Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/190

182 to have attained much skill in execution, and Gian Barile, perceiving that if the boy continued his endeavours, he 'would certainly make an extraordinary painter, spoke concerning him to Piero di Cosimo, 'who 'was then considered one of the best masters in Florence, and finally placed Andrea under his care. Full of anxiety to learn his art, the latter studied 'without ceasing, and his perpetual labour, conjoined with the natural endowments which proved him to be born a painter, produced so great an effect, that when handling the colours, he displayed a grace and facility which could scarcely have been surpassed by one who had used the same for fifty years.

Piero consequently soon conceived a very great affection for his disciple, and heard with indescribable pleasure that whenever Andrea had a little time to himself, more particularly on festival days, he spent the whole of it in drawing, with other young men, in the hall of the Pope, where was then the Cartoon of Michelagnolo, with that of Leonardo da Vinci, and that he there, although still but a youth, surpassed all the other students, natives as well as strangers, who were almost perpetually vicing with each other in that place.

But of all those whom he thus met, Franciabigio was the one whose character and conversation were most agreeable to Andrea del Sarto, and as the latter was equally acceptable to Franciabigio, they became friends; Andrea then confessed to Francia that he could no longer endure the eccentricity of Piero, who had now become old, and that he had therefore determined to seek an abode for himself. Now it chanced that Franciabigio was on the point of doing the same thing, being compelled thereto by the circumstance of his master, Mariotto Albertinelli, having abandoned the art of painting: hearing what Andrea said therefore, he told him that he also had to take a similar step, and remarked to his companion at the same time, that it would be for the benefit of both if they were to establish themselves together. They hired a dwelling accordingly, on the Piazza del Grano, and executed many