Baldassare, an eminent Italian architect, was the son of Sienese parents, but was born at Volterra in 1481. The early part of his life was devoted to painting. He studied that branch of art at Siena, and then repairing to Rome, fairly commenced his professional career. The able and elegant composition of his pictures soon introduced him to notice. He was employed to paint some frescoes in the church of Sant'Onofrio, in the church of San Rocco-Ripa, and in the fortress of Ostia. But by this time Peruzzi was turning his attention to a species of art better fitted to develop his talents. Having added to his skill in painting a knowledge of architecture, he now began to undertake both the designing and embellishment of edifices. He erected and ornamented many façades and other buildings. The most successful of these was the Farnese Palace, which was so exquisitely constructed that, according to Vasari, it "ought rather to be described as a thing born than as one merely built;" and so successfully adorned that Titian, on visiting it, thought at first that the painted objects were real. In spite of this professional success, the close of Peruzzi's life was shadowed by misfortune. The Spaniards, while sacking Rome in 1527, stript him of all his effects. His subsequent works, and among others his design for the unrivalled Palazzo Massimi, contributed very little to his pecuniary advantage. He died in 1535, leaving his family in indigent circum...