Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/488

476 stories in fresco, which the Signor Duke desires to have painted on the wall beside the Organ, in the Church of San Lorenzo, and we cannot doubt but that he will here prove himself that excellent Bronzino, whom we have always known him to be.

This master has besides taken great pleasure in poetry, and has written many stanzas and sonnets, some of which have been printed; but he is above all remarkable (as regards poetry) for his success in rhymes written after the playful manner of Berni; nor have we any one in our day who is more ingenious, varied, fanciful, and spirited, in this jesting kind of verse, than Bronzino, as all will see, if the wdiole of his works should some day be printed, as it is believed and hoped that they will be. Our artist is, and ever has been, most liberal of all that he possesses, and most kindly in all things, as it is possible for any one, even an artist, noble as he is, to be; gentle of disposition, he has never offered injury to any one, and has ever loved the distinguished men of his own vocation, as well we know who have lived on terms of close friendship with him for three and forty years, from 1524 that is, to the present year of 1567; since it was at the first mentioned period, when he was labouring at the Certosa, with Pontormo, that I first began to know and love this man; I then going, as a youth, to draw from the works of Jacopo, at that place.

Bronzino has had may followers and disciples, but the first (to speak now of our own Academicians) is Alessandro Allori, who has been ever beloved by his master, not as a disciple only, but as if he were his own son; they have