Lives of the most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 08 (of 10): Bastiano to Taddeo ZuccheroVasari, Giorgio
History
Lives of the most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 08 (of 10): Bastiano to Taddeo Zucchero
Vasari, Giorgio
Art, Italian; Artists -- Italy -- Biography
Pope Clement VII being dead and Paul III elected, M. Bindo Altoviti
caused Francesco to paint on the facade of his house at the Ponte S.
Agnolo the arms of the new Pontiff, with some large nude figures, which
gave infinite satisfaction. About the same time he made a portrait of
that Messer Bindo, which was a very good figure and a beautiful
portrait; and this was afterwards sent to his villa of S. Mizzano in the
Valdarno, where it still is. He then painted for the Church of S.
Francesco a Ripa a very beautiful altar-picture of the Annunciation in
oils, which was executed with the greatest diligence. For the coming of
Charles V to Rome in the year 1535, he painted for Antonio da San Gallo
some scenes in chiaroscuro, which were placed on the arch that was made
at S. Marco; and these pictures, as has been said in another place, were
the best that there were in all those festive decorations.
Afterwards Signor Pier Luigi Farnese, who had been made Lord of Nepi at
that time, wishing to adorn that city with new buildings and pictures,
took Francesco into his service, giving him rooms in the Belvedere; and
there Francesco painted for him on large canvases some scenes in gouache
of the actions of Alexander the Great, which were afterwards carried
into execution and woven into tapestries in Flanders. For the same Lord
of Nepi he decorated a large and very beautiful bathroom with many
scenes and figures executed in fresco. Then, the same lord having been
created Duke of Castro, for his first entry rich and most beautiful
decorations were made in that city under the direction of Francesco, and
at the gate an arch all covered with scenes, figures, and statues,
executed with much judgment by able men, and in particular by
Alessandro, called Scherano, a sculptor of Settignano. Another arch, in
the form of a facade, was made at the Petrone, and yet another on the
Piazza, which arches, with regard to the woodwork, were executed by
Battista Botticelli; and in these festive preparations, among other
things, Francesco made a beautiful perspective-scene for a comedy that
was performed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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