Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/475

Rh Flesh. In this work Giovan-Antonio has placed his own portrait, wearing his beard, he having now become old; he has a pencil in his hand, the point of which is directed towards a scroll whereon is the word Feci.

In the chapel of the Commune, on the Piazza wdierein stands the Palazzo Publico at Siena, Giovan-Antonio painted a fresco, the subject of which is Our Lady, with the Divine Child in her arms, and surrounded by numerous angels; the Madonna is accompanied by Sant’ Ansano, San Yittorio, Sant’ Agostino, and San Jacopo; while in the lunette above, which is of a triangular form, is the figure of the Almighty Father, with angels around him, by the same hand. But in the work here in question it becomes apparent that this man had begun, even when he commenced it, to have scarcely any love for his art remaining, having lost a certain something of good and praiseworthy in manner which he had possessed in his younger days, and by means whereof he gave an air of grace to his heads, which made them lovely and attractive. And that this is true, may be proved by the examination of certain works which he executed long before the one now before us, at the Postierla, and which may still be seen: they are in fresco, on a wall over the door of the Captain Lorenzo Mariscotti, where there is a figure of the Dead Christ lying in the lap of his Virgin Mother, which has a grace, beauty, and divinity that are truly wonderful.

A picture of the Madonna, which Giovan-Antonio painted in oil for Messer Eneas Savini of the Costerella, presents further proof of what is here said, as does another on cloth, which he executed for Assuero Rettori, of San Martino, the subject of the last being the Roman Lucrezia, who inflicts on herself the mortal wound: she is supported by her father and husband: this is a work wherein there is much grace in the attitudes, with infinite beauty in the heads.

Ultimately Giovan-Antonio perceived that the hearts of the Sienese were entirely turned to the excellence in art, and other admirable qualities of Domenico Beccafumi, and having