wall, one sees that Pinturicchio devoted more of his own personal labour than was his usual wont. 1 The departure of Pinturicchio from Sienna at the close of 1507, or beginning of 1508, is indicated by the fac simile of a letter introduced into the “Virgin, with the child and saints” in the ex-church of the Minorites of Spello. The letter, written by Gentile Baglioni from his castle the Rocca di Zocco, is dated April 8. 1508, and urges Bernardino to return to Sienna, where his presence is desired by Pandolfo Petrucci- It proves that the Spello altarpiece was finished in the summer of that year. As a work of art it adds little to Pinturicchio’s fame being carried out with great attention to detail, but without aerial perspective or vi gour of relief. Nor is it easy to understand how the in fant Baptist on the steps of the Virgin’s throne should be assigned to Raphael. 2 Pinturicchio had done better things at an earlier period, such as the Holy Family or dered by the nuns of the convent of Campansi, 3 the Vir gin in glory between two saints in Montoliveto near S. Gimignano, the Coronation of the Virgin at the Vatican, originally in the church of La Fratta near Perugia, and the Assumption in the Naples Museum, commissioned for the neighbouring convent of Montoliveto. 4 The probabilitity of Pinturicchio’s visit to Rome in 1508 has already been spoken of in the lives of Signor elli and Perugino. On his return to Sienna in 1509, in company with the former, who stood as godfather to his son, 6 he received from the heirs of the Piccolomini the small sum of 14 ducats and a half, remaining due for the pictorial labours undertaken for that family.® He 1 Amongst the spectators one is accompanied by a dog, whichTizio describes as the favorite of Pan dolfo Petrucci. Tizio MS. in Verm, app. LXIII. 2 Orsini and Verm. 178. 3 No. 45. Stanza dei quadri di diverse Scuole Acad, of Sienna. 4 For all these pieces see postea catalogue of Pinturicchio’s works. 6 Born Jan. 7. 1609. Vas. com. V. 280. 6 The receipt is in Doc. Sen. III. 13—14. Vermiglioli also cites a record of this year in which Pin turicchio is described as inhabiting