Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/305

Rh with great care, and when it was finished, in the year 1490, it gave so much satisfaction in Bologna, that Messer Giovanni Bentivoglio became desirous to see his chapel in the church of San Jacopo, of that city, adorned with the works of this new painter; he therefore commissioned Francia to execute a picture, the subject of which was Our Lady appearing in the heavens, with a figure on each side, and two Angels, playing on musical instruments below. This picture also was so admirably painted by Francia, that he not only received many praises from Messer Giovanni, but also a very handsome and most honourable gift. The merits of tliis work, meanwhile, induced Monsignore de’ Bentivogli to give the master a commission for a picture, to be placed over tlie high altar of the Misericordia. The subject of this painting is the Birth of Christ; it has been highly extolled, and the drawing is very fine, while the invention and colouring are also worthy of praise. The portrait of Monsignore de’ Bentivogli is given in the picture, and, according to those who know him, is an excellent likeness; he wears the dress of a pilgrim, in which he had returned from Jerusalem. For the church of the Nunziata, outside the gate of San Mammolo, Francesco painted a picture, representing the Virgin, when receiving the Annunciation from the Angel: on each side of Our Lady stands a figure, and this work also is esteemed to be very well executed.

While the works of Francia were thus increasing his fame, he determined, finding that painting in oil had brought him so much honour and profit, to try if he could obtain equal