Art which were of exceeding Advantage to Posterity His particular Talent lay in hidden Graces and in a certain taking pleasingness which resulted from the Whole valuing himself particularly upon knowing when to give over working upon a Picture Protogenes was his Contemporary and chief Concurrent in the Art he liv'd in the Island of Rhodes and the Fame of his Works was such that it drew Apelles from Home to go and see the Author of them Their first Interview was Remarkable and past in this manner Apelles being Landed at Rhodes went straight to Protogenes his Shop or Painting-Room where finding none but an Old Woman and a Board newly Prim'd and Prepared for Painting he without saying any thing drew a Line of Admirable Fineness of one Colour and so went his way Protogenes being come Home the Old Woman shewed him the Line which he guess'd to be Apelles his Work and taking his Pencil drew another over that finer than Apelles's and of another Colour telling the Old Woman that if the Man came back that drew the first Line she should tell him that he that drew the second was the Man he look'd for In a little time Apelles came and seeing what Protogenes had done took the Pencil again and with a Stroke of a third Colour divided those two Lines so Subtlely that they were perfectly distinguishable and so went his way Protogenes coming Home a little after and seeing what he had done confess'd himself Vanquish't and presently ran to find out Apelles whom he brought to his own House This very Piece with these three Lines and nothing else in it was afterwards carried to Rome and long Preserved among the Rarities of the Imperial Pallace Friend This was a true Meeting of two great Artists where Skill and Ingeniousness were equally Eminent and not Envy and Ill Manners as our Artists show one another Traveller They were both of them well Bred and us'd to the Company of Persons of the best Quality Apelles particularly had his House always full of them Alexander the Great going often to see him Work and not disdaining to enter into Discourse with him This Great Prince was so fond of his Works and so perswaded of their Immortality that he Publish't an Edict forbidding any other Painter to attempt the Drawing of his Picture as being desirous that the Idea of his Person should be transmitted to Posterity by the most Skilful Hand of his Age How much he lov'd Apelles may be guess'd by the Nobleness of the Present he made him for having by Alexander's Command drawn the Naked Picture of Campaspe one of the most Beautiful Women of her Time and Mistriss to that Great Prince could not defend his Heart against such Charms but fell desperately in Love with her which Alexander perceiving very Generously presented him with the Lady thinking a Picture of his Hand to be a sufficient Exchange for so great a Beauty And 't is to be presumed that Apelles himself was of no ordinary Merit since the Lady went willingly to his Bed and liv'd with him all his Life in great Felicity 'T is thought that a famous Piece of his call'd the Venus Dionaea was the Picture of that Lady Friend I observe great Painters have generally either Handsome Wives or Beautiful Mistrisses and they are for the most part extreamly sensible to Beauty Travellour How can they be otherwise being such Judges as they are of Feature and Proportion and having besides so strong an Imagination as they must have to excell in their Art And Apelles did so strongly take the Idea of those he Painted that Physonomists and Fortune-Tellers have often Practised their Art upon his Pictures with Success foretelling what should befall the Persons for whom they were made and to add to the Excellency of his Art he had a Varnish the Secret of which dyed with him by which he not only made his Colours appear more lively but also preserv'd his Pieces from all Injuries of Time Friend What were his most Famous Works Traveller 'T is hard to say but if we may Judge by the Judgment of Augustus Caesar we must give the Prize to that Famous Venus coming out of the Sea which he Consecrated in the Temple of his Father Julius and which from her Action was call'd by the Greeks Anadiomene and was extreamly Celebrated by their Poets a part of it being spoil'd by Time there was no Painter found that would offer to mend it so great was the Skill of Apelles and the Veneration that all Artists had for his Works Friend Was there many of them preserved to the Time of the Romans Traveller A great many and for ought we know might have lasted to our days if they could have escaped the Barbarity of those Nations that Ruined the Roman Empire for there were at Rome of his doing Castor and Pollux and the Picture of Alexander Triumphing with the Image of War tyed by the Hands to his Chariot and these were Consecrated in the Forum of Augustus He had made many Pictures of Alexander and other Great Men which were all preserved and valued at a vast Rate by the Greeks and Romans Friend Was there any thing left of Protogenes's doing Traveller Very little except at Athens where he painted the Propyleum or Antiporch of the Temple of Minerva but his most famous Piece was his Jalyssus which was Consecrated in the Temple of Peace in Rome 't is said he spent Seven Years about it and Coloured it over four times that it might the better resist the Injuries of Time Friend What was Represented in this Picture Traveller There has been great Dispute about that in Antiquity and since some being of Opinion that therein was Represented the City of Jalyssus with its Territory belonging to the Rhodians But that seems improbable because that Cicero always compares the Jalyssus of Protogenes with the Venus of Apelles which would be very improper if it were only a Town 't is therefore more probable that it was the Picture of the Hero Jalyssus Founder of the Town and who was said to be Son to Apollo Whatsoever it was the Piece was so Admired that it Sav'd the City of Rhodes when it was Besieg'd by Demetrius who could have Carried it if he would have Fired a part of the Town where this Picture was but be chose rather to Raise the Siege than to destroy so fine a thing Some say that Protogenes was yet alive and working in his Countrey-House in the Suburbs of Rhodes which were all Possest by the Army of Demetrius who hearing that he work'd on quietly sent to him to know the reason of so much Security amidst so much Danger Protogenes made Answer That he knew his War was with the Rhodians and not with the Arts Which Answer so pleased Demetrius that he gave him a Guard and went often during the Siege to see him work And thus you see Art can protect its own Sons in the midst of the greatest Dangers Friend I think
Art he undertook to Carve in Marble the Battle of Hercules with the Centaurs which he did so rarely that to those who shall consider it now it will appear rather the Work of an intelligent well practised Master than of a Young Student as he was then There is likewise a Nostra Donna of Basso Relievo in Marble done by him much about the same time with a design to imitate the Manner of Donatello which he has done to a Miracle and this is the only Piece of Basso Relievo that ever he did and is therefore preserved with great Care in the Pallace of Medicis Lorenzo being dead and his Son Peter carrying himself Insolently in the Government great Revolutions followed and the Family of Medicis was quite driven out of Florence which Michael Angelo foreseeing and being afraid least his Dependance on that Family might be of fatal Consequence to him had withdrawn himself some Weeks before to Bologna and thence to Venice where finding no Work he returned to Bologna in order to approach Florence but having forgot to take a Pass at his coming in he was seized going out and Fin'd more Money than he was then worth not being able to pay it just as he was going to Prison one Signior Giovan Francesco Aldrovandi took pity of him payed the Money and carried him home to his own house where he staid a whole Twelve-Month with him during his stay he did but one piece of Work which was to add to an old piece of Sculpture in MARBLE of the Sculpture of St. Dominick there being an Angel holding a Candlestick wanting and another Figure of about a Yard long both which he supplyed so well that they are the two best Figures in the whole Work though it was done by Giovan Pisano and Nicolo de Larta Sculptors of great Fame After this he returned to Florence and there made for Pier Francesco of Medicis a Saint John and a little after for Baltaser del Milanese a Cupid sleeping which being showed to Pier Francesco he told Baltasar that it might pass for Autique if it were buried under Ground a while and made to look old Baltasar took the hint and carryed it to Rome where he buryed it in a Vigna having first broke the Arm of it and so after some time had it dug up and sold it for Antique to the Cardinal San Giorgio for two hundred Crowns sending Michael Angelo only thirty for his pains Others relate the thing otherwise but all agree it was taken for Antique and fell at last into the hands of Duke Valentino and he gave it the Marchioness of Montsua where it still remains The Reputation that Michael Angelo got by it was so great that he was sent for to Rome and placed in the Family of Cardinal San Giorgio where nevertheless he was a whole Year without Imployment the Cardinal understanding but little of either Painting or Sculpture but a Roman Gentleman called Jacopo Galli understood his Merit better and got him to make him a Cupid of Marble and by it a Figure of a Bacchus who holds a Cup in his Right Hand and in his Left a Tyger's Skin and a Bunch of Grapes which a Young Satyr trys to eat some of in which Figures Michael Angelo made as it were a mixture of the Beauty of both Sexes having given it the Cleanness of Limbs and Strength of the Men and withal the roundness and fleshiness of the Women which gave him the Bell above all Modern Artists of Rome and elsewhere His fame increasing every day with his Skill the Cardinal of Rouen who was then Chief Minister of France desiring to leave something at Rome that should preserve his Memory there bespoke Michael Angelo to make him a Picta as it is called in Italian that is our Lady with our Saviour's Dead Body in her Lap he did it with so much Care and finished it with such admirable Diligence that 't is impossible to see any thing better in Marble particularly the Dead Body of our Saviour is so exquisitely formed with all the Muscles Veins and Nerves and yet made so truly dead that no Art in the World can go beyond it some blame him for having made the Virgin 's Face too Young but they do not consider that Virgins unspotted preserve their Freshness a great vvhile the Drapery is the noblest and loosest in the World vvhich is one of the hardest things in Sculpture In Summ he showed so much Art in this Piece that contrary to his Custom he put his Name to it some say he was provoked so to do by some Lombard Artists who being come to look upon it one of them asked the other whose Work it was and the other made answer that it was done by Il Gobbo a great Sculptor then living at Milan which Michael Angelo over-hearing Carv'd his Name in a Girdle that goes about the Madonna 's Breast About this time his Friends at Florence invited him back to undertake an odd piece of Work which was thus a piece of Marble of about nine Yards high had been given to one Simon da Fiesola who had begun a Gyant in it but with such ill Success that those that were to pay for it had layed it by as a thing spoiled but it being a fine piece of Marble the Gonfaloniero Soderini had proposed to Lionardo da Vinci and to Andrea Sansovini an excellent Sculptor to do something with it Andrea was willing but said they could not make a Figure out of it without adding some pieces which Michael Angelo hearing undertook to do it without putting any piece to it whereupon it was delivered to him He therefore began and made a Model of Wax and fram'd the Statue of David with a Sling in his hand and then having enclosed a place with Boards he fell to work upon the Marble and would not suffer any Body to see what he did he had much ado to make it serve for his design the first Sculptor having spoiled it so that he was forc'd to leave in the Extremities of his Figure some strokes of the former Chizzel which nevertheless did not any ways deform it after much Labour having miraculously Created a new thing out of an old deformed Carcase there was much Contention among the Ingeneers of the City how to transport it to the place where it was to be set up but at last Giulian of St. Gallo and his Brother Antonio were the Contrivers of a Machine in which it was carried suspended by Cables and then raised by degrees with Leavers to the place it was to stand in as soon as it was uncovered all the Town flocked to see it and to say truth it not only surpasses all Modern Statues but may come in competition with the Antient Greek and Roman ones for as to exactness of Measure Beauty of Shape and Proportion and dilicate Centers of the Legs with a cleanness of all the Limbs nothing can out-do it the Aptitude of its Posture and the
supposing a great Knowledg of the Muscles and Bones of the Humane Body and a great Skill in Designing Michael Angelo amongst the Modern Painters is the greatest Master in that kind Friend When a Painter has acquired any Excellency in Desinging readily and strongly What has he to do next Traveller That is not half his Work for then he must begin to mannage his Colours it being particularly by them that he is to express the greatness of his Art 'T is they that give as it were Life and Soul to all that he does without them his Lines will be but Lines that are flat and without a Body but the addition of Colours makes that appear round and as it were out of the Picture which else would be plain and dull 'T is they that must deceive the Eye to the degree to make Flesh appear warm and soft and to give an Air of Life so as his Picture may seem almost to Breath and Move Friend Did ever any Painter arrive to that Perfection you mention Traveller Yes several both of the Antient and Modern Painters Zeuxis Painted Grapes so that the Birds flew at them to eat them Apelles drew Horses to such a likeness that upon setting them before live Horses the Live ones Neighed and began to kick at them as being of their own kind And amongst the Modern Painters Hannibal Carache relates of himself That going to see Bassano at Venice he went to take a Book off a Shelf and found it to be the Picture of one so lively done that he who was a Great Painter was deceived by it The Flesh of Raphael's Picture is so Natural that it seems to be Alive And so do Titians Pictures who was the Greatest Master for Colouring that ever was having attained to imitate Humane Bodies in all the softness of Flesh and beauty of Skin and Complexion Friend Wherein particularly lies the Art of Colouring Traveller Beside the Mixture of Colours such as may answer the Painter's Aim it lies in a certain Contention as I may call it between the Light and the Shades which by the means of Colours are brought to Unite with each other and so to give that Roundness to the Figures which the Italians call Relievo and for which we have no other Name In this if the Shadows are too strong the Piece is harsh and hard if too weak and there be too much Light 't is flat I for my part should like a Colouring rather something Brown but clear than a bright gay one But particularly I think that those fine Coral Lips and Cherry Cheeks are to be Banished as being far from Flesh and Blood 'T is true the Skins or Complexions must vary according to the Age and Sex of the Person An Old Woman requiring another Colouring than a fresh Young one But the Painter must particularly take Care that there be nothing harsh to offend the Eye as that neither the Contours or Out-Lines be too strongly Terminated nor the Shadows too hard nor such Colours placed by one another as do not agree Friend Is there any Rule for that Traveller Some Observations there are as those Figures which are placed on the foremost Ground or next the Eye ought to have the greatest Strength both in their Lights and Shadows and Cloathed with a lively Drapery Observing that as they lessen by distance and are behind to give both the Flesh and the Drapery more faint and obscure Colouring And this is called an Union in Painting which makes up an Harmony to the Eye and causes the Whole to appear one and not two or three Pictures Friend Then you think the chiefest difficulty of Colouring consists in the Imitation of Humane Flesh and giving the Tints or Complexions to each Age. Traveller There is a thing which the Italians call Morbidezza The meaning of which word is to Express the Softness and tender Liveliness of Flesh and Blood so as the Eye may almost invite the Hand to touch and feel it as if it were Alive and this is the hardest thing to Compass in the whole Art of Painting And 't is in this particular that Titian Corregio and amongst the more Modern Rubens and Vandike do Excel Friend I have heard that in some Pictures of Raphael the very Gloss of Damask and the Softness of Velvet with the Lustre of Gold are so Expressed that you would take them to be Real and not Painted Is not that as hard to do as to imitate Flesh Traveller No Because those things are but the still Life whereas there is a Spirit in Flesh and Blood which is hard to Represent But a good Painter must know how to do those Things you mention and many more As for Example He must know how to Imitate the Darkness of Night the Brightness of Day the Shining and Glittering of Armour the Greenness of Trees the Dryness of Rocks In a word All Fruits Flowers Animals Buildings so as that they all appear Natural and Pleasing to the Eye And he must not think as some do that the force of Colouring consists in imploying of fine Colours as fine lacks Ultra Marine Greens c. For these indeed are fine before they are wrought but the Painter's Skill is to work them judiciously and with convenience to his Subject Friend I have heard Painters blamed for Finishing their Pieces too much How can that be Traveller Very well For an over Diligence in that kind may come to make the Picture look too like a Picture and loose the freedom of Nature And it was in this that Protogenes who was it may be Superiour to Apelles in every part of Painting besides was nevertheless Outdone by him because Protogenes could hardly ever give over Finishing a Piece Whereas Apelles knew when he had wrought so much as would answer the Eye of the Spectator and preserve the Natural This the Italians call Working A la pittoresk that is Boldly and according to the first Incitation of a Painters Genius But this requires a strong Judgment or else it will appear to the Judicious meer Dawbing Friend I hear you Travellers talk of Painting in Fresco in Distemper in Oyl in Chiaro Scuro pray What is the meaning of all those Words Traveller You must know that the Italians have a Way of Painting their Pallaces both within and without upon the bear Walls and before Oyl Painting came up most Masters wrought that Way and it is the most Masterly of all the ways of Painting because it is done upon a Wall newly Plaistered and you must Plaister no more than what you can do in a Day the Colours being to Incorporate with the Mortar and dry with it and it cannot be Touched over again as all other Ways of Painting may This is that they call Painting in Fresco. Friend This must require a very Dexterous and quick Hand Traveller Yes and a good Judgment too for the Colours will show otherwise when they are Dry than they did when they were Wet Therefore
where he painted in Sancta Francisco some Stories in Fresco for the Signori di Polenta and from thence he went to Vrbino Arezzo in both which places he wrought divers Things and so Returned to Florence In the Year 1322. he was again Invited abroad by Castruccio Castrucani Lord of Luca where in the Church of Saint Martin he painted a Christ in the Air and with him the four Protectors of that City Saint Peter Saint Regolo Saint Martin and Saint Paulin who seem to recommend to our Saviour a Pope and an Emperour which 't is thought were Frederick of Bavaria and Nicolas the 5th Antipope At the same time 't is thought that Ghiotto gave the Design of the Castle of Saint Fridiano in the City of Luca which is a most Impregnable Fortress it is otherwise called the Fortress Della Giusta After this Robert King of Naples writ to his Son the King of Calabria who was then at Florence that he should by all means send him Ghiotto to Naples because that having just then made an end of Building the Royal Nunnery of Sancta Chiara he desired the Church might be adorned with Pictures of Ghiotto's Hand He obeyed with joy the Summons of so great a Prince and painted divers of the Chappels with Stories of the Old Testament and some of the New particularly those out of the Revelations are thought to be the Invention of the Poet Dante as also those very well Invented Stories of the Church of Assisa they having been Intimate Friends And though 't is true Dante died the Year before yet 't is possible that they might have Talked together of those Stories of the Apocalyps But to return to Naples Ghiotto painted in the Castello del Novo many Things and chiefly the Chappel where he so pleased the King that very often he used to go and sit by him when he was at Work for Ghiotto was as pleasant in his Conversation and as ready in his Wit as with his Pencil One day it being very hot the King said to him If I were as you Ghiotto I would leave off Working this hot Weather And so would I Sir said Ghiotto if I were as you Another time the King desired him to paint the people of his Kingdome Emblematically he drew an Ass with an old pack Saddle upon his Back and another new one before him to which he was smelling as liking it very well and upon both the Saddles the Crown and Scepter The King having desired him to Explain what that Picture meant he said It was the Condition of his people who were alway desirous of Novelty and ready to change their old Master for any new one He painted likewise for the King a Hall which was afterwards ruined by King Alphonso in which were the Pictures of most of the great Men of that Age and amongst the rest his own In his Return from Naples to Rome he stoped at Gaeta and painted in the Annuntiata some Stories of the New Testament which are now much spoil'd by Time but yet not so but that Ghiotto's own Picture is very distinguishable being near a very fine Crucifix of his doing Having staid some time at Rome he was prevailed with by Signor Malatesta who was then Lord of Rimini to go with him to Rimini where in the Church of Saint Francis he Drew many Stories all which were lost when the Church was new Built by Sigismond Malatesta but in the Cloister there remains yet the Story of Beata Michellina which for many Reasons is one of the best Things that Ghiotto ever did for besides the Liveliness of the Heads which are all Miraculous and the strength and force of the Drapery which is Incomparable There is a young Woman as Beautiful as 't is possible for a Woman to be who to free her self from the Calumny of Adultery Swears upon a Book with a stupendious Aptitude having her Eyes fixed upon her Husband who put her to her Oath because of a Black Child she was brought to Bed of which he could not believe was his and as the Husband shows Distrust and Anger in his Countenance so does the Innocent Lady show Truth and Simplicity in hers with so much Piety in her Looks as was enough to convince all the Slanders by that she was no Adulteress The shortnings likewise that are in another piece of this Story where there are a great number of poor People are very Commendable and much to be valued by all Artists since it is from them that we have the first Principles and Manner of doing them though they are not in that perfection which they have since attained to But above all the other Things that are in this Work is the Aptitude of the Saint her self while she receives from the Usurers she had sold her Land too the Money which she orders immediately to be disbursed to the poor for in her there appears so much scorn ad unconcernment for Riches that the very sight of them seems to offend her while on the other hand the very picture of Covetousness seems to be Represented in a Figure of one who looking towards a Notary to make him sign the Writings has at the same time both his Hands upon the Money expressing both his Greediness and Distrust And in the three Figures that hold the Habit of Saint Francis in the Air there is much to be commended particularly in the Drapery the Foldings of which are so easie and natural that it must be confessed that Ghiotto was Born to bring Light to the Art in all its parts He drew in a Ship which makes a piece of this Work Signor Malatesta most wonderfully strong and lively with many other Figures of Seamen all in proper Aptitudes and there is a Figure particularly remarkable in its action for seeming to Talk with others he puts one Hand to his Face to spit into the Sea and not offend those he Talks with and indeed this is altogether one of the best Things done by Ghiotto who accordingly received both great Rewards and infinite Commendations from Signor Malatesta Being Returned to Florence with great Riches he wrought a Crucifix in a field of Gold in Sancto Marco and another of the same nature in Sancta Maria Novella in which last Paccio Campana his Servant wrought with him After this in the Year 1327. Guido Tarlati da Pieta Mala Bishop of Arezzo being Dead his Relations having a mind to Erect a sumpteous Monument for him as for one who in his time had been the Head of the Gibeline Faction in Tuscany They writ to Ghiotto to make them the most Magnificent Design that he could and at the same time desired him to provide them a Sculpture of his own chusing of the best that were then in Italy Ghiotto made the Design and sent it them very courteously and the Monument was Finished by it afterwards The number of his Works is so great that it is very hard to Enumerate them all but we cannot
or the other Tools belonging to it Which being observed by John Barile a Florentine Painter but an Ordinary one he took the Child home with him to Teach him the Art of Painting It is wonderful with what Application and Pleasure Andrea followed his Designing though under so mean a Master particularly in managing of his Colours which he did with so much Art that all the Painters of the Town were Surprised at it Having stay'd Three Years with John Barile he seeing how great an Artist Andrea was like to prove talked of him with Pietro di Cosimo who at that time was reputed one of the best Painters that Florence had Pietro took Andrea to be his Prentice and he had not had him long but he conceived a great Kindness for him seeing him so Ardent and Industrious to advance his Skill For Andrea spent all his Hours of Leasure and the Holy-days which other young Men gave to their Recreation in Designing in the Great Hall called La Sala del Papa where were the Cartoons of Michel Angelo and Leonardo da Vinci and did Out-do all the other young Men both Florentines and Strangers who were used to come to the same place Amongst all those who in great Numbers used to frequent that Hall Andrea made a particular Friendship with Francis Bigia called Jl. Francia and Andrea being weary of Living with his Master who was grown very Old told Francia that he had a mind to take a Chamber to himself Francia who had the same Design because his Master Mariotto Albertinelli had given over the Trade Concurred with him and they took a Room in the Piazza del Grano dividing equally the Profit of what they undertook and each putting his Hand to the Work while they stayed there Andrea painted in the Cloister of Saint John Baptist Twelve Stories of the Life of Saint John which he acquired so much Reputation and Fame by that now beginning to be better known he and his Friend took a new Lodging by the Convent of the Anuntiata While they were there an Old Fryar of the House hearing of Andrea's Commendations which were in every Bodies Mouth he considered how to have his Ends of him without any great Charge and by this time Jl. Francia and he being of Friends become Rivals in their Profession The Monk told Andrea that he had now an Opportunity to make himself known to the World and gaining such Esteem as he needed never after to want Work that his friend Francia had offered to do the thing but that he had so much kindness for him that he should have the preference and that he counselled him not to stand upon any Price for the Honour he would acquire in so great a Work would be Reward enough Andrea who was but poor Spirited and Simple hearing that Francia was mentioned for the Work presently closed with the Fryar and agreed with him for Ten Crowns a Story provided no Body else should be concerned in the Work In a little time he finished Three Stories of the Life of Saint Philip the Founder of the Order of the Servites and in one of them he Drew some Gamesters under a Tree Who being reproved by Saint Philip for Swearing and Blaspheming did but Laugh at his Admonitions when on a sudden a Thunder-clap Killed two of them and frighted the others In this piece Andrea showed what Variety of Invention he was capable of for besides the frighted postures of the Gamesters he drew a Woman who running out of her House at the Noise of the Thunder appears so out of her self that nothing can be more Natural And he also feigned a Horse broke loose at the same Noise who Leaping and Bounding in an extraordinary manner expresses the disorder of the Whole with much Strength Having finished one side of the Cloister and finding the Work too Laborious for the price he desired to be released of his Bargain which the Fryar was loath to do but at last did consent provided Andrea painted two Stories more at his Conveniency and he would allow him something a better Rate The Reputation he acquired by these Stories presently brought him as much Work as he could desire And he made many Stories and Pictures of all kinds both for publick and for private Persons which it would be too long to Enumerate here The profit and advantage he made by them would have made him Live very plentifully had he not changed his Condition by falling in Love with a young Woman who was then Married to another but whose Husband dying soon after she became Andrea's Wife From that time forward he was very uneasie both in his Fortune and Humour for besides the Encumbrance of a Married Life he was often disturbed with Jealousie and his Wifes ill Humours but to return to his Works The Company of the Scalzo for whom he had made his first Work of the Story of Saint John Baptist being desirous to have him finish the whole Life engaged him a new He therefore made them two Stories more of the same Subject In the first Saint John is Preaching to the Multitude and shows in the Burnt hew of his person the Austerity of his Life but particularly the Air of his Countenance is full of Spirit and Zeal the Variety of the Auditorys attention is no less well Expressed by the astonishment at his Doctrine But he showed much more Skill in the second Story where Saint John is Baptizing a great Multitude of People some whereof are putting off their Clothes others Naked in the Water and all showing in their Aptitudes a marvellous desire of being cleansed from their Sins every Figure being most perfectly mannaged so that though it be in Chiaro Scuro they seem to be of Marble 'T is not to be omitted that while Andrea was about this piece there came some prints of Albert Durer out of which Andrea took some Figures and fitted them for his manner which though it is often done by good Masters yet some took occasion to think that Andrea was wanting in the point of Invention He made likewise for a Merchant a Friend of his who often Traded into France with Pictures one of our Saviour Dead and some Angels about him in sad compassionate Postures and this piece did so generally please every Body that Andrea was prevailed upon to have it Cut and Printed at Rome by Agostino Vinctiano a good Graver But the thing having miscarried in his Hands so as to lose much of its Beauty he could never be persuaded afterwards to suffer any of his Pictures to be Graved The Original its self was Sold to the King of France who was so pleased with it that he Bespoke many things besides of his Doing which with the persuasion of some Friends made Andrea resolve to go for France The King Francis the First having taken Order for his Journey and advanced Money to him at Florence He was no sooner arrived at Court but he Experienced that Princes Liberality before ever he
began to Work The first Picture he made was of the Dophin who was then in Swadling Clothes being not above two Months Old the King liked it so well that he presented him Three Hundred Crowns in Gold Next he made the Picture of Charity which was by that Prince so Valued that he Ordered a pension for Andrea promising him any thing provided he would stay at Court being much taken with the Quickness of his Work and the Easiness of his Humour He went on therefore doing many pieces for the King and Court When one day as he was Working upon a St. Jerom for the Queen Mother he received Letters from his Wife from Florence which made him resolve upon his Return thither pretending some Domestick Affairs and promising the King not only to come back but also to bring his Wife with him and a choice Collection of Pictures and Sculptures The King trusting him gave him Money for all those things and Andrea took his Oath upon the Bible to Return in a few Months Being arrived at Florence he enjoyed his fine Wife and his Friends and for several Months gave himself up wholly to pleasure At last having spent his own Money and the Kings too he was nevertheless resolved to go back for France but the Entreaties and Tears of his Wife had more power over him than his Honour or Oath and so he Settled a new in Florence being fallen from a very Flourishing Condition to a very Mean one The King finding himself Deceived grew extream Angry and for many Years would not look upon a Florentine Painter with a good Eye Threatning that if ever Andrea del Sarto fell into his Hands he would use him as his Fault deserved While he was away the Company of the Scalzo had hired to Francia their Cloister and he had Finished in it two Stories But now hearing Andrea was come back they set him to Work again and he painted four Stories more In the first is Saint John taken Prisoner and brought before Herod In the second is the Supper and Dancing of Herodias In the third is the Decolation of Saint John in which the figure of the Hangman half Naked is admirably Designed In the fourth Herodias presents the Head of Saint John Baptist to her Mother and in this there are some Figures in posture of Admiration which are Excellent And these four Stories have been a long time the Study and as I may say the School of the young Painters in Florence both Natives and Strangers In the Year 1523. the Plague being in Florence and near it Andrea by the help of Antonio Brancacci retired to Mugello and there was set to Work by the Nuns of the Order of the Camaldoli in their Church of Saint Peter He had carried his Wife and Children with him and the Nuns made so much of his Wife that Andrea resolved to do his best to Oblige them He therefore painted a Piece of our Saviour Dead and the Virgin Mary Saint John the Evangelist and Mary Magdalen Lamenting about the Dead Body As also Saint Peter and Saint Paul looking on In all which the Aptitudes are strangely well Executed and the whole finished to a Wonderful degree And indeed this Picture has made that Nunnery more Famous than all its other Ornaments though it be a very Magnificent Monastry The Plague being over and Andrea returned to Florence it happened that Frederick the Second Duke of Montova passed through Florence and saw there in the Palace of Medicis the Picture of Pope Leo the Tenth in the middle of Cardinal Gulian Medicis who was then Clement the Seventh and Cardinal Rosti The piece was done by Raphael and an Admirable thing in its kind Whereupon the Duke took his time while he was at Rome and Begged it of Pope Clement the 7th who very graciously granted it to him and sent Order to Octavian of Medicis to deliver it to the Duke's Order Octavian who was a great Lover of all things of Art was much troubled that Florence should lose such a Rarity but however not daring to disobey the Pope's Commands he made Answer that the Duke should have it but desired he would be pleased to give him time to make a New Frame to it the Frame being Old and out of Fashion But he immediately sent for Andrea and telling him how the Case stood said He knew no Remedy but to Copy most diligently that of Raphael and send the Copy to the Duke and that too must be done with all the Secresie imaginable Andrea fell presently to Work and was to Exact and Careful in his Copy that Octavian himself who understood Painting very well could hardly tell one from the other The Painter having Counterfeited some Mould Spots which were in the Original to the greatest Exactness that was possible Having therefore hid the Original the Copy was sent to the Duke who was extreamly satisfied with it and so far from discovering the Cheat that Gulio Romano who was Raphael's Schollar and then Working for the Duke was Deceived as well as himself and would have persisted in that Opinion to his Dying day if some Years after Georgio Vassari who was a Creature of Octavian of Medicis and had seen Andrea del Sarto copy the Picture Going to Mantua and being there courteously Entertained by Giulio had not undeceived him For amongst other Pictures Giulio showing him this as a piece of Raphael's he told him he was mistaken To which Giulio replyed How mistaken As if I did not remember the very Strokes that I my self Wrought in some part of it To which Vasari replied He was still mistaken and to convince him shewed him a little Mark on the Back which was made there on purpose by Andrea because when the two Pictures were together they were apt to be mistaken one for the other Giulio having seen the Mark was Astonished but said at the same time I Value it nevertheless but rather the more it being a much rarer thing to have a Great Painter imitate the manner of another so Exactly than to do great Things of his own About this time Messer Baldo Magni of Prato having a mind to have a good Picture for the Church of the Madonna del Carcere Amongst other Painters who were mentioned to him Andrea was the Man he most inclined too but one Nicolo Soggi Santonino having many Friends Messer Baldo was over persuaded to let him have the Doing of it though he had sent for Andrea Who being arrived this Nicolo was so Impudent as to offer to lay a Wager that he would out-do Andrea in any Subject Andrea provoked beyond Measure though naturally poor Spirited enough Replied That he had a Prentice with him who had not been long a Painter but he would lay of his side against Nicolo scorning to Engage himself in the Contest as being like to reap little Honour by the Victory and so returned to Florence In the mean time one of the Servile Fathers in giving leave to a
I have read somewhere that Protogenes was a great while before his Pictures were understood by his Countrymen insomuch that he was very Poor and his Works Sold for little or nothing Traveller 'T is very true and he was beholding to the Generosity of Apelles for his Fortune for he seeing how little he was valued at Home bought up a good many of his Pieces giving out he intended to sell them again for his own and gave him a great Price for them which the Rhodians hearing intreated him to let them have them which he did but made them pay well for them These four Zeuxis Parrhasius Apelles and Protogenes were the four Famous Painters of Graece which has made me the more particular in speaking of their Works they having carried the Art to the highest pitch it was possible to arrive to Friend Then after their Time it Decayed and grew every day less Famous Traveller It remained in great Perfection for several Centuries these great Masters having made so many good Schollars and left such Admirable Precepts for the Art that it was impossible it could be lost for a great while nay some Improvements were made by Succeeding Masters in the Art of Colouring and making their Pictures of a greater Relievo than those Antient Masters did But it will not be amiss to name you succinctly some of the great Masters that were as it were of the School of these Antients as likewise to mention some of their Works First then Pausias of Sicione was a Schollar of Pamphilus as well as Apelles and seems to have been the first that began to Paint Walls and Ceilings for Apelles never Painted upon a Wall but upon a Board or some portable Matter that his Works might be less subject to Fire and other Injuries of Time There were likewise several good Pieces of this Master preserved at Rome Lucullus gave two Talents for a Piece of his of a Young Woman making a Garland of Flowers and there was likewise in Pompey's Theatre a Piece of his of a Sacrifice of Oxen much esteemed This Town of Sicione Furnished Rome with its greatest Rarities for the Common Town-House being run in Debt Pawned their Pictures which were all or most of them carried to Rome by Scaurus the Edile to Adorn the Magnificent Entertainment he made for the People in the Forum Romanum during his Magistracy Euphranor of Corinth was another Famous Master who lived about the four hundred and tenth Year of the Foundation of Rome he gave a great Majesty to his Figures and was admirable in his Proportions there was a Piece of his in the Temple of Ephesus Representing the Counterfeit Folly of Ulyssus in which he was Yoaking a Horse and an Ox together About the same time was Cyelias whose Fame was such that long after his Death a Piece of his containing the Story of the Argonantes was bought by Hortensius the Famous Roman Orator Contemporary with Cicero and he paid forty four Talents for it which is about eight thousand pound Sterling He built a Chappel on purpose for this Picture in his Villa at Tusculum Out of Euphranor's School came Nicias who painted Women so rarely Rome was full of his Works brought from Graece his most Famous Piece was Homers Hell which he painted with such great Attention that he would often ask his Servants during that Labour whether he had Din'd or no He was offered seventy Talents by King Ptolomeus which is above ten thousand pounds for this Piece but he chose rather to Honour his own Countrey with it and presented it freely to the Town of Corinth It seems he was also an Admirable Statuary for Praniteles being asked which of all his Statues he valued the most made answer those which Nicias finished for him so great a value he had for his Skill and Judgment Not long after there flourished in Athens one Metrodorus a rare Philosopher and most excellent Painter after that Paulus Emilius had Conquered Perseus King of Macedon being in Athens he desired the Athenians to give him some one of their most Learned Men to Breed up his Son and they by one Accord named Metrodorus for that Employment with whom Paulus Emilius was Infinitely Satisfied Friend All this while these are all Greek Masters had the Romans none of their own Traveller Yes and very famous Ones witness that Fabius who was Sirnamed Pictor of one of the greatest Families in Rome he painted the Templum Salutis in Rome they had likewise Paunius who was both Poet and Painter and painted the Temple of Hercules in the Forum Boarium Turpilius a Roman Knight painted many things at Verona and that which was very singular and never practised but by himself was that he painted with his Left Hand Atterius Labeo who had been Pretor was famous for his Works in this kind But to say the truth the Romans being a War-like Nation were most taken up that way and the great Men amongst them contented themselves with being able to Judge of Arts and to incourage them by their Riches which they profusely layed out in Pieces of Painting and Statuary Thus Julius Caesar Consecrated in the Temple of Venus from whom his Family was deriv'd two Pieces one an Ajax another a Medaea both Admirable Figures Augustus did the same and in Imitation of him all the Great Men purchased the Works of the Greek Painters and Statuaries at any Rate insomuch that Graecia and Asia were almost deprived of all the best Originals which were brought to Rome and there preserved till several Accidents of Fire and the Invasion of Rome by the Barbarous Nations consumed them insomuch that now there are but a few Pieces of antient painting left But I hope we need not much regret that loss when we shall reflect upon the Admirable Works of our Modern Painters who have arriv'd to that perfection in the Art which perhaps would astonish those Antient Artists themselves if they could revive and see them Friend Before you undertake to tell me the progress of the Art in these Modern Times pray inform me how long it lay buryed in Oblivion Traveller From the decay of the Roman Empire and the Invasion of the Goths other Barbarous Nations it continued decaying and was in a manner quite lost till within these four hundred Years that it first revived in Tuscany Friend Pray what was the great reason of that Decay Traveller Besides the Barbarity of the Times in which Men were continually imployed in Wars Rapines and Murders the Zeal likewise of Christian Religion did not a little contribute to stifle the Ingenuity of the best Artists for after a long Contest with the Religion of the Gentiles the Christian having prevailed at last the Bishops and Pastours of the Christian Assemblies laboured all they could to extinguish the very Memory of the Heathen Gods and therefore threw down all those wonderful Statues Sculptures Paintings and other Ornaments of their Temples which they did not out of any