Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/310

302 more particularly after he had painted a set of caparisons for the Duke of Urbino, on which he depicted a great forest all on fire, and whence there rushes forth an immense number of every kind of animal, with several human figures. This terrific, yet truly beautiful representation, was all the more highly esteemed for the time that had been expended on it, in the plumage of the birds and other minutiae, in the delineation of the different animals, and in the diversity of the branches and leaves of the various trees seen therein: the work was rewarded with gifts of great value, and the duke always considered himself obliged to the master, moreover, for the great commendations that were constantly bestowed on it. The Duke Guido Baldo has also a picture by the hand of this master: it represents the Roman Lucretia; it is much esteemed by the duke, and is in his guardaroba, with many other pictures, of v/hich mention will be made in the proper place.

After these things Francia painted a picture for the Altar of the Madonna in the Church of San Yitale and Agricola: in this there are two angels playing on the lute, which are very beautiful. Of the paintings scattered throughout Bologna, in the houses of the citizens, I will not speak, still less of the vast number of portraits painted by this master; for I should thus become too prolix. Let it suffice to say they were very numerous.

While Francia was thus living in so much glory, and was peacefully enjoying the fruits of his labours, Raffaello da Urbino was working in Rome, where there daily flocked around him numerous foreigners from various parts, and among them many gentlemen of Bologna, anxious to see the works of that master. And as it most commonly happens that every one is ready to extol the distinguished persons of his native place, so these Bolognese began to entertain Raphael with praises of the life, genius, and works of Francia, until so much friendship ivas established between those two masters, by means of words, that they saluted