Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/56

48 executed for Pope Nicholas V., who had intended to construct many similar ones for various parts of Rome, but death interposed to prevent him. In a small chapel to the Virgin, at the approach to the bridge of the Carraia, in Florence, is a work by Leon Batista, an altar-table, namely, with three small historical pictures, and certain accessories in perspective, which were much more effectually described by him with the pen than depicted with the pencil. There is besides, a portrait of Alberti in the house of the Palla Rucellai family in Florence, drawn by himself with the aid of a mirror; and a picture in chiaro-scuro, the figures of which are large. He likewise executed a perspective view of VTnice and St. Mark’s, but the figures seen in this work, which is one of the best paintings performed by Leon Batista, were executed by other masters.

Leon Batista Alberti was a man of refined habits and praiseworthy life, a friend of distinguished men, liberal and courteous to all. He lived honourably and like a gentleman, as he was, all the course of his life, and finally, having attained to a tolerably mature age, he departed content and tranquil to a better life, leaving behind him a most honourable name.