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classical subjects in the Passerini villa, where Caporali tries his hand at vehement action and muscular display, draws with a brave sort of facility and colours the wall freely with warm liquid tints. 1 The frescos of that villa afford a clue to other productions at S. M. del Calcinaio near Cortona 2 and elsewhere. 3 Caporali died about 1560. 4 Orsini, copying from a MS. of which he neglects to indicate the age, declares that a Nativity, begun by Pe- rugino at S. Francesco of Montefalco, was completed by his disciple Melanzio. 5 We have seen that some parts of it are from the cartoons of Vannucci, but that the handling betrays the comparative inferiority of a pupil. 6 If Melanzio could be acknowledged as the author of this fresco, we should have convincing evidence of the ease with which artists of a low class, under the orders of a 1 The subjects are given in notes to Vasari VI. 145. Vasari says that the Passerini Villa was planned and erected by Gio. Bat tista Caporali (VI. 145). The villa and its frescos date previous to 1529, when cardinal Passerini died. 2 At the high altar is a fresco of the Eternal with two angels, and a panel of the Assumption which, if not by Caporali, is in his style ■ and perhaps done with the help of Bernahei (Papacello). 3 Caporali executed frescos at Montemorcino, near Perugia, in 1547. There are fragments from that .place at Perugia, in the house of Signor Pampaglini. A Virgin and child, a young Baptist, an Angel and Virgin annunciate; on the latter a mutilated date: “DXX”. The two first are remi niscent of Manni, the two last are more like works of Caporali. In the same house, a piece of fresco with a half length figure originally in S. Severo of Perugia, looks as if it had been painted by one in Fiorenzo’s school. The frescos at Montemorcino were valued (Nov. 1547) by Lattanzio di Monte Ru- biano and Dono Doni (Mariotti, Lett. 236). 4 Caporali was Decemvir at Pe rugia, in 1519; and a record of 1521 relates to property left him by his mother. He dedicated his Vitruvius to the conte Bigazzini in 1532. In 1540, he was Papa- cello’s security for the completion of certain frescos in S. Maria di Cesi, near Spoleto. In 1543, he contracted for frescos in S. M. di Monteluce which have perished. In 1549, he, Domenico di Paris Alfani, and Pompeo Cocehi valued a picture by Lattanzio di Monte Rubiano at Perugia. In 1553, he made his will; in 1560 circa, he died (Mariotti, Lett. 84. 233. 9). A picture in the Chiesa del Gesii at Perugia representing cardinal Ful- vio della Corgna and other figures assigned to G. B. Caporali (Ma riotti 235. Constantini 188. Mozza- notte. 272) seems too modern to be really by him. 5 Orsini, life of Perugino, ub. sup. p. 206. 6 See antea,Perugino pp.246 — 7.