ainted in fresco, for the Guild of Shoemakers, a Madonna with the
Child in her arms, S. John, S. Francis, S. Rocco, and S. Crispino, the
Patron Saint of the men of that Guild, who has a shoe in his hand. In
the heads of these figures, and in all the rest, Giovanni Antonio
acquitted himself very well.

In the Company of S. Bernardino of Siena, beside the Church of S.
Francesco, he executed some scenes in fresco in competition with
Girolamo del Pacchia, a Sienese painter, and Domenico Beccafumi--namely,
the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple, when she goes to visit S.
Elizabeth, her Assumption, and when she is crowned in Heaven. In the
angles of the same Company he painted a Saint in episcopal robes, S.
Louis, and S. Anthony of Padua; but the best figure of all is a S.
Francis, who, standing on his feet and raising his head, is gazing at a
little Angel, who appears to be in the act of speaking to him; the head
of which S. Francis is truly marvellous. In the Palazzo de' Signori at
Siena, likewise, in a hall, he painted some little tabernacles full of
columns and little children, with other ornaments; and within these
tabernacles are various figures. In one is S. Vittorio armed in the
ancient fashion, with the sword in his hand; near him, in the same
manner, is S. Ansano, who is baptizing certain persons; in another is S.
Benedict; and all are very beautiful. In the lower part of that Palace,
where salt is sold, he painted a Christ who is returning to life, with
some soldiers about the Sepulchre, and two little Angels, held to be
passing beautiful in the heads. Farther on, over a door, is a Madonna
with the Child in her arms, painted by him in fresco, and two Saints.

[Illustration: S. ANSANO

(_After the fresco by =Giovanni Antonio Bazzi [Il Sodoma]=. Siena:
Palazzo Pubblico_)

_Alinari_]

In S. Spirito he painted the Chapel of S. Jacopo, which he did at the
commission of the men of the Spanish colony, who have their place of
burial there; depicting there an image of the Madonna after the
ancient manner, with S. Nicholas of Tolentino on the right hand, and,
on the left, the Archangel S. Michael, who is slaying Lucifer. Above
these, in a lunette, he painted Our Lady placing the sacerdotal
habit upon a Saint, with some Angels around. Over all these figures,
which are in oils on panel, there is painted in fresco, in the
semicircle of the vaulting, a S. James in armour on a galloping horse,
who has grasped his sword