Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/360

352 life we have already given. Being somewhat vain of his person, he had made a portrait of himself by the help of a mirror, even while still the disciple of Jacopo, but that portrait not appearing to the master to be a satisfactory likeness, he took it in hand himself, when he depicted the same so admirably well that it seems to be alive. This picture is now at Arezzo, in possession of the heirs of Giovan-Antonio Lappoli.

Puntormo subsequently painted the likenesses of two of his most intimate friends in the same picture; one of these was the son-in-law of the glass-maker Beccuccio: the name of the other I do not know, and it shall suffice to notify that the picture was by the hand of Puntormo. For the funeral solemnities of Bartolommeo Ginori, Jacopo prepared a range of banners, which it was the custom of the Florentines to use on such occasions; and in each of these he painted a figure of the Madonna with the Infant Christ, in the upper part of the white taffeta whereof that portion of the banner was composed; while in the lower part, and on the coloured surface of the edging, he depicted the Arms of the family, as was usual.

Now there were twenty-four of these banners, and in the centre of the coloured pendants Puntormo placed two which were entirely of white taffeta, without any edging of colours, and in each of these he painted a figure of San Bartolommeo, which was two braccia high. The great size of these banners, and the novelty of their manner, making all those which had been previously made appear mean and poor in the comparison, gave occasion to a change, and caused people to begin making them of a large size, as we have them in the present day, lighter and more graceful that is to say, and with a much more frugal use of gold in the decorations.

At the upper end of the garden and vineyard which belong to the monks of San Gallo, and are situate at a short distance from the city-gate named after that saint, there is a chapel, and opposite to the central door of this building Jacopo Puntormo painted the figure of Our Saviour lying dead, with the Virgin Mother weeping over him, and two Children hovering above, one holding the Chalice of the