Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/173

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After these works Niceolo departed from Prato, where dwelt a young artist, a native of that place, Domenico Giuntalocchi namely, who had studied the principles of the art of painting under his discipline, but although a youth of good genius, yet, having acquired the manner of Niceolo Soggi, he never attained to much distinction in painting, as will be shown hereafter. But returning to Niccolò himself, he departed, I say, from Prato, and repaired to Florence, proposing to remain there, but perceiving that all the works of importance in his art were given to the better and more eminent painters, and that his manner did not approach that of Andrea del Sarto, of Pontormo, or of Rosso, he determined to return once more to Arezzo, in which city he had many friends, greater credit, a higher reputation, and fewer rivals. Arrived there accordingly, Niccolò immediately made known to Messer Giuliano Bacci, one of the principal inhabitants of that cityr, a certain desire which he had formed; that Arezzo namely, should thenceforward be his country, and that he would therefore gladly undertake some work which might afford him an opportunity for the prolonged exercise of the labours of his art, and whereby he might be enabled to render obvious to the people of Arezzo the abilities which he possessed in art.

Messer Giuliano therefore, who was an ingenious man, well pleased to promote the embellishment of his native city, and rejoicing on that account to see artists abounding in the same, did consequently proceed in such sort with the men who were at that time ruling in the Brotherhood of the Annunciation, that they, having just then constructed an extensive vaulting in their church, with the purpose of having it painted, agreed to give the arches of one side to Niccolò, with the further intention of permitting him to paint the remainder, in the event of the part then confided to him being comnleted to the satisfaction of the men of that Brotherhood.

Devoting himself to this work therefore, with the most careful study, in two years Niccolò had painted the half or one arch only, and no more. Here he depicted the Tiburtine Sybil, who is pointing out the Virgin in heaven, with the Divine Child in her arms, to the Emperor Octavian, and that Emperor is adoring the Madonna and Saviour with great