Shakespeare e Giulio Romano: fonti e problemi

The only explicit reference to a living artist in Shakespeare’s work is to be found in The Winter’s Tale, when the ʻstatueʼ of the queen Hermione is said to be «newly performed by that rare Italian master, Giulio Romano, who, had he himself eternity and could put breath into his work, would beguile nature of her custom, so perfectly he is her ape». This passage has always been central to critical debate: how had Shakespeare become acquainted with the name of the Italian artist? And why did he decide to name Giulio Romano who was in fact both a painter and an architect, but not a sculptor? The first part of this article is devoted to a general survey of the possible sources through which the name and reputation of Giulio could have reached Shakespeare, while in the second section the main scholarly opinions about the reasons for Shakespeare’s choice are discussed. Finally, a new possible source for Shakespeare’s mention of the Italian artist is proposed: a cycle of seven sonnets in Tebaldeo’s Rime.