Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/200

188 this last, and within an arch, is Pilate washing his hands; and on the opposite side, also within an arch, is Christ led before Annas. On the wall behind the Altar, is the Crucifixion of our Lord with the Maries at the foot of the Cross and our Lady in a swoon. Beside the Virgin Mother stand certain of the Prophets, and in the arch above the ornaments in stucco are two Sybils; these four figures last-mentioned appear to be holding discourse concerning the Passion of Christ. There are besides four half-length figures in the ceiling, intended to represent the four Evangelists; and these also, which are accompanied by decorations in stucco, are very beautiful. When the work was given to view, which happened in 1556, Taddeo was but twenty-six years old, and the performance being then, as it still is, considered a singularly fine one, he was at once declared by the artists to be an excellent painter.

That undertaking being finished, Taddeo Zucchero was commissioned by Messer Mario Frangipane, to paint a chapel which he had in the church of San Marcello; and on this occasion, as on many others, Taddeo employed many of those young artists from distant parts, who are constantly to be found in Pome, and who go about working for daily wages, not only to gain their bread, but to learn their art also. Our artist likewise painted certain apartments in fresco in the Palace of the Pope, those which are occupied by the Cardinal Carafia namely, and which are situated in the great tower over the guard-room of the Lansquenets. This work he executed under the Pontificate of Paul lY.; as he did also some small pictures in oil: among these were two, the Nativity of Christ, and the Flight into Egypt, which were ultimately sent to Portugal by the Ambassador of that country.

It then happened that the Cardinal of Mantua desired to have the interior of his palace, which is situated near the Portuguese arch, adorned with paintings, which he desired to have executed with great rapidity; he therefore entrusted that work to Taddeo Zucchero, to whom he agreed to pay an appropriate remuneration; when our artist, setting hand to the same with a large number of assistants, conducted it in a short time to completion, and herein he did not fail to evince great judgment in the use which he made of so many heads, all united to expedite so great a work; he displayed so much