Giorgio Vasari

“ These various labours secured so great a name for Andrea in his native city, that among the many artists, old and young, who were then painting, he was accounted one of the best that handled pencil and colours. Our artist then found himself to be not only honoured and admired, but also in a condition, notwithstanding the really mean price that he accepted for his labours, which permitted him to render assistance to his family, while he still remained unoppressed for his own part, by those cares and anxieties which beset those who are compelled to live in poverty. ”

“ Our Lady is holding the Divine Child with one arm; and the Infant, in a most exquisite attitude, has his arms round her neck, about which he is twining them most tenderly; with the other hand the Madonna holds a closed book, she is looking down on two nude figures of children, and these, while they support her in her position, serve at the same time as an ornament to the picture. On the right of the Virgin is San Francesco, extremely well painted, the countenance betokening all that simplicity and excellence by which that holy man is known to have been distinguished. ”

“ Elizabeth, an aged woman, painted in a manner so admirable and so natural, that she appears to be alive. Every other part of this painting is in like manner executed with a power and knowledge of art, a beauty of design, and a careful delicacy of finish, which render it a work of indescribable excellence. ”

“ Remaining here therefore in quiet and safety, he set hand to the work, and as those venerable ladies were daily giving increasing proof of kindness and friendliness to his wife, himself, and the whole party, Andrea set himself with infinite devotion to the execution of that picture, wherein he represented the Dead Christ mourned over by Our Lady, San Giovanni Evangelista and Santa Maria Maddalena, all figures so full of life that they appear indeed to be endowed with soul and spirit. ”

“ A horse, having torn himself loose in his flight, betrays the terror he feels at the outcries around him, by rearing aloft, and in all his movements gives evidence of the effect produced by the unexpected disturbance. The whole work, in short, proves the forethought with which Andrea considered all that the various circumstances of such an event as he was depicting required, and gives testimony of a care and diligence which is certainly most commendable, as well as needful to him who would exercise the art of painting. ”

“ Andrea del Sarto more particularly had received from nature so graceful and soft a manner in design, with a mode of colouring so life-like and easy, as well in fresco as in oil, that all were firmly persuaded of the success that must have attended him had he remained in Rome ”

“ We conclude, then, with the opinion, that if Andrea displayed no great elevation of mind in the actions of his life, and contented himself with little, yet, it is not to be denied, that he manifested considerable elevation of genius in his art, or that he gave proof of infinite promptitude and ability in every kind of labour connected therewith; nor will any refuse to admit, that his works form a rich ornament to every place wherein they are found ”

“ In the last years of his life, Andrea lived in much familiarity with some of those who governed in the Brotherhood of San Sebastiano, which has its abode behind the monastery of the Servites; he consequently painted for that Brotherhood a figure of San Sebastiano in half-length, which is so beautiful that it might well have been supposed likely to prove the last stroke of a pencil that he was to make. ”

“ His figures are nevertheless well drawn, they are entirely free from errors, and perfect in all their proportions, and are for the most part simple and chaste: the expression of his heads is natural and graceful in women and children, while in youths and old men it is full of life and animation. The draperies of this master are beautiful to a marvel, and the nude figures are admirably executed, the drawing is simple, the colouring is most exquisite, nay, it is truly divine. ”

“ Attacking Andrea, who was a kind man and of mild manners, on the side of his honour, he accordingly proceeded to affect a great interest in him, and declared himself anxious to assist him, from motives of kindness, in a matter which could not but redound to the glory of the painter and would bring him great profit also, besides making him known in such a manner, that he would never more be poor or wanting in any thing. ”

“ But still more wonderfully was the genius of this master rendered manifest in the picture wherein he represented San Giovanni baptizing [45] a vast concourse of people in the river; some of these figures are divesting themselves of their clothing, others are in the act of receiving the sacred rite; some wait unclothed until the saint shall have finished baptizing those who have gone before them, but in the attitudes of all, the utmost eagerness is apparent, and each one gives evidence of the earnest desire he feels, as he hastens forward to be washed from his sins. ”

“ About this time the illustrious Ottaviano de’ Medici, remarking how greatly Andrea had improved his manner, conceived a wish to possess a picture by his hand; wherefore Andrea, who was very anxious to please that noble, to w'hom he felt under great obligations, and by whom men of distinguished ability were always favoured;—Andrea, I say, moved by these incitements, painted a picture of Our Lady for the illustrious Ottaviano. Seated on the earth, the Madonna is enjoying the sports of the Infant Christ who is riding on her knees, while he turns his head back to a little San Giovanni ”

“ Having finished this work, which is certainly worthy of all praise, Andrea del Sarto painted a picture for the General of Vallombrosa, depicting therein four singularly beautiful figures, San Giovanni Battista namely, San Giovanni Gualberto, founder of the order, San Michele the archangel, and the Cardinal San Bernardo, who was a monk of their order; in the midst of these are certain children, which could not be more life-like nor more beautiful than they are. ”

“ It is the opinion of some persons that Andrea was prevented from settling himself in Rome by the discouragement which the sight of the works executed there, whether in sculpture or painting, and ancient as well as modern, occasioned him, a feeling that was further increased by the numerous disciples of Raifaello [141] and other young artists, whom he perceived to possess great power in design, and saw executing their works with a bold and firm hand which knew neither doubt nor difficulty. ”

“ Having attained the age of seven, he was taken from the reading and writing school, to be placed with a goldsmith, and while thus employed, was always more willing to occupy himself with drawing than with the use of the chisel, or of such tools as are used by the goldsmith to work in silver and gold. Now it chanced that Gian Barile, a Florentine painter, but one of a coarse and plebeian taste, had remarked the good manner which the child displayed in drawing, and took him to himself, making him abandon the art of the goldsmith and causing him to give his attention to that of painting. ”

“ But when the siege was over, and the Medici had returned to Florence, he once more took the picture to Messer Ottaviano, who then received it most gladly, and, thanking Andrea very kindly, paid him double the price of his work. This is now in the apartment of his consort Madonna Francesca, [132] the sister of the illustrions Salviati, by wliom the fine works in painting, left to her by Messer Ottaviano, are preserved and valued as they merit, and who in like manner esteems and seeks to retain as her own, the friends who were those of her husband. ”

“ The feet of the figures are also exceedingly beautiful, as are the draperies; and as regards the latter, it was one of Andrea’s excellencies that their flow was ever rich and ample, while he contrived, by a certain graceful and flexible turn of the forms, to cause the outlines of the nude figure to be discernible through or beneath them. On the left of Our Lady is San Giovanni Evangelista, depicted in a very fine manner as a youth, and in the act of writing the Gospel. ”

“ All the rest are instantly seized with indescribable terror, some raising their hands to their heads, cast themselves in desperation to the earth, others seek safety in flight, with looks full of horror. ”

“ For the merchant Giovanni di Paolo, this master painted another picture of the Madonna, which pleases all who behold it exceedingly, and is indeed a truly beautiful production: [37] for Andrea Santini, he likewise painted a picture representing Our Lady, Jesus Christ, St. John, and St. Joseph, all executed with so much care, that in Florence they have ever been esteemed as works of the highest merit. ”

“ In those days, the elder Bartolommeo Panciatichi carried on a large extent of traffic in France, and being desirous of leaving a memorial of himself in the French city of Lyons, he gave a commission to Baccio d’ Agnolo, to the intent that he should cause Andrea del Sarto to paint a picture for him, which Baccio was then to send to Lyons, where Bartolommeo Panciatichi then was; the subject chosen was the Assumption of Our Lady, with the Apostles standing around the tomb. ”

“ In a tabernacle which is outside the Pinti gate, at the corner where the road to the Ingesuati turns otF, there is a figure of the Virgin painted in fresco by Andrea del Sarto. Our Lady is seated with the Infant Christ in her arms: San Giovanni is in this work depicted as a child; he is smiling, and the figure is painted with admirable art, being finished so perfectly, that it has been greatly extolled for its beauty and animation. The head of Our Lady is a portrait taken from that of the artist’s wife ”

“ He was then too so richly provided with handsome vestments by the liberality of the king and his nobles, and found himself so magnificently arrayed, that every hour seemed a thousand years to him, until he could go to show himself in his bravery to his beautiful wife. ”

“ It represents the husbandman causing each labourer to receive his appointed hire, while those who are dissatisfied murmur and bemoan themselves. Among these labourers, one, who is counting his money apart, and seems deeply intent on examining the sum assigned to him, is a most life-like figure, as is the Steward from whom the labourers are receiving their hire. [81] Both these pictures are in chiaro-scuro, and the fresco painting gives proof of extraordinary skill. Andrea afterwards painted a Pieta in a recess on the summit of a staircase in the Noviciate of the same Convent ”

“ Knowing this, some friend, who still loved him, though more perhaps as an artist than as a man, advised him to change his dwelling, leaving his wife in some more secure abode for a time, that so he might at a future period receive her again, when they might live in a manner more creditable to him* He had hardly been brought to a conviction of his error, and to the persuasion that something should be done towards the discovery of a remedy, when such an occasion for re-instating himself was presented to him as he had never had before, since the time when he had taken a wife. ”

“ This work Andrea executed almost to its conclusion, but did not entirely complete it; for as the wood which formed the panel became warped, and sprang in various places, he sometimes worked at it, and sometimes permitted it to remain untouched for a time; so that it was left unfinished at his death. It was, nevertheless, ultimately placed by the younger Bartolommeo Panciatichi in his house, as a work deserving the highest commendation, as well on account of the beauty to be perceived in the figures of the apostles, as of that which adorns the Madonna ”

“ She delighted in trapping the hearts of men, and among others ensnared the unlucky Andrea, whose immoderate love for her soon caused him to neglect the studies demanded by his art, and in great measure to discontinue the assistance which he had given to his parents. ”

“ The Cartoons were no sooner completed, therefore, than Andrea set himself to execute the work in fresco; in the first of his stories he represented the Birth of Our Lady, the composition exhibiting well proportioned figures, very gracefully disposed about a chamber, whither certain women, relations, and friends of Sant’ Anna have repaired to visit the latter, who is in her bed. These her visitors are grouped around the mother of the newly born Babe, and are clothed in such vestments as were customary at that time: others, who are of an inferior condition, stand about the fire ”

“ And herein it may be that fortune designed to teach us that the influences of the fates are powerful, not only over our lives, but even on our memory after death. The works and the name of Andrea shall nevertheless long continue to live, in despite of them ”

“ A child, who is warming itself at the fire, is depicted very naturally, and with much animation; an old man also who is reposing on a couch, is a figure of great merit, and the same may be said respecting each of the women who are taking food to the patient lying in her bed, the movements and actions of all being truly appropriate and most natural. ”

“ Among these is an Indian in a yellow cassock or tunic, and bearing on his back a cage, which is drawn in perspective, and is filled with parrots of extraordinary beauty; while others, equally rare, are on the outer side. The figures, who are leading Indian Goats, Lions, Giraffes, Panthers, Wolves, Lynxes, Apes, &c., many of whom are Moors, have also great merit, and are exceedingly well arranged; the fresco, in which they are all depicted, being a work of the very highest perfection. ”

“ The Harpies are merely the decoration of the pedestal, and are not intended by the painter to represent living beings, but merely lifeless figures carved in stone. ↑ Now in the Tribune of the Florentine Gallery of the Uffizj, and accounted the best of Andrea’s easel pictures. In his first edition, Vasari tells us that the master received but a very small sum for its execution, more because he asked but little,” he further adds, ‘^than because the monk desired to spend his money sparingly. ”