Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/407

Rh wool, but this calling he exercised with very ill will, and whenever he could find time and space he occupied himself secretly in drawing, either with charcoal or a pen. This being remarked by certain friends of his father, they exhorted the latter to remove him from that trade and to put him to the art of painting; whereupon the father placed his boy with some men of Urbino, but who were of no great name. At length howrever, becoming aware of the fine manner already displayed by his son, and perceiving that he was likely to produce something good, the father engaged him, when he had attained his fifteenth year, to Maestro Luca da Cortona, a most excellent master in painting of that time.

With Luca therefore, Girolamo remained many years, accompanying him to the March of Ancona, to Cortona, and to many other places wherein Luca was occupied by various works, but more particularly have we to mention Orvieto, because of the fact that in the cathedral of that city, Luca Signorelli, as we have related before, was employed to decorate a chapel of Our Lady, in which the above-named Girolamo laboured continually, and was indeed among the best of Luca’s disciples.

Having left Luca Signorelli, Girolamo next attached himself to Pietro Perugino, a painter much esteemed, with whom he remained about three years, giving much of his attention to the study of perspective, the knowledge of which he acquired very perfectly; nay, he became so thoroughly versed therein, that he may truly be declared to have been most excellent in that respect, as may be perceived by his works, whether in architecture or in painting. It was at this same time, that the divine Raffaello da Urbino was studying with Pietro Perugino, and with him Girolamo Genga was always on the most friendly terms.

Leaving Pietro, Girolamo then went of his own accord to Florence, wrhere he studied a considerable time, he subsequently repaired to Siena, where he remained for months, and even years, with Pandolfo Petrucci, in whose house he painted many rooms; these having been well designed and