time, to be one of extraordinary excellence. In the church of San Marco, also in Rome, he painted an historical piece, beside the chapel of the Sacrament, representing two martyrs: this is accounted among the good works executed by Pietro while in Rome.[1] For Sciarra Colonna he painted a Loggia with several chambers, in the Palace of Sant’ Apostolo;[2] and all these works placed him in possession of a very large sum of money; Pietro, therefore, determined to remain no longer in Rome, and departed thence with the good favour of all the court. He then returned to his native city of Perugia, and there executed various frescoes and pictures in different parts of the city, more particularly in the palace of the Signori, where he painted a picture in oil, for the chapel of that building, representing the Virgin, with other saints.[3]
In the church of San Francesco-del-Monte, Pietro painted two chapels in fresco, the Adoration of the Magi in one, and in the other the Martyrdom of certain Monks of the Franciscan order, who, having proceeded to the Sultan of Babylon, were there put to death.[4] In San Francesco del Convento,[5] this master painted two pictures in oil, in one of which he depicted the resurrection of Jesus Christ,[6] and in the other San Giovanni Batista, with other saints. For the church of the Servites also, Pietro likewise painted two pictures,[7] one
- ↑ There is said to be but one painting by Perugino now in San Marco, that of the titular Saint namely, which is in one of the chapels.
- ↑ Of these paintings no trace now remains.
- ↑ The Patron Saints of Perugia namely, SS. Lorenzo, Ercolano, Constantins, and Ludovico, Bishop of Tolosa. This picture was taken to Paris, but on its restoration to that city was sent to the Gallery of the Vatican. It has been frequently engraved, among others by Landon, Annates du Musée Napoleon, tom. ii.
- ↑ Mezzanotte, Vita di Pietro, &c., does not name these works, but describes a third chapel with a Birth of Christ (presepio) by Perugino.
- ↑ Or of the Padri Conventuali.
- ↑ This celebrated work was also taken to Paris, and was sold by its possessors on its restoration, to the Government, when it was placed in the Gallery of the Vatican. This picture suffered much from cleaning in 1788. Some writers affirm, that the portrait of Raphael may be found here, in the face of a sleeping soldier namely, with that of Pietro himself, which is said to be in the figure of a soldier, who is in the act of flight. An engraving of this work will be found in Guattoni, tav. ix. of the Pittura dell'appartamento Borgia.
- ↑ The church of the Servites is in our days called Santa Maria Nuova. The Transfiguration is now above the smaller door, and has greatl)' suffered. —Orsini, Guida di Perugia.
