At the period, when the School of Padua was opposed to the Venetian, the other cities of the state, as far as we can learn, had adopted a taste rather for the ornamental style of the latter, than the more erudite maxims of the former; it might, perhaps, be added, on account of its greater facility; because the beauty of nature is everywhere more obvious than the monuments of antiquity. Bassano then boasted a Francesco da Ponte, Vicenza the two Montagna and Bonconsigli, all of whom, though born in the immediate vicinity of Padua, became disciples of the Bellini. Da Ponte, a native of Vicenza, was pretty well embued with a taste for polite literature and philosophy, extremely desirable in the head of a school, such as he became in the instruction of Jacopo, and through him of the Bassanese; a school highly distinguished during, and even beyond the sixteenth century. The style of his altarpieces, when compared with each other, acquaints us with the earliest and latest specimens of his pencil. He is diligent, but dry in that of his S. Bartolommeo, in the cathedral at Bassano; more soft in another at the church of S. Giovanni, but far better in one of the Pentecost, which he painted for the village of Oliero, almost in the style of the moderns, displaying studied composition, and a colouring various, beautiful, and harmonious; and what is still more, a fine expression of the passions, best adapted to the mystery. We are led to believe, from the account of Lomazzo, that he likewise painted, at another period, in Lombardy; observing that a certain Francesco, of Vicenza, produced a work at the _Grazie_ of Milan, well executed in point of design, but not so pleasing in the effect of its lights and shades.