Giorgio Vasari

“ For it sometimes happens, that leaving their labours when all but completed, or in a fair way for the attainment of perfection, the credit of all is usurped by the presumption of those who seek to conceal the skin of the ass beneath the glorious and honoured spoils of the lion. ”

“ Piero gave considerable attention to mathematics in his early youth; and although he was induced to become a painter in his fifteenth year, he yet never deserted the study of that science; but, on the contrary, made extraordinary progress therein, as well as in painting. ”

“ For all these things, the artist well deserved the large rewards bestowed on him by Luigi Baeci, whose portrait, with those of Carlo and others of his brothers, he has depicted in the figures present at the decapitation of a king, which makes part of the story. The portraits of other Aretine citizens, distinguished as men of letters, accompany those of Luigi and his brothers, by whom Piero was highly esteemed, as he was indeed by the whole city, which he had so richly adorned and ennobled by his works. ”

“ It is related of Lorentino, that on a certain time, as the carnival was approaching, his children entreated him to kill a pig, as is the custom in that neighbourhood. But that he, not having the means for buying one, they asked him, “Plow then, father, if you have no money, how will you manage to get us a pig?” to which Lorentino replied, “Some saint will help us.” But when he had made this reply several times, and no pig was forthcoming, the children seeing the season passing away, had lost all hope; when at length, a peasant of the deanery fell into their hands. ”

“ Francis, Maestro Luca del Borgo, whose works treat of regular geometrical bodies, was his disciple, and when Piero became old, and finally died, after having written many books, the above-named Maestro Luca, attributing them to himself, caused the works of his master to be printed as his own, they having fallen into his hands on the death of Piero. ”

“ And although time, who is declared to be the father of truth, does sooner or later make the real state of things manifest, yet it is none the less true, that the labourer is, for a certain period, defrauded of the honour which should attach to the works he has performed. ”

“ Anthony restoring a boy to life; St. Elizabeth saving a child who has fallen into a well, and St. Francis receiving the stigmata. [24] At Ancona, likewise, on the altar of St. Joseph, in the church of San Ciriaco, Piero della Francesca depicted the espousals of our Lady in a story of extraordinary beauty. [25]
This master was exceedingly zealous in the study of arts. As I have said, he devoted much attention to perspective, and possessed considerable knowledge of Euclid, inasmuch that he understood all the most important properties of rectilinear bodies better than any other geometrician ”

“ In the same work is a battle, in which fear, animosity, force, dexterity, and other passions and qualities exhibited by the combatants, are expressed with extraordinary truthfulness. The occurrences of the struggle are equally well represented, and fearful scenes of carnage; the wounded, the dying, and the dead, are depicted with great animation. Piero has likewise found means to imitate in this fresco, the erlitterinsr of the arms for which he well merits praise ”

“ These portraits were all presented by Giulio Romano, disciple and heir of Raffaello da Urbino, to Giovio, [9] who deposited them in his museum at Como. In Milan, over the door of San Sepolcro, I have seen a Dead Christ by the hand of this master, which is so judiciously executed in foreshortening, that although the picture is not more than one braccio high, the whole length of the body is shown in a manner that must have been impossible but for the judgment and ability of the master. ”

“ On one side of the pontiff* stands the Cardinal of Mantua, and on the other. Cardinal Piccolomini, who was afterwards Pope Pius III. In this story are the portraits of Tommaso Marzi, Piero Traditi, Donato Rosselli, and Giuliano Nardi, all citizens of Arezzo, and wardens of the building, whom Lorentino has depicted from the life in a kneeling attitude. [29] In the hall of the palace of the priors, this master executed portraits from the life of Galeotto, cardinal of Pietramala, the Bishop Guglielmino degli Ubertini, and Messer Angelo Albergotti, [30] Doctor of Laws. ”

“ Stor. dell'Arte e degli Artisti della Marca d'Ancona. ↑ Vasari speaks of Lorentino in another place as the scholar of Don Bartolommeo della Gatta, but Bottari remarks that he may possibly have studied under Piero and Don Bartolommeo consecutively. ↑ See notes second and third, p. 14. ↑ The church of the Grazie has been frequently restored, and these paintings are probably concealed beneath the whitewash. ↑ This palace was demolished in the year 1533, when the portraits were destroyed. ”

“ There are, besides, many portraits from life which exhibit great animation, with a range of Corinthian columns, the proportions of which are absolutely perfect; and a peasant, who, leaning with his hands on his spade, stands listening to the discourse made by St. ”