Page:The painters of Florence from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century (1915).djvu/364

314 biglo, who had lately left Albertinelli's bottega. The little panel of Christ appearing to the Magdalene, now in the Academy, is the earliest of Andrea's works that we have, and is mentioned by Vasari as having been painted for the Augustinian convent outside the Porta San Gallo. The bright tints and charming landscape of this youthful work recall Piero di Cosimo's style, and already display the peculiar softness and delicacy of colouring for which Andrea became noted. Soon he obtained a more important commission from Fra Mariano, the sacristan of the Servi brothers, who gladly availed himself of this opportunity to secure so promising an artist at small cost. At his suggestion, Andrea agreed to paint five frescoes on the life of S. Filippo Benizzi, in the court of the Annunziata, for the sum of ten florins a-piece. The decoration of this entrance-court had been commenced half a century before, by Alessio Baldovinetti, and was now completed by these clever young sixteenth-century painters. Andrea finished the five subjects from S. Filippo's life by the end of 1510, and was induced to paint two more frescoes, a Nativity and Adoration of the Magi, upon receiving a further payment of forty-eight florins.

These beautiful paintings, which the Servi brothers obtained for less than a hundred florins, were a marvellous production for a youth who was little over twenty, and remain Andrea's most charming and attractive works. They are full of brightness and animation, and, at the same time, display rare mastery of design and colour. The landscape in the fresco of the Gamblers Struck by Lightning, is remarkably fine and varied, while the dramatic action and skilful com-