Peruzzi, Baldassare

, a painter of history and architecture, was born in 1481, at Accajano, in the diocese of Volterra, but in the territory and a citizen of Siena. He commenced his studies as a painter at Siena; and when he had gained a competent degree of knowledge, he copied the works of the best masters, with a diligence and success that were equally extraordinary. From Siena he went to Rome, where he was employed by the pope Alexander VI. Julius II. and Leo X. in their palaces, and in several chapels and convents. He was particularly successful in painting architecture; and so completely understood the principles of chiaro-oscuro, and of perspective, that even Titian is said to have seen the effects with surprize, being hardly able to believe that what he saw was the work of the pencil, and not real architecture. His usual subjects were streets, palaces, corridors, porticoes, and the insides of magnificent apartments, which he represented with a truth that produced an absolute deception*. He received some instructions from Bramante, the architect of St. Peter’s,

* “His frescoes,” says Mr. Fuseli, ever, was architecture: Lomazzo calls

"approach the style of Raphael such him * Architetto umversale’ and as

is the ‘ Judgment of Paris,’ in the cas- sucn he superintended, for some time,

tie of Belcaro; and the celebrated the fabnck of Sr. Peter, unrewarded

Sibyl, at Foute Giusta, of Siena, whose and pitifully paid. With regard to his

divine enthusiasm has never been ex- origin, see Lettere Senesi,‘ torn. Iif.

celled. His great prerogative, how- page 178." | and was himself employed by Leo X. in forming designs and models for that building He was unfortunately in Rome when it was sacked by the army of Charles V. in 1527, and was made a prisoner, but obtained his liberty by painting a portrait of the eonsiable de Bourbon. Peruzzi died in 1556, very poor, though he had been always in great employment. They who were indebted to him were not always very ready to pay, and he was too modest to demand his right, hy v\hich means he lost a great part of what he had fairly earned. ¹