Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/411

Rh the year 1505. But after having presented her husband with a son, this lady died in child-birth, when having nothing further to detain him in Yerona, Giovan Francesco departed and went to Milan. Here he was at once employed by the Signor Anton Maria Visconti, who received him into his house, and caused him to execute numerous works for the decoration of the same.

Now at this time it chanced that a Fleming had brought to Milan the portrait of a youth taken from life, and painted in oil, which was much admired by every one in that city: but when Giovan Francesco saw it he laughed, and said, I would take it upon me to produce a better than that whereupon the Fleming, making a jest of his remark, the matter, after many words, came to this, that Giovan Francesco should make the trial, losing his picture, with twentyfive scudi, if he lost; but if he won, receiving the picture of the Fleming with twenty-five scudi to boot.

Having set himself to work accordingly with his very best endeavours, Giovan Francesco depicted an aged Gentleman with shaven beard, and holding a Falcon on his hand; but, although the portrait was a faithful likeness, the head of the Fleming was adjudged to be the best. Giovan Francesco had not made a good choice; he had selected a subject which could scarcely do him honour, but if he had taken the head of a youth and copied that as closely as he did the head of the old man, he would at least have equalled the portrait of his antagonist, if he had not surpassed it. Nor indeed did the work of the Veronese artist fail to receive commendation, and the Fleming, treating him very liberably, declared himself content with the head of the old shaven man alone, nor would he accept (courteous and noble person as he was) the twenty-five ducats on which they had agreed. This picture ultimately passed into the hands of Madonna Isabella d’Este, Marchioness of Mantua, who paid a good price for it to the Fleming, and placed it as a work of rare merit in her study, wherein she had collected many fine medals and coins, with other works in marble, painting, and bronze.

After having completed the works undertaken for the Visconti, Giovan Francesco, being invited by Guglielmo, Marquis of Montferrat, went very willingly to do him service, which he had been earnestly requested to do by the Visconti,