Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/451

Rh Cornaro, who had always loved him as a brother, yea, rather, as himself: wherefore, and to the end that death might not separate the bodies of those who had ever been conjoined in soul by friendship and love of art in this world, Messer Luigi had proposed that the remains of GiovanMaria should be deposited with his own in the tomb that was to be erected for them, and which he furthermore intended to share with the humorous poet Ruzzante, also his intimate friend, and who likewise lived and died in his house. But whether or not this design of the illustrious and magnificent Cornaro was carried into effect, I cannot say.

Giovan-Maria was a man of much eloquence, acute in repartee, and very pleasing and courteous in conversation; Cornaro was wont to affirm that an entire book might be made of Falconetto’s admirable sayings. Though lamed by the gout, as we have said, Giovan-Maria lived cheerfully, and therefore extended his life to the age of seventy-six, when he died in the year 1534. He had six daughters, five of whom he did himself bestow in marriage, and the sixth was married after his death by her brothers to the Veronese, Bartolommeo Ridolfi, who performed many works of stucco in their company, and greatly surpassed them in that branch of art, wherein he was a much better master than they. This may be seen from the works executed by him in many places, but more particularly at Verona, at the house of Fiorio della Seta, which is above the Ponte Nuovo, and where there are many apartments very beautifully decorated by his hand. There are, besides, numerous works of the same kind by Bartolommeo in the house of the Counts Canossi, which are truly admirable, as are likewise those which he performed in the house of the Murati, which is near to San Nazzaro, for the Signor Giovanni Battista della Torre: with others for the beautiful villa of the Veronese banker, Cosimo Moneta, and many besides in different places,