Vasari, meanwhile, had not been suffered to neglect the pursuit of learning and the sciences, but, by order of the Cardinal, he passed two hours of each day with Ippolito and Alessandro de’ Medici, under the instructions of their preceptor II Pierio, who was a most able man.[1] With respect to the friendship contracted, as I have said, between Vasari and Francesco, this was such that it never ceased to exist between them, although their emulation of each other, with a certain haughtiness of manner, of which the said Francesco sometimes gave evidence in speech, caused many people to think otherwise.
When Vasari had been some few months with Michelagnolo, that excellent man was summoned by Pope Clement to Pome, there to receive the Pontiffs orders for the commencement of the Library of San Lorenzo, when Griorgio was placed by him, before his departure, with Andrea del Sarto, pursuing the studies of design under that artist. Vasari then assisted Francesco in secret, by lending to him the drawings of his (Vasari’s) master, the former having no greater delight than that of studying the same, as in fact he did, night and day. At a later period also, and when Vasari was sent by the Magnificent Ippolito to learn drawing with Baccio Bandinelli, who was well content to have that youth with him, and instructed him gladly; the boy gave himself no rest until he had succeeded in getting Francesco likewise admitted, which he ultimately did, to the great profit of them both, seeing that they made more progress, thus drawing together, in one month, than they would have done in two years had each been working alone. A similar remark may be made in regard to another youth who was with Baccio Bandinelli at the same time, that Nannoccio dalla Costa San Giorgio namely, of whom mention has been made immediately above.[2]
- ↑ Pierio Valeriano or Giovanni Pietro Bolzani of Belluno. His master Sabellius gave him the name of Pierio, in allusion to the Muses, under their appellation of the Pierides, he having been a lover of those ladies from his infancy.” For this learned note we are indebted to a compatriot of our author, whose name escapes the memory of the present writer.
- ↑ This is that Nannoccio of whom it has already been related, in the Life of Andrea del Sarto namely, that he went into France with the Cardinal de Tournon.
