Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/414

406 rise up, and lifts one leg to do so.” With, this the Intendant was fain to appear somewhat pacified, but nevertheless went away grumbling to himself in low tones.

Giovan Francesco was ready and acute in reply; and I find it related, that being once told by a priest that his figures were too attractively beautiful for altar-pieces, he made answer, “You are indeed sensitive, if the mere painted figure have power to move you so much, think then, how is one to trust you where there are living and breathing forms?” In the church of the Barefooted Friars at Isola, a place on the Lago di Garda, this master painted two pictures; and at Malsessino, which is situate on the banks of the same lake, he painted a most beautiful Madonna over the door of a church, with certain Saints within the church, which he did at the request of Fracastoro, a poet of great repute and the intimate friend of the artist. For the Count Giovanni Francesco Giusti, our artist painted a picture which that signor himself invented. The subject of this work was a Youth almost entirely nude; in an attitude of indecision he is half rising up and half disposed to remain in his position; on one side of him is a beautiful Virgin representing Minerva, who is pointing with one hand to a figure of Fame in the heavens, and with the other is urging him to follow her, but Idleness and Indolence are standing behind the youth and do their best to retain him. Beneath is a figure with a coarse clownish countenance, that of a slave or plebeian, rather than of a noble or freeborn man; two immense snails are attached to his elbows, and he is seated on a crab; near him is another figure whose hands are filled with poppies.

This work, which is further enriched by other fanciful inventions and particulars of great beauty, was executed by Giovan Francesco with singular diligence and love, it serves as the head-board of a couch, which that signor caused to be made for a most pleasant dwelling which he possessed near Verona, called Santa Maria della Stella. For the Count Baimondo della Torre the same artist decorated a small chamber with historical representations in small figures, and as he took much pleasure in works in relief, so are there not