Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/84

76 executed certain works in painting for his master, he was then conducted safely to Naples, where he painted a picture on panel for king Alfonso, then Duke of Calabria, which was placed in the chapel of the castle, where the guard-room now is. But after no long time he conceived a wish to return to Florence, where he remained some months, during which time he painted an altar-piece for the nuns of Sant’Ambrogio, a most beautiful picture, by means of which he became known to Cosimo de’ Medici, who was thereby rendered his most assured friend. He likewise executed a painting in the chapter-house of Santa Croce, with a second, which was placed in the chapel of the Medici Palace, and on which he depicted the Nativity of Christ. Fra Filippo likewise painted a picture for the wife of the above-named Cosimo, the subject of which is also a Nativity of Christ, with a figure of St. John the Baptist; this work was intended for one of the cells in the hermitage of Camaldoli which she had caused to be constructed as a mark of devotion, and had dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Other pictures by the same master, containing stories in small figures, were sent as a gift to Pope Eugenius IV., who was a Venetian, by Cosimo de’ Medici, and these works caused Fra Filippo to be in great favour with that pontiff.

It is said that Fra Filippo was much addicted to the pleasures of sense, insomuch that he would give all he possessed to 'Secure the gratification of whatever inclination might at the moment be predominant; but if he could by no means accomplish his wishes, he would then depict the object which had attracted his attention, in his paintings, and endeavour by discoursing and reasoning with himself to diminish the violence of his inclination. It was known that, while occupied in the pursuit of his pleasures, the w^orks undertaken by him received little or none of his attention; for which reason