Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/494

486 for which reason all that he did was with the invention and design of Sandro Botticello.

This process having been brought to the knowledge of Andrea Mantegna, in Rome, gave occasion to his commencing the practice of engraving his works, as we have already related in the life of that master. At a later period the invention passed into Flanders, when a certain Martino, who was then considered by the people of Antwerp to be a most excellent painter, executed numerous works in that manner, and sent great numbers of impressions into Italy, all of which bore the impress M. C. The first which thus arrived was the Five Foolish Virgins with their lamps extinguished, and the Five Prudent Virgins having their lamps burning; this was accompanied by a figure of Christ Our Saviour on the Cross, with San Giovanni and the Madonna at the foot thereof. The last named work is so good an engraving that the Florentine painter in miniature, Gherardo, set himself to copy the same with the burin, and he succeeded in this attempt exceedingly well, but could not proceed therewith, seeing that he did not live long after having commenced it.

Martin afterwards published the Four Evangelists in four circular engravings, with Jesus Christ and the Twelve Apostles on small plates, and Veronica, with six saints of similar size. He also executed escutcheons of arms belonging to various German nobles, and having supporters of human figures, some nude, others draped.

Another work published by Martin was a San Giorgio