Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/340

332 nacle; some of these are singing, others are sounding different instruments, and others again are offering incense to the sacrament; on the summit of all, and as a finish to the tabernacle, our artist painted a figure of the Saviour, who is supported by other angels, clothed in long white vestments reaching to the feet and ending in clouds: this was the manner in which Stefano most commonly draped his angels, to whom he always gave most graceful and beautiful features, with a charming expression. In the same work are figures of Sant’ Agostino and San Girolamo, the size of life; they stand on each side, and, as it were, support the church oi God, as if it were proposed to show that both have defended Holy Church by their learning against heretics, and that they still uphold the same. On a pillar of the principal chapel, in the same church, this master painted a Santa Eufemia, giving her a very beautiful and graceful expression of countenance: on this work he wrote his name in letters of gold, perhaps because it appeared to him, as it is in effect, to be one of the best paintings that he had ever executed. According to his custom, Stefano introduced a beautiful peacock into this picture, with two young lions, but these last are not very well done, because he could not then see them in life, as was the case with the peacock. Stefano likewise painted a picture for the same church, containing several half-length figures in one picture as was then the custom; San Niccola da Tolentino namely, with other saints: the predella he covered with historical subjects in small figures, representing events from the life of San Niccolo. In San Fermo, a church of Franciscan monks, in the same city, Stefano painted twelve prophets, half-length figures the size of life, and these served as the frame or ornament to a Deposition of the Cross, which was opposite to the side-door of the church: at their feet are lying the figures of Adam and Eve; the accustomed peacock is also there, and is, indeed, almost to be considered as the signature or anagram of this master.

In Mantua, Stefano also executed certain works, among which is an exceedingly beautiful Madonna, in the church of San Domenico, situated near the gate of the Martello. Now