Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/330

322 this design, the windows were surrounded by various ornaments, while every compartment of the whole front was filled with rich historical pictures, the subjects of which, to say it briefly, was the whole Life of Man, from his birth to his death. Being despatched to Messer Sforza, this design pleased him so greatly, as it did the Duke also, that he determined to permit no further steps to be taken in the matter until Vasari himself should have returned to Florence.

But Giorgio having at length arrived, and having been received by his most Illustrious Excellency, as well as by the above-named Messer Sforza, with many proofs of kindness, began to consider by whom it would be desirable to cause the façade of Almeni’s house to be executed; then not suffering the opportunity to escape him, Vasari assured Messer Sforza that there was no one better able to undertake that work than Cristofano, adding, that neither in that nor in the other decorations which were to be undertaken for the palace, would he (Vasari) be able to proceed without the help of that artist. Thereupon Messer Sforza, having spoken of that affair with the Duke, the fault committed by Cristofano was found on inquiry to have been by no means so grave a one as had been represented, and the poor fellow was at length fully restored to the favour of his Excellency^ This intelligence being despatched to Vasari, who was then in Arezzo, revisiting his country and friends, the latter instantly sent a special messenger to Cristofano (who knew nothing of the measures taken in his favour), to give him that excellent piece of news, at the receipt of which he was on the point of fainting for joy.

Greatly exulting, therefore, and declaring that never had any man been so good a friend to him as Vasari, he started early the following morning from Città di Castello, where the intelligence had found him, to the Borgo, where he presented the letters of his reinstation to the Commissary, and thence repaired to the house of his father, where his mother, with the brother who had also been in exile, but who had long before received permission to return to his country, were struck with amazement at the sight of him. Two days