Chap. I. LUCA SIGNORELLI. 7 child between the kneeling S. Jerome and a Benedictine in the Corsini Palace, 1 and two rounds belonging to the Ginori family at Florence, all prove Signorelli’s study of Botticelli, and Filippino. 2 The Madonna at the Uffizi is painted in a grand style; the nudes in the distance are admirable studies; and the prophets in the medallions recall the works of Michael Angelo. A noble gentleness marks the Virgin and child at the Pitti. Mr. Barker’s Nativity — a bold, clever pic ture — is in Signorelli’s gloomy olive tone; a feature, re peated in the Holy Family at Dresden, in which the Florentine types of Botticelli and Filippino, in the Virgin and S. Joseph, are coupled with Umbrian masks in the two graceful angels. It is composed with much thought, and boldly executed “a la prima”, showing the bond which unites the master to P. della Francesca, Mc- lozzo of Forli, and Gio. Santi. The three remaining rounds are of the same character. The Medicean was not the only princely family for which Signorelli laboui-ed. He was employed by the Della Roveres, painted in the sanctuary of Loreto, and competed in the Six- tine chapel with Perugino and the best Florentines. It would be easier to determine which of these great undertakings was first completed, were the frescos in S. Maria di Loreto in a better state of preservation. Local winters affirm that Giuliano della Rovere, who was afterwards Pope under the title of Julius the Second, was protector of the sanc tuary at Loreto in 1478, 3 and that he caused the mai'ble are two angels reading and sing ing. 1 No. 18. The Virgin’s blue dress injured. * Iu one of these, the Virgin sup ports the infant Christ and Bap tist who embrace each other. In a rich landscape distance, to the left, S. Jerome kneels in prayer with the lion at his side. To the right, kneels 8. Bernard. There is a reminiscence of the works of Bazzi in the children. This pic ture is probably the most pleasing in tone that was produced by Sig norelli. The second of these rounds is less good. The Virgin seated with joined hands turns towards the infant near her. The youth ful Baptist in distance to the right is in the act of fastening a sandal. The figures are more slender, the tones cooler, than in the immedi ately foregoing example. 3 See Torsellino and the Guida di Loreto published at Ancona iu