70 THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. Chap. III. kind than that of many of his countrymen, insofar that it was purely local. But at Sienna those who were able to declare that they made an honourable and suffi cient livelihood exclusively within its walls, might be considered exceptionally favoured; and a cotemporary of Francesco di Giorgio, Benvenuto di Giovanni di Meo del Guasta, takes occasion to express his regret that work being scarce, and profit scarcer, he should be forced to remove outside the circuit of Sienna. This complaint is set forth in an income-paper of 1488, 1 but seems, as regards Benvenuto, to have been true of the greater part of his career; for, though he is described in a record of 1455 as permanently employed at the Baptistery of S. Giovanni 2 at Sienna, his first extant picture (146G) is at Volterra. He is admitted by common consent as the author of a Flagellation, and Christ carrying his cross, a couple of dimmed frescos in the central apsis of the Baptistery, and two scenes from the life of S. An thony, injured wallpaintings in the side-apsis of the same edifice. 3 These alleged fruits of his labours are so like the productions of Lorenzo di Pietro in the ceilings, that they might be taken for his, or at least for those of his assistants. Benvenuto may have acted in that capacity, but his engagement at the Baptistery dates four years after the commission of Vecchietta. On the other hand, the Annunciation in the convent-church of S. Girolamo at Volterra offers some traits reminiscent of Nerroccio, in the angular and lean figures, the reedy frames of which bend affectedly under the weight of largo but narrow heads themselves inclined on slender necks. Trite dra pery, cutting outlines, cold and flat tones in flesh tints, strong contrasts in the general key of harmony, and neatness of execution, increase the resemblance. But Benvenuto does not merely reflect the peculiarities of 1 Doc. Sen. II. 240. 2 lb. III. 79. 3 Apsis to the left of the high altar. The annot. of Vas. (IV. 163. comm, to life of Gentile da Fabri ano) state that Benvenuto painted the frescos of the central apsis in 1453.
