Giorgio Vasari

“ But no sooner do two or three commence than it seems that many others (such is the force of talent) are wont immediately to follow in the same path, to the great honour of their country, as well as of themselves. ”

“ In the other, which was painted in oil many years after the first, and which was among the last of Lorenzo’s works, is the Marchese Federigo, grown to manhood, with the truncheon of a commander in his hand, as General of Holy Church under Leo X. Around him are various nobles depicted by Costa from the life. [11]
In Bologna, in the palace of Messer Giovanni Bentivogli, the same artist, in company with many other masters, painted several chambers, of which we need make no further mention, since they have been destroyed in the ruin of the palace. ”

“ The disciples of Lorenzo Costa were Ercole da Ferrara his compatriot, whose life I propose to write immediately; and Ludovico Malino, [20] also a Ferrarese, [21] by whom we have many works in other places, as well as in his native city; but the best that he performed was a picture which is now in the church of San Francesco, in Bologna, in a chapel near the principal door. ”

“ There are also many works by his hand in the houses of various nobles, all of which are held in high esteem.
At Baverma, Lorenzo Costa painted the Altar-piece for the chapel of San Sebastian, in the church of San Domenico; this work was in oil, and in the same chapel he executed pictures in fresco which were greatly extolled. [5] At a later period, being invited to Bologna, he painted a picture in the chapel of the Mariscotti family, in the church of San Petronio. ”

“ The picture, with its predella, were removed to the Aldovrandi Palace, as we gather from a work entitled Pittore, Scullure e Architetture delle Chiese di Bologna. —Bologna., 1782. ↑ This beautiful picture bears the inscription, Laurentius Costa, mccccxcii. Being much injured, it was restored when the Rossi chapel came into the possession of Prince Felix Baciocchi. (1832.) ↑ When Mantua was sacked by the Germans, in 1630, the palace of San Sehastiano was totally devastated, and the works of Costa were consequently destroyed. The palace afterwards became a prison.—Ed. ”