Cabinet de del Pozzo, Cassiano (cavaliere)
Témoignage de John Evelyn (1644) et citation dans Huguetan (1681)
21st November. I was carried to see a great virtuoso, Cavaliéro Pozzo, who showed us a rare collection of all kind of antiquities, and a choice library, over which are the effigies of most of our late men of polite literature. He had a great collection of the antique basso-relievos about Rome, which this curious man had caused to be designed in several folios : many fine medals ; the stone which Pliny calls Enhydros ; it had plainly in it the quantity of half a spoonfuf of water, of a yellow pebble colour, of the bigness of a walnut. A stone paler than an amethyst, which yet he affirmed to be the true carbuncle, and harder than a diamond ; it was set in a ring, without foil, or anything at the bottom, so as it was transparent, of a greenish yellow, more lustrous, than a diamond. He had very pretty things painted on crimson velvet, designed in black, and shaded and heightened with white, set in frames ; also a number of choice designs and drawings.
(The diary of John Evelyn, Ed. William Bray, J.M. DENT et E.P DULTON, London-New York, 1905, Tome I, p.128-129.)
*
Cabinet cité dans Huguetan (1681) :
Ce cabinet est mentionné par Spon dans la liste annexée au Voyage d’Italie… d’Huguetan (Lyon, 1681), pour la ville de Rome :
« Le Cabinet de desseins d’antiquité et de medailles du Chevalier del Pozzo, qui a aussi de beaux tableaux et entr’autres les sept Sacremens du Poussain. » (p. 286)