18. Naked woman lying, large, life-size, on canvas. All who have visited the Tribune of the Uffizi Gallery are acquainted with two companion full-length pictures of nude females, which are conspicuous among its treasures of art. Both are called Venus; but though one has the unquestionable accompaniment of a Cupid, with a landscape behind, the other contains no attribute of the amorous goddess, but is the portrait of a lovely woman laid uncovered on her bed, whilst two attendants in the back part of the room prepare her dress. To the latter, therefore, the above description, which is alike in all the Urbino inventories, must unquestionably apply; and it thus affords us an easy solution of the doubts as to which of the two pictures came from Urbino, originating in the confused and incorrect descriptions of Ridolfi and Vasari. The popular idea is that Titian here portrayed a mistress or favourite of Duke Guidobaldo of Urbino; but Cigognara has adopted the conjecture that in her features may be traced an idealised likeness of his mother Leonora. We must reject an idea so outraging her well-known modesty of demeanour; and upon comparing the sweetly sensual countenance of the naked beauty with the almost stern dignity of that Duchess, as represented in her portrait, No. 7 of this catalogue, the resemblance seems limited to an oval face and auburn complexion. The spaniels which attend on both ladies, introduced in these pictures, though of the same breed, are certainly different animals. Greater probability attaches to a notion that the nude female's features agree with those of the Bella and the Flora of Titian, described in the next number of this list; and as both of these came from Urbino, we may conjecture that all three were painted from some noted beauty of that court. Another supposition, has, however, been adopted by Mrs. Jameson, that the original was Violante Palma, Titian's first love, and a favourite model in his school. The Tribune picture is generally admitted to be the finest of Titian's so-called Venuses, and has been even assigned the same place among paintings as the Medicean Venus holds in sculpture. (See above, p. [374]).
19. Another portrait of the same naked woman, but dressed, more than half-length. This is considered to be the attractive picture so universally admired under the name of Titian's Bella, of the Pitti collection, in which gorgeous costume and rich beauty seem carried to the utmost point. It does not appear in the other Urbino inventories, but in that of Venturi we find a Season on canvas by Titian, which I apprehend to be the famed Flora, now an ornament of the Venetian room at the Uffizi, and stated in the Reale Galleria di Firenze (edition 1817) to have come from Urbino, and to be a half-length, half-nude, portrait of the same model who sat for No. 18 of this catalogue. The title of Queen Cornara of Cyprus sometimes given to the Bella is palpably one of those misnomers so unpardonably common in picture galleries.
20. Madonna, Child, and two Angels, Baroccio after Titian. Of this picture an original by Titian on panel is in Venturi's list, as well as a copy of it on canvas. I have not been able to find either; but the original may be that entered at No. 12 of this catalogue.
21. Madonna, St. John, and St. Elizabeth, large, on panel, a fine copy. I have not succeeded in tracing the work.
Giorgione.
22. Portrait of an armed soldier, supposed to be Uguccione della Faggiola. Not traced.
Sebastian del Piombo.
23. St. Agatha, large, on panel. It appears in all the inventories, and was one of the most important pictures in the Urbino succession. Representing the horrible dismemberment of the martyred saint, the subject is most revolting, but in energy of treatment and power of colouring, it ranks among the chef-d'œuvres of the master, whose name it bears, with the date, Rome 1520. It now adorns the Pitti Palace, No. 179, after having visited Paris.
Palma Vecchio.
24. The Saviour, on canvas. Not found.