PAINTING. 81 
approximation to that of Pietro Perugino. The works of Fra Bartolomeo 
Corradini of Urbino are full of fire and vivacity, and he originated the 
practice of introducing portraits into historical compositions, which was 
afterwards adopted by Raphael. Excellent painters flourished at this time 
in Perugia; and when Sixtus V. set about adorning the Vatican with pic- 
tures, he obtained most of his artists from this place. Among them were 
Benedetto Buonfigli, whose works are highly esteemed, and Pietro Vanucci 
(born 1446 in Citta della Pieve, died 1524), called Pietro Perugino. Who- 
ever has seen the works of this last artist must confess that his merit does 
not consist solely in having been Raphael’s instructor; but that his pictures 
exhibit grace, his attitudes are dignified, and his coloring lovely, although 
he is not yet free from the defects of his age. His best work is preserved 
in the Sala del Cambio in Perugia; he, however, was not fertile in invention 
and repeated himself very often. His pupils spread themselves over all 
Italy; we will mention only Guerino of Pistoja, the brothers Ubertino, 
Montevarchi, and Zoppo in the Tuscan school, and in the Roman Bernardo 
Pinturicchio and Sinibaldo of Perugia, which last, however, did not equal. 
their master in excellence, although they were almost his mechanical 
imitators, for instead of regarding Pietro’s instructions as good foundations 
on which to build, they made them an easy cushion to reclineupon. But all 
Pietro’s pupils did not adopt this course of stupid imitation; and had not 
Andrea Luigi of Assisi early lost his sight, he would certainly have become 
a formidable rival to Raphael. His extraordinary talents gained him the 
cognomen of 7’ Zngegno (the Genius), and Sandrart has erroneously ascribed 
to Raphael several of his works. Domenico Alfani also worked in an 
independent spirit, greatly resembling Raphael, only weaker in coloring. 
His reputation has been outshone by that of his son Orazio Alfani, who in 
after times greatly distinguished himself, and to whom many of his father’s 
works are attributed. 
Raphael Sanzio (Santi), one of the greatest painters of modern times, 
was born at Urbino, on Good Friday, the 28th of March, 1483; and 
even in his boyhood, when his father gave him instruction in the first prin- 
ciples of drawing and painting, he manifested such surprising abilities, that 
his father took him at once, in 1492, to Pietro Perugino in Perugia. He 
was soon engaged, along with Pinturicchio, in painting the Library at 
Siena; after which he went, in 1503, to Florence, where a new light 
broke in upon him from the works of Masaccio, and caused him to relin- 
quish the somewhat vague manner of his master. During his abode in 
Florence he is said to have become acquainted with Leonardo da Vinci and 
Michael Angelo. He next went in 1508 to Rome, where he was commis- 
sioned by Pope Julius II. to paint in fresco the Stanza della Segnatura. 
He lived on terms of the closest intimacy with Count Castiglione, Cardinal 
Bembo, and several poets and authors, and was a most amiable man. 
Towards his pupils especially, of which he had a great number, he was 
courteous, friendly, and ever ready to advise and essist. His constantly 
increasing fame procured him great commissions. Thus he worked in 1517 
for Francis I. of France and painted several pictures fer him, as the Arch- 
ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOP.ZDIA.—VOL. IV. 30 465 
