Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/321

Rh cartoon for a picture of the Magi, which is a most beautiful thing, and may now be seen in the house of Domenico. But Rosso did not long remain in Perugia, having there heard that the Bishop Tornabuoni had also escaped from the plundered city, and was in Borgo, whither Rosso thereupon proceeded to join him, the Bishop being his intimate friend, as we have before observed.

The painter, Ratfaello del Colle, a disciple of Giulio Romano, was at that time in Borgo, and this master, having undertaken to paint a picture for the Brotherhood of the Battisti, or Flagellants, to be placed in the church of Santa Croce, in his native city, resigned that commission in favour of Rosso, as a mark of friendship to him, and to the end that he might leave a memorial of himself in that place. The Brotherhood complained of this transmission, but the bishop showed Rosso great favour, and rendered him all needful assistance for the completion of his work. Having painted the picture, which acquired much reputation for the artist, the work was fixed in the place designed for it, in the Santa Croce; the subject is the Deposition from the Cross, and the painting is one of great beauty and excellence; it is, moreover, particularly to be remembered that the master has rendered by his colours the sort of darkness which expresses the eclipse whereby the death of our Saviour was accompanied, and the whole work w’as executed with extraordinary care.

Rosso afterwards accepted a commission for a picture to be painted at the Citta di Castello; but while preparing the ground for commencing his work, a roof falling on the place wherein it had been placed, destroyed it entirely, and as Rosso was at that time attacked by so violent a fever that he was on the point of death, he caused himself to be transported from Castello to Borgo. His malady afterwards changing to a quartan fever, he proceeded to the Deanery of San Stefano for change of air, and finally departed to Arezzo, where he was received into the house of Benedetto Spadari.