The Roman Pietro Paolo Galeotto,[1] likewise, has made and is making dies for coin and medals for Duke Cosimo, all presenting the portraits of that sovereign. In his modes of proceeding he pursues the methods adopted by Maestro Salvestro, who produced admirable works in this branch of art at Rome, and was a most excellent master.
Pastorino da Siena pursues the same vocation, and with much ability, more particularly as relates to the taking of portraits from the life; nay, we may say of him that he has copied all the world and persons of all kinds, great nobles, distinguished artists, and people unknown or of low degree. This master invented a firm kind of stucco for the execution of portraits, which he coloured in imitation of nature, with the tints of the beard, hair, eyes, and colour of the flesh, which causes them to appear as in life, but he merits much higher praise for his works in steel, having made admirable dies, and produced therefrom the most excellent medals.
It would take me too far were I to discourse of all who prepare portraits in wax for medals, since they are now' made by every goldsmith, and many gentlemen also give their attention to the production of these works; as for example, Giovan-Battista, Sozzini of Siena, and II Rosso de’ Giugni, of Florence, and many others, of whom I will not now speak further. In conclusion, I return once more to the engravers on steel, of whom were Girolamo Fagiuoli of Bologna,[2] engraves both with the chisel and on copper; and Domenico Poggini[3] of Florence, who has made and still makes dies for the mint and medals for the Duke Cosimo, the latter executing marble statues also, and imitating to the best of his ability the most successful and distinguished masters who have laboured in the different branches of these arts.
- ↑ In the Life of Lione Lioni, which follows, there is further mention of this Galeotto.
- ↑ See Masini, Bologna Perlustrata. See also Zani, Enciclopedia Metodica delle Belle Arti.
- ↑ For details respecting this and other masters in this branch of art, the reader is referred to Aldini, Istituzione Glittografiche; Agincourt, Histoire de l’Art et d'apres les Monumens; Brunn, Dictionnaire des Graveurs; Strutt, Biographical Dictiotiary of Engravers; Mariette, Traitè, &c., with Zani, Cicognara, &c., as before cited; and Bartsch, Le Peintre Graveur; the Supplement of this work, Leipsie, 1843, may also be consulted with advantage.
