IN 1638 the first true artistic guidebook to modern Rome was published in Naples, taken from a manuscript by the painter Gaspare Celio, who, from the beginning of the century, was as well known for his extravagant character as for his paintings. In his description of the pictures in the 'Palazzo vecchio' of the Marchese Mattei, Celio mentions three paintings by Caravaggio: 'Quelle della presa di Christo mezze figure. Quella de Emaus. Q uella del Pastor friso, ad olio .. .'. Although published in 1638, the Memoria had been written by Celio before 1620, and the references to the paintings owned by the Mattei were the result of first- hand knowledge, since he is documented as working on several occasions for the family, from at least 1607.

.. .'. Although published in 1638, the Memoria had been written by Celio before 1620, and the references to the paintings owned by the Mattei were the result of first- hand knowledge, since he is documented as working on several occasions for the family, from at least 1607.

THE FIRST documentary mention of Caravaggio's 'Taking of Christ' is the record of payment of 125 scudi to the artist in Ciriaco Mattei's 'libro di rincontro del banco' during the year 7th Jan- uary 1602 to 2ndJanuary 1603. The book also records payments to Caravaggio for another picture, almost certainly the Supper at Emmaus now in the National Gallery, London, and for an un- specified work which must be the St John the Baptist now in the Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome.

now in the Pinacoteca Capitolina, Rome.

TO the kaleidoscopic œuvre of Giuseppe Maria Crespi, the most eccentric Bolognese painter of the first half of the eighteenth century, one more picture may now be added: a large canvas in the National Museum, Warsaw, of Lucius Junius Brutus kissing the earth as the common mother of all people (Fig. 16). Regrettably, the picture's state of preservation leaves much to be desired, as does our knowledge of its provenance. It entered the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw after 1945, probably with large groups of works of art from the western territories that had been annexed to the Polish State after the Second World War, already in very bad condition and without a stretcher. Its surface, badly damaged and covered with dirt, was entirely illegible, and it was only after cleaning in 1969-70 that it was attributed to G.M. Crespi and its subject determined. However, much of Crespi's characteristic brushwork has been lost forever.

(Fig. 16). Regrettably, the picture's state of preservation leaves much to be desired, as does our knowledge of its provenance. It entered the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw after 1945, probably with large groups of works of art from the western territories that had been annexed to the Polish State after the Second World War, already in very bad condition and without a stretcher. Its surface, badly damaged and covered with dirt, was entirely illegible, and it was only after cleaning in 1969-70 that it was attributed to G.M. Crespi and its subject determined. However, much of Crespi's characteristic brushwork has been lost forever.

ORAZIO GENTILESCHI was proud of his Florentine heri- tage. Although he was born in Pisa in 1563 and never lived in Florence for any length of time, his father had once been a Florentine goldsmith, and Orazio often identified himself as a Florentine. It would therefore seem likely to find Gentileschi somehow connected with S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini, the church of the once prominent Florentine community in Rome, during his stay in that city from 1578 to 1613. To date, however, the only link has been his testimony at the trial of Baglione in 1603, when he claimed to have painted a St Michael Archangel for this church, but it is usually thought that a confusion with S. Giovanni Decollato had somehow occurred. A recent discovery in the archives of the Archconfraternity of the Pietà in S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini now makes it possible to credit Gentileschi with a much more substantial contri- bution to the church, the fresco decorations on the lateral walls in the chapel now dedicated to S. Filippo Benizi (Figs.27 and 28).

for this church, but it is usually thought that a confusion with S. Giovanni Decollato had somehow occurred. A recent discovery in the archives of the Archconfraternity of the Pietà in S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini now makes it possible to credit Gentileschi with a much more substantial contri- bution to the church, the fresco decorations on the lateral walls in the chapel now dedicated to S. Filippo Benizi (Figs.27 and 28).

ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI's years in Florence are the best docu- mented of her career, excepting only the period in 1612 when her father Orazio sued Agostino Tassi in defence of his family's honour. Much of the evidence, however, has been misunder- stood. In this note I wish to draw attention to some new documents and to reinterpret several already known.

SOMETIME during the third quarter of the nineteenth century, John and Josephine Bowes, co-founders of the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, County Durham, bought a pair of landscape paintings on the Continent, perhaps in Paris where they resided (Figs.32 and 33). The first shows two musicians playing for a dancing couple while a pair of lovers considers joining in the fun; the eroticism of this pastoral scene is insinuated by the woman on the left who reaches to lower her décolletage. Further to the left of her and of the dominant axial trees, appear farm buildings, a tall conical haystack and grazing cattle. Other figures with their dogs cross a rustic bridge on the right; the distance yields to low-lying fobrested plains and a single tall mountain.

. Further to the left of her and of the dominant axial trees, appear farm buildings, a tall conical haystack and grazing cattle. Other figures with their dogs cross a rustic bridge on the right; the distance yields to low-lying fobrested plains and a single tall mountain.