i-christ, the
Destruction of the World, the Resurrection, the Last Judgment, and
the final state of souls in Paradise and Hell, Signorelli left his
work at Monte Oliveto unaccomplished. Seven years later it was taken
up by a painter of very different genius. Sodoma was a native of
Vercelli, and had received his first training in the Lombard
schools, which owed so much to Lionardo da Vinci's influence. He was
about thirty years of age when chance brought him to Siena. Here he
made acquaintance with Pandolfo Petrucci, who had recently
established himself in a species of tyranny over the Republic. The
work he did for this patron and other nobles of Siena, brought him
into notice. Vasari observes that his hot Lombard colouring, a
something florid and attractive in his style, which contrasted with
the severity of the Tuscan school, rendered him no less agreeable as
an artist than his free manners made him acceptable as a
house-friend. Fra Domenico da Leccio, also a Lombard, was at that
time General of the monks of Monte Oliveto. On a visit to this
compatriot in 1505, Sodoma received a commission to complete the
cloister; and during the next two years he worked there, producing
in all twenty-five frescoes. For his pains he seemed to have
received but little pay--Vasari says, only the expenses of some
colour-grinders who assisted him; but from the books of the convent
it appears that 241 ducats, or something over 60_l._ of our money,
were disbursed to him.

Sodoma was so singular a fellow, even in that age of piquant
personalities, that it may be worth while to translate a fragment of
Vasari's gossip about him. We must, however, bear in mind that, for
some unknown reason, the Aretine historian bore a rancorous grudge
against this Lombard whose splendid gifts and great achievements he
did all he could by writing to depreciate. 'He was fond,' says
Vasari, 'of keeping in his house all sorts of strange animals:
badgers, squirrels, monkeys, cat-a-mountains, dwarf-donkeys, horses,
racers, little Elba ponies, jackdaws, bantams, doves of India, and
other creatures of this kind, as many as he could lay his hands on.
Over and above these beasts, he had a raven, which had learned so
well from him to talk, that it could imitate its master's voice,
especially in answering the door when some one knocked, and this it
did so cleverly that people took it for Giovannantonio himself, as
all the folk of Siena know quite well. In like manner, hi