Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/417

Rh artists; nor is the mode of his life held in lighter estimation, he having always comported himself as a Christian should do. Francesco ever passed his days in much quietude, and calmly enjoyed that which his labours had secured for him.

Baldassare Lancia of Urbino was also a disciple of Girolamo Genga; this artist turned his attention to many subjects of ingenious inquiry, but subsequently worked for the most part at the fortification of cities, &c. He laboured more particularly for the Signori a of Lucca, from whom he received a fixed stipend, and in whose city he passed some time. He was afterwards attached to the service of the most illustrious Duke, Cosimo de’ Medici, by whom he was employed in the fortifications of Florence and Siena; that Prince has indeed availed himself of Baldassare’s assistance in many ingenious works, and continues to do so, Lancia ever labouring in the most honourable and upright manner, insomuch that he has secured to himself the favour and approbation of the Duke as well as very gratifying and valuable rewards.

Many others were also assistants to Girolamo Genga, but of these there is no need that I should make further discourse since they have not attained to any great excellence.

Now to the above-named Girolamo, there was born a son in the year 1518, and this event took place in Cesena, while the father was following the Duke his master into exile. The child, whom he called Bartolommeo, was brought up in the exercise of all good practices and manners by Girolamo, who sent him when he had attained the proper age to learn the Latin tongue, wherein the boy made a more than ordinary progress: but when Bartolommeo had arrived at the age of eighteen, his father, perceiving that he was more decidedly disposed to the arts of design than to letters, gave him permission to study those arts under his own care for about two years, and these being concluded he then sent him to pursue the studies of design and painting in Florence, where he well knew that the true school of those arts is to be found; by reason of the vast number of works by the most excellent masters, ancient as well as modern, existing in that city.

Dwelling there accordingly, and attending to the study of design and of architecture, Bartolommeo formed a friendship