Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/519

Rh In the ducal palace Girolamo painted a very large picture, with a figure full of animation, movement, and grace, and exhibiting admirably good relief; this, which was of the size of life, was intended to signify Opportunity.

The same artist also painted a nude figure of Venus, the size of life, and in a recumbent attitude, with Love beside her; this was sent to Paris, but I, who saw the work at Ferrara, in the year 1540, can with truth affirm that it was a most beautiful one. Girolamo likewise commenced the painting of the Refectory of San Giorgio, a monastery which the monks of Monte Oliveto possess in Ferrara, and did indeed complete the work to a considerable extent, but some part of it was left unfinished and this has been now brought to a conclusion by the Bolognese painter Pellegrino Pellegrini.

But he who should make mention of all the pictures which Girolamo executed in the houses of different nobles and gentlemen, would make the story much longer than it is our purpose to do, wherefore I will speak of two only; these, however, are indeed most exquisite. One of the two is a copy from a picture by the hand of Correggio, and which is beautiful to a marvel, now in the possession of the Cavalier Boiardo, in Parma; the subject Our Lady, who is putting a little tunic or camicia on the Infant Christ, and from which Girolamo took a copy, as we have said, so entirely faithful, that it appears to be the same and no other. The second is also a copy from a work by Parmigianino, and which is now at the Certosa of Pavia, in the cell of the Vicar; this also is executed with so much love and zeal that no miniature can be found finished more delicately.

Girolamo painted many other pictures, with infinite care; and, as he took much pleasure in architecture, our artist sometimes undertook works in that branch of art likewise;