what it had been in the days of Isabela d'Este, and Paolo Caliari soon
returned to his own town. Before he was twenty-three he had decorated
Villa Porti, near Vicenza, in collaboration with Zelotti, a Veronese,
portraying feasting gods and goddesses, framed in light architectural
designs in monochrome. The two painters went on to other villas, mixing
mortal and mythical figures in a happy, light-hearted medley.

Zelotti having received a commission at Vicenza, Paolo decided to seek
his fortune in Venice. The Prior of the Convent of San Sebastiano, on
the Zattere, was a Veronese, and Caliari wrote to him before arriving in
Venice in 1555. Thanks to the good Prior, who played a considerable part
in his destiny, he obtained a commission for a "Coronation of the Virgin
and four other Saints." He first painted the sacristy, but his success
was instantaneous, and many orders followed. The ceiling of the church
was devoted to the history of Esther. The whole of these paintings
are marvellously well preserved, and, inset in the carved and gilt
framework, make a _coup d'oeil_ of surprising beauty. They had an
immense effect. Every one was able to appreciate these joyous pictures
of Venice, the loveliness of her skies, the pomp of her ceremonies, the
rich Eastern stuffs and the glorious architecture of her palaces. It
was an auspicious moment for a painter of Veronese's temper; the
so-called Republic, now, more than ever, an oligarchy, was at the
height of its fortunes, redecorating was going forward everywhere, the
merchant-nobility was rich and spending magnificently, the Eastern trade
was flourishing, Venice was in all her glory. The patrons Caliari came
to work for, preferred the ceremonial to the imaginative treatment of
sacred themes, and he does not choose the tragedies of the Bible for
illustration. He paints the history of Esther, with its royal audiences,
banquets, and marriage-feasts. His Christs and Maries and Martyrs are
composed, courtly personages, who maintain a dignified calm under
misfortune, and have very little violent feeling to show.

At the time of his arrival in Venice, Palma Vecchio was just dead,
Tintoretto was absorbed by the Scuola di San Rocco, Paris Bordone was
with Francis I. As rivals, Caliari had Salviati, Bonifazio, Schiavone,
and Zelotti, all rendering homage to Titian who was eig