Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/313

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Wherefore the above-mentioned Raphael dal Colle, having seen certain animals, as dogs, wolves, hares, and various kinds of birds and fish, from the hand of this youth, all very well done; finding, moreover, that he was of most pleasing conversation, was well content to make his acquaintance. Cristofano was also exceedingly facetious and acute, while at the same time he lived much apart, withdrawn amidst his own thoughts, and leading as it were the life of a philosopher, insomuch that Raffaello dal Colle was very glad to have him studying and learning his art in his work-shops. Passing his days in designing under the discipline of Raffaello, therefore, Cristofano had for some time been thus employed, when there came to Borgo-a -San Sepolcro the painter Rosso, with whom Doceno likewise formed a friendship, and obtained some designs from his hand, wdiich he studied and worked on with much diligence; these works appearing to him (who had never seen any but from the hand of Raffaello ), to be, as in truth they were, most beautiful.

But the studies of Cristofano did not proceed without interruption, for as it chanced that Giovanni de’ Turini, who was then Captain-General of the Florentines, led a band of soldiers from the Borgo and from Citta di Castello to the relief of Florence, which was then besieged by the Imperial forces, and by those of Pope Clement, Cristofano went thither with the other soldiers, having been over-persuaded and led away by several of his friends. It is true that he took this step no less for the purpose of studying with some degree of convenience the works of art to be found in Florence, than for military purposes; but in this intention he failed to succeed, since his leader did not take up his quarters in any part of the city, but undertook the defence of the bastions on the hills outside the walls.

The war having been brought to a close, and the Signor Alessandro Yitelli, of Citta di Castello, having taken it on himself to provide for the defence of Florence, Cristofano, still following the counsels of his friends, and impelled also by his desire to study the pictures and sculptures of the city, attached himself to the corps commanded by Yitelli, taking service as a soldier of the guard. While thus engaged, the Signor Alessandro, having heard from the painter and