Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/543

Rh a considerable extent in this Hall, attained great practice and facility thereby, as did also the Bolognese Battista Bagnacavallo, the Aretine Bastian Flori, Griovan Paolo of the Borgo, Fra Salvador Foschi of Arezzo, and many other of my disciples.

Now at this time, and when my day’s work was done, I went frequently to see the most illustrious Cardinal Farnese at his supper, where there were always present, entertaining him with admirable and honourable discourses, II Molza, Annibale Caro, Messer Gandolfo, Messer Claudio Tolomei, Messer Romolo Amasei, Monsignore Giovio, aijd many other literati and men of distinction, of whom the Court of that Prelate is ever full.

One evening among others, the conversation fell on the Museum of Giovio, and of the portraits of illustrious men placed there in admirable order and with appropriate inscriptions, when, passing from one thing to another, as is done in conversation. Monsignore Giovio said that he always had felt, and still did feel, a great wish to add to his Museum and to his book of “Eulogies,” a Treatise concerning men who had distinguished themselves in the Arts of Design; from Cimabue down to our own times. He spoke at some length on the subject, giving proof of much knowledge and judgment in matters respecting our arts. It is nevertheless true, that as he was treating only on generals and did not enter into the matter very closely, he often made some confusion among the artists cited, changing their names, families, birth-places, &c., or attributing the works of one to the hand of another, not describing things as they were precisely, but rather treating of them in the mass.

When Giovio had finished his discourse, the Cardinal, turning to me, said, “What think you, Giorgio; would not this be a fine work, a noble labour?” “Admirable, indeed; most illustrious my lord,” replied I, “provided Giovio be assisted by some one belonging to our calling, who can put things into their right places, and relate them as they have really occurred; and this I say because, although the discourse he has just concluded is admirable, yet he has often made assertions that are not correct, and said one thing for another.” “Could not you, then,” replied the Cardinal, being incited thereunto by Giovio, Caro, Tolomei, and the rest,— “could not you supply him with a summary of these matters,