Giorgio Vasari

“ But if Amico had followed up the many pains which he gave himself in drawing, with an execution of the true and right kind, and not as chance and caprice dictated, he might, peradventure, have passed beyond many who have been considered good and able artists; nay, so much is done by the mere persistence in practice, that among the works of a master who has produced large numbers, it is almost impossible but that something good should be found, and such, accordingly, among the many by this artist, is the fa9ade of a building which he painted in fresco, on the piazza of the Marsigli. ”

“ Having, then, set himself to work, Girolamo painted a picture in oil for the chapel of a certain Messer Antonello, bishop of I know not what place, the subject chosen being the Adoration of the Magi. He also painted another picture, likewise in oil, for the Church of Sant’ Aniello, and in this he depicted Our Lady, San Paolo, and San Giovanni Battista: many portraits of the nobles were also taken from the life by our artist in that city. ”

“ It is true that he never spoke well of any one, however distinguished by excellence and ability, or however well endowed, whether by nature or the gifts of fortune. His best delight was, as we have said, in babbling and gossip. One evening, about the time of the Ave Maria, Amico met another painter of Bologna who had been buying cabbages in the market, and whom he kept listening to his stories and talk of various kinds beneath the loggia^ of the Podesta until the night was almost spent, the poor man not being able to find any means of delivering liimself from his prate. ”

“ Here certain acquaintances of his, having heard that he had saved a few crowns, persuaded him that, for the better regulation of his life, he would do well to marry, whereupon, believing that he should improve his condition, as they said, he suffered himself to be prevailed on by those men, who for their own convenience then imposed on him a wretched prostitute previously entertained by themselves. ”

“ In San Jacopo this artist painted a picture in fresco with one in oil for Madonna Benozza, which cannot be considered as less than a tolerably good work. [33] Among many other portraits, Innocenzio took that of the Cardinal Francesco Alidosio; this I have myself seen at Imola, together with that of the Cardinal Bernardino Carvirale, and they are both tolerably good.
Innocenzio was a person of modest and upright character, wherefore he constantly avoided the society of those Bolognese painters who were of contrary dispositions. ”

“ He had undertaken a work to be executed at a short distance from Bologna, but as this remained unfinished, or rather scarcely well commefted at his death, it was completed at his own desire by the Bolognese painter Prospero Fontana, [35] who acquitted himself of his task to admiration. The works of all the above-named artists were performed between the years 1506 and 1542, and there are drawings by them all in our collection of designs. [36]
↑ The family name of this artist was Ramenghi ”