Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/139

Rh means, enabled to save one. In the next is the Petition of ...... who, after being compelled to listen to the enumeration of his crimes and treasons against his country, and the Roman people, which is read to him, is then put to death. In the picture beside this are seen the Roman People deliberating on the Expedition of Scipio into Africa; and in another Lunette is an ancient Sacrifice exhibiting a vast number of very beautiful figures, with a perspective view of a Temple, which has considerable relief, for in this respect Domenico was a truly excellent master. In the last of these pictures is Cato in the act of destroying himself, just as he is on the point of being overtaken by certain horsemen; the horses ridden by these cavaliers are beautifully painted.

In the spaces between the Lunettes are small historical representations, which are admirably finished, and the excellence of the whole work having proved to those who then governed that Domenico was an excellent painter, he was appointed to decorate the ceiling of a hall in the palace of the Signoria, and to this work he gave all possible forethought, care, and labour; being impelled thereto by the wish to make his own abilities manifest, as well as by his desire to adorn that renowned building of his native place; a city by which he was himself so highly honoured. The ceiling of this hall, which has double the length of its width, has no Lunettes, but is constructed with groined arches, for which cause Domenico thought it best to paint the frame-work of the compartments, adding friezes, which he also gilded, without any addition of stucco work, or other ornaments; and this he executed so perfectly and with so graceful an effect, that the work does veritably appear to be in relief.

At each end of the above-named hall, Domenico then painted a large historical picture, and on both of the sides he executed two of like manner, between which is an octangle; thus there are six squares and two octangles, in each of which is a picture. At the edge of the ceiling and in the angles are circular compartments, which, being drawn half on the one side and half on the other, and being thus divided by the angles, present eight compartments, within