Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/404

he had previously learned from Vincenzio di Stefano, he adopted the manner of Jacopo, and retained it ever after.^[1]

The first works of Liberate were performed at the chapel of the Monte della Pieta, in the church of San Bernardino, in his native city, where he painted a Deposition from the Cross, with Angels as the principal picture. Some of these angels bear in their hands what are called the Mysteries of the Passion, and all give evidence, in their weeping faces, of the sadness they feel for the death of the Saviour; they are in truth, exceedingly natural, as are other works of similar character by this master,^[2] who has frequently taken pains to show his power of depicting the weeping countenance. In the church of Sant’ Anastasia, for example, which is also in Verona, and belongs to the Domenican Monks, there is a picture of the Dead Christ^[3] wept over by the Maries; this is in the chapel of the Buonaveri family, and there are many others of the same kind by Liberale, scattered about among the dwellings of numerous families in Verona.

In the chapel of the Buonaveri family just alluded to, there is a figure, also by this painter, of God the Father, surrounded by Angels singing and playing on different instruments,^[4] with three figures of Saints standing on each side, San Piero, San Domenico, and San Tommaso d’Aquino, are on one side; Santa Lucia, Sant’ Agnese, and another female Saint, on the other; but the three first-mentioned figures are in every respect superior to the three last: they are executed in a better manner, and have more relief. On a wall of the same chapel, Liberale painted the Madonna with the Infant Christ, who espouses the Virgin Martyr, Santa Caterina; and in this work the artist has exhibited the portrait of Messer Piero Buonaveri, the owner of the chapel. Around the group are angels presenting flowers, with some heads, the smiling countenances of which have so

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1. Lanzi considers the manner of Liberale to give evidence of having been formed on that of Mantegna, and the vicinity of Mantua and Padua may very well have given him the means of imitating the manner of that Capo di Scuola.
2. These pictures are no longer to be identified.— Bottari.
3. Some Avriters attribute this work to Francesco Caroto, of whom Vasari speaks shortly afterwards.—Ed. Flor., 1832-8. There are certain frescoes in this church which are also ascribed to Liberale.
4. These figures still retain their place.