Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/490

482 of Sforza and of the Medici. This picture was executed by Antonio di Donnino,' a painter who gave considerable animation to his figures, and in the distance of whose picture there was so admirable a skirmish of cavalry, that this artist, reputed to be of no great distinction, was found on that occasion to have succeeded much better than some others who were great men, but only according to report. In the fifth painting was seen the Duke Alessandro invested by his Imperial Majesty with all the ensigns of his ducal dignity: the device was a Magpie, with a Branch of Laurel in its bill, and the arms on the frieze were those of the Medici and of Toledo. This picture was by the hand of the Venetian, Battista Franco.

The last of all these pictures exhibited the Marriage of that same Duke Alessandro, which had been decided on in Naples, and in the device were two Crows, the crow being an ancient symbol of marriage. The arms on the frieze were those of Don Pietro, viceroy of Naples, and this work, which was by the hand of Bronzino, was painted with so much grace that it surpassed, as that before-mentioned had done, all the stories that were executed by the other masters. Aristotile himself depicted a frieze on the Loggia, with small historical representations and warlike trophies; they were exceedingly well done, and the whole work pleased the Duke greatly; his Excellency therefore rewarded Bastiano very largely. That artist thenceforward continued for some