But the character of Signorelli was eminently calculated to strike the mind and to rouse the attention of Michael Angelo; nor is it a marvel that, having visited Orvieto, he should be pleased by the art of Luca, and consider some of his groups worthy of reproduction in the Last Judgment of the Sixtine chapel. 1 As for the rest, it would be repetition to enter further into the details of the style and execution of these frescos, their characteristic features having been already generalized for the sake of presenting to the reader a compact sketch of Signorelli’s manner. His first stay at Orvieto did not exceed two years; for though he painted in 1503 two fine bust portraits of him self and of Niccola di Francesco, with a boldness and freedom of hand seldom surpassed, 2 he had already (if we believe an inscription which we have not seen) re turned in 1502 to Cortona and delivered to the church of S. Margherita a dead Christ, wailed by the Marys and apostles, with but slight variations like the fresco in the chapel of S. Brizio, with a predella representing the Sermon on the Mount, the Last Supper, the Kiss of Judas, the Capture, and the Flagellation. 3 He returned, however, to Orvieto in 1504, perhaps to finish some parts of the 1 See as to this Vasari (VI. 142). 2 The two men face each other. The names “Luca” and “Nicolaus” are engraved on the dress of each fi gure on a tile, 15 inches by 13. That of Nicholas is grave in pose, remi niscent of Piero della Francesca. On the back of the tile, which is in the opera of the Duomo at Orvie to, are the words: “Lucas Signo- rellus', natione Ytalus, patria Cor- tonensls, arte eximius meritoApelli comparandus, sub regimine et sti- pendio Nicolai Francisci de natio- nis patrie )tane, camerario fabrice hujus basilice3 sacellu hoc Virgini dedicatu judici finalis or- dine figuratum perspicue pinxit cupidusque immortalitatis virius- que effigiem a tergo litterarum ha- rum naturaliter mira effisit arte. Alexandro VI pon. MiM sedente et Maximiano IIII 0 . imperant. ano sa- lutis M.cccc 0 tertio Ivalendas Ja- nuarias.” The colour of this piece is liquid on the white ground with the lights in body and the rest stippled — all of a ruddy tone. 3 This picture is now in the choir of the Duomo having been transferred from its original place (noticed in Vasari VI. 138—9). The annotators of Vasari give the fol lowing inscription not visible to the authors of this work. “Lucas /Egi- dii Signorelli Cortonensis MDII.” The composition is very animated reminiscent of one "by Botticelli. The drawing is free and bold, the colour sharp and red.