Note 28 — BOOK III.

We find his name written Io. Sanctis in the Nunziata of Sinigaglia; and it appears that he was born of a father called, according to the expression of that age, Santi or Sante; a name in common use in many parts of Italy. In support of the surname of Sanzio, Bottari produces a portrait of Antonio Sanzio, which exists in the Palazzo Albani, representing him holding in his hands a document, with the title of Genealogia Raphaelis Sanctii Urbinatis. Julius Sanctius is there named as the head of the family, familiæ quæ adhuc Urbini illustris extat, ab agris dividendis cognomen imposuit, and was the progenitor of Antonio. From the latter, and through a Sebastiano, and afterwards through a Gio. Batista, descends Giovanni, ex quo ortus est Raphael qui pinxit a. 1519. It is also recorded that Sebastiano had a brother, Galeazzo, egregium pictorem, and the father of three painters, Antonio, Vincenzio, and Giulio, called maximus pictor. Thus in this branch of the Sanzii are enumerated four painters, of whom I do not find any memorial in Urbino. The family also boasts of a Canon in divinity, and a distinguished captain of infantry. The anonymous writer of Comolli confirms this illustrious origin of Raffaello; but it is highly probable, that in that age, when the forgery of genealogies, as Tiraboschi observes, was a common practice, he may have adopted it without any examination. The portrait of Antonio is well executed, but it has been said that it would have been much more so, if Raffaello had painted it a year before his death, according to the inscription. If connoisseurs (who alone ought to decide this point) should be of this opinion, it may be suspected that the person that counterfeited the hand of the artist, might also substitute the writing; or we may at least conclude, that the etymology of Sanzio should be sought for in the word Sanctis, the name of the grandfather of Raffaello, not in sancire, (to divide fields or property). In tom. xxxi. of the Ant. Picene, a will is produced of Ser Simone di Antonio, in 1477, where a Magister Baptista, qu. Peri Sanctis de Peris, who is called Pittor di grido e di eccellenza, leaves his son Tommaso his heir, to whom is substituted a son of Antonio his brother, of the name of Francesco. I may remark, that in this Batista di Pier Sante de' Pieri, we may find the surname of a family different from that of Sanzia. But on this subject I hope we shall shortly be favoured with more certain information by the Sig. Arciprete Lazzari, who has obliged me with many valuable contributions to the present edition of this work.