Gio. Francesco Surchi, called Dielai, was pupil and assistant to the Dossi, when employed in painting at Belriguardo, at Belvedere, at the Giovecca, and at Cepario, in which palaces they gave the most distinguished proofs of their merit. Thus instructed by both brothers, he became perhaps the most eminent figurist among his fellow-pupils, and beyond question the best ornamental painter. He left few specimens in the second branch, but many in the first. In rapidity, vivacity, and grace in his figures, he approaches Dosso, and in a similar manner in his easy and natural mode of draping. In the warmth of his colouring, and in his strong lights, he even aimed at surpassing him; but, like most young artists who carry to excess the maxims of their schools, he became crude and inharmonious, at least in some of his works. Two of his Nativities at Ferrara are highly extolled, one at the Benedettini, the other at S. Giovannino, to which last is added the portrait of Ippolito Riminaldi, a distinguished civilian of his age. Writers are divided in opinion respecting the comparative excellence of these two altar-pieces, but they agree in awarding great merit to both. We proceed to treat of Benvenuto, another great luminary of this school; and we must first premise that there are some mistakes as to his name, which has often betrayed our dilettanti into errors. Besides Benvenuto Tisio, surnamed from his country Garofolo, there flourished at the same period Gio. Batista Benvenuti, by some said to have been also a native of Garofolo, and from his father's occupation denominated Ortolano, the gardener. Now, by many, he has been confounded with Tisio, both from resemblance of name and taste, so far as to have had even his portrait mistaken for the former, and as such inserted in Vasari's edition that appeared at Bologna. There Ortolano had pursued his studies about 1512, from the works of Raffaello, which were few, and from those of Bagnacavallo, whose style he afterwards emulated in some pictures. Leaving that place sooner than he had intended, owing to an act of homicide, he never attained to a complete imitation of Raffaello. But he excelled in his taste for design and perspective, united to more robust colouring, observes Baruffaldi, than what we see in Raffaello himself, and it is habitual in this school during nearly the whole of the sixteenth century. Several of his altar-pieces have been transferred into the Roman galleries, where in the present day they are attributed, I believe, to Tisio, whose first manner, being more careful than soft and tasteful, may easily be mistaken for that of Ortolano. There are others at Ferrara, both in public and private, and one in the usual old style of composition at S. Niccolo, with the date affixed of 1520. In the parochial church of Bondeno there is another, which is extolled by Scannelli (p. 319), in which are represented the Saints Sebastian and Rocco, and Demetrius, who, in military dress, is