over attracted tliitlier by the counsels of his friends, and these, with the prayers of his mother, who was now become old, induced him to leave Home and return to Urbino, much to the regret of Raphael, by whom, for his many good qualities, he was much beloved. No long time after having done so, Timoteo was persuaded by his kinsfolk to take a wife,[1] when he became more than ever attached to his fatherland, wherein he moreover perceived himself to be highly honoured; his family also began to increase, and he consequently made a resolution to depart from his home no more, nor was he to be moved from this determination, although he was entreated by Raphael, as may still be seen from various letters, to rejoin him in Rome.
But Timoteo did not cease to labour; on the contrary, he executed numerous ’works in Urbino, and all the cities around it. In Forli, for example, he painted a chapel, in company with his friend and compatriot, Girolamo Genga.[2] He likewise produced a picture on panel in the same place, which was afterwards sent to Citta di Gastello, with another of similar kind, for the people of Cagli.[3] At Castel Durante, Timoteo executed various works in fresco, which arc truly deserving of commendation, as indeed are all the works of this master, since all prove him to have had an exceedingly graceful manner, not only in his figures, but in landscape, and every other department of art.
At the request of the Bishop Arrivabene, of Mantua, Timoteo painted a chapel in the Church of San Martino; this he did in company with the above-named Genga; but the altar-piece and central paintings of that chapel are entirely by the hand of Timoteo.[4] In the same church is a
- ↑ Timoteo della Vite married Girolama Spacioli, who survived him, continuing in a state of widowhood for thirty-two vears.— Schorn, German Edition of Vasari.
- ↑ The works performed by Timoteo Vite and Girolamo Genga in common, were in the church of San Francisco, but that edifice has now been destroyed.—Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
- ↑ This picture represented St. Martin, and is said by Lanzi to be one of the best by this master now remaining to us. See History of Painting, (English Edition) Roman School, Epoch ii. vol. i. p. 398.
- ↑ The altar-piece, representing St. Martin himself, is now in the sacristy of the church dedicated to that saint; the Pope, St. Martin, as well as St. Martin the Bishop, is depicted thereon, with two votive portraits. In this
