s if
he painted only the beings of a superior race, and as if they must all be
fitted to do great deeds. His fancy was very fruitful, and in some of his
works he pictured demons, sea-monsters, dogs, apes, and such creatures
with great effect. In clearness and warmth of color Giorgione is at the
head of the Venetian painters; in truth, it seems as if the color was
within them and showed itself without in a deep, luminous glow.

The most important of Giorgione's scholars was called FRA SEBASTIANO DEL
PIOMBO; his real name was _Luciani_, and he was a native of Venice
(1485-1547). This artist excelled in his coloring and in the effect he
gave to the atmosphere of his work, making it a broad _chiaro-scuro_, or
clear-obscure, as it really means. This is an art term which is frequently
used, and denotes a sort of mistiness which has some light in it, and is
gradually shaded off, either into a full light or a deep shadow. But from
the earliest efforts of this artist, it was plain that he had no gift of
composition, neither could he give his pictures an elevated tone or
effect. For this reason his portraits were his best works, and these were
very fine.

A portrait of his in the National Gallery, London, and another in the
Staedel Gallery at Frankfort, are both said to be of Giulia Gonzaga, the
most beautiful woman of her day in Italy. In 1553, Ippolito de Medici, who
was madly in love with her, sent Sebastian with an armed force to Fondi to
paint her portrait; it was finished in a month, and was said to be the
best ever painted by Sebastian. It was sent to France as a gift to Francis
I., and its present abiding-place is not known.

While Raphael was at the height of his fame in Rome, the banker Chigi
invited Sebastian to that city, and in the Farnesina he painted works
which were very inferior beside Raphael's. Then Sebastian tried to improve
by study under Michael Angelo. This last great master would not compete
with Raphael himself, but he was very jealous of the fame of the younger
man, and it is said that he aided Sebastian, and even made his designs for
him, in the hopes that thus he might eclipse Raphael. We have spoken of
one large picture of the "Raising of Lazarus" said to have been made from
Michael Angelo's design, which Sebastian colored; it was painted in
competition with Raphael's Transfiguration, and even beside that most
splendid work the Lazarus was much admired. This is now in the National
Gallery, London.