| |
Artist Name: Andrea Del Sarto
Years: from 1486 to 1531
History Period: Nabis
Biography:
ANDREA DEL SARTO
Painter of Florence
(1486-1531)
AFTER these numerous Lives of artists, some excellent in
colouring, some in design and some in invention, I have now come to
Andrea del Sarto, whom Nature endowed with her rarest gifts in all
three branches, so that, had his spirit been as bold as his judgment
was profound, he would doubtless have been unequalled. But a timidity
of spirit and a yielding simple nature prevented him from exhibiting a
burning ardour and dash that, joined to his other qualities, would
have made him divine. This defect deprived his work of the crnament,
magnificence and wealth of style seen in many other painters. None the
less his figures are simple and pure, well conceived, flawless and
perfect in every particular. The heads of liis women and children have
a natural and graceful expression, and his young and old men possess a
marvellous vivacity and vigour; his draperies
(1) Gaudenzio Ferrari, 1484-I549. (2) Rectius Varallo.
are remarkable and his nudes show thorough knowledge, and
though his design is simple his colouring is truly divine.
Andrea was born in Florence in I478, and was called del Sarto
(tailor) from his father's profession. At the age of seven he was
taken from school and put with a goldsmith, but he was naturally more
fond of designing than of using his tools on the silver or
gold. Gian. Barile, a Florentine painter, though a coarse and plebeian
man, noticed the child's good method of designing, and took him away
from the goldsmith to learn painting. Andrea at once took delight in
the art for which Nature had formed him, and in a short space of time
he astonished Gian. Barile and the other artists of the city by his
work in colours. After three years of continuous study, Gian. Barile
perceived that the child would become remarkable, and accord- ingly he
spoke to Piero di Cosimo, then considered one of the best painters in
Florence, who took Andrea, who was anxious to learn, and continued
zealous in his studies. Nature had endowed him with as much skill in
using colours as if he had worked for fifty years, so that Piero
became very fond of him, and was delighted to hear that when the boy
had a little time, especially on feast days, he would devote the whole
day with other youths drawing in the Pope's Hall, containing the
cartoons of Michelagnolo and Lionardo. Although so young Andrea sur-
passed all the other designers, whether native or foreign, who
gathered there. Among these Andrea derived most pleasure from the
character and conversation of Francia Bigio, the painter, who returned
his friendship.
Andrea one day told Francia that he could no longer stand the
eccentricity of Piero, now an old man, and that he wished to have a
room of his own. Francia, who was forced to do the same? because his
master, Mariotto Albertinelli, had given up painting, agreed to come
and live with Andrea. Accordingly they took a room on the Piazza del
Grano, where they did many works together. One of these was the
curtains for the picture of the high altar of the Servites,1 given
them by the sacristan, a near relation of Francia. On the side towards
the choir they painted an Annunciation, and on the other a Deposition
from the Cross, like the panel there by Filippo and Pietro Perugino.
The men of the company of the Scalzo, dedicated to St. John the
Baptist, and built in that time by several Florentine artists- used
then to meet above the house of Ottaviano de' Medici the Magnificent,
at the top of the via Largo, opposite the
(1) They were paiiited by Andrea di Cosimo, 1510-11.
garden of S. Marco. Among other things, they had built a court
with a gallery resting on small columns. Some of them, noticing
Andrea's advance as a painter, proposed that he should do twelve
scenes in grisaille there from the life of St. John the Baptist, for
they had more spirit than money. Accordingly he set to work,1
beginning with the Baptism of Christ, done so well that it brought him
great credit and renown, so that many wished to employ him, believing
that such a beginning promised remarkable fruit. Among other things in
his first style is a picture now in the house of Filippo Spini, held
in great veneration in memory of such an artist. Not long after he did
a panel of Christ appearing to St. Mary Magdalene in the garden, for a
chapel in S. Gallo, a church of the Eremitani friars of St. Augustine,
outside the S. Gallo gate. The colouring, tone, harmony and sweetness
of this work led to his employment to do two other pictures in the
same church not long after, as I shall relate presently. All three are
now at the corner of the Alberti in S. Jacopo tra' Fossi.2
After this Andrea and Francia left the Pia7za del Grano and took new
rooms near the convent of the Nunziata, in the Sapienza. This led to a
friendship between Andrea and the young Jacopo Sansovino, who was
doing sculpture there under Andrea Contucci, so close that they were
never separated day or night. They usually discussed the difficulties
of art, so that it is small wonder that both became excellent.
At that time there was a sacristan with the Servites at the
candle bench called Fra Mariano dal Canto alla Macine. Hearing
the praise of Andrea on every hand, and his marvellous progress
in painting, it occurred to him to gratify a wish at a small
expense. Approaching Andrea, who was good-natured and easygoing,
he represented that he wished to help him to win honour
and profit, and to make him known, so that he would never
be poor again. Many years before Alesso Baldovinetti had done
a Nativity on the wall joining the Nunziata in the first court
of the Servites; and on the other side Cosimo Rosselli had
begun a representation of St. Philip, the founder of tlie order,
taking. tlie habit, but had not finislied it at the time of his
death. The friar being anxious for its completion, tliought lie
could profit by the emulation between Andrea and Francia,
by getting each of them to do a part, and this would induce
(1) In 1515. (2) The Noli me tangere is in the Accademia, Florence,
the other two are in the Pitti Gallery.
them to work harder while the cost would be less. Accordingly he
discovered his plan to Andrea, and persuaded him to undertake the
work, showing that in a place so frequented his work would become
known to foreigners as well as to Florentines: so that he ought not to
think of the price, but to beg for the task. If he could not do it,
there was Francia, who had offered, leaving the price to the
priest. These considerations induced Andrea to undertake the task,
especially as he had little spirit; but the last remark about Francia
made him resolve to obtain a bond that no one else should be
employed. The friar having pledged him and given him money, he began
on the life of St. Philip,1 receiving only ten ducats for each scene,
for they said he was doing it more for thihes own ends than for the
benefit of
as if he thought more of honour than of the profit, he soon
completed and unveiled three scenes, where St. Philip as a friar
clothes a naked man; where he is preaching against some gamblers who
are blaspheming God, and as they are deriding his warnings a flash of
lightning kills two and terrifies the others, some, putting their
hands to their heads, throw themselves forward, others flee screaming,
while a woman fleeing from fear of the thunder is most life-like, and
a horse rears up at the sound, showing the terror caused by the
unexpected, the entire scene proving that Andrea had thought out the
various accidents that would occur. In the third scene St. Philip
casts out a spirit from a woman, with every imaginable circumstance to
illustrate the story, so that the three works brought Andrea the
greatest glory. Encouraged by this, he did two more in the same
court. In one St. Philip lies dead, and the friars are weeping about
him, while a dead child on touching the bier is restored to life. He
is seen first dead and then raised, in a very natural manner. On the
last on that side the friars are putting St. Philip's clothes on the
heads of some children. Here he did the portrait of Andrea della
Robbia, the sculptor, as an old man dressed in red, bent down, with a
staff in his hands, and one of Luca, his son. In the death scene of
Philip he introduced a portrait of Andrea's son Girolamo, his great
friend, and a sculptor who died in France not long ago since. On
completing this series, he determined to abandon the rest, as the
price was to small for its quality. The friar complained bitterly and
would not release Andrea from his bond unless he promised to do two
more scenes at his leisure and for a larger sum, and this was
arranged.
(1)St. Philip Benizzi, begun in 1509.
Having thus made a name, Andrea was commissioned to do many
important works. Among these the general of the monks of Vallombrosa
employed him to paint a Last Supper for an arch in the vaulting of the
refectory in the monastery of S. Salvi, outside the S. Croce gate.1
Here he did in medallions figures of St. Benedict, St. John Gualbert,
St. Salvi the bishop, and St. Bernard degli Uberti of Florence, friar
and cardinal; in the middle he did a circle with three faces, which
are the same, representing the Trinity. The work was excellently done
in fresco, and showed Andrea's worth as a painter. Thus he was
employed by Baccio d' Agnolo to do an Annunciat'on in the minute
style, still seen in a recess by Orsanmichele leading to the Mercato
Nuovo, which was not much admired, probably because he made too great
efforts, whereas he was able to do well without forcing Nature. Among
the numerous pictures which he did for Florence, and which it would
take too long to recount, one of the most remarkable is the one now in
the chamber of Baccio Barbadori, representing the Virgin and Child,
St. Anne and St. Joseph, beautifully executed and much valued by
Baccio. He did a very good one now owned by Lorenzo di flomenico
Borghini, and another for Lionardo del Giocondo, of the Virgin, now
owned by Piero, his son. For Carlo Ginori he did two small ones,
afterwards bought by Ottaviano de' Medici the Magnificent, one of them
at present being in his beautiful villa of campi, and the other, in
company with numerous paintings by excellent modern masters, in the
chamber of Sig. Bernardetto, the worthy son of his father, who values
the works of famous artists, and is a magnificent and generous signor.
Meanwhile the Scrvites had allotted one of the scenes ill tliei r
court to Francia Bigio. He had not completed his preparation of the
surface when Andrea, whose jealousy was aroused, for he believed
Francia to be more skilful and quick in fresco painting than himself,
did cartoons for the two scenes as if in competition,?to be
executed in the corner between the side door of S. Bastiano and the
lesser door leading from the court into the Nunziata. On finishing the
cartoons he began to execute them in fresco,2 beginning with the Birth
of the Virgin, a beautiful composition of figures gracefully arranged
in a chamber, where some women have come on a visit, dressed in the
costumes of the day. Some of lesser estate stand about the fire and
wash the new-born babe, while some are making the swathes and
performing similar services. Among them are a
(1) In 1519. (2) In 1511, completed 1514.
works, his reputation increasing daily, the men of the company of
the Scalzo determined that he should finish their courtyard, where he
had already painted a Baptism of Christ. He took up the work
willingly,1 and did two scenes and Charity and Justice to decorate the
entrance door. One of the scenes represents St. John preaching to the
multitudes in a vigorous and life-like attitude, his head displaying
much spirit. The variety and vivacity of the auditors is no less
remarkable, some standing in wonder and all astonished at the new
sayings and at such rare and novel teaching. But Andrea displayed far
more genius in his John baptising the multitudes, some undressing,
some receiving baptism, and some waiting their turn, already
undressed, the expression of all being intense in their anxiety to be
cleansed of sin, while all the figures are so excellently done that
they resemble a marble group. While Andrea was thus employed, some
copper engravings of Albert Durer issued from the press, from which he
borrowed figures, adapting them to his style, which has led some to
think, not that it is bad to use the good things of others, but that
Andrea was weak in invention. Baecio Bandinelli, a celebrated
designer of the day, fancied lie would like to colour in oils, and
knowing no better man than Andrea in that art at Florence, got him to
make his portrait, which was a good likeness, and may still be
seen. Observing his methods of colouring, he gave up his idea and
returned to sculpture, either owing to the difficulty or because he
did not care for painting. For Alessandro Corsini Andrea did a Virgin
seated on the ground with the Child, surrounded by cherubs, executed
with great art and in pleasant colouring.2 For a mercer, a friend of
his who kept a shop in Rome, he did a lovely head. Giovanni Battista
Puccini of Florence, being charmed with Andrea's style, employed him
to do a Madonna to send to France, but it was so beautiful that he
kept it for himself. However, as lie was doing business in France, and
commissioned to obtain works from great painters, he got Andrea to do
a dead Christ supported by angels, who sorrowfully regard their Maker
in such misery for the sins of men.3 This work gave such universal
delight that Andrea was persuaded to have it engraved at Rome by
Agostino Viniziano, but as it did not succeed very well he never
suffered anything to be printed again. The picture caused as much
delight in France as at Florence, so that the king sent orders to
Andrea
(1) He resumed the work in 1522, and finished it in 1526. (2)
Possibly the Holy Family in the Pinacothek, Munich. (3) Sometime in
the Vienna Gallery.
for others, and Andrea, by the advice of his friends, decided soon
after to go to France.
Meanwhile, in the year 1515, the Florentines, learning that Pope Leo
X. intended to favour them with a visit1 prepared a great reception
with arches, fa~ades, temples, colossal statues, and other ornaments,
more sumptuous than had ever been seen before, as the city was richer
then in men of genius than it had ever been. At the S. Pier Gattolini
gate Jacopo di Sandro made an arch full of scenes, assisted by Baccio
da Montelupo. At S. Felice, in Piazza, Giuliano del Tasso made
another, and at S. Trinita he did some statues, a half-length Romulus
and a Trajan column in the Mercato Nuovo. On the Piazza de' Signori,
Antonio, brother of Giuliano da S. Gallo, made an octagoilal temple,
and Baccio Bandinel]i did a giant for the loggia. Between the Badia
and the Podest~ palace an arch was set up by Granaccio and Aristotele
da S. Gallo; at the corner of the Bischeri, Il Rosso made another,
beautifully designed with a variety of figures. But the best of all
was a wooden facade to S. Maria del Fiore decorated by Andrea, with
scenes in grisaille. The architecture of this and of some bas-reliefs
and sculptures was by Jacopo Sansovino, so that the Pope?considered
it as fine as if it had been of marble. It was the invention of
Lorenzo de' Medici, the Pope's father. On the piazza of S. Maria
Novella, Jacopo made a horse like that at Rome, of great
beauty. Countless ornaments also were made for the Pope's Hall in the
via della Scala, the street being half full of beautiful bas-reliefs
by many artists, but most designed by Baccio Bandinelli. Thus when Leo
entered Florence on 3rd September that same year the decorations were
considered the finest and the most extensive ever seen.
But to return to Andrea. He soon completed another picture for the
King of France, at his request, being a lovely Madonna, which was
immediately sent, tlie merchants receiving four times as much as they
had paid for it. About that time Pier Francesco Borgherini had
employed Baccio d'Agnolo to make wooden arm-chairs, chests, seats and
beds to furnish a room. In order to have pictures of corresponding
excellence, he employed Andrea to do some medium figures of the
history of Joseph,1 to compete with some beautiful ones by Granaccio
:ind Jacopo da Pontormo. By extraordinary efforts Andrea endeavoured
to surpass these, and succeeded admirably, showing his ability in the
variety of the circumstances which occur in the scenes. During the
siege of Florence Giovanni Battista della Palia
(1) Pitti Gallery.
proposed to have them packed up to be sent to the King of France,
but they were so firmly fixed that they could not be removed without
destruction, and consequently they remain in the same place, with an
admirable Madonna. Andrea next did a head of Christ, now kept by the
Servite friars on the altar of the Nunziata. I do not think that the
human intellect can imagine anything finer of its kind. In the chapel
of the church outside the S. Gallo gate there were two other panels of
Andrea, and many inferior to his. The friars, wishing to have another,
induced the superior of the chapel to give it to Andrea. Beginning at
once, he made four figures standing, discussing the Trinity.1
St. Augustine, of African appearance, dressed as a bishop, turns
vehemently towards St. Peter Martyr, who is holding an open book, his
mien and gesture most formidable, the head and figure being much
admired. Next to him is St. Francis, holding a book in one hand,
striking the other on his breast, his fervour apparently making
utterance difficult. St. Laurence, as a young man, gives place to the
authority of the others. Kneeling beneath are two figures,one a
Magdalene with beautiful draperies. This is a portrait of his wife,
for he never painted a woman without using her as his model, and owing
to this habit all the women's heads which he did are alike. The last
of the four figures was St. Sebastian, nude, and turning his back, a
life-like figure. Artists consider this his best work in oils, as the
measurements of the figures are carefully observed, the expressions
are suitable, the heads of the youths being soft and those of the old
hard, with a medium state for those of middle age; in fact the picture
is most beautiful in every detail. It is now in S. Jacopo Fra Fossi,
at the Alberti corner, with others by the same hand. While Andrea was
just maintaining himself in Florence with these works, without
improving his condition, the two pictures he sent to King Francis in
France were considered much ?the best out of all that came from
Rome, Venice and Lombardy. The king praised them greatly, and he was
told that Andrea would readily come to France to serve
him. Accordingly, being paid the expenses of liis journey, Andrea set
out joyfully for France,2 taking with him his pupil Andrea
Sguazzella. Arrived at the court, they were graciously welcomed by the
king, and before he had been a day there Andrea experienced the
liberality and courtesy of that magnanimous king, receiving rich
vestments and money. He then began to work, and was so highly favoured
by the king and court that he seemed to have ex-
(1) Pitti Gallery. (2) At the end of May 15I8.
changed a very wretched condition for a most happy one. He drew,
among his first things, a portrait of the Dauphin,1 then only a few
months old, and took it to the king, receiving for it 300 gold
crowns. Continuing, he did a Charity2 for the king, which was much
admired and valued, as it deserved. The king gave him a large pension,
and did everything to retain him, promising him that he should lack
nothing, for he was pleased with Andrea's quickness and his
satisfaction with everything. Besides this, Andrea pleased the court,
doing many works for them. If he had considered his origin and the
position to which Fortune had raised him, no doubt he could have
attained an honourable rank, not to speak of riches. But one day, as
he was doing a St. Jerome in penitence for the king's mother, some
letters arrived from his wife at Florence, and he began, for some
cause or another, to think of returning. He asked the king's
permission to go, saying that he would return when he had arranged
some affairs, and that he would bring back his wife, to enable him to
live there more comfortably, and that he would bring with him valuable
paintings and sculptures. The king trusted him, and gave him money,
while Andrea swore on the Gospels to return in a few months. Arrived
in Florence,3 he enjoyed his wife, his friends and the city for
several months. Wlien the time for his return to France liad passed,
lie found that in building4 and pleasures, without working, he had
spent all his money and the king's also. But though he wished to
return, the tears and entreaties of his wife prevailed more than his
own needs and his promise to the king. Francis became so angry at his
faithlessness that he for a long time looked askance at Florentine
painters, and he swore that if Andrea ever fell into his hands he
would have more pain than pleasure, in spite of all his ability. Thus
Andrea remained in Florence, fallen very low from his high station,
and maintaining himself as best he could.
When Andrea left for France the men of the Scalzo, believing
he would never return, had given the remainder of their cloistei'
to Francia Kigio, who had already done two scenes there. When
Andrea retii Ined they induced him to take up the work, aiid he
did four scenes in a row. The first is St. John before Herod; the
second the banquet and the dancing of Herodias,5 with excellent
(1) Afterwards Henry II., born 28 February, 1518. (2) Now in the
Louvre. (3) October 15I9. (4) He built a house for himself at
Florence. (5)Her daughter rather.
figures; the third is the beheading of John, the half-naked
executioner being finely drawn, as are all the others; in the fourth
Herodias is presenting the head, and some of the figures are in
amazement. These scenes were for some time the school of many youths,
now excellent artists. At a vaulted corner leading to the Ingesuati
outside the Pinti gate Andrea did a Virgin seated in a tabernacle with
the Child and a little St. John laughing, so perfectly done that its
beauty and vivacity are highly valued. The head of the Virgin is a
portrait of his wife. This tabernacle for its remarkable beauty was
left standing when in 1530 the convent of the Jesuits and other
beautiful buildings were destroyed during the siege of Florence.
At this time Francia Bartolommeo Panciaticlii the elder was
engaged in business in France, and wishing to leave a memorial
of himself at Lyons, he instructed Baccio d'Agnolo to get
Andrea to do a panel of the Assumption1 with the Apostles
standing about. Andrea almost completed it, but as the wood
?split several times it was not entirely finished at his death. It
was afterwards set up in the house of Bartolommeo Panciatichi
the younger as a work truly admirable for the figures of the
Apostles, as well as the Virgin, standiiig and surrounded by a
choir of cherubs, some of whom are gracefully supporting her.
At the bottom of the picture Andrea has made a striking likeness
of himself among the Apostles. This is now in the villa of
the Baroncelli, a little outside Florence, in a small church built
to receive it by Piero Salviati near his villa. In two corners at
the bottom of the garden of the Servites, Andrea did two
scenes of the Parable of the Vineyard,2 the planting and laying
out, and the husbandman asking for labourers among those
standing idle, one of whom is seated and rubs his hands, debating
whether he shall go with the other workmen, like the loafers
who have no relish for work. Much finer is the husbandman
paying them, while they murmur and complain. Among them
is an excellent figure of a man counting the money. These scenes
are in grisaille, skilfully done in fresco. At the top of a staircase
in the noviciate of the same convent Andrea did a Pieta'
in a niche, coloured in fresco, of great beauty. He did another
small Pieta and a Nativity in the chamber of Angelo Aretino,
the general of the convent. For Zanobi Bracci, who greatly
desired to have works of his, he did for a chamber a Virgin
kneeling against a rock and regarding Christ, who rests on
some clothes and looks up smiling; St. John standing by points
(1) Pitti Gallery; painted 1526. (2) Painted 1512-13.
out to her the true Son of God. Behind them is Joseph, his head
in his hands, which rest on a rock, his spirit irradiated at seeing
the human race made divine by this birth.1
When Cardinal Giulio de' Medici was commissioned by Pope Leo to
have the vaulting of the Medici palace at Poggio a Cajano, between
Pistoia and Florence, decorated with stucco and painting, the charge
of the works and payments was entrusted to Ottaviano de' Medici the
Magnificent, as one who understood such matters, and a patron of art
like liis predecessors, more fond than others of having his houses
adorned with tlie works of the best artists. He entrusted a third to
Francia Bigio, a third to Andrea, and the rest to Jacopo da
Pontormo. But in spite of Ottaviano's entreaties and offers of money
he could not prevail upon them to finish the work. Andrea alone
completed with great diligence a scene on a wall of Caesar receiving
tribute of all the animals. The design for this is in our book, with
many others by his hand, and it is the most finished painting in
grisaille that Andrea ever did. In order to surpass Francia and
Jacopo, Andrea took exceptional pains, making a magnificent
perspective and some very difficult steps up to Caesar's seat. He
adorned this with appropriate statues, not satisfied with tlie variety
of figures who are bringing the various animals. There is an Indian
in a yellow tunic with a cage on his shoulders containing parrots,
rarely drawn in perspective. Here also some are bringing Indian boars,
lions, giraffes, leopards, wolves, apes and Moors, most divinely
produced in fresco. On the steps he made a dwarf seated, holding a
chameleon in a box, the deformed figure being indescribably done in
beautiful proportion. But the work was left unfinished owing to the
death of Pope Leo. Although Duke Alessandro de' Medici wanted Jacopo
da Pontormo to finish it, he could not prevail upon him to take it
up. It is a pity that it is imperfect, as it is the finest hall in any
villa in the world. Returning to Florence, Andrea did a halflength
nude St. John the Baptist, of great beauty, for Giovan. Maria
Benintendi, who afterwards gave it to Duke Cosimo.
Whilst these things were going on Andrea would sigh when
he thought of France, and if he had expected pardon no doubt
he would have gone back. He determined to bring his talents
to help his fortune. Accordingly he did a half-naked St. John
the Baptist to send to the grand master of France,3 in order
that he might restore him to the king's favour. For some reason
lie did not send it, but sold it to Ottaviano de' Medici the
(1) Pitti Gallery. (2) In 1521. (3) Anne de Montmorency.
Magnificent, who always valued him highly. He also did two
Madonnas for him in the same style, which remain in his house to this
day. Not long after Zanobi Bracci got him to do a picture for
Monsignore di S. Biause,1 upon which he devoted great service he hoped
to re-enter. He also did a picture for Lorenzo pains, anxious to
regain the favour of King Francis, whose Jacopi, much larger than
usual, of a Madonna seated with the Child and two other figures
sitting on steps, similar to his other works in design and colouring.2
LIe further did a lovely Madonna for Giovanni d'Agostino Dini, now
much valued or its beauty, and drew a most life-like portrait of
Cosimo Lapi.
On the outbreak of the plague in Florence and some of the country
districts in 1523, Andrea, to escape it and do some work, went to
Mugello to do a panel for the Camaldolite nuns of S. Piero a Luco,
taking his wife, his little daughter, his wife's sister, and a
pupil. Here he worked quietly, and as the nuns did many courtesies to
his wife and to him and the others, he bestowed great pains on his
task. He represented a dead Christ lamented by the Virgin, St. John
the Evangelist and a Magdalene, 3 the figures actually appearing
alive. St. John displays his tender love, the Magdalene weeps, the
face and posture of the Virgin show her extreme grief at seeing the
Christ, who seems in relief, while St. Peter and St. Paul stand dazed
with sorrow and compassion at seeing the Saviour dead in His Mother's
lap, all proving what great delight Andrea took in the perfection of
art. In truth this panel has brought more renown to the convent than
all the other building and outlay made there, great and magnificent as
they were. On the completion of the work, Andrea remained in the
convent some weeks as the plague was still raging, and he received
every attention. To occupy his time he did a Visitation, which is in
the church over the Presepio, as the pediment for an ancient
picture. He also did a lovely head of Christ, of no great size, like
the one over the altar of the Nunziata, but did not finish it. The
head may be counted among his best works, and it is now in the
monastery of the Angeli at Florence, in the possession of Padre Don
Antonio of Pisa, the patron not only of artists but of all men of
ability. Some copies have been made, as it was entrusted by Don
Silvano Razzi to Zanobi Poggoni, the painter, to make a copy for
Bartolommeo Gondi, who asked for one, and others were done which
(1) Jacques de Beaune de Semblancay. (2) Sold to the Duke of
Mantua in 1605. (3) Pitti Gallery; painted 1524.
are much valued in Florence. In this way Andrea avoided the
dangers of the plague, while the nuns profited by his talents,
obtaining a work which may stand comparison with any by the best
artists. Thus it is no wonder that Ramazotto, a captain at
Scaricalasino, made several attempts to get it during the siege of
Florence, intending to send it to his chapel in S. Michele in Bosco at
Bologna.
On returning to Florence, Andrea did a panel for his friend the
glassworker, Becuccio da Gambassi, of a Virgin and Child in the air,
and four figures below, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary Magdalene,
St. Sebastian and St. Roch, with portraits of Becuccio and his wife in
the predella. The panel is now at Gambassi, in the Valdelsa, between
Volterra and Florence.1 For a chapel of Zanobi Bracci at Rovezzano he
did a lovely Madonna suckling the Child, and a Joseph, with such skill
that they issue from the picture; this is now in the house of
M. Antonio Bracci, Zanobi's son. At the same time Andrea did two more
scenes in the courtyard of the Scalzo, one of Zacharias sacrificing
and rendered dumb by the angel, the other a marvellously beautiful
Visitation. Federico II., Duke of Mantua, in passing through Florence
on his way to visit Clement VII., saw over a door of the Casa Medici
that portrait of Pope Leo between Cardinal Giulio de' Medici and
Cardinal de' Rossi done by Raphael. It pleased him so much that he
determined to get possession of it, and when at Rome he asked the Pope
for it, Clement willingly granting his request. Accordingly Ottaviano
de' Medici, then the guardian of Ippolito and AIessandro at Florence,
was directed to pack it and send it to Mantua. The thing greatly
displeased Ottaviano, who did not want to deprive Florence of such a
painting, and he wondered at the Pope's action. However, he sent word
that he would serve the duke, but as the frame was bad it was
necessary to make a new one, and when it had been gilt he would send
it to Mantua. Then lie sent secretly for Andrea and explained the
matter to him, saying there was nothing for it but to make a copy and
to send it to the duke, keeping back Raphael's picture. Andrea
promised to do his best, and set to work secretly in Ottavanio's
house. He succeeded so well that Ottaviano, connoisseur as he was,
could not tell the copy from the original, for Andrea had even copied
the grease spots. They then sent it framed to Mantua, the duke being
delighted, and the work was much admired by Giulio Romano the painter,
Raphael's pupil, who did not suspect the truth. He would have
(1) Now in the Pitti Gallery.
always believed it to be Raphael's; but Giorgio Vasari, being at
Mantua, disclosed the facts to him, for when a child and tile protege
of M. Ottaviano he had seen Andrea doing it. Giulio had displayed
great courtesy to Vasari, and was showing him many antiquities and
paintings, when he finally came to this picture as being the best of
all. Giorgio said, "It is a fine work, but not Raphael's." "What !"
exclaimed Giulio, "I know that it is, for I recognise my own handiwork
in it." "You are mistaken," said Giorgio, "it is by Andrea del Sarto,
and was done in Florence; here is the proof,'' and he showed
him. Giulio turned the picture, and seeing the signature, shrugged his
shoulders and said, "I value it even more than if it was by Raphael,
for it is extraordinary that one great master should so exactly
imitate the style of another." This shows the ability of Andrea when
acting in cooperation as well as independently. Thus the duke was
satisfied and Florence retained a valuable picture, thanks to the
device of M. Ottaviano, who had the picture given to him by Duke
Alessandro and kept it for many years. Finally he gave it to Duke
Cosimo, who keeps it in his wardrobe among many other famous
pictures.1
While engaged upon this portrait, Andrea did for M. Ottaviano the
head of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, afterwards Pope Clement, alone,
like Raphael's and of great beauty. It was subsequently given by
M. Ottaviano to the old Bishop de' Marzi. Not long after M. Baldo
Magini of Prato wished to have a beautiful picture for the Madonna
della Carcere on his estate, where he had previously made a fine
marble ornament. Andrea was suggested to him, among others, and
although not knowing much of the matter, M. Baldo had almost made up
his mind to employ him when one Niccolo Soggi, of Sansovino, who had
friends in Prato, was recommended to M. Baldo and obtained the work,
as they said no better master could be had. Andrea, being sent for,
went to Prato with Domenico Puligo and other painters, feeling certain
that the work would be his. On arriving, however, he found Niccolo in
possession, and so confident that he offered to wager any sum of money
before M. Baldo that he would paint the better picture. Although a
poor-spirited man, Andrea, who knew Niccolo's powers, replied, "My boy
here does not know much art, but if you wish to wager I will put my
money on him, but for myself I have nothing to gain in such a contest
and it work to Niccolo, for lie would please the marketers, Andrea
would be shameful to lose." Then telling M. Baldo to give the
(1) The original is in the Pitti Gallery, the copy (painted in 1524) at
Naples.
returned to Florence. There he was allotted a panel for Pisa,
divided into five pictures, afterwards set up in the Madonna of
S. Agnesa, on the wall between the old citadel and the Duomo. In each
scene he did one figure, putting St. John the Baptist and St. Peter on
one side of the miracle-working Madonna and St. Catherine the Martyr,
St. Agnes and St. Margaret on the other, all figures of marvellous
beauty, and considered the most delicate and lovely women that he ever
did. M. Jacopo, a Servite friar, had absolved a woman from a vow on
condition that she would have a Madonna made to be placed over the
side door of the Nunziata leading into the outside cloister. Finding
Andrea, he told him that he had but little money to expend, and he
thought that, as Andrea had made such a reputation at the house, he
would do right to execute the work. Andrea being a mild man readily
agreed, urged by the friar's arguments and by his desire for profit
and glory. He soon after produced a lovely Virgin in fresco, seated
with the Child in her arms, and St. Joseph leaning against a sack, his
eyes fixed on an open book. This picture, in design, grace, excellence
of colouring, vivacity and relief, proved him far superior to all his
predecessors; indeed, the work as it stands praises itself.
Only one scene was lacking to complete the series in the court of
the Scalzo. Andrea, having aggrandised his style after seeing the
figures begun and almost finished by Michelagnolo in the sacristy of
S. Lorenzo, put his hand to this, and giving a final proof of his
progress, he painted the birth of St. John the Baptist in fine
figures, much better executed and in higher relief than those
previously done by him there. Among other things there is a woman
carrying the new-born child to the bed where St. Elizabeth is lying,
who is also a fine figure. Zacharias is writing on a sheet resting on
one knee, holding it with one hand and writing the child's name with
the other, the figure only lacking breath. Very fine also is an old
woman on a stool, laughing at the childbearing of the aged Elizabeth
in the most natural manner. On completing this work, which is very
admirable, Andrea did a panel for the general of Vallombrosa of four
fine figures, St. John the Baptist, St. John Gualbert, founder of the
order, St. Michael and St. Bernard, cardinal and monk of the order,
with some very pretty and life-like children in the middle.1 It is at
Vallombrosa, at the top of a rock tenanted by monks separated from the
others, in some rooms called the cells, where they live like
hermits. For Giuliano Scala, Andrea then made a panel to send
(1) Accademia, Florence; painted 1528.
to Serrazzana of the Virgin seated with the Child, and St. Celsus
and St. Julia, from the knees up, with St. Onofrio, St. Catherine,
St. Benedict, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Peter and St. Mark, a work
valued as highly as his others.' He did an Annunciation for the
same Giuliano as a pediment to the other in a lunette, which is
in the Servites' church in a chapel of the choir in the principal
tribune.2
The monks of S. Salvi remained many years without thinking of
having anything done to their Last Supper, which they had given to
Andrea, when he did four figures in the arch. At last one worthy abbot
determined to have it finished. Andrea, having previously bound
himself to do this, made no objection, and taking up the work he
finished it in a few months,3 doing a piece at a time, at his leisure,
and it is considered the most facile work in the brightest colouring
and best design that he ever did or that could be done. He endowed the
figures with infinite grandeur, majesty and grace, so that I cannot do
justice to its merits, everyone who sees it being amazed. Thus it is
no wonder that it was allowed to stand during the siege of Florence in
I529, when the soldiers were directed to destroy everything in the
quarters outside the city, monasteries, hospitals and buildings of
every kind. They had destroyed the church and campanile coming to the
refectory where the Last Supper is, and having of S. Salvi, and were
beginning to attack the convent, but on perhaps heard of the
marvellous painting, they stayed their hands, resolving not to touch
it unless absolutely obliged.
For the company of S. Jacopo, called il Nicchio, Andrea next did a
processional banner of St. James touching the chin of a boy dressed as
a flagellant, and another with a book in his hand, very fine and
natural. He made the portrait of a steward of the monks of
Vallombrosa, who lived in the country for their affairs; this was
placed under a vine arranged with various fancies, where it was
exposed to wind and weather, as the steward, who was a friend of
Andrea, desired. On the completion of the work Andrea called his wife
Lucrezia and said, "Come here; I have some colours over and I will
paint your portrait to show how well preserved you are and yet how
different from your first portraits." But as she would not keep still,
possibly having something else in her mind, Andrea, as if divining
that he was near his end, took a mirror and painted himself, making a
fine portrait.4 This is owned by his wife, who is still alive. He also
(1) Berlin Gallery, also belongs to 1528. (2) In I5I9. (3) Now in the
Pitti Gallery. (4) Uffizi
.
drew a friend, a Pisan canon, this fine likeness being now at
Pisa. For the Signoria he began the? cartoons for the painting
of the balustrades of the Kinghiera in the piazza, with many
ingenious ideas illustrating the quarters of the city, as well
as the banners of the principal arts held by boys, and
also figures of the Virtues, and the famous mountains and
rivers in the Florentine territory. It was left incomplete at
his death, and so was a panel done for the monks of Vallombrosa
for the abbey of Poppi in Casentino, though it was nearly
finished. It represents an Assumption' with cherubs, St. John
Gualbert, St. Bernard, the cardinal and monk, St. Catherine and
St. Fidele, and is now in the said abbey. It was the same with
a panel which should have gone to Pisa. But he completed a
fine picture now in the house of Filippo Salviati, and some
others.
About the same time Giovanni Battista della PalIa, having
bought as many notable paintings and sculptures as he could,
and having the rest copied, had thus despoiled Florence of a
quantity of choice things to furnish a suite of rooms for the
King of France, which was to be as rich as possible in such
decoration. He wished Andrea to return to the king's service and
favour, and got him to do two pictures. One represented Abraham
sacrificing Isaac,2 judged his best work until then, the
patriarch showing his lively faith and constancy in not fcariilg
to slay his own soil. He turns his head towards a beautiful angel,
who seems to have told him to hold his hand. I say no more of
the attitude, costume and other things of the patriarch, since
it is impossible to say enough, but Isaac is a beautiful boy,
trembling with fear and almost dead before the blow. His neck
is sunburnt, but the parts covered by his clothes are white. The
ram among the thorns looks alive, and the clothes of Isaac on
the ground are very natural. Two naked servants are watching
a grazing ass, and the landscape is of the utmost beauty. After
the death of Andrea and the arrest of Battista the picture was
bought by Filippo Strozzi, who gave it to Sig. Alfonso Davalos,
Marquis of il Vasto, and he had it taken to the island of Ischia,
near Naples, and placed in some rooms with other fine paintings.
In the other picture Andrea did a lovely Charity with three
infants. It was bought after Andrea's death from his widow by
Domenico Conti, the painter. He sold it to Niccolo Antinori,
who values it as a rare work.
Ottaviano de' Medici, seeing the improvement in Andrea's
(1) Pitti Gallery; painted 1529-31. (2) Dresden: Gallery
style, wished to have a picture by him. Andrea being anxious
to serve a lord who had always favoured men of talent, and to
whom he was much indebted, made him a Virgin seated on the
ground with a Child astride on her knees, turning His head to
St. John held by an old St. Elizabeth, who seems alive, the whole
work being produced with incredible art, design and finish.1 On
completing the picture Andrea took it to M. Ottaviano, but as
Florence was then being besieged, he had other preoccupations, and
told Andrea to give itto anyone he liked, excusing himself and
thanking him. But Andrea replied that he had laboured for Ottaviano
and his it should be. "Sell it," said M. Ottaviano, "and use the
money, because I know what I am saying.', Andrea accordingly went
home, but would never give it to anyone. At the end of the siege, when
the Medici returned to Florence, Andrea brought the picture to
M. Ottaviano, who thanked him warmly and paid him double the price. It
is now in the chamber of Madonna Francesca, his wife, sister of the
Very Rev. Salviatl, who values the pictures left by her husband just
as she retains his friends. Andrea did another picture, like his
Charity referred to, for Cio. Borgherini, of a Madonna and a little
St. John offering the Christ a ball representing the world, and a fine
St. Joseph. Povolo da Terrarossa, as the friend of all painters,
having seen Andrea's sketch of Abraham, wished to have something by
his hands, and asked for the figure of Abraham, which Andrea did for
him readily, the small copy being no whit inferior to the large
original. Pavolo, being greatly delighted, asked the price, thinking
it would be high, but Andrea named a wretchedly small sum, and Pavolo,
half ashamed, shrugged his shoulders and paid him. The picture was
after- wards sent by him to Naples, where it is the finest to be seen.
During the siege of Florence some captains of the city made off with
the pay of the men. Andrea was asked to paint these and other
fugitives and rebel citizens in the Podesta palace, and agreed to do
so. Not wishing to earn the nickname degl' Impiccati, like Andrea del
Castagno, he let it lie understoocl that he had handed over the work
to an apprentice of his called Bemardo del Buda.2 But constructing a
large shed by which he went in and out at night, he painted the
figures himself and made them seem alive. The soldiers, painted on
?the wall of the old Mercatanzia, near 1a Condotta, facing the
piazza, have been whitewashed over for many years, and the citizens
finislied by him in the palace were obliterated.
(1) Pitti Gallery; finished 1529. (2) Bernardo de' Rosselli.
In his last years Andrea became intimate with the governors
of the company of St. Bastiano, behind the Servites, and he
made them a fine half-length St. Sebastian, which appears to
have been his last work. At the end of the siege Andrea expected
better things, though he had little hope that his design of returning
to France would succeed, as Giovanni Battista della PalIa
was taken, Florence being full of soldiers and stores. Among
the soldiers were some landsknechts infected with the plague,
which they communicated to the city. Andrea, whether through
fear or through having eaten too freely after the privations of
the siege, fell grievously sick. He took to his bed and was much
neglected, his wife fearing infection and keeping away, and he
died, they say, with no one by, being buried by the men of
the Scalzo with little ceremony in the church of the Servites,
near his house, where the members of that company are laid.
Andrea's death was a great loss to the city and to art, because
lie improved steadily until his forty-second and last year, and
would have continued so to do, because more certain progress
is won thus gradually than by a spurt. There is no doubt that
if Andrea had stayed at Rome when he went there to see the
works of Raphael and Michelagnolo and the statues and monuments,
he would have greatly enriched his style of composition
and endowed his figures with more refinement and force, things
only attained by those wlio stay some time in Rome to study
and examine in detail. Naturally his design was sweet and
graceful, his colouring facile and very brilliant, and it is thought
that had he remained in Rome he must have surpassed all the
artists of his day. But some believe that he was deterred by the
copious works of the city and by the sight of the numerous
pupils of Raphael, with their bold designs and their unceasing
toil, and, being timid, lie had not the heart to continue, and
concluded it would be better for him to return to Florence,
where, by turning over gradually what he had seen, he made
so much profit that his works are greatly valued and admired:
indeed they have been more imitated since his death than wlieii
lie was alive. Those who prized them and have since Sold therii
have gained three times as much as they paid him, as he always
put a low value on his things, being of a timid nature, and because
the joiners, who did the best things for private houses, would
never give him any cork except when they knew him to be in
great need and ready to accept any sum. Nevertheless, his
works are most rare and deservedly valued, as he was one of
the greatest masters who have lived hitherto.
Many of his designs are in our book, and all are good, especially
the scene done at Poggio, where the tribute of all the oriental
animals is presented to C~sar. It is in grisaille and better finished
than any other of his designs, as when he drew from Nature for his
works he made rough sketches as an indication, and did not make them
perfect except in the finished work, so that his designs served rather
as an aid to the memory than as things to copy. His pupils were
countless- but they did not all follow the same course of study under
him, some stopping a little while and some longer, not through
Andrea's fault, but his wife's, who tyrannously ordered them all about
and rendered their lives a burden.
Among Andrea's pupils were Jacopo da Pontormo, Andrea Sguazzella,
who did a palace outside Paris' in his style, which is much praised,
Il Solosmeo, Pier Francesco di Jacopo di Sandro, who did three panels
in S. Spirito, Francesco Salviati and Giorgio Vasari of Arezzo,
Salviati's companion, although he was but little with Andrea, Jacopo
del Conte of Florence, and Nannoccio, now in France with the cardinal
of Tnurnon, in great credit. Jacopo, called Jacone, was another pupil
and a great friend, closely imitating his style. During Andrea's life
Jacone ?availed himself greatly of his master's help, as we see in
all his works, chiefly on the facade of the house of the knight
Buondelmonti on the piazza of S. Trinita'. Domenico Conti was left the
heir of Andrea's designs and other artistic things, but made little
profit in painting, and it is believed some artists stole them one
night, and it was never known what had become of, them. Domenico
Conti, not ungrateful for the benefits received from his master, and
desirous to do him honour, induced Raffaello da Montelupo to make a
marble slab set on a pilaster in the church of the Servites, with this
epitaph by the learned M. Pier Vettori, then a youth:
ANDREAE SARTIO
ADMIRABILIS INGENII PICT0RI
AC VETERIBUS ILLIS
OMNIUM JUDICIO C0MPARANDO
DOMINICUS C0NTES DISCIPULUS
PR0 LAB0RIBUS IN SE INSTITUEND0 SUSCEPTIS
GRAT0 ANIM0 P0SUIT
VIXIT ANN. XLII. 0B A. MDXXX.
(1) Semblancay, painted 1516-24.
Not long after some wardens of the church, through ignorance rather than hostility, annoyed that the slab should have heen put in
that place without their licence, succeeded in having it removed, nor
has it yet been set up elsewhere. Thus we see that Fortune not only
influences the fate of men when alive, but also their memory. However,
in despite of all, the works and name of Andrea will long survive, and
I hope these writings of mine will preserve their memory for many
centuries. Let us conclude then that, if Andrea in life was
mean-spirited and contented with little, in art his spirit was lofty,
and he was quick and skilful in work, so that he greatly assisted art
by his style in design and colouring. He committed fewer errors than
any other Florentine painter, for he understood light and shade and
the vanishing into darkness, and painted with a very vivid sweetness,
while in fresco he displayed perfect liar- mony and did not retouch
much a secco, so that his works seem to have been done in a single
day. Thus he should serve as an example to Tuscan artists and bear an
honoured palm among their most famous men.
|
