nd a coat of
arms in fresco for the Roman people on the Campidoglio, which was
much extolled. But the best work that ever issued from the hands of
this master, and the most highly praised, was a little study wrought
in stucco for the Duchess Margherita of Austria in the Palace of the
Medici at Rome--a thing so beautiful and so ornate that there is
nothing better to be seen; nor do I believe that it is possible, in
a certain sense, to do with silver what L'Indaco did in this work
with stucco. From these things it may be judged that if this man had
taken pleasure in work and had made use of his intelligence, he
would have become excellent.

Francesco drew passing well, but Jacopo much better, as may be seen
in our book.

LUCA SIGNORELLI OF CORTONA

LIFE OF LUCA SIGNORELLI OF CORTONA

[_LUCA DA CORTONA_]

PAINTER

Luca Signorelli, an excellent painter, of whom, according to the
order of time, we have now to speak, was more famous throughout
Italy in his day, and his works were held in greater price than has
ever been the case with any other master at any time whatsoever, for
the reason that in the works that he executed in painting he showed
the true method of making nudes, and how they can be caused,
although only with art and difficulty, to appear alive. He was a
pupil and disciple of Piero dal Borgo a San Sepolcro, and greatly
did he strive in his youth to imitate his master, and even to
surpass him; and the while that he was working with Piero at Arezzo,
living in the house of his uncle Lazzaro Vasari, as it has been
told, he imitated the manner of the said Piero so well that the one
could scarcely be distinguished from the other.

The first works of Luca were in S. Lorenzo at Arezzo, where he
painted the Chapel of S. Barbara in fresco in the year 1472; and he
painted for the Company of S. Caterina, on cloth and in oil, the
banner that is borne in processions, and likewise that of the
Trinita, although this does not appear to be by the hand of Luca,
but by Piero dal Borgo himself. In S. Agostino in the same city he
painted the panel of S. Niccola da Tolentino, with most beautiful
little scenes, executing the work with good drawing and invention;
and in the same place, in the Chapel of the Sacrament, he made two
angels wrought in fresco. In the Chapel of the Accolti in the Church
of S. Francesco, for Messer Francesco, Doctor of Laws, he painted a
panel in which he portrayed the said Messer Franc