Giorgio Vasari

“ There is now living in Rome, and certainly a very able artist in his vocation, the painter Girolamo Sicciolante of Sermoneta, of whom, although we have already named him in the Life of Perino del Vaga, whose disciple he was, [1] and whom he assisted greatly in his works at the Castel Sant’ Angelo and elsewhere, it will yet be well to say here also what his merits so amply deserve. Among the first works of Girolamo was a picture twelve palms high, which he painted in oil at the age of twenty, and which is now in the Abbey of San Stefano near Sermoneta, his native place. ”

“ From the designs and after the works of Michelagnolo, this Marcello has also made numerous little pictures, among which is the whole of the Last Judgment, which he has executed extremely well. Nay, of a truth, for small things it could not be easy to find better pictures; wherefore, that most kindly gentleman, Messer Tommaso de’ Cavalieri, who has always favoured Marcello, employed him to paint for the Church of San Giovanni Laterano an Annunciation, after the design of Michelagnolo, which is a very beautiful thing. ”

“ In the Hall of the Kings moreover, and during the Pontificate of Pius IV., Girolamo painted a Story in fresco over the door of the Sistine chapel, as we have said: this represents Pepin, King of the Franks, presenting Ravenna to the Roman Church, while he leads Astolfo king of the Lombards into captivity; of this we have the design in our book, with many others by the same hand. Finally, he has now in process of execution the chapel of Cardinal Cesis in Santa Maria Maggiore, where he has already completed a large picture of the Martyrdom of St. Catherine, who is seen amidst the wheels ”