where he had formerly executed some works,
he painted a wall of S. Geremia, on the Grand Canal, and a panel-picture
in oils for the Madonna del Orto, with many figures, making a particular
effort to prove his worth in the S. John the Baptist. He also painted
many scenes in fresco on the facade of the house of Martin d'Anna on the
same Grand Canal; in particular, a Curtius on horseback in
foreshortening, which has the appearance of being wholly in the round,
like the Mercury flying freely through the air, not to speak of many
other things that all prove his ability. That work pleased the whole
city of Venice beyond measure, and Pordenone was therefore extolled
more highly than any other man who had ever worked in the city up to
that time.

Among other reasons that caused him to give an incredible amount of
effort to all his works, was his rivalry with the most excellent
Tiziano; since, setting himself to compete with him, he hoped by means
of continual study and by a bold and resolute method of working in
fresco to wrest from the hands of Tiziano that sovereignty which he had
gained with so many beautiful works; employing, also, unusual methods
outside the field of art, such as that of being obliging and courteous
and associating continually and of set purpose with great persons,
making his interests universal, and taking a hand in everything. And, in
truth, this rivalry was a great assistance to him, for it caused him to
devote the greatest zeal and diligence in his power to all his works, so
that they proved worthy of eternal praise.

For these reasons, then, he was commissioned by the Wardens of S. Rocco
to paint in fresco the chapel of that church, with all the tribune.
Setting his hand, therefore, to this work, he painted a God the Father
in the tribune, with a vast number of children in various beautiful
attitudes, radiating from Him. In the frieze of the same tribune he
painted eight figures from the Old Testament, with the four Evangelists
in the angles, and the Transfiguration of Christ over the high-altar;
and in the two lunettes at the sides are the four Doctors of the Church.
By the hand of the same master are two large pictures in the middle of
the church: in one is Christ healing an endless number of the sick, all
very well painted, and in the other is S. Christopher carrying Jesus
Christ on his shoulders. On the wooden tabernacle of the same church,
wherein the vessels of silver are kept, he painted a S.