Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/376

368 executed for the Nuns belonging to the Hospital of the Innocents, he represented, by means of an infinite number of minute figures, the story of the eleven thousand martyrs, condemned to death by the Emperor Dioclesian, and all crucified in a wood. In this work the master has imagined a very finely executed combat of cavalry and nude figures; in the air above are beautiful children who shoot arrows at the executioners, while the latter are employing themselves with such details as belong to the crucifixion of the martyrs; near and around the Emperor by whom the latter are condemned are also many beautiful nude forms in the act of being led to death. This, in all parts highly to be commended picture, is now in the possession of Don Yincenzio Borghini, the director of that Hospital, and an intimate friend of Jacopo Puntormo.

Another work of a subject similar to this last, but giving only the Carnage of the Martyrs, with the angel who baptizes them, was executed by Jacopo for Carlo Neroni, as was also the portrait of the above-named Carlo. At the time of the Siege of Elorence, Puntormo also painted the likeness of Francesco Guardi, whom he has depicted in the dress of a soldier; a very admirable work it is, and on the cover of the same Bronzino delineated Pygmalion addressing his prayer to Yenus, to the end that the Statue which he had made might receive the breath of life, and, awakening to existence, according to the fable of the poets, might become flesh and blood.

About this time Jacopo obtained, but not without many labours, the fulfilment of a wish which he had long entertained; for, having ever desired to inhabit a house of his own, and not one merely hired, in order that he might make such arrangements as he thought proper, and live after his own fashion, he did ultimately succeed in buying one, which was situate in the Via della Colonna, nearly opposite to the dwelling of the Nuns of Santa Maria degli Angeli.

When the Siege of Florence was over, Pope Clement gave command to Messer Ottaviano de’ Medici that he should cause the hall of Poggio-a-Cajano to be finished, whereupon, Franciabigio and Andrea del Sarto being dead, the whole