" The celebrated and learned
Montfaucon, who was a member of the same order, seems to have been the
first who made this mistaken statement. Once made on such authority, it
was accepted and repeated without further investigation till the
undeniable evidence of the archives of the convent, dragged to light
from under the dust of centuries by the industry of Professor Rossi,
showed that in truth the conception and design, as well as the
execution, of this beautiful masterpiece, which has for so long been
thought worthy of Raphael, was the work of the "carpenter, Maestro
Stefano da Bergamo."
I do not believe that it is any longer possible to obtain a complete
copy of the above-mentioned work. Many years ago I found the separate
sheets of it lying about in the sacristy in a manner which gave one a
vivid idea of the reckless carelessness which is so marked a
characteristic of Italians. Bundles of the different plates, some
containing forty or fifty copies, some twenty or so, and some not more
than four or five, were thrust into cupboards with wax candles for the
altar, tattered choir-books and old candlesticks. And here was the whole
remaining stock of the work! I was at that time able, by the exercise of
much patience, trouble and persuasion with the old sacristan--who seemed
to consider the sale of the plates a very insufficient recompense for
the trouble of looking for them--to get together a complete copy of the
work; but when I was there the other day not more than twenty of the
plates out of nearly twice that number were to be found.
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