However flourishing in valuable masters we may consider the city of Venice during this era, the fame of Mantegna, with the vicinity of Mantua, where he taught, attracted thither two artists from Verona, whom I reserve for that school, of which they were faithful followers. These were Monsignori, and Gio. Francesco Carotto, formerly a pupil of Liberale. His brother Giovanni, a noble architect, and designer of ancient edifices, was but a feeble imitator of his style. He richly deserves a place in history as the instructor of Paolo, an artist excellent in many branches of painting, and in architecture almost divine. It is supposed that Paolo must have acquired this degree of excellence by studying at first under Carotto, and afterwards perfecting himself, as we shall shew, by means of Badile. To such as are most known we might here add names less celebrated, which the Marchese Maffei, however, has already inserted in his history; as, for instance, a Matteo Pasti, commended by us in the first volume; but I have, perhaps, already treated sufficiently of the merits of the old Veronese artists. About this period there flourished two distinguished artists in Brescia, who were present at the terrific saccage of that opulent city, in the year 1512, by Gaston de Foix. One of these is Fioravante Ferramola, who was honoured and remunerated upon that occasion by the French victor for his striking merit, and became sufficiently conspicuous in various churches of the country. His painting of S. Girolamo is seen at Le Grazie, extremely well conceived, with fine landscape, and in a taste so like that of Muziano, that we might almost suppose it prognosticated his appearance. And it might be said that he afforded the latter a prototype, if he does not aspire to the name of his master. The other is Paolo Zoppo, who depicted the above desolation of the city in miniature, upon a large crystal bason; a work of immense labour, intended to be presented to the doge Gritti: but in transporting it to Venice, the crystal was unfortunately broken, and the unhappy artist died of disappointment and despair. The specimens of his style remaining at Brescia, among which is one of Christ going up to Mount Calvary, at S. Pietro in Oliveto--a piece falsely attributed by others to Foppa--serve to shew that he approached near to the modern manner, and was not unacquainted with the Bellini.