oils in the Madonna del
Baracane, of a S. Catherine who is disputing with philosophers and
doctors in the presence of the Tyrant, which is held to be a very
beautiful work. And the same Prospero has painted many pictures in
fresco in the principal chapel of the Palace where the Governor lives.

Much the friend of Primaticcio, likewise, is Lorenzo Sabatini, an
excellent painter; and if he had not been burdened with a wife and
many children, the Abbot would have taken him to France, knowing that
he has a very good manner and great mastery in all kinds of work, as
may be seen from many things that he has done in Bologna. And in the
year 1566 Vasari made use of him in the festive preparations that were
carried out in Florence for the above-mentioned nuptials of the Prince
and her serene Highness Queen Joanna of Austria, causing him to
execute, in the vestibule that is between the Sala dei Dugento and the
Great Hall, six figures in fresco that are very beautiful and truly
worthy to be praised. But since this able painter is constantly making
progress, I shall say nothing more about him, save that, attending as
he does to the studies of art, a most honourable result is expected
from him.

Now, in connection with the Abbot and the other Bolognese of whom
mention has been made hitherto, I shall say something of Pellegrino
Bolognese, a painter of the highest promise and most beautiful genius.
This Pellegrino, after having attended in his early years to drawing
the works by Vasari that are in the refectory of S. Michele in Bosco
at Bologna, and those by other painters of good name, went in the year
1547 to Rome, where he occupied himself until the year 1550 in drawing
the most noteworthy works; executing during that time and also
afterwards, in the Castello di S. Angelo, some things in connection
with the works that Perino del Vaga carried out. In the centre of the
vaulting of the Chapel of S. Dionigi, in the Church of S. Luigi de'
Franzesi, he painted a battle-scene in fresco, in which he acquitted
himself in such a manner, that, although Jacopo del Conte, a
Florentine painter, and Girolamo Siciolante of Sermoneta had executed
many works in the same chapel, Pellegrino proved to be in no way
inferior to them; nay, it appears to many that he acquitted himself
better than they did in the boldness, grace, colouring, and design of
those his pictures. By reason of this Monsignor Poggio afterwards
availed himself much of Pellegrino,