Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/201

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The abilities of Andrea had caused him, about this period of his life, to become known to Giovanni Gaddi, who was afterwards clerk of the chamber, and who, from his love to the arts of design, then kept Jacopo Sansovino in continual employment. The manner of Andrea del Sarto pleasing Giovanni, he commissioned the artist to paint a picture of the Virgin for him, and this proved to be a singularly beautiful painting, nay, it was considered to be the best that Andrea had then produced, partly because the latter had executed many beautiful and ingenious decorations, by way of frame work, around the picture.

For the merchant Giovanni di Paolo, this master painted another picture of the Madonna, which pleases all who behold it exceedingly, and is indeed a truly beautiful production: for Andrea Santini, he likewise painted a picture representing Our Lady, Jesus Christ, St. John, and St. Joseph, all executed with so much care, that in Florence they have ever been esteemed as works of the highest merit.

These various labours secured so great a name for Andrea in his native city, that among the many artists, old and young, who were then painting, he was accounted one of the best that handled pencil and colours. Our artist then found himself to be not only honoured and admired, but also in a condition, notwithstanding the really mean price that he accepted for his labours, which permitted him to render assistance to his family, while he still remained unoppressed for his own part, by those cares and anxieties which beset those who are compelled to live in poverty. But having fallen in love with a