from the Florentine Maso Finiguerra, about the year of our salvation
1460; for of all the works which that master engraved in silver with
designs to be filled up with niello, he took impressions in clay, over
which he poured melted sulphur, which reproduced the lines of the
design; and these, when filled with smoke-black mixed with oil, produced
the same effect as the silver. He also did the same with damped paper
and with the same tint, going over the whole with a round and smooth
roller, which not only gave the designs the appearance of prints, but
they also came out as if drawn with the pen. This master was followed by
Baccio Baldini, a goldsmith of Florence, who, not having much power of
design, took all that he did from the invention and design of Sandro
Botticelli. And this method, coming to the knowledge of Andrea Mantegna
in Rome, was the reason that he made a beginning with engraving many of
his works, as was said in his Life.

This invention having afterwards passed into Flanders, a certain Martin,
who was held to be an excellent painter in Antwerp at that time,
executed many works, and sent to Italy a great number of printed
designs, which were all signed in the following manner: "M.C." The first
of these were the Five Foolish Virgins with their lamps extinguished,
the Five Wise Virgins with their lamps burning, and a Christ Crucified,
with S. John and the Madonna at the foot of the Cross, which was so good
an engraving, that Gherardo, the Florentine illuminator, set himself to
copy it with the burin, and succeeded very well; but he went no further
with this, for he did not live long. Martin then published four round
engravings of the four Evangelists, and Jesus Christ with the twelve
Apostles, in small sheets, Veronica with six Saints, of the same size,
and some coats of arms of German noblemen, supported by men, both naked
and clothed, and also by women. He published, likewise, a S. George
slaying the Dragon, a Christ standing before Pilate, who is washing his
hands, and a Passing of Our Lady, with all the Apostles, a work of some
size, which was one of the best designs that this master ever engraved.
In another he represented S. Anthony beaten by Devils, and carried
through the air by a vast number of them in the most varied and bizarre
forms that could possibly be imagined; which sheet so pleased
Michelagnolo, when he was a mere lad, that he set himself to colour it.

[Illustration: CHRIST AND THE VIRGIN