And another disciple, first of Pontormo and then of Bronzino, has been
Cristofano dell' Altissimo, a painter, who, after having executed in his
youth many pictures in oils and some portraits, was sent by the Lord
Duke Cosimo to Como, to copy many pictures of illustrious persons in the
Museum of Monsignor Giovio, out of the vast number which that man, so
distinguished in our times, collected in that place. Many others, also,
the Lord Duke has obtained by the labours of Vasari; and of all these
portraits a list[1] will be made in the index of this book, in order not
to occupy too much space in this discourse. In the work of these
portraits Cristofano has exerted himself with such diligence and pains,
that those which he has copied up to the present day, and which are in
three friezes in a guardaroba of the said Lord Duke, as will be
described elsewhere in speaking of the decorations of that place, are
more than two hundred and eighty in number, what with Pontiffs,
Emperors, Kings, Princes, Captains of armies, men of letters, and, in
short, all men for some reason illustrious and renowned. And, to tell
the truth, we owe a great obligation to this zeal and diligence of
Giovio and of the Duke, for the reason that not only the apartments of
Princes, but also those of many private persons, are now being adorned
with portraits of one or other of those illustrious men, according to
the country, family, and particular affection of each person.
Cristofano, then, having established himself in this manner of painting,
which is suited to his genius, or rather, inclination, has done little
else, as one who is certain to derive from it honour and profit in
abundance.
[Footnote 1: Given in the original Italian edition of 1568.]
Pupils of Bronzino, also, are Stefano Pieri and Lorenzo della Sciorina,
who have so acquitted themselves, both the one and the other, in the
obsequies of Michelagnolo and in the nuptials of his Highness, that they
have been admitted among the number of our Academicians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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