Giorgio Vasari

“ But knowing that he had no power of invention, and aware of the profound study and well-grounded knowledge of design required by painting, Aristotile determined, since the want of these qualities would prevent him from attaining to any great excellence; he determined, I say, that his calling should be architecture and perspective, but he readily prepared scenic decorations for the drama whenever he had an opportunity, that being a kind of work in which he delighted exceedingly. ”

“ As lie had frequent intercourse with Andrea del Sarto, Jacone designed exceedingly well and with much boldness, he also showed considerable fancy and originality in the attitudes of his figures, turning and contorting the same in all directions, seeing that lie sought to vary and make each one different from the others in all his compositions, and of a truth he frequently gave evidence of much power of design, being fully capable of imitating the good when he chose to do so. ”

“ Bastiano had meanwhile formed a great friendship with Andrea del Sarto, his neighbour, from whom he acquired knowledge which contributed much to the perfection of his works, but he still devoted himself with particular zeal to the study of perspective, insomuch that his assistance was often used in the festivals which, in that time of quiet for Florence, were given by certain companies of gentlemen then in the city. ”

“ But as it often happens that from the summit of peace and tranquillity there is a change to wars and discords, so, with the year 1527, all joy and gladness in Florence was transmuted into sorrows and troubles, for the Medici being then driven out and the pestilence and the siege coming after, many years passed over, during which people lived in perpetual turmoils. ”

“ From these words and others of similar kind, Vasari perceived clearly that Perino was better disposed to give evidence of his displeasure with the Cardinal, and avenge himself on Aristotile, than to guard with a friendly mind the interests of a good artist, and to see that he was properly repaid for his toils and cares ”

“ The fourth story exhibited the Taking of Monte Murlo; the device chosen being the Horned Owl of Egypt, placed over the head of Pyrrhus; the arms were those of the House of Sforza and of the Medici. This picture was executed by Antonio di Donnino,' [8] a painter who gave considerable animation to his figures, and in the distance of whose picture there was so admirable a skirmish of cavalry, that this artist, reputed to be of no great distinction, was found on that occasion to have succeeded much better than some others who were great men, but only according to report. ”

“ In his youth, Aristotile took great pleasure in architecture, as all those of his family had done, and occupied himself with measuring the plans of buildings; he studied the details of perspective also with much care, and in this he was greatly assisted by his brother Giovan Francesco, who was employed as an architect in the fabric of San Pietro under the Proveditor Giuliano Leni. ”

“ By this Giovan Francesco therefore, Aristotile was induced to visit Rome, where his brother set him to keep the accounts of a large establishment, consisting of Tufa and Puzzolana works, from the numerous furnaces of which Giovan Francesco derived large gains. Bastiano remained therefore, for some time at that occupation, doing nothing, as respected art, but draw in the chapel of Michelagnolo, except that he sometimes resorted, by the intervention of Messer Giannozzo Pandolfini, Bishop of Troja, to the house of Raffaello da Urbino. ”

“ Aristotile himself depicted a frieze on the Loggia, with small historical representations and warlike trophies; they were exceedingly well done, and the whole work pleased the Duke greatly; his Excellency therefore rewarded Bastiano very largely. [10] That artist thenceforward continued for some time to prepare decorations of similar kind, almost every year, for the dramas performed during the Carnival, having obtained so much facility from his extensive practice, to say nothing of his natural endowments, that he had intended at one time to write on the subject, and to teach others. ”

“ Having thus returned to Florence, Aristotile, who had given much time to the study of perspective in Rome under Bramante, then seemed to care for no other occupation, although he would now and then take a portrait from the life, and also painted two large pictures in oil, the subjects of which were the Fall of Adam and Eve, with their Expulsion from Paradise: but these he had executed from copies which he had made in Rome, after the works depicted by Michelagnolo in the chapel ”

“ Contemporaries and friends of Aristotile were two painters, of whom I will here make some brief mention, seeing that certain truly praiseworthy performances which they have produced, give them a right to be named among the masters here recorded. The first was Jacone, [13] and the second Bacchiacca [14] The works of Jacone were not very numerous, he being one of those men who pass their time in gossiping and jesting, and contenting himself with what little Fortune and his idleness permitted him to obtain, which was indeed often less than his necessities demanded. ”

“ Wherefore, as no good could be done by artists at that time, Bastiano then remained always in his house occupied with his studies and whimsies.
Matters afterwards beginning to clear up a little, on the Duke Alessandro assuming the government of Florence, the young people belonging to the company of the “Children of the Purification,” which has its seat opposite to San Marco, determined to perform a Tragi-comedy composed by Giovan Maria Primerani, the subject was taken from the Book of Kings, and the plot turned on the troubles which followed the violence suffered by Tamar. ”

“ But Aristotile clearly perceived that in this plan there was a danger by which many lives might be destroyed, since the fall of this construction must involve a large number of persons in its ruin; he could, therefore, by no means be brought to agree with Lorenzo on that point, and it is certain that the intention of the latter was no other than the destruction of the Duke, by means of that contrivance. ”

“ Nay, we know well, moreover, that whether we attempt to over-estimate the works we are called to judge for the sake of winning favour from the artist, or whether we depreciate and censure the good works of another to avenge ourselves of an injury received, we must needs be ultimately known to men as well as to God for what we are ”

“ This was held by the artist himself in such account, that when the original work had come to an evil end, he was not to he induced to part with his copy, neither for gold nor for any other price; nor would he permit it to be copied; nay, he would never even suffer it to be seen except by his dearest friends, to whom he showed it as one does something very precious and as a great favour. At a subsequent period, in the year 1542 that is to say, this design was copied in oil by Aristotile in pursuance of the counsels of Giorgio Vasari, who was his intimate friend ”

“ Now about this time Raphael had prepared for the abovenamed Bishop, a design for a palace, which the latter proposed to erect in the Yia di San Gallo at Florence, when the before-mentioned Giovan Francesco was despatched to put the design of Raphael into execution, which he did accordingly, using all the promptitude with which such a work can be carried forward. ”

“ Aristotile therefore, not being able to get the good reasons which he offered into the head of Lorenzo, had resolved to withdraw himself from that undertaking, and with the blessing of God to depart from the place, when Giorgio Vasari, who, though then but a youth, was in the service of the Duke Alessandro, and much favoured by Ottaviano de’ Medici, chanced to hear the contention between Lorenzo and Aristotile, as he was painting certain of the decorations for the proscenium. ”

“ But it is certain that external habitudes are not unfrequently the index of what may be found within, and indicate the mental characteristics of the man: I am well persuaded therefore, as I have remarked at other times, that these men were but little less impure and brutal in their minds and lives than they were in their outward appearance. ”

“ The mode of life and proceedings of men thus constituted could not but render them unacceptable to persons of respectable condition; and they were in the frequent habit, I will not say all of them, but some at least, of lounging about under the walls, as do the wool-workers and other mechanics, playing at various games ”

“ Flor., 1832-8. ↑ In all probability the Baptism of Christ by this master, now in the Gallery of Berlin, is that here in question.— Note to the German Translation of Vasari. ↑ In the life of Pietro Perugino, vol. ii. p. 326, there is mention of this Ubertini, the embroiderer, brother of II Bacchiacca, but he is there called Baecio, and not Antonio. Benvenuto Cellini enumerates this Ubertini, the embroiderer, among those who were present during the dispute which he held with Duke Cosimo in relation to the value of a very costly diamond. ”

“ Qnatremere proceeds to explain his idea at more length, and to his writings wre refer our readers, who will not fail to perceive the advantages to be derived from the preservation of works, the very slightness of which permitted the masters to give the reins to their imagination in a manner which the cost would render impossible, where buildings in permanent forms, and to be executed in expensive materials, were to be designed. ↑ Whose Life makes part of the present volume. ”