Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/171

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baldassare peruzzi of siena.
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other architectural details, with the remarkable judgment and extraordinary power of invention manifest throughout the whole work, that it would not be possible to describe the thousandth part.

For Messer Francesco da Norcia, Baldassare designed a portal of the Doric order, which was an exceedingly graceful composition: this the master erected in the house of Messer Francesco, which is on the Piazza of the Farnesi. He also painted a very beautiful façade, near the Piazzi degli Altieri, for Messer Francesco Buzio,[1] depicting on the frieze, from the life, all the Cardinals who were then living; while on the wall itself he executed historical scenes, which represented the Csesars receiving tribute from all the kingdoms of the world; above these stories our artist painted the twelve Emperors, placed on corbels; they are foreshortened with much judgment, and executed with remarkable ability; for the whole work, indeed, the master well merits the highest praise. Baldassare, furthermore, painted an Escutcheon, exhibiting the Arms of Pope Leo X., near the Banchi, with three Boys as supporters. This is in fresco, and the flesh of the children is painted with so much softness, that they seem to be alive.

For Fra Mariano Fetti, Frate of the Piombo, this master painted a San Bernardo in terretta; this flgure, which is one of great beauty, was executed for the Garden of Monte Cavallo. For the Brotherhood of Santa Caterina of Siena, whose house is in the Strada Giulia, Baldassare painted an exceedingly beautiful Bier, for the removal of the dead to the place of their burial, with many other works, all of which are worthy of commendation.

In Siena, Baldassare Peruzzi prepared the design for the Organ which is in the church of the Carmine; and he likewise executed some other works in that city, but they were not of any great importance.[2]

Being subsequently invited to Bologna by the wardens of works to the church of San Petronio, to the end that he might prepare a model for the fa9ade of that edifice, he designed two large ground plans, with elevations and sections,

  1. The paintings of these two fapades no longer exist. —Dottari.
  2. The Sienese attribute the cloister and campanile of the Carmine also to this master.