Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/132

120 cesco should by all means learn his own trade of weaving velvet.

But the youth, whose mind was turned to other matters, had a mortal dislike to the labours of that calling, although the trade had in old times been exercised by persons—I will not say noble,—yet, who were at least, in good and easy circumstances, nay, rich men, as is well known. Francesco did, nevertheless, fulfil the desire of his father in that matter, but with much ill will, and being oftentimes in the society of the sons of Domenico Naldini, a very honourable citizen (who had his house in the Via de’ Servi, and was the neighbour of Michelagnolo), Francesco was remarked to be much inclined to adopt the courteous and elegant manners of those with whom he thus associated; he likewise displayed a decided love for the arts of design.

In these dispositions the boy was much encouraged by a cousin of his named Diacceto, who was a goldsmith, and a youth of some ability in drawing, for the latter not only taught Francesco what little he knew, but also furnished him with numerous designs by various artists of eminence, and over these Francesco laboured secretly day and night with indescribable zeal, but entirely without the knowledge of his father. The fact became known nevertheless to Domenico Naldini, who after having well examined the child, said so much to Michelagnolo his father, that the weaver finally agreed to place his boy in the shop of his uncle, there to learn the art of the goldsmith, when the facilities afforded him for drawing were turned to such extraordinary account by Francesco, that at the end of a few months, he was found to have made an amount of progress at which every one who beheld it was amazed.

Now there was at that time a society of young goldsmiths and painters in Florence, who were accustomed occasionally to meet together and proceed on festival days or at other times to copy or design from the best works, wherever these were to be found dispersed about the city; but among all these young men, there was none who exerted himself with more zeal and love on these occasions than Francesco.

The youths composing this society were Nanni di Prospero delle Corniuole,