Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/207

Rh Imnd, to Don Yincenzio Borghini, by whom it is very highly prized as the work of an excellent painter. In the same place this artist also painted the Angel destroying the firstborn of Egypt, availing himself of the aid of many assistants, that the work might be the more rapidly finished.

But when the labours above-described were estimated, the toils of Eederigo and of the other young men, were not considered, as they ought to have been, seeing that there are many among our artists, whether in Rome, Elorence, or elsewhere, who, blinded by envy, will not acknowledge the merits of others, yet are not by any means aware of the defects existing in their own works; but such persons often cause the rising genius of many a youth to be repressed, while they make others cool in their studies and become negligent in their modes of operation.

At a later period Eederigo painted two figures larger than life in the Office of the Ruota; these represented Justice and Equity, being used in the manner of supporters to the Arms of JPope Pius lY.: he was very highly commended for this work, and during the time when Eederigo was occupied therewith, Taddeo Zucchero was engaged in the completion of his engagement at Caprarola, and was proceeding with the Chapel of San Marcello. His Holiness meanwhile having determined that the Hall of the Kings should by all means be finished, after the many contentions which had arisen respecting it between Daniello and Salviati, as we have related, gave at last a command to the Bishop of Eorli, to the effect that what he desired should be accomplished: the above-mentioned Prelate thereupon wrote to Vasari, (and this was on the 3rd of September, 1561), giving him to know that the Pope, resolving to finish the Hall of Kings, had commanded him, the Bishop, to find men for the same, who should rid his hands once for all of that work. He added that, moved by their ancient friendship and by other causes, he now begged Giorgio to repair without delay to Rome, if he could obtain the good pleasure and permission of the Duke his Lord, seeing that he might thereby give satisfaction to His Holiness, while he secured honour as well as profit to’himself. The Bi^iop requested, moreover, that a reply to this letter might be returned as speedily as possible.

The answer of Vasari was to the effect that he was doing