PERUZZI, Baldassare (1481-1536), architect and painter of the Roman school, was born at Ancajano, in the diocese of Volterra, and passed his early life at Siena, where his father resided. While quite young Peruzzi went to Rome, and there studied architecture and painting; in the latter he was at first a follower of Perugino. The choir-frescos in San Onofrio on the Janiculan Hill, usually attributed to Pinturicchio, are by his hand. One of the first works which brought renown to the young architect was the villa on the banks of the Tiber in Rome now known as the Farnesina, originally built for the Sienese Agostino Chigi, a wealthy banker. This villa, like all Peruzzi’s works, is remarkable for its graceful design and the delicacy of its detail. It is best known for the frescos painted there by Raphael and his pupils to illustrate the stories of Psyche and Galatea. One of the loggie has frescos by Peruzzi’s own hand,—the story of Medusa, a work of considerable decorative beauty. On account of his success in this building Peruzzi was appointed by Leo X. in 1520 architect to St Peter’s at a salary of 250 scudi, a handsome sum for that time; his design for its completion was not, however, carried out. During the sack of Rome in 1527 Peruzzi was taken prisoner, and barely escaped with his life, on condition of his painting the portrait of Constable de Bourbon, who had been killed during the siege (see Vasari). From Rome he escaped to his native city Siena, where he was made city architect, and designed fortifications for its defence, a great part of which still exist. Soon afterwards he returned to Rome, where he made designs for a palace for the Orsini family, and built the palaces Massimi and Vidoni, as well as others in the south of Italy. He died in 1536, and was ...