Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/284

276 example, the rocks, trees, and shrubs, the books, and similar things; there is besides the portrait of the above-named Francesco, so truly natural, that it wants nothing but the power of speech to be alive. This picture was removed from its place during the siege, and was deposited for safety in the abbey of Florence. In the church of San Spirito in the same city, Filippino painted a picture for Tanai de’ Nerli, the subject is the Virgin, with San Martino, San Niccolo, and Santa Caterina; he executed another in the church of San Brancazio (Pancrazio), for the chapel of the Rucellai family, with a Crucifix, and two figures on a gold ground for the church of San Raffaello. In the church of San Francesco, situate without the gate of San Miniato, there is a picture by Filippino in front of the Sacristy; it represents the Almighty Father with children around him; and at the Palco, a house of the barefooted monks outside the city of Prato, there is also a picture by this master. In the same place there is a small painting by Filippo, which has been greatly extolled; it is in the audience-chamber of the prior, and represents Our Lady, with San Stefano and San Giovanni Batista. This master likewise painted a Tabernacle in fresco at the corner of the Mercatale (also in Prato), opposite to the convent of Santa Margherita, and near some houses belonging to the nuns. In this work there is an exceedingly beautiful figure of the Virgin, in the midst of a choir of