Salvator Rosa's confidence in his own powers was as frankly confessed as
it was justified by success. Happening one day to be found by a friend
in Florence, in the act of modulating on a very indifferent old
harpsichord, he was asked how he could keep such an instrument in his
house. "Why," said his friend, "it is not worth a scudo." "I will wager
what you please," said Salvator, "that it shall be worth a thousand
before you see it again." A bet was made, and Rosa immediately painted a
landscape with figures on the lid, which was not only sold for a
thousand scudi, but was esteemed a capital performance. On one end of
the harpsichord he also painted a skull and music-books. Both these
pictures were exhibited in the year 1823 at the British Institution.