Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/106

98 latter had entertained him in his house. The priest would hear of no such proceeding however, but said, “I should be largely paid by a scrap of paper from thy hand, Perino.”

Finding Ser Raffaello determined on that point, Perino then took a thick cloth, about four braccia in extent, and having caused it to be fixed to the wall between two doors, which were in the parlour of the priest, he there painted a picture, in colours to imitate bronze, the whole of which was executed in a day and a night. On this canvas, which was to serve as a screen, Perino delineated the whole history of Moses, passing the Red Sea, as also the submersion of Pharaoh, with his horses and chariots, when he attempted to follow: the master has exhibited the figures which he has depicted in this work in the most beautiful attitudes; some are in armour, others nude, many are swimming, and among these are some with their beards and hair streaming with the waters, who are seeking to support themselves on the necks of their horses, others are crying aloud in their fear of death, and some again are struggling with the most violent efforts, and using all their endeavours to escape the fate which threatens them. On the other side of the sea are seen Moses, Aaron, and all the rest of the Hebrews, men and women, offering thanks to God for their safety; and here the artist has painted a number of vases, with vestments and other riches, of which the Hebrews have despoiled the people of Egypt: the habiliments of the Hebrew women in this part of the picture are also very beautiful and of admirably varied forms, as are the head-dresses of the same.

This work being completed, Perino left it as a mark of his affection for Ser Raffaello; to whom it was so dear and so welcome a gift, that he could scarcely have been more delighted had he received the priorate of San Lorenzo. The painting was ever held in great estimation and wTas highly commended; it remained in the possession of Ser Raffaello until his death, when it passed, with all that he had besides, into the hands of his brother, the bacon seller, Domenico di Sandro.

Departing thus hastily from Florence, Perino was compelled to abandon the picture of the Martyrs, which caused him very great regret, nay, it is certain that he would not have done so, and would have stayed to finish it, if the work