“God’s reward,” Vasari whispered under his breath. “Or God’s justice.”
The artist-historian was not a fan of Julius III so he had little pity for the suffering that his employer endured. When the pope’s death came in March, he was suffering from a spell of gout and irritable nerves, and given to sudden spasms of anger. Probably all due to Julius’s life of heavy drinking, expensive food, and pleasure, Vasari concluded.
Still, the sudden exit of his patron and the ascension of Pope Marcellus II introduced some uncertainty for Vasari and his future. Marcellus was not an impressive man, but he commanded attention from the court of the Vatican on the basis of his family connections and prior assignment in Jerusalem.
Happily or not for Vasari, Marcellus only lived for twenty-two days after be
