Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/351

Rh head or chief; and this, I say, had for its device the Broncone, a dead branch of laurel, that is to say, with new leaves springing forth, to signify that he was to revive and restore the name of his grandfather.

Messer Andrea Dazzi, who was then Lecturer on Greek and Latin to the schools of learning in Florence, received charge of their festival from the company of the Diamond, and was required to invent a Triumph; he thereupon arranged one after the manner used by the Romans in their triumphal processions, consisting of three splendid chariots, beautifully carved in wood, and painted with the most exquisite art. In the first of the cars was Childhood, or more properly Boyhood, or Early Youth, represented by a range of most beautiful boys: in the second was Manhood, indicated by many persons who had distinguished themselves at that period of life, and in the third was Old Age, impersonated by men advanced in years, who had also performed great things at the close of their lives. All the personages of each chariot were most richly robed and adorned, insomuch that a finer show could scarcely be seen.

The architects of these chariots were Raffaello delle Vivole, the carver Carota, the painter Andrea di Cosimo, and Andrea del Sarto: those who prepared and arranged the dresses were Piero da Vinci, father of Leonardo, and Bernardino di Giordano, both men of great ability; while the painting of all the three cars was left entirely to Jacopo da Puntormo, who decorated the same with various scenes and stories in chiaro-scuro, the subjects taken from the transformations of the Gods: the designs for the same are now in the possession of the excellent goldsmith Pietro Paolo Galeotti. On the first chariot was inscribed in large letters the word Erimus, on the second Sumus, and on the third Fuimus; that is to say, “We shall be,” “We are,” and “We were.” The chant or song began with the following words: “The years fly on.”

The Signor Lorenzo, chief of the company of the Broncone or Branch, having seen these triumphal chariots, desired that those of his own society should surpass them; he gave charge of the whole to Jacopo Nardi, j a noble and most learned