PERUNATELE
993
PERUZZINI
to his own could have operated ; and, with the excep- tion, perhaps, of Francia, who in some respects is esteemed his equal, he is now acknowledged as the ablest of the masters of that section of the early Ital- ian school in which religious feeling is expressed with great tenderness, in pictures remarkable for delicate execution. Perugino's works are also distinguished by rich and warm coloring. One of his most celebrat- ed paintings. The Beivailing of Chi igf, is now in the Pitti gallery at Florence. An excellent example of his work may be studied in the collection of the Na- tional Galler}', London (No. 288), The Virgin adoring the Infant Christ. In the New York Historical Society there'is a painting of his. The Adoration of the Infant Jesus, and in Yale College there is one on The Baptism of Christ. Perugino's reputation was high, when the introduction of the cinquecento style, l)y Leonardo and Michael Angelo, tended to throw into the shade the art of the earlier masters. Disputes ran high between the leaders of the old and new stjdes, and Michael Angelo is said to have spoken contemptuously of Perugino's powers. This, of course, has biassed Yasari's opinion in his estimate of the opponent of his idol, but Peru- gino's reputation is nevertheless great, and his works are much esteemed. Eaffaelle was about twelve years of age when he was entered as a pupil with Pe- rugino, who was then (1495) engaged on the frescos in the Sala del Gambia (the Exchange) at Perugia. Pe- rugino died at Castello di Fontignano, near Perugia, in 1524. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine Arts, s. v. ; Loud. Rev. 1854, pt. ii, 256.
Pervinatele, a goddess among the ancient Lithu- anians, who was at once the mother and wife of Perun.
Peruvian Architecture. Although the build- ings of Peru were erected probably about the 12th century A.D., they possess an extraordinary likeness to those of the Pelasgi in Europe. Tliis resemblance in st}'le must be accidental, arising probably from the circumstance that both nations nsed bronze tools, and were unacquainted with iron. The Peruvian walls are built with large polygonal blocks of stone, exactly like what we call "cyclopean masonry." The jambs of the doorwaj's slope inwards, like those of Etruscan tombs, and have similar lintels. The walls of Cuzco are good examples of this stjde. It is further remark- able that these walls are built with re-entering angles, like the fortifications which were adopted in Europe only after the invention of gunpowder. See Peru.
Peruzzi, Baldassaiie, an eminent Italian painter and architect, was born at Accajano, near Siena, Tus- cany, Jan. 15, 1480. He was the child of poor parents, l)ut by dint of persevering effort he succeeded in ob- taining a knowledge of painting from some unknown master in his native city, and afterwards pursued his studies in Eome. While there he formed an intimacy with Raflfaelle, for whom he had the most ardent admi- ration. He attained great eminence at Rome, and re- ceived patronage from many of the nobility, and also from pope Alexander VI. In perspective and archi- tecture— on which subject he left several MSS. — he especially distinguished himself; and was even pre- ferred to Bramante, under whom he is said to have studied. Indeed, his work in this branch of art was so skilfully done, and so closelj' imitated bass-reliefs and real architecture, that the most perfect illusions were produced ; and it is said that his perspectives in the arches of the ceiling at the Farnese palace, repre- senting the History nf Perseus and other mythological subjects embellished with bass-reliefs, were so admi- rably executed that Titian himself was deceived by them, and was only convinced of his error by observing the works from other points of view. He was emploj'ed in designing and ornamenting numerous churches, pal- aces, and chapels, all of which were masterpieces, the Palazzo Massimo being considered one of the most original and tasteful edifices in Rome. He was archi- YII.— R K R
tect of St. Peter's, at Rome, being employed for that work by pope Leo X, with a salary of two hun- dred and fifty crowns per annum. His frescos were marvels of beauty, and evinced remarkable talent. He also achieved great excellence in grotesques, a style of painting which affords unlimited scope for the play of the imagination. With the abilitj' to compre- hend its principles, he combined rare judgment and good taste, exhibiting surprising skill in the arrange- ment and adaptation of figures as devices emblematic of stories which they surrounded. It is said too that he engraved on wood, and that he wrote a treatise on the Antiquities of Rome, and a Commentary on Vitruvius, which he purposed to illustrate with wood-engravings. His oil-paintings are rare, but among those mentioned are tlie Adoration of the Magi, in the National Gallery at London ; Charity, in the Museum at Berlin ; and a piece containing half-length figures of the Virgin, St. John, and St. Jerome. Critics are unanimous in com- mendation of his grandeur of conception, purity of de- sign, and nobleness of execution ; and Lanzi saj's of him, " If other artists surpassed him in the vastness of their works, they never did in excellence." He alwaj's remained poor, being too modest to push his way among rivals ; and, though patronized by the nobilit}', he re- ceived a merely nominal compensation for his best works. Pursued during his life by misfortune, he died — poisoned by a rival- — in the prime of his manhood, in 1536. Artists of every class assisted at his obse- quies, and he was buried in the Pantheon by the side of Raffaelle. The greatness of his talent was recog- nized after his death ; and posterity pays its just trib- ute to his wonderful genius. Among his other works were The Judgment of Paris ; The Sibyl announcing to A ugustus the Birth of Christ ; and several pieces repre- senting Bible history, among which were three events in the history of Jonah. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Ge- nerate, xxxix, 675 ; Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine Arts,u,67'J.