Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/96

88 beautiful workmanship, there is a figure of Peace, who is burning the arms and trophies of war. This work was held in the highest estimation by all men during the life of Messer Marchionne, and still continues to be equally so considered by all who labour in our vocation, as well as by many others who are not of our calling, but who nevertheless commend this work most highly.

In the Convent which belongs to the Nuns of Sant’ Anna, Perino painted a chapel in fresco, depicting various figures therein with his accustomed care. In San Stefano del Cacco, likewise, he painted a fresco on an altar,* the subject being a Dead Christ in the lap of Our Lady. That work was executed by command of a Roman lady, whose portrait, taken from life, he also painted, and this is so natural that it seems to be alive; the whole painting is indeed depicted with the most evident mastery, and is very beautiful.

About this time, Antonio da San Gallo had erected a Tabernacle at the angle of a house which is known as that of the Imagine di Ponte, and in this Tabernacle, which is constructed in travertine richly adorned, and is a very handsome fabric, it was from the first intended to place paintings of merit and value. To this end Antonio had received command from the owner of the house to select some artist who should appear to him likely to execute suitable pictures therein, whereupon the architect, who knew Perino to be the best of the young painters then in Pome, made over that work to his care. The latter set hand thereto accordingly, arid delineated in the Tabernacle Our Saviour Christ in the act of crowning the Madonna. The ground he represented as a splendour of glory, with a choir of Seraphim and Angels, draped in partially transparent clothing, and scattering flowers; there were, besides, other figures of children in beautiful and varied attitudes, and on each side of the Tabernacle is a figure; that of San Sebastiano occupying the one side, and that of Sant’ Antonio the other: a beautiful and admirable work, of character similar to that of all the other productions of Piero, which ever were and are lovely and graceful.

Now, a certain protonotary had erected a marble chapel