Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/161

Rh No long time after having completed this undertaking, Giovan-Antonio became surety, to the amount of three hundred crowns, on account of certain pictures, which II Rosso had engaged to paint in the Madonna delle Lagrime, at Arezzo, and for this matter Giovan-Antonio was put to great trouble, seeing that II Rosso having departed without finishing the work, as we have related in his life, the sum was demanded from Lappoli, who was compelled to make it good. Nay, had he not been assisted by his friends, but more particularly by Giorgio Vasari, by whom the part which Rosso had completed was estimated at three hundred crowns, Giovan-Antonio would have been almost ruined, when he had intended nothing worse than to promote the honour and advantage of his native city.

Having got over that misfortune, Lappoli painted a picture in oil, by commission from the Abbot Camaiani di Bibbiena; the subject of this work was Our Lady, who is accompanied by San Bartolommeo, and the picture was intended for a chapel in the subterranean church of Santa Maria del Sasso, a monastery of the Friars Preachers, in Casentino. In this work Lappoli acquitted himself exceedingly well, imitating the manner of II Rosso; and this caused him to be employed by a Brotherhood in Bibbiena, who desired to have a Gonfalon, or banner, painted, to be borne in procession, and which they commissioned Lappoli to prepare. On one side of this Gonfalon is a nude figure of Christ, bearing his Cross on his shoulder, and pouring blood into a chalice; on the other side is an Annunciation, said to be one of the best paintings ever executed by Lappoli.

In the year 1534, the Duke Alessandro de’ Medici was expected to visit Arezzo, and the Aretines, with Luigi Guicciardini, commissary of that city, determined to have two comedies performed in honour of the Duke. One was arranged under the care of a society calling themselves the Umidi, and consisting of the noblest and most distinguished young men of the city; the scenery and preparations of this comedy, the story whereof had relation to the Intronati of Siena, were executed by Niccold Soggi, who was much extolled for the same, and the comedy was admirably recited, to the infinite delight and satisfaction of all who beheld it.

The second comedy was undertaken by another society of