Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/497

Rh may likewise be accounted an ingenious and able master. Having laboured for many years in Rome, as we have said elsewhere, he has now returned to enjoy himself in Florence, which he considers his home, although his family belongs to Borgo-a -San Sepolcro, where it holds a very honourable place. This artist certainly acquitted himself perfectly well in all that he did for the funeral of Michelagnolo, and the wedding of the most Serene Princess, but he distinguished himself principally in the stories, which, with incredible labour, he depicted for the theatre which he constructed on the Piazza San Lorenzo, for the most illustrious Paolo Giordano Orsino, Duke of Bracciano, on the occasion of the same marriage. Here, on great pieces of canvas, he delineated stories from the Lives of the most distinguished men of the Casa Orsina. The ability of Santo Tidi may however be more accurately judged from two pictures by his hand, one of which is in Ognissanti, or rather San Salvadore di Fiorenza (for so is that Church now called), which formerly belonged to the Padre Umiliati, but is now the Church of the Barefooted Friars. In the upper part of this work is the Madonna, and beneath are S.S. Giovanni, Girolamo, and others; the second picture is in the Chapel of the Guardi in the Church of San Giuseppe, which is behind that of Santa Croce; it is a Nativity of Christ painted with great care, and presenting numerous portraits from the life. This artist has besides executed many pictures of the Madonna, and various portraits both in Rome and Florence; he has also worked in the Vatican, as we have said before.

Other young painters, some Florentine and some belonging to other parts of the Tuscan States, who were employed for the before-mentioned solemnities, are also members of our Academy. Among them may be named Alessandro del Barbiere, now about twenty-five years old, who, among other works, depicted the front of the Great Hall for those Nuptials, under the direction and with the designs of Vasari. Here the Piazzas of all the cities in the Duke’s dominions were delineated, and in the execution of this painting Alessandro certainly acquitted himself well, giving evidence of much judgment and offering fair hopes of future success. Many others among Vasari’s disciples and friends, have likewise assisted him in these and other works, Domenico Benci for example, with Alessandro Fortori of Arezzo, Stefano