Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/119

Rh been placed under the discipline of any appointed master. Enamoured of his profession, he attained to the knowledge of its various mysteries merely by the occasional observation of such painters as he saw preparing their colours or using their pencils. Guided by himself alone, and by the force of nature, he began boldly to handle the colours, adopting a very pleasing manner, and one very similar to that of his compatriot the new Apelles, although he had seen but a few of his works, which were at Bologna.

Having thus very successfully completed several pictures, both on panel and in fresco, by the aid of his good ability, and guided by his fair j udgment; and then feeling convinced that in all these things he had acquitted himself very well, as compared with what had been accomplished by other painters, Timoteo continued the study of his art with great courage, and that to such good purpose, that in process of time he gained a firm footing in his vocation, obtaining the good opinion of all, and awakening the highest expectations. He returned to his native place a man of twenty-six years old, and there he remained for some months, giving very satisfactory proof of his ability. The excellent picture of the Madonna, which is on the altar of the holy cross in the cathedral of Urbino, is by his hand; in this, beside the Virgin, he depicted San Crescentio and San Vitale, with a little angel seated on the ground and playing on a viol: the childlike simplicity and grace of this little figure are truly angelic, and the whole work is executed with much art and judgment. Timoteo also painted the picture for the high altar of the Church of the Santa Trinità, with a figure of Sant’ Apollonia to the left of the altar.