_Marco Palmezzano_ (Umbrian: 1456-1537).
This painter was a fellow-countryman and pupil of Melozzo of
Forli, who studied under Piero della Francesca, and to that
extent Marco is a member of the Umbrian School. Like his
master, Marco studied geometry and perspective. He was skilful
in perspective, "but he scarcely ever ridded himself of a
certain dryness and hardness, and his draperies are in general
angular in the folds, cutting up instead of indicating the
forms beneath" (Burton). His pictures abound in Forli.
This picture, originally of a semicircular shape, was the lunette of
an altar-piece, painted in 1506 for the Cathedral of Forli, and now in
the Gallery of that town. To the spectator's right is San Mercuriale,
first bishop of Forli, holding the Guelphic banner of the church; on
the left, San Valeriano with the standard of Forli.