Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/218

210 of the above-named Messer Pier Francesco Riccio, insomuch that whoever was not of that party obtained no share in the favours of the court, even though an able and upright artist, and this state of things caused many who might have become excellent masters with the aid of so great a prince, to find themselves neglected and abandoned, seeing that none were employed unless with the good pleasure of II Tasso, who, being a joyous companion, did so wind round Messer Pier Francesco with his pranks and jests, that in certain affairs the latter would neither command nor execute anything but what Tasso, who was the architect of the palace, and had all things in his hands, advised and wished for.

This faction, therefore, having a sort of suspicion of Giorgio, partly because he did but laugh at their follies and pretensions, but partly also because he strove to advance himself rather by the careful study of his art than by favour; they had consequently no thought of applying to him, but the Duke himself entrusted him with the commission for the work, and he was commanded to paint the before-mentioned composition on the canvas accordingly. This work Giorgio executed in chiaro-scuro, within the six days, completing it in such sort as is known to all who have seen the important addition made thereby to the grace and decoration of the whole spectacle, and how greatly that part of the church, which was most of all in need of such renovation for the magnificence of the occasion, was lighted up and improved by the same.

But to return to Tribolo, from whom I have departed, I scarcely know how. This artist acquitted himself so well on the occasion now in question, that he obtained the highest encomiums, and a great part of the decorations erected by his care between the columns were suffered, by command of the Duke, to retain their places, a distinction which they well deserved; they remain accordingly in the church.

For the Villa of Cristofano Rinieri at Castello, Tribolo executed the statue of a River God, the size of life, in grey stone; this he did while occupied with the Fountains of the Duke, and placed it in a niche at the head of the fish-pond, which extends beyond the aviary of the villa. The statue pours water into a very large basin of the same stone, and that figure, though made of several pieces, has every part