Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/103

Rh whole years in the praises of his work, Perino resolved to make the attempt, although he who thus persuaded him was in truth of a totally different opinion to that which he was expressing, and felt convinced that Perino would certainly not produce anything much better than was commonly displayed by such artists as were reputed to be of the best. Having thus determined, as I have said, the Prior of the convent, Messer Giovanni da Pisa, was requested to give his consent to the execution of the proposed work, and to permit the occupation of space required for the same; when he, very courteously complying with that request, the measure of the space accorded was taken in its length and breadth, and the assembled artists left the church.

A cartoon was then prepared by Perino, the subject chosen being the Apostle St. Andrew, and this figure having been completed with very great care, the artist was resolved to paint the fresco at once, and had caused the enclosure and scaffolding to be constructed for that purpose; but before he had found time to commence the work, he was called on to execute that commission for a fresco, of which I have already spoken, and which had been procured for him by the many friends who had seen his beautiful and excellent works in Rome, to the end that he might leave some memorial of his ability in Florence also, where they desired that he should make manifest the elevation of that excellent genius for painting wherewith he had been so largely endowed, and thus render himself fully known, when they hoped that those who were then governing might entrust some work of importance to his care.

There was at that time a number of men belonging to our arts, who had formed themselves into a society at the Camaldoli in Florence; calling their association the Brotherhood of the Martyrs: and among them there had for some time been a wish entertained to have a certain façade adorned with paintings, representing the History and Death of the Martyrs who were condemned to be crucified by two Roman emperors, after having been taken prisoners in battle, and who are accordingly affixed to crosses or suspended from the trees in the midst of a wood, wherein the scene in question is described to have taken place. This picture it was that Perino had to paint, and although the place was somewhat