_Francesco Morone_ (Veronese: 1473-1529).
Francesco is one of the best masters in the earlier style of
the Veronese School. He was the son of Domenico Morone (1211),
the friend and fellow-worker of Girolamo dai Libri (748) and
the master of Morando (735). His works are rarely to be seen
out of Verona, but the present picture is characteristic. At
Verona, his best work in fresco is to be seen in the decoration
of the sacristry of S. Maria in Organo, described by Vasari.
Among his altar-pieces, one in the same church and another
in S. Bernardino are specially noteworthy. "There is," says
Sir F. Burton, "something peculiarly winning in the type
chosen for the Madonna by this painter. The small, round,
delicately-featured head, slightly thrown back, so that the
eyes are cast down towards the worshipper, conveys a mingled
impression of sweetness and dignity. The finish of his easel
pictures is remarkable; the eye is delighted by the intricate
variegation of costly stuffs, where numerous tints broken
together resemble what nature has wrought on the wings of some
moths and butterflies. Such broken surfaces give additional
value to the masses of whole colour where these more sparingly
appear." "That the artist himself was of a harmless, lovable
nature is evident from his will which we still possess, and
Vasari's judgment is to the same effect when he calls him 'so
good a man, so religious and so orderly that no word which
was not a praiseworthy one was ever known to proceed from his
mouth'" (Richter). Vasari adds that he was "buried in the
church of San Domenico beside his father, and was borne to his
grave clothed as he had desired to be, in the vestments of a
monk of San Francesco."
"A youthful production, in which glowing colour, delicately balanced,
is combined with fine drawing and powerful modelling. Characteristic
are the regular oval of the Madonna's head and the look of simplicity
and charm which breathes in the features" (Dr. Richter in _Art
Journal_, Feb. 1895).