GIULIO ROMANO

One of Raphael's most talented assistants, Giulio Romano left Rome in 1524 to work for Federigo Gonzaga, ruler of Mantua. Romano's paintings contributed to the spread of Roman mannerism, a style which set the artistic standard for the next two decades in Italy. This painting illustrates the sophisticated and obscure symbols that were familiar to the courts of sixteenth-century Italy; to decipher the meanings of the various segments was a challenging game for courtiers. The most easily understood symbols are the phoenix rising out of the flames (a symbol of rebirth) and the serpent devouring its own tail (representing eternity).