r-piece containing the Transfiguration of Christ
which was placed after his death on the principal altar of S. Pietro a
Montorio, Sebastiano also executed at the same time another altar-piece
of the same size, as it were in competition with Raffaello, of Lazarus
being raised from the dead four days after death, which was
counterfeited and painted with supreme diligence under the direction of
Michelagnolo, and in some parts from his design. These altar-pieces,
when finished, were publicly exhibited together in the Consistory,
and were vastly extolled, both the one and the other; and although the
works of Raffaello had no equals in their perfect grace and beauty,
nevertheless the labours of Sebastiano were also praised by all without
exception. One of these pictures was sent by Cardinal Giulio de' Medici
to his episcopal palace at Narbonne in France, and the other was placed
in the Cancelleria, where it remained until it was taken to S. Pietro a
Montorio, together with the ornamental frame that Giovan Barile executed
for it. By means of this work Sebastiano became closely connected with
the Cardinal, and was therefore honourably rewarded during his
pontificate.

Not long afterwards, Raffaello having passed away, the first place in
the art of painting was unanimously granted by all, thanks to the favour
of Michelagnolo, to Sebastiano, and Giulio Romano, Giovan Francesco of
Florence, Perino del Vaga, Polidoro, Maturino, Baldassarre of Siena, and
all the others had to give way. Wherefore Agostino Chigi, who had been
having a chapel and tomb built for himself under the direction of
Raffaello in S. Maria del Popolo, came to an agreement with Sebastiano
that he should paint it all; whereupon the screen was made, but the
chapel remained covered, without ever being seen by anyone, until the
year 1554, at which time Luigi, the son of Agostino, resolved that,
although his father had not been able to see it finished, he at least
would do so. And so, the chapel and the altar-piece being entrusted to
Francesco Salviati, he carried the work in a short time to that
perfection which it had not received from the dilatory and irresolute
Sebastiano, who, so far as one can see, did little work there, although
we find that he obtained from the liberality of Agostino and his heirs
much more than would have been due to him even if he had finished it
completely, which he did not do, either because he was weary of the
labours of art, or because h