Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/302

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And this shall be the end of the life of Pinturicchio, who among other qualities, jDossessed that of giving considerable satisfaction to princes and nobles, because he quickly brought the works commanded by them to an end, as they like to have done, although such works may, perchance, be less excellent than those of masters who proceed more slowly, and with greater consideration.

Francesco Francia was horn in Bologna, in the year 1450, of parents in the rank of artisans, but respectable and wellconducted people. In his first youth he was destined to the calling of the goldsmith; and labouring at the same with ability and good will, his progress in his art kept fair proportion with his increase of stature. His manner and conversation were so gentle and obliging, that he kept all around him in good humour, and had the gift of dissipating the heavy thoughts of the most melancholy by the charms of his conversation: for these reasons he was not only beloved by all who were acquainted with him, but in the course of time he obtained the favour of many princes and nobles, Italian and others. While still working at his trade of a goldsmith, Francesco applied himself to design, in