Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/359

Rh which is so beautiful that nothing better could possibly be seen. He decorated the house of the cavalier Guidotti, which is in the Via Larga, and the front of which is painted by Andrea in the hatched manner above described. Another in like manner was decorated by this artist for Bartolommeo Panciatichi, being the fa9ade of a house which the latter built on the Piazza degli Agli, and which now belongs to Roberto de’ Ricci; this last-mentioned work is most beautiful.

It would not be possible to describe the vast number of decorations in friezes, coffers, and caskets, with the numerous ceilings, wainscots, and other works of similar kind executed by the hand of Andrea di Cosimo, seeing that the whole city is full of them. I must therefore decline the enumeration of these, but I will not omit to mention the circular escutcheons which were prepared by this artist, and that to such an extent that there could scarcely be a wedding solemnized, but that Andrea must have his workshops filled with such works either for one or another of the citizens. Neither could brocades, adorned in various colours or cloth of gold and silver, be woven, but that Andrea must prepare the designs, and this he did with a grace, variety, and beauty, which infused life and spirit into all these things. Had Andrea been fully aware of the extent of his own abilities he might have obtained great riches, but he was content with the means of living and of indulging his love for his art.

Nor will I omit to record that in my youth, and while in the service of the Duke Alessandro de’ Medici, which was at the time when the Emperor Charles Y. came to Florence, I was charged to prepare the Banners for the Castle, or as people now call it the Citadel; among these was a standard of crimson cloth, which was eighteen braccia in width at the staff, and forty braccia in length; this was to be decorated with a bordering in gold carried entirely around it, exhibiting the devices of the Emperor Charles and the house of Medici, and in the centre were to be painted the arms of his majesty. Forty-five thousand leaves of gold were used for this work, and on that occasion I called Andrea di Cosimo to my assistance for the decorations, and Mariotto di Francesco Mettidoro