144 THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. Chap. VI. men are killing an ox, and a priest addresses Totila’s lieutenant, whilst a fight is depicted in the distance. The next fresco shows the procession of clergy carrying the body, accompanied by the community; the whole much injured by the scaling of the wall. Both pieces are strik ing; because the first contains a view of the church of S. Ercolano and the Roman gate as they now stand, and the second, a perspective drawing of the old palace of Perugia. Both have a fair amount of life and motion, with something of the exaggeration familiar to Matteo of Sienna. Looking at the work as a whole, we are not surprised that a man who thus modified the Umbrian style by adapting to it that of Domenico Veniziano and Piero della Francesca, should be a favorite with his countrymen. His manner is superior to that of all the Umbrians of his age except Piero. It proves his acquaintance with classic Florentine art; it places him as regards merit, as well as in respect of aim and purpose, in the ranks of those Ferrarese whose labours adorn the palace of Schifanoia. It shows his familiarity with the modes of cotemporary Paduans and Veronese. His progress, no doubt, was only gradual. But we have seen that in his earliest period he commanded the respect of craftsmen; and the growth of his expe rience could not but increase that feeling. We accord ingly find, not only that his dilatoriness at the Palazzo Comunale was borne with patience by the Perugians, but that he was entrusted with commissions irrespective of an undertaking the successful termination of which was heartily desired. His appointment as umpire to decide the value of the new front, added to S. Bernardino of Perugia by the Florentine Agostino d’Antonio, was alike honorable to all engaged. 1 The numerous productions which issued from his atelier at various subsequent pe riods, prove .that the contract at the Palazzo Comunale was not to be considered as precluding him from inter- 1 See the record in Mariotti ub. sup. pp. 72. 97. The date is 1465.