Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/249

Rh admiration, and was liigWy extolled; the poor enamoured young woman was indeed most perfectly successful in all things, with the exception of her unhappy love.

The fame of this noble and elevated genius becoming noised abroad, soon extended through all Italy, and reaching the ears of Pope Clement VII., that Pontiff, immediately after having performed the coronation of the emperor at Bologna, made inquiry after the sculptress, but it was found that the unfortunate woman had died in that very week, and had been buried in the hospital called Della Morte, as she had requested to be in her last will. Pope Clement, who had greatly desired to see Properzia, was sorry to hear of her death, but much more deeply grieved were her fellow citizens, who while she lived had held her to be one of the greatest miracles of nature that has been produced in our times.

We have certain drawings by the hand of Properzia in our book; they are copies from the works of Raffaello da Urbino, made with the pen and extremely well done. Her portrait was procured for and sent to me by certain painters who were among the most intimate of her friends.

But there have not wanted women who have equalled Properzia in design, although she drew very well, and have performed works in painting quite as meritorious as those executed by her in sculpture. Among these is first to be considered the Sister Plautilla, a Nun, and now prioress in the convent of Santa Caterina of Siena, which is situate on the Piazza di San Marco in Florence, who, beginning to draw,