Giorgio Vasari

“ Francesco took great pleasure in playing on the lute, and had so much genius, with so delicate a taste for the same, that he was no less excellent in this art than in that of painting. But as respects the last, it is most certain that if he had not been capricious in his labours, and could have prevailed on himself to lay aside the follies of the alchemists, he would have been one of the most distinguished and most admirable painters of our time. Now, I will not deny, that it may be sometimes good to work only when the inspiration seizes, and when the artist feels most inclined to do so ”

“ Among the many natives of Lombardy who have been endowed with the graceful gift of power in design, with a certain animation and spirit as regards invention, and with an especial ability in the delineation of beautiful landscapes, we are not to postpone to any; nay, we are rather to place before all the rest, the Parmigiano, Francesco Mazzuoli, [1] who was indeed most liberally furnished by Heaven with all those qualities which are required to the production of an excellent painter. ”

“ No longer did he now employ his hours with those exquisite inventions which he had formerly realized with his pencils and colours, but wasted all his days in the burning of coals and wood, the handling of bottles and other trumpery, varied by the distillation of his own brains in absurdities, over which he would spend much more money in a day, than he could make good in a week, by his labours at the Steccata. Having no other means of life meanwhile, and being yet compelled to live, he gradually found himself getting through the little that he had, and consuming every thing in his furnaces. ”

“ Among the works thus executed in that city is a circular picture of great beauty exhibiting the Annunciation, this the artist painted for Messer Angelo Cesis, and it is now preserved with great care in the house of that family, as an exceedingly valuable work. He likewise painted a picture on panel, representing the Madonna with San Giuseppe and angels; singularly beautiful figures, whether we consider their grace, the beauty of their colouring, or the care and delicacy with which they are finished; the expression of the faces also is of exquisite beauty. ”

“ Would to God only that Francesco had confined himself to the pursuit of painting, and had not lost his time in running after such whimsies as the congelation of mercury, in the hope of rendering himself richer than he had already been made by the gifts of Nature and Heaven ”

“ In the heads of this master also, there is ample evidence that all the consideration which can be given to works of art was bestowed by him, insomuch that his manner has been followed and imitated by a large number of painters, seeing that he has contributed to Art a grace so attractive, that his works must ever be held in esteem, and himself honoured by all who love the study of design. ”

“ Thus, while the most impious cruelty of the barbarous hordes by whom the unhappy town was invested, was scourging that miserable place, and destroying all, sacred and secular works alike, having respect neither to God nor man, Francesco was provided for by those Germans, who honoured him greatly and defended him from every kind of injury. ”

“ This picture Francesco painted for a certain Fabbrizio of Milan, whom he has portrayed from the life therein; a half-length figure, which rather looks like one alive than a mere painting, as does a dog, which is in like manner a part of the work; there is, besides, a landscape, which is admirable, this master being more particularly excellent in that branch of the art. ”

“ He accordingly caused a globe or ball of wood to be made by a turner, and having divided it in half and brought it to the size of the mirror, he set himself with great art to copy all that he saw in the glass, more particularly his own likeness, which is of inestimable excellence, and so natural that one can scarcely believe it feigned. ”

“ Our Lady is clothed in a manner that is somewhat peculiar, her dress consisting of a vestment of yellowish gauze or crape, having sleeves which are striped, as it were, with gold; all which has of a truth a very beautiful effect, the form being perceptible through the draperies, which suffer the flesh to be seen in a most natural and delicate manner; the hair also is so finely done that nothing painted could possibly be better.
This picture was executed by Francesco for Messer Pietro of Arezzo, but as the Pope Clement VII. came at that time to Bologna, our artist presented it to his Holiness ”

“ Now, these relatives were already become old men, and were besides painters of no great fame; but possessing good judgment in matters of art, and seeing that God and Nature had been the first teachers of the boy, they did not fail to promote his studies, and, with the utmost solicitude, at once selected for him the best masters, under whose discipline they caused him to exercise his art, to the end that he might acquire a good manner. ”

“ Happily Francesco did recover the plates; for these Antonio had left with a friend of his own in Bologna, proposing to reclaim them perhaps at some more convenient time; but of the drawings he could never more obtain sight or intelligence. ”

“ This picture, the invention of which is most ingenious, the colouring most charming, and the whole distinguished by the grace of manner for which Francesco was remarkable, is now in the study of Messer Antonio Cavalca, heir to the Cavaliere Baiardo, having descended to him from the latter, together with many drawings by the same artist which the Cavaliere had collected. Of these there are many very beautiful and finely finished in every particular, also by the hand of Francesco, in many leaves of our book ”

“ But while his uncles encouraged and incited him on the one hand, they were nevertheless compelled sometimes to interrupt his studies and restrain him on the other, fearing lest he should injure his health by too close an application to the art. ”

“ These works being completed, were considered extraordinary, not only by the old kinsmen of the artist, but by many others, well versed in art, they were held to be most astonishingly fine; they were then packed up, and Francesco, accompanied by one of his uncles, repaired to Rome. ”

“ He afterwards received a commission from Madonna Maria Bufalina of the Citta di Gastello, for a picture to be placed in the church of San Salvatore del Lauro, and in a chapel near the entrance of that building. In this work Francesco represented the Virgin appearing in the air; she is reading, and has the Divine Child in her lap. On the earth beneath is a figure of San Giovanni kneeling on one knee in a singularly beautiful attitude, the back bent ”

“ Della Valle suggests that the furnaces required for the copper rosettes of the Steccata may have given strength to the rumours of Parmigiano’s devotion to alchemy. ↑ Lanzi, citing Affò, relates that Parmigiano was imprisoned for this breach of contract at the suit of the Brotherhood. ”