Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/151

Rh able decoration. In the centre Domenico then painted the ascension of Our Lord in fresco, and from the cornice to the floor he occupied the space with three pictures divided by columns in relief and presenting views in perspective. The middlemost painting exhibits Our Lady, San Piero, and San Giovanni, they are seen beneath an arch which is depicted in perspective, and in the pictures at the sides are ten apostles, five on each side namely, standing in various attitudes; they are earnestly regarding the ascension of their Lord. Above each group of the Apostles is the figure of an angel foreshortened, and intended to signify those two of the Apostles by whom the ascension of our Lord into heaven was declared.

This is without doubt a very fine work, but would have been much more so had Domenico imparted a more agreeable expression to the faces; but as the case stands, these countenances have a certain something which is not very pleasing; indeed it might almost appear as if this artist had formed the habit in his old age of giving a terrified and constrained expression to his faces, insomuch that the effect is not agreeable: but were it not for this defect, I repeat, and had the figures beauty of countenance, this work would be as admirable a one as could be seen. On this point, of beauty in the faces, Giovan-Antonio Razzi was superior in the estimation of the Sienese to Domenico, seeing that, although the drawing of the latter was much more correct and had greater force, Giovan-Antonio imparted a much higher degree of beauty to his heads. Now it is certain that the manner of the heads is an affair of very great importance in these our arts, and many masters, in virtue of having imparted a graceful aspect and fine expression to their heads, have escaped the censure which they might otherwise have incurred for the rest of the performance.

This was the last work in painting ever undertaken by Domenico Beccafumi, who betook himself ultimately to the practice of working in relief, and more particularly to the founding of bronzes. He even proceeded so far as to execute six Angels in full relief, and little less than life size, for the six columns of the cathedral which are nearest to the high altar; this work he accomplished with indescribable pains