Powered By Blogger

Welcome to Villa Speranza.

Welcome to Villa Speranza.

Search This Blog

Translate

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Relaxed -- "Too" Relaxed -- Francesco, marchese di Mantova

Speranza

Francesco Bonsignore attempted to paint a 'realistic' picture of the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.

In order to do this, Francesco used as a model a handsome porter which a fine physique whom the painter tied up in his study.

The painter's patron, however, Francesco II, marchese di Mantova, thought the porter's boody "perhaps too relaxed".

The next day, the Marchese rushed into the painter's studio, ran up to the bound porter with a loaded crossbow, and cried out:

TRADITORE!
"Traitor, prepare to die!"

---- whereupon the porter struggled in a frenzy of terror with the ropes wherehwith he was bound, and made frantic efforts to break them.

Only now, the marchese added, "does he really look like someone who is about to be shot with arrows. So NOW paint him."

-----

No comments:

Post a Comment