pictures in fresco which were greatly extolled.[1] At a later period, being invited to Bologna, he painted a picture in the chapel of the Mariscotti family, in the church of San Petronio. The subject of this work was San Sebastian bound to the column and pierced with arrows; there were also many other figures, and the whole was considered to be the best painting in tempera which had, up to that time, been executed in that city,[2]The picture of San Geromino (St. Jerome) in the chapel of the Castelli,[3] is also by Lorenzo Costa, as is that of San Vincenzio, in the chapel of the Grifoni, which is, in like manner, painted in tempera, and the predella of which Lorenzo caused to be executed by one of his pupils, who acquitted himself much better than his master had done in the picture, as will be related in its proper place.[4] In the same city, and for the same church, Lorenzo painted a picture in the chapel of the Rossi; in this he represented Our Lady, St. James, St. George, St. Sebastian, and St. Jerome, a work which is the most graceful in manner, and altogether the best ever executed by this master.[5] Lorenzo afterwards entered the service of Francesco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, for whom he painted many pictures in the palace of San Sebastiano, where he decorated a chamber with various stories, partly in water-colours and partjy in oil. In one of these is the portrait of the Marchioness Isabella, taken from the life; she is accompanied by several ladies who are singing and playing on various instruments. In another of these stories is the Goddess Latona, who is changing certain villagers into frogs, according to the
- ↑ The church was restored in 1693, when the frescoes were destroyed and the altar-piece lost.
- ↑ Many consider this work to be by Francesco Cossa, also a Ferrarese, and not by Costa, from whose hand, however, there is an Annunciation in the same chapel, with figures of the Apostles, in agood manner, and finely coloured.
- ↑ Spoiled by retouching.
- ↑ This was Ercole da Ferrara, whose life immediately follows. The picture, with its predella, were removed to the Aldovrandi Palace, as we gather from a work entitled Pittore, Scullure e Architetture delle Chiese di Bologna. —Bologna., 1782.
- ↑ This beautiful picture bears the inscription, Laurentius Costa, mccccxcii. Being much injured, it was restored when the Rossi chapel came into the possession of Prince Felix Baciocchi. (1832.)
