hich is
very beautiful, of that picture by Raffaello which went to Palermo, of a
Christ who is bearing the Cross, and also one of a drawing that
Raffaello had executed of a Christ in the air, with Our Lady, S. John
the Baptist, and S. Catharine kneeling on the ground, and S. Paul the
Apostle standing, which was a large and very lovely engraving. This and
the others, after becoming spoiled and almost worn out through being too
much used, were carried away by Germans and others in the sack of Rome.

The same Marc' Antonio engraved the portrait of Pope Clement VII in
profile, with the face shaved, in the form of a medallion; one of the
Emperor Charles V at the time when he was a young man, and another of
him at a riper age; and also one of Ferdinand, King of the Romans, who
afterwards succeeded Charles V as Emperor. He also made in Rome a
portrait from life of Messer Pietro Aretino, a very famous poet, which
was the most beautiful that Marc' Antonio ever executed; and, not long
afterwards, portraits of the twelve ancient Emperors in medallions. Of
these sheets Raffaello sent some into Flanders to Albrecht Duerer, who
praised Marc' Antonio highly, and sent in return to Raffaello, in
addition to many other sheets, his own portrait, which was held to be a
miracle of beauty.

Now, the fame of Marc' Antonio having grown very great, and the art of
engraving having come into credit and repute, many disciples had placed
themselves under him in order to learn it. And of their number, two who
made great proficience were Marco da Ravenna, who signed his plates with
the signature of Raffaello, "R.S.," and Agostino Viniziano, who signed
his works in the following manner: "A.V." These two engraved and printed
many designs by Raffaello, such as one of Our Lady with Christ lying
dead at full length, and at His feet S. John, the Magdalene, Nicodemus,
and the other Maries; and they engraved another plate of greater size,
in which is a Madonna, with the arms outstretched and the eyes raised
towards Heaven, in an attitude of supreme pity and sorrow, with Christ,
in like manner, lying dead at full length.

Agostino afterwards engraved a large plate of the Nativity, with the
Shepherds and Angels about the hut, and God the Father above; and he
executed many vases, both ancient and modern, and also a censer, or
rather, two women with a vase perforated at the top. He engraved a plate
with a man transformed into a wolf, who is stealing towards a