fe, and very robust. After his death, in the year 1518,
he was honourably buried by his sons in Bologna.

FOOTNOTE:

[3] The text says "Messer Bart...."

PIETRO PERUGINO

LIFE OF PIETRO PERUGINO

[_PIETRO VANNUCCI, OR PIETRO DA CASTEL DELLA PIEVE_]

PAINTER

How great a benefit poverty may be to men of genius, and how potent
a force it may be to make them become excellent--nay, perfect--in
the exercise of any faculty whatsoever, can be seen clearly enough
in the actions of Pietro Perugino, who, flying from the extremity of
distress at Perugia, and betaking himself to Florence in the desire
to attain to some distinction by means of his talent, remained for
many months without any other bed than a miserable chest to sleep
in, turning night into day, and devoting himself with the greatest
ardour to the unceasing study of his profession. And, having made a
habit of this, he knew no other pleasure than to labour continually
at his art, and to be for ever painting; for with the fear of
poverty constantly before his eyes, he would do for gain such work
as he would probably not have looked at if he had possessed the
wherewithal to live. Riches, indeed, might perchance have closed the
path on which his talent should advance towards excellence, no less
effectually than poverty opened it to him, while necessity spurred
him on in his desire to rise from so low and miserable a condition,
if not to supreme eminence, at least to a rank in which he might
have the means of life. For this reason he never took heed of cold,
of hunger, of hardship, of discomfort, of fatigue, or of ridicule,
if only he might one day live in ease and repose; ever saying, as it
were by way of proverb, that after bad weather there must come the
good, and that during the good men build the houses that are to
shelter them when there is need.

[Illustration: PIETRO PERUGINO: APOLLO AND MARSYAS

(_Paris: Louvre, 1509. Panel_)]

But in order that the rise of this craftsman may be better known, let
me begin with his origin, and relate that, according to common report,
there was born in the city of Perugia, to a poor man of Castello
della Pieve, named Cristofano, a son who was baptized with the name of
Pietro. This son, brought up amid misery and distress, was given by
his father as a shop-boy to a painter of Perugia, who was no great
master of his profession, but held in great veneration both the art
and the men who were excellent therein