rfect rendering of Mr. H. P. Horne, or of introducing
unsatisfactory variants for mere variety's sake. Having rejected the
latter course, he feels doubly bound to record once more his deep
obligation to Mr. Horne's example.

[11] This name is missing in the text.

GIORGIONE DA CASTELFRANCO

LIFE OF GIORGIONE DA CASTELFRANCO

PAINTER OF VENICE

At the same time when Florence was acquiring such fame by reason of
the works of Leonardo, no little adornment was conferred on Venice
by the talent and excellence of one of her citizens, who surpassed
by a great measure not only the Bellini, whom the Venetians held in
such esteem, but also every other master who had painted up to that
time in that city. This was Giorgio, who was born at Castelfranco in
the territory of Treviso, in the year 1478, when the Doge was
Giovanni Mozzenigo, brother of Doge Piero. In time, from the nature
of his person and from the greatness of his mind, Giorgio came to be
called Giorgione; and although he was born from very humble stock,
nevertheless he was not otherwise than gentle and of good breeding
throughout his whole life. He was brought up in Venice, and took
unceasing delight in the joys of love; and the sound of the lute
gave him marvellous pleasure, so that in his day he played and sang
so divinely that he was often employed for that purpose at various
musical assemblies and gatherings of noble persons. He studied
drawing, and found it greatly to his taste; and in this nature
favoured him so highly, that he, having become enamoured of her
beauties, would never represent anything in his works without
copying it from life; and so much was he her slave, imitating her
continuously, that he acquired the name not only of having surpassed
Giovanni and Gentile Bellini, but also of being the rival of the
masters who were working in Tuscany and who were the creators of the
modern manner. Giorgione had seen some things by the hand of
Leonardo with a beautiful gradation of colours, and with
extraordinary relief, effected, as has been related, by means of
dark shadows; and this manner pleased him so much that he was for
ever studying it as long as he lived, and in oil-painting he
imitated it greatly. Taking pleasure in the delights of good work,
he was ever selecting, for putting into his pictures, the greatest
beauty and the greatest variety that he could find. And nature gave
him a spirit so benign, and with this, both in oil-paintin