Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 3.djvu/481

Rh remained there from that time forward, and his first wife having died without leaving liim any children, he took a second, with whom he lived very happily, being in very easy circumstances, and having an income from lands and other sources, which amounted to more than four hundred scudi. The second wife of Giovanni presented him with two sons and a daughter; he lived content to his sixtieth year, and when he had attained to that age he resigned his soul to God; this happened on the day of Pentecost, in the year 1555.

Matteo dal Nassaro, the son of a shoemaker called Jacopo dal Nassaro, was born in Verona; in his early childhood he gave much attention not only to design but to music also, and was much distinguished therein, having had for his masters Marco Carra and II Tromboncino, both Veronese, and who were at that time in the service of the Marquis of Mantua. In matters connected with engraving he received valuable assistance from two Veronese of distinguished families, with whom he was in continual intercourse: one of these was Niccolo Avanzi, who executed cameos, works in carnelians and on other stones, privately and on his own account in Rome, sending the results of his labours to different princes: there are persons who remember to have seen a lapis-lazuli, three fingers broad, whereon was engraved by his hand the Nativity of our Saviour Christ, with numerous figures; this was sold to the Duchess of Urbino, as a rare and beautiful production. The other master of Matteo was Galeazzo Mondella, who, besides being an engraver of gems, drew very finely.

When Matteo had learned from these two all that they could teach him, it chanced that a beautiful piece of green jasper marked with red spots, as is the case with good specimens, fell into his hands, wherefore he executed a Deposition from the Cross thereon, with so much care that he made the wounds come exactly into those parts of the jasper which were spotted with blood-colours, thus bringing his work to a singular degree of perfection, and he received much commendation for the same accordingly. This jasper Matteo sold to the Marchioness Isabella of Este.

Matteo dal Nassaro afterwards went to France, whither he carried many works which he had prepared, to the end that