Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/122

114 executed by the carver Era Giovanni, for Pope Julius: both chambers had been painted by Raphael of Urbino, but it had now become necessary to restore the whole of the socle or basement in the chamber of the Segnatura, which is that wherein the mount Parnassus is depicted. Perino therefore designed a range of columns, painted to imitate marble, with decorations of busts, festoons, masks, and other ornaments. In certain spaces he represented historical scenes also, coloured in imitation of bronze, and for a work in fresco this is one of very great beauty. In these stories, were groups of figures discoursing on subjects in accordance with the paintings above them, as for example philosophers of philosophy, theologians of theology, and poets of poetry, and all were representations of facts belonging to the histories of the men most celebrated in their respective vocations.

It is true that Perino did not execute all these pictures with his own hand, but he retouched them a secco to such an extent, that when we consider the designs and the cartoons, which he finished entirely, to have been all by himself, we may truly affirm that they are little less than by his own hand: Perino was at that time suffering much from a catarrh, and could not therefore endure the labour required for the execution of the whole work. But now the Pope, who perceived that both on account of his age, and of his great deserts Perino well merited consideration, conferred on him a pension of twenty-five scudi per month, which sum he received until his death, and for this he had charge of the papal palace as well as of the Casa Farnese.

Michelagnolo Buonarroti had thrown open to view his picture of the Last Judgment, in the chapel of the Pope, and there now remained only to paint the lower part of the walls, whereon there was to be fixed a screen of arras, woven in silk and gold, as are those which decorate the Chapel. These hangings, according to the command of the Pope, were to be woven in Flanders, and Perino, with the consent of Michelagnolo, commenced the painting of a canvas of the same size, whereon he depicted women, children, and figures in half length, supporting festoons, all of extraordinary animation, and of the most fanciful character: this work was left unfinished in the Belvedere, at the death of Perino, and was certainly worthy of himself as well as of the magnificent