Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/160

152 uncle Giovanni Pollastra, a very learned man, and had all the means of restoration supplied abundantly; but want and terror had so heavily tried his strength, that he did not recover it without considerable difficulty.

In the same year there broke out so terrible a plague in Arezzo, that there died of that pestilence four hundred persons daily, and Giovan-Antonio, almost in despair, was again compelled to fly, when he was obliged to remain out of the city for many months, but sorely against his will. Ultimately, however, the epidemic did abate to such an extent that people could once more hold intercouse with each other; and a certain Fra Guasparri, a monk of San Francesco, who was at that time guardian of the convent belonging to that brotherhood in Arezzo, commissioned Giovan-Antonio to paint the picture for the high altar of their church; the subject chosen was the Adoration of the Magi, and the price agreed on a hundred crowns. Then Lappoli, hearing that II Rosso was at Borgoa San Sepolcro (he having also fled from Rome), and was there engaged on the picture for the Company of the Santa Croce—hearing this, I say, Giovan-Antonio went to visit 'him, causing various things, of which he knew that 11 Rosso stood in need, to be carried to him from Arezzo, for 11 Rosso, too, had lost everything in the sack of Rome, and offering him many other civilities; after which he obtained from J1 Rosso a very beautiful design for the picture which lie had engaged to paint for Fra Guasparri. Having secured this, Giovan-Antonio returned to Arezzo, and began his work, which he completed according to the conditions of his agreement, within a year from the day of his having received the commission, and that in such a manner as to secure him very high commendation. This design of Rosso's afterwards came into the possession of Giorgio Vasari, from whom it passed to that of the very reverend Hon Vincenzio Borghini, Director of the Foundling Hospital in Florence, who still has it in his book of designs, the collected works of different painters.