Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/439

Rh Maria, is a chandelier more than fourteen feet high, and intended for the Easter candle; the material is walnut-wood, and the carving is finished with such extraordinary care and patience, that I do not think it possible for a work of the kind to be done better.

We will now return to Francesco, by whom was depicted the Madonna which is in the Chapel of the Counts Giusti, in the same church. In this picture our artist has also portrayed Sant’ Agostino and San Martino, both in episcopal vestments; and in the cloister of the church he has painted a Deposition from the Cross, with the Maries and other Saints. This is a work in fresco, which is greatly extolled by the Veronese. In the Church of the Vettoria, Francesco painted the Chapel of the Fumanelli family; this was built near the choir by the cavalier, Messer Niccolo de’ Medici. He likewise painted a Madonna in fresco, in the cloister, and afterwards portrayed from the life, Messer Antonio Fumanelli, a physician most famous for the works which he has written on subjects connected with his own vocation. On a house which is seen on the left hand, as you cross the “Ship-bridge” to go to San Polo, Francesco painted a Madonna in fresco, with numerous Saints; this work is considered to be a very good one, whether as regards design or colouring. In the Brà, moreover, above the House of the Sparvieri, and opposite the Garden of the Monks of San Fermo, he painted a picture of similar character, and other works were in like manner performed by him; but of these we need make no further mention, seeing that we have named the chief of them; let it suffice to say, that he imparted to his pictures design, grace, harmony, and a pleasing and animated colouring, equal to that of any other painter. Francesco lived fifty-five years, and died on the 16th of May, 1529; he was buried in the church of San Domenico, beside his father, and was borne to his grave clothed as he had desired to be, in the vestments of a Monk of