“Come N. S. è condotto alla morte con la croce alle spalle, qual si vede tutto di rilievo.”
The poetical account runs thus:—
“Si trova poi in una Chiesa nera
Con spettacolo fiero accompagnato
Da soldati, e da gente molto fiera,
Con la Croce alle spalle incaminato
Christo Giesu in mezzo à l’empia schiera,
Seguendolo Giovanni addolorato,
Che di Giesu sostien la sconsolata
Madre, da Maddalena accompagnata.”
In the 1591 edition, the prose description of the work runs;—
“Come N. S. è condotto alla morte con la Croce sopra delle spalle, quali si vedeno tutto di rilieuo bellissi.”
I have no copy of the poetical part of this edition before me, but believe it to be identical with the version already given. The impression left upon me is that the work in 1586 was only just finished enough to allow it to be called finished, and that its full excellence was not yet displayed to the public, though it was about to be so very shortly.
Signor Arienta tells me that Tabachetti has adhered rather closely to a design for the same subject by Albert Durer, but I have failed to find the design to which he is referring.
Bordiga again calls attention to the extreme beauty of the view of Varallo that is to be had on leaving this chapel.
