Pinturiccio, Bernardino

, a celebrated artist, was born at Perugia in 1454, and was a disciple of Pietro Perugino, who often employed him as his assistant. He painted history; but in portraits was in so much esteem, that he was employed to paint those of pope Pius II. and of Innocent VIII; of Giulia Farnese, Caesar Borgia, and queen Isabella of Spain. His style, nevertheless, was extremely dry and Gothic, as he introduced gilding in the architectural and other parts of his pictures, blended with ornaments in relievo, and other artifices quite unsuitable to the genius of the art. The most memorable performance of Pinturicchio is the History of Pius II. painted in ten compartments, in the library at Sienna, in which he is said to have been assisted by Raphael, then a very young man, and pupil of Perugino, who made some cartoons of | the most material incidents, and sketched many parts of the compositions.

His last work was a Nativity, for the monastery of St. Francis, at Sienna; in which place he had a room assigned him to paint in, without the danger of his being interrupted, and out of which he requested every thing might be removed. Every thing, accordingly, was taken away, except an old chest, which was so crazy, that when the attempt was made, it broke to pieces, and a treasure of 500 pieces of gold was discovered concealed within it. The joy of the monks was equalled only by the mortification of the painter, who is said to have died of chagrin soon after, in 1513, at the age of 59. ¹