Pietro Vannucci, called PeruginoWilliamson, George C.
History
Pietro Vannucci, called Perugino
Williamson, George C.
Perugino, approximately 1450-1523
Three more frescoes only remain for mention. A harsh and hurried one in
the cathedral of Perugia, in which the Magdalen's face is the redeeming
feature, a faded but lovely "Nativity" in the Alfani Rooms (Room 13) in
the Perugia Gallery, which is full of exquisite feeling and tender,
reverent grace, and finally, the last and unfinished work which now
hangs in the National Gallery. This is a huge fresco transferred to
canvas, and measures 19 ft. 6 in. long. It was executed at Fontignano in
1523, and is said to have been the last work of the artist. The hand had
not lost its cunning, and there is much of the early sweetness in this
huge fresco. There is the charm of its faded blues and purples, the haze
of its shimmering sunshine, and the tender reverence of the kneeling
figures.
There are just the same accessories as were adopted by Perugino in
earlier "Adorations," very much the same grouping, and almost identical
figures, and in these respects the two last pictures that the artist
painted are almost copies, one of the other, differing only in
proportions. The Perugia fresco is small, the London one very large; but
both are really lovely compositions, full of mysterious charm, and it is
pleasant to know that the artist's last works were not the queer, quaint
ones of Spello and Bettona, but the wonderful, scenes of the
"Adoration," painted with much of his old vigour and with all his
earlier charm.
Mariotti tells us that Perugino died at the Ospedale of Fontignano, and
Orsini suggests that it was of plague. There were various traditions as
to his burial; even in Mariotti's time, Vasari states, he was honourably
buried at Città della Pieve, but there is absolutely nothing to support
this statement. The artist was, according to local account hurriedly
buried in a field, as at that time all town funerals were forbidden on
account of the violence of the epidemic. In the following year, his
sons, desirous of affording him an honourable burial, according to the
rites of Holy Church, tried to make arrangement for the removal of the
body.
On December 30th, 1524, they entered into a contract with the monks of
San Agostino, who were still in their father's debt 50 scudi, that they
should remove his body from Fontignano and bury him in their church, and
the sons agreed to pay for the Mass. Mariotti says that there was in his
time no proof that that ever was done, but the very fact of the contract
proves that nothing could be said to the discredit of Perugino's life or
character, and refutes idle rumour as to his atheism.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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