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Chap. XI. GIROLAMO DEL PACCIIIA. 381 The Virgin and child between SS. Paul and Bernard are conceived with.a measure of grandeur, and of refinement in character and expi'ession to which the Siennese of the sixteenth century have not as yet accustomed us. The attitudes are dignified and appropriate, the Virgin, though broad in face, recalling Mariotto Albertinelli, and Fra Bartolommeo as regards mould, and Raphael in respect of attitude. The child is playful, handsome, and well drawn. Two infant angels flying under the draperies that would, but for their support, fall over the parapet of the throne, are quite airy and light in their aspect. There is a distinguishing gravity and repose in the whole piece. Its colour is of the best obtained in Sienna, powerful, brilliant, and transparent, and handled with a knowledge of all the technical improvements of the day, softly fused, well modelled, with an impasto scumbled and glazed after the approved fashion of dhe Venetians. A harmonious landscape adds to the general charm. 1 There are proofs of Pacchia’s presence at Sienna in 1515, when he painted the bier of the company of S. Bernardino, and joined Beccafumi in appraising the fres cos of Girolamo di Benvenuto at Fontegiusta; but the earliest things extant are the Annunciation which was placed on the altar of the Tantucci by the Dominicans of S. Spirito in 1518, and the frescos in the Confraternita di S. Bernardino, of Sienna. The altarpiece is injured, but never had the beauty of that in S. Cristoforo. 2 It represents the Annunciation in a perspective of arches, and the Visitation in a distant landscape. The type of the Virgin remains almost unaltered, but her unnatural grace recalls the earlier efforts of Simone Martini, whilst the angel is slender, and strained in action. In the lapse of years, Pacchia had been evidently affected by the examples of Bazzi, and took some lessons from the ' Assigned also to Pacchiarotti by the old writers (wood, oil, figures life size). 2 Assigned likewise to Pacchia- rotti (injured panel, arched, figures life size), now No. 308, in the Aca demy of Sienna.