Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/419

Rh or other object, on the walls or elsewhere, as he found opportunity; the Count Zenovello, perceiving him to be thus strongly disposed to painting, took care to set him free from every other kind of occupation, that he might devote himself wholly to art. And as it was found that Francesco had all but forgotten every thing, he was enabled by the favour of that noble, a very generous person, to place himself under Liberale, who was then a famous painter and miniaturist. From that time, never neglecting his studies, and the opportunity of practice with the master, II Moro daily made so much progress that not only were all the forgotten instructions recalled to his memory, but in a short time he had acquired so much from the new master as sufficed to render him an able artist; but although Francesco always followed the manner of Liberale, yet he did not fail to remember and to imitate the softness and harmonious colouring of Giorgione, his first instructor, seeing that the works of Liberale, although he thought them good in other respects, yet appeared to him to be a little dry.

Now Liberale, perceiving the fine genius of Francesco II Moro, conceived so great an affection for him, that at his death he left him heir to all his possessions, treating and loving him as his own son. Being thus put well into the way, Francesco, on the death of Liberale, obtained numerous commissions for works which are now in private houses; but those of his performances in Verona, for which he more particularly merits praise, are first, the four large pictures which he painted in fresco, on the vaulting of the principal chapel in the cathedral. The subjects of these are the Birth of the Madonna, and the Presentation in the Temple, with the Assumption of Our Lady in the centre. This last exhibits three Angels hovering in the air, and with figures which are much foreshortened; they hold a crown of stars wherewith they are about to crown the Virgin, who is represented in the recess as ascending towards heaven, surrounded by many other angels. The Apostles, in various attitudes, are gazing upwards at the ascending Madonna; and these figures of the Apostles are twice the size of life. All the paintings here alluded to were executed by II Moro, from the designs of Giulio Pomano, as was the wish of the