family, and will be the best possession of my successors, if, as I hope, they should know how to prove true to themselves. The portrait, which is now in possession of Messer Luigi’s heirs, is said to be the most faithful in resemblance of all the infinite number that I have taken. But I will make no further mention of the portraits made by my hand, since it would be tedious to enumerate these likenesses; and, to tell the truth, I have avoided painting them whenever I could do so.[1]
These works completed, I was commissioned by the Aretine, Fra Mariotto da Castiglioni, to paint a picture of Our Lady with SS. Anna, Francesco, and Salvestro, for the Church of San Francesco, in the territory of Arezzo, and at the same time, I undertook to prepare, for the Cardinal di Monte, afterwards Pope Julius III., and my great patron, who was then Legate of Bologna, the design and groundplan of an important edifice, which was afterwards erected at the foot of Monte Sansovino, the native place of the Cardinal, and whither I did myself repair many times by order of that Prelate, who took great pleasure in building.
When I had finished all here in question, I went to Florence; and that summer I painted, on a banner to be borne in procession by the Company or Brotherhood of San Giovanni di Peducci of Arezzo, the figure of that Saint preaching to the people on one side, and the same San Giovanni in the act of baptizing Our Saviour Christ on the other. This picture I sent to my house at Arezzo so soon as it was finished, with directions for its being remitted to the men of the Company. Now it happened that the Frenchman, Monsignore Giorgio, Cardinal d’Armagnac, passing through Arezzo, and going, for other causes, to see my house in Arezzo, did likewise see this banner or standard; wherefore, being pleased with the same he made great efforts to obtain it, and offered a very large sum as the price thereof, proposing to send it to the King of France: but I would not break my promise to those who had commissioned me
- ↑ “It is true that Vasari painted many portraits,” remarks Masselli, “and it is also true that in these he appears greater than himself. This difference proceeds, as I believe,” he further adds, “from the fact that while taking a portrait he was compelled to keep the reality before him, and could not avail himself of that facility of hand which he turned to account in his larger compositions. See the Passigli Edition of our Authory Florence, 1832-8.
