Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/337

Rh when he was most disposed to weep. In a word, there is scarcely a church or street in Bologna which does not exhibit some daub from the hand of Amico.

This artist painted not a little in Rome also; and in the church of San Friano, at Lucca, he decorated a chapel, Avhich, with many strange and extravagant fancies, has some things worthy of praise, as are, for example, the Stories of the Cross, and others from the life of St. Augustine, wherein there are numerous portraits of distinguished persons belonging to the city of Lucca. This was indeed the most meritorious fresco in varied colours ever executed by Amico. There are besides certain stories from the life of San Niccolo by the same master, at the altar of that saint, in the church of San Jacopo in Bologna, with a series of views in perspective beneath them, which merit commendation.

When the Emperor Charles V. visited Bologna, Amico erected an Arch of Triumph at the gate of the palace; the statues in relief, for the decoration whereof, were executed by Alfonso Lombardi; and if, in works of this kind, Amico displayed more aptitude than some other masters have done, that can occasion no surprise, if we remember that he is said to have wandered over all Italy, like an eccentric and singular person as he was, drawing and copying everything that he could find, whether in painting or relief, and whether a good work or a bad one; thus he could scarcely fail to acquire a certain amount of facility in practice. But it is reported of Amico, that when he discovered any thing fit for his purposes, he gladly laid his hands upon it, but destroyed or spoiled it after he had done, that none other might avail himself thereof. And the result of all his pains and labours was the strange and fantastic manner which we see.

Having reached the age of seventy, while still pursuing this extraordinary mode of life, and eccentric manner in art, Amico finally became quite mad. Messer Francesco Guicciardini, a noble Florentine, and the veracious historian