Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/314

306 soldier Battista della Bilia, of Città di Castello, that Cristofano employed himself with painting, immediately obtained a very beautiful picture from his hand; whereupon he determined to despatch him, with Battista della Bilia, and another Battista, also of Città di Castello, to that city, there to decorate a Loggia and garden which he was then erecting and laying out with hatchings and paintings of various kinds. While the garden was in preparation, the first-named Battista died, and the second Battista stepped into his place, when, whatever may have been the cause, the work came to a stand, and nothing further was done therein.

Meanwhile Giorgio Vasari returned from Borne, and was sojourning in Florence Avith the Duke Alessandro, until the Cardinal Ippolito, his lord, should arrive from Hungary; when he was to commence the decoration in fresco of certain apartments in the Medici palace, the subjects chosen being events from the life of Caesar: Giovanni da Udine having adorned the ceilings of that building with stucco work and paintings. Now Vasari, who had his abode appointed him in the convent of the Servites, had become known to Cristofano at Borgo, at the time when he (Giorgio) had gone thither to visit 31 Bosso, and had taken much notice of the youth, who, on his part, had treated Giorgio very kindly. Cristofano therefore now resolved to fix himself with Vasari, and to avail himself of that opportunity for studying the art much more zealously than he had ever done before. After having been a year with Giorgio, therefore, the latter, observing him very closely, clearly perceived in him the materials for making an able artist, and finding him moreover to be of most gentle disposition, pleasing in conversation, and in all things greatly to his liking, he conceived a very strong affection for the youth.

Now it chanced about this time that Vasari had occasion to visit the Città di Castello, having been commissioned by the Duke Alessandro to repair thither, in company with Antonio di San Gallo, and Pier Francesco of Yiterbo; these two masters having been at Florence, engaged in the construction of the Fortress, or rather the Citadel, and now,