About the same time Veronese began his cele brated series of banquet scenes for the refectories of Venetian monasteries, in which the Scriptural subject is a mere pretext for the rendition of a luxurious Venetian feast, in all the splendor of contemporary costume. In the "Marriage at Cana" (1563. Louvre), a colossal picture con taining 130 figures, he represen'ted the chief notables of Europe and Venice as the par ticipants. The bridal couple are Francis I. of France and Eleanor of Austria and as a group of musicians in the foreground he portrayed the principal painters of Venice. Titian, Tin toretto. and himself among them: while on a balustrade in the background curious Venetians watch the spectacle. Another celebrated tinge at Cana" is at Dresden (see illustration) ; a third is at Madrid. The "Feast at the House of Simon" (or Levi) may be seen at the Venice Academy, Paris, Turin, and Milan, the "Supper at Emmaus" at Paris and Dresden. A similar sub ject, the "Feast of Gregory the Great" (1572), at Vicenza, caused Veronese to be cited before the tribunal of the Inquisition.
Among his patrons and friends were the brothers Barbari — Daniele, Patriarch of Aquileja, and Marcantonio, procurator of San Marco. His portrait of the former is in the Pitti Palace; and for both he decorated the beau tiful villa (now Villa Giacomelli) at\laser (15(0). The paintings cover three chambers, a gallery, and a salon, and rank with the best and most characteristic productions of the Renaissance. The subjects represented are mostly mythological and symbolical in character—the "Gods of Olympus" as the Planets, the "Muses" and "Virtues;" which, with the portraits of his hosts, himself and his beloved, and even religious subjects. form a strange medley. The archi tectural and landscape backgrounds are very re markable.
Veronese was occupied with many decorative tasks which time has not spared; a better fate befell those at Magnadola, near Treviso. which are similar in subject to the Tiene frescoes, but in a freer, grander style. The grandest works of his last period are those executed in the Ducal Palace after the fire of 1577. His only fresco there, "Venice Enthroned." in the Anticollegio, has lost its color, but the "Rape of Europa" is undimmed. In the Sala del Collegio is a splendid "Thanks giving for Lepanto," in which the Doge kneels before the Lord in Glory. to whom he is recom mended by Saints Mark and Justina. The figure of "Faith" is one of the most beautiful in Venetian painting. On the ceiling of this hall, the finest in the Ducal Palace, Venice, attended by "Justice" and "Peace," sits enthroned; the remaining panels contain various allegorical fig ures. In his battle-pieces in the Hall of the Great Council, the "Defense of Scntari" and the "Capture of Smyrna," he portrayed characteristic episodes of the battles. his most ambitious ef fort is the splendid "Apotheosis of Venice," sur rounded by the gods and her heroes, and crowned by the goddess of fame. The pillars supporting her power are upheld by stalwart sailors; and her rule is acclaimed by noble lords and ladies on a balcony, and by the people and soldiers below.
Veronese's work in the Ducal Palace was in terrupted by his death, April 19. 1588. The
monks of Saint Sebastian gave him a resting place in their church. which his work had ren dered famous. His two sons and his brother. Benedetto (1538.98), continued his commissions under the signature "Herodes Paoli." The most gifted of his sons, Carlo (1570-90), died young.
Veronese was essentially a decorative painter, and even in his easel paintings the deenrativo character predominates. Of these he executed an almost incredible number, considering the extent of his frescoes. The subjects are mostly re ligious, but in all of them the 'painter of pageants' is evident. Of his numerous madonnas the most remarkable is the "Madonna of the Cueeina Fam ily," a curious, oblong picture, representing the Virgin and saints adored by a family of a down members; there is a very beautiful "Holy Fain ily" in the Louvre. Among his most celebrated religious subjects are "Jesus and the Captain of C'apernaum" (Dresden), the "Burning of Sodom," and . "Esther Before Ahasuerus" (Louvre) an "Annunciation" and the "Rais ing of Lazarus" (Florence, Uffizi) ; "Christ bearing the Cross" (Dresden and Louvre) ; "Susanna in the Bath" (Dresden and Madrid) ; "Adoration of the Kings" (Dresden, Vienna, Munich. Venice, and Milan) : and a fine series of "Prophets" and "Evangelists" in the Venetian Academy. The National Gallery (London) pos sesses two very fine examples, the "Vision of Saint Helena" and "The Family of Darius" (1503). in which the varied feelings of the monarch's captive daughters are marvelously expressed. Celebrated among his mythological pictures are "Venus and Adonis" (Madrid), "Minerva and Mars" (Berlin), and "Mars and Venus" (Saint Petersburg). His portraits in clude those of "Unknown Women" at Florence (Pitti), Paris (Louvre), and Munich, and his own portrait in the Uffizi.
Veronese was the true heir of Giorgione and Titian in Venetian art. Although gifted with narrative talent of a high order. he never ap pealed to the intellect, but to the eye and the imagination. From Verona he brought a sound naturalism, the silvery tone and mild harmony of color. He was a decorative painter of the highest rank. The example of Titian enriched his color and ennobled his forms, but without depriv ing them of their individual quality. His color is transparent and brilliant in its lightness; he is probably the best all round draughtsman of the Venetian school, and in the sweeping sureness of his brush work he stands almost, if not quite, the peer of Velazquez.
In subject Veronese was characteristically Venetian. He painted the Venetian aristocracy— the men preferably in the ease of middle life, the women fair and in richest costume. Especial ly did he delight in their fetes, then the most pompous and luxurious in the world, and it, is as the great 'painter of pageants' that he is chief ly known.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. The most important biogBibliography. The most important biog- raphy is that of Yriarte (Paris, 1888). Others are by Janitscheck, in Dohme, Kunst and ler Italians (Leipzig. 1877) Pietro Caliari (Rome. MS), and Meissner (Bielefeld. 1897). Consult also Yriarte, Vie d'un patricicn de Venice (Paris, n. 4.) ; Histoirc de l'art pendant la Renaissance (Paris, 1889-95).