Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/51

Rh mouths; near to this was another figure to signify the river Danube, and that river poured its waters into the sea from seven mouths. Of the large number of statues which accompanied the abovfe-described story, and the others executed on the arch in question, I will make no mention, seeing that, for the present it must suffice me to name such as were done by Battista Franco; nor is it now any part of my office to describe that which was performed by other artists, and which has moreover been set forth at sufficient length in writing by a different hand. I have besides declared what was needful of the masters by whom the aforesaid statues were executed, it would therefore be superfluous to speak of them further, and the more so as the works are no longer in their places to be examined and judged.

To return, therefore, to Battista: the best of the works executed by that artist in relation to these nuptial solemnities, was one of the ten pictures above-mentioned, and which were in the principal court of the Medici Palace; this was painted in chiaro-scuro, and represented the Duke Cosimo invested with the Ducal ensigns. But with all the care that Battista could take, he was nevertheless surpassed by Bronzino, and by many others who had less knowledge of design than himself, but who were superior to him in power of invention, boldness, and facility in the handling of the chiaro-scuro: for pictures, a remark I have made before, require to be treated with lightness and readiness, every portion of the whole being distributed to its due place with judgment, and giving no evidence of a certain dry weary labour which causes all to appear crude, hard, and displeasing. The too anxious painting over has likewise an injurious effect, since it frequently renders the work obscure and even spoils it, seeing that this perpetual going over the picture deprives it of all that good effect and grace which is the usual result of boldness and facility, qualities which, though they do in a great measure proceed from the gift of nature, may, nevertheless, to a certain extent, be acquired by art.

At a later period, Battista Franco was taken by Ridolfo Ghirlandajo to the Madonna de Ventigli, in Valdichiana, a place which was at that time the succursal to the Monastery of the Angeli in Florence, which belongs to the Order of