e highest part of the vaulting, in which is Cupid
marrying Psyche in the sight of Jove, who is on high, illumined by a
dazzling celestial light, and in the presence of all the Gods. It would
not be possible to find anything executed with more grace or better
draughtsmanship than this scene, for Giulio foreshortened the figures so
well, with a view to their being seen from below, that some of them,
although they are scarcely one braccio in length, appear when seen from
the ground to be three braccia high; and, in truth, they are wrought
with marvellous art and ingenuity, Giulio having succeeded in so
contriving them, that, besides seeming to be alive (so strong is the
relief), they deceive the human eye with a most pleasing illusion. In
the octagons are all the earlier stories of Psyche, showing the
adversities that came upon her through the wrath of Venus, and all
executed with the same beauty and perfection; in other angles are many
Loves, as likewise in the windows, producing various effects in
accordance with the spaces where they are; and the whole of the vaulting
is painted in oils by the hands of the above-mentioned Benedetto and
Rinaldo. The rest of the stories of Psyche are on the walls below, and
these are the largest. In one in fresco is Psyche in the bath; and the
Loves are bathing her, and then wiping her dry with most beautiful
gestures. In another part is Mercury preparing the banquet, while Psyche
is bathing, with the Bacchantes sounding instruments; and there are the
Graces adorning the table with flowers in a beautiful manner. There is
also Silenus supported by Satyrs, with his ass, and a goat lying down,
which has two children sucking at its udder; and in that company is
Bacchus, who has two tigers at his feet, and stands leaning with one arm
on the credence, on one side of which is a camel, and on the other an
elephant. This credence, which is barrel-shaped, is adorned with
festoons of verdure and flowers, and all covered with vines laden with
bunches of grapes and leaves, under which are three rows of bizarre
vases, basins, drinking-cups, tazze, goblets, and other things of that
kind in various forms and fantastic shapes, and so lustrous, that they
seem to be of real silver and gold, being counterfeited with a simple
yellow and other colours, and that so well, that they bear witness to
the extraordinary genius and art of Giulio, who proved in this part of
the work that he was rich, versatile, and abund