In executing them in colour, he made some
improvements, especially in the head and hand of S. Peter, but he did
not remain long enough in Rome to finish them. "The colour of the first
(S. Peter) is reddish and rather opaque, the shadows of the head being
taken up afresh, and the extremities being by another painter. The head
of the second (S. Paul) is corrected ... but the tone is transparent,
and the execution exclusively that of Fra Bartolommeo. Whoever may have
been employed on the S. Peter, we do not fancy Raphael to have been
that person." This is the opinion of Crowe and Cavalcaselle, [Footnote:
_History of Painting_, vol. iii. chap. xiii. p. 460.] who,
however, seem to have little faith in any works of the Frate at Rome.
Against this we have the chronicles of quaint old Vasari and Rosini;
besides Baldinucci (ch. iv. p. 83), who says, "Raphael gave great
testimony of his esteem when, in after years, he employed his own brush
in Rome to finish a work begun by Fra Bartolommeo in that city and left
imperfect."
His reason for leaving it imperfect was that of ill-health, the air of
Rome not agreeing with him.
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