At this same time there was a painter in the city of Foligno, Niccolo Alunno, who was held to be excellent, for it was little the custom before Pietro Perugino's day to paint in oil, and many were held to be able men who did not afterwards justify this opinion. Niccolo therefore gave no little satisfaction with his works, since, although he only painted in distemper, he portrayed the heads of his figures from life, so that they appeared alive, and his manner won considerable praise. In S. Agostino at Foligno there is a panel by his hand with a Nativity of Christ, and a predella with little figures. At Assisi he painted a banner that is borne in processions, besides the panel of the high-altar in the Duomo, and another panel in S. Francesco. But the best painting that Niccolo ever did was in a chapel in the Duomo, where, among other things, there is a Pieta, with two angels who are holding two torches and weeping so naturally, that I do not believe that any other painter, however excellent, would have been able to do much better. In the same place he also painted the facade of S. Maria degli Angeli, besides many other works of which there is no need to make mention, it being enough to have touched on the best. And let this be the end of the Life of Pinturicchio, who, besides his other qualities, gave no little satisfaction to many princes and lords because he finished and delivered his works quickly, which is their pleasure, although such works are perchance less excellent than those that are made slowly and deliberately. FOOTNOTE: [1] Pietro Perugino. [2] This seems to be an error for Calistus III. FRANCESCO FRANCIA [Illustration: MEDALS (_London: British Museum_) 1. ULISSE MUSOTTI 3. FRANCESCO ALIDOSI 2. GIOVANNI II BENTIVOGLIO 4. BERNARDO ROSSI (_After_ Francesco Francia) (_After_ a pupil of Francesco Francia)] LIFE OF FRANCESCO FRANCIA GOLDSMITH AND PAINTER OF BOLOGNA