Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects/Lorenzo di Credi

by Giorgio Vasari

 

THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, LORENZO DI CREDI.

[born 1449—died 1536.]

While Maestro Credi, a goldsmith of Florence, who was very eminent in his day, was labouring in his native city with much reputation and a good name, a certain Andrea Sciarpelloni, who had a son named Lorenzo, a youth of admirable genius and excellent dispositions, determined to place the latter with him, to the intent that he might learn the art of the goldsmith.^[1] And as the master was no less able and willing to teach, than the scholar was diligent and anxious to learn, so did Lorenzo quickly acquire all that was appointed to him, insomuch that no long time had passed before he became, not only a careful and good designer, but so able and finished a goldsmith, that no youth of his time could pretend to equal him. This redounded greatly to the honour of the master Credi also, and from that time forward Lorenzo was no longer called Sciarpelloni, but was named Lorenzo di Credi by all who knew him.

Encouraged by his success, Lorenzo placed himself with Andrea del Verrocchio, who had then taken it into his head to devote himself to painting, and under him, having Pietro Perugino and Leonardo da Vinci for companions and friends, although they were his rivals, Lorenzo di Credi diligently studied the art of the painter. Being greatly pleased with the manner of Leonardo, Lorenzo succeeded so happily in the imitation of that manner, as to surpass all who attempted it, none evincing so much ability or finishing their works with so much care, nor did any approach more nearly to the manner of Leonardo in these imitations than did Lorenzo di Credi; of this many proofs may be seen in various designs which I have in my own book, some done with the pen, some with chalk, and others with water-colours; among these examples are copies of medals in clay, they are done on waxed cloth with a liquified earth or terra, and the copy is so exact, it is finished with such extraordinary patience and care, that one finds a difficulty in conceiving, much more then in imitating it.

The zeal, diligence, and other excellent qualities of Lorenzo, caused him to be greatly beloved by his master Andrea Verrocchio, insomuch that when the latter went to Venice to cast the bronze horse and the statue of Bartolommeo da Bergamo, he left to Lorenzo the entire management and administration of all his affairs, with the control of his income and the care of all his statues, drawings, and rilievi, with the materials of every kind used in his art. Lorenzo on his part was most truly devoted to Andrea his master, and not only did he give his attention with inconceivable solicitude and affection to all his affairs in Florence, but even repaired more than once to his master in Venice, there to render him an account of his upright administration, wherein he acquitted himself so much to the satisfaction of Andrea that the latter would have made him his heir, if Lorenzo would have consented to accept that arrangement. Nor did Lorenzo show himself ungrateful for these proofs of good Avill; when Andrea died it was he who proceeded to Venice, whence he brought the remains of his master to Florence, he then consigned to the legal heirs whatever property Andrea had possessed, excepting only the designs, pictures, sculptures, and other matters connected with art.^[2]

The first paintings of Lorenzo were a circular picture of Our Lady, which was sent to the King of Spain, the design whereof was copied from one by Andrea his master, and a picture much superior to that just mentioned, which was also copied by Lorenzo from one by Leonardo da Vinci, and was likewise sent into Spain; but so exactly similar was this last to that of Leonardo, that the one could not be distinguished from the other. There is a Madonna by the hand of Lorenzo in a picture most admirably executed, which may be seen near the great church of San Jacopo at Pistoja^[3] with another, also representing the Madonna, by the same master, which is in the hospital of the Ceppo,^[4] and is considered to be one of the best painting's in that city.

Lorenzo painted many portraits, and among these was that of himself, taken while he was young; this is now in the possession of his disciple, Giovanni Jacopo, a painter in Florence, with many other things left to him by Lorenzo, among which is the portrait of Pietro Perugino and that of Andrea del Verrocchio, his master. The portrait of Girolamo Benevieni, a very learned man, and an intimate friend of Lorenzo, is likewise among those taken by that master.

For the Brotherhood of San Sebastiano, who have their seat behind the church of the Servites in Florence, Lorenzo painted a picture representing the Virgin, with San Sebastiano and other saints: and for the altar of San Giuseppe in Santa Maria del Fiore, he painted a figure of that saint. To Montepulciano, Lorenzo sent a work of great merit, which is now in the Church of Sant’ Agostino: the subject of this picture is the Crucifix, with Our Lady and San Giovanni, figures which are very carefully executed.^[5] But the best work of this master, and that on which he expended so much thought and care, that he would seem to have been desirous of surpassing himself, is one which will be found in a chapel of the Monastery of the Cestello, and which represents the Virgin with San Giuliano and San Niccolo. Whoever shall desire to see the care with which those artists who desire that the works they execute in oil should be secure of duration, have thought it needful to proceed, let him examine this picture, which is executed with an assiduous delicacy that could not possibly be surpassed.^[6]

On one of the pillars of Or San Michele, Lorenzo, while still very young, depicted a figure of San Bartolommeo;^[7] and for the nuns of Santa Chiara in Florence, he painted a picture of the Nativity of Christ, with the shepherds and numerous angels: in this work may be remarked among many things the pains which the master has taken to imitate certain plants, and these he has copied so exactly that they seem to be not feigned but real.^[8] In the same place he painted a picture of Santa Maria Maddelena doing penance; and in another work, which is now in the palace of Messer Ottaviano de’ Medici, he represented the Virgin; this lastnamed picture being of a circular form. There is a work by Lorenzo di Credi, in the church of San Friano likewise, and in San Matteo, and the church of the Hospital of Lelmo he painted several figures, with a picture of San Michele, in the church of Santa Reparata.^[9] For the Company of the Barefooted Brethren, he painted a picture which is executed with infinite care:^[10] there are besides many pictures of the Virgin, and other works by this master, dispersed throughout Florence, in the houses of different citizens.^[11]

By these numerous labours, Lorenzo ultimately got together a sufficient sum of money, and being a man who desired quiet rather than riches, he fixed himself at Santa Maria Nuova, in Florence,where he abode, and had a commodious dwellingplace to the end of his days. Lorenzo was a devoted adherent to the sect of Fra Girolamo Savonarola; he constantly lived the life of an upright and honourable man, giving proof of courteous friendliness to all, whenever the occasion was presented to him. Finally, having arrived at the seventyeighth year of his age, he died of the debility attendant on his advanced years, in 1530,^[12] and was buried in the church of San Piero Maggiore. The works of this master were so carefully executed, and finished with so much delicacy, that every other painting looks but just sketched and left incomplete as compared with those from his hand.^[13] He left many disciples, and among them were Giovanni Antonio Sogliani, and Tommaso di Stefano. But as we shall speak of Sogliano in another place,^[14] I will here confine myself to a few remarks respecting Tommaso. This artist closely imitated the careful finish of his master, and executed many works in Florence, as well as in the neighbourhood of that city; he painted a picture representing the Birth of Christ, for Marco del Nero, at his villa of Arcetri, and this work he completed with great delicacy of finish.^[15] But the principal occupation of Tommaso ultimately became that of painting banners to be borne in procession, whence it resulted that he painted these standards better than any other artist.

The father of Tommaso had been a painter in miniature, and had also given some attention to architecture, wherefore his son, by way of following his example, undertook, after the death of his father, to reconstruct the bridge at Sieve, which is at the distance of about ten miles from Florence; that fabric having been destroyed by a flood. He likewise built the bridge at San Piero-a -Ponte, on the river Bisenzio, which is a very fine work; and, after having erected numerous buildings for monasteries, and in other places, he was ultimately appointed architect to the Guild of the Wool-workers, and prepared the model for the new houses erected by that Guild behind the church of the Nunziata. Tommaso di Stefano departed this life at the age of seventy, in the year 1564, and was buried in San Marco, being honourably accompanied to his tomb by the Academy of Design.

We will now return to Lorenzo. This master left many works unfinished at his death, more particularly a picture representing the Passion of Christ, which is very beautiful (this afterwards came into the hands of Antonio daPicasoli): and a picture of Messer Francesco da Castiglioni, Canon of Santa Maria del Fiore, who sent it to Castiglioni; this also is a very fine work. Lorenzo was not anxious to undertake many large works, but took great pains in the execution of all that he did, and subjected himself to almost inconceivable labours for that purpose; he had his colours more particularly ground to excessive fineness, carefully purifying and distilling the nut-oil with which he mixed them; he would place a vast number of colours on his palette, arranging them from the palest of the light tints to the deepest of the dark colours, graduating them with what must needs be called a too minute and superfluous care, until he would sometimes have as much as twenty-five or thirty on Ids palette at one time, and for every tint he had a separate pencil. Wherever Lorenzo was working he would suffer no movement to be made that' would occasion dust to rise; but all this excess of care is perhaps little more worthy of praise than negligence, for there should in all things be observed a certain measure, and it is always good to avoid extremes, which are, for the most part, injurious.

---

1. Gaye has made us acquainted with the testament of Lorenzo di Credi, and from this document it might be inferred that Lorenzo was not the son of Sciarpelloni, but of Credi himself, since he is there called Laurentius Andriae Credi. See Carteggio inedito, vol. ii. p. 372.
2. In the will of Andrea Verrocchio, the name of Lorenzo appears as that of the principal legatee. He is furthermore charged to complete the Equestrian Statue of Bartolommeo da Bergamo, with the following remark, “quia est sufficiens ad id perficiendum.”
3. The oratory or chapel wherein this picture is still to be found was formerly separated from the church of San Jacopo; but the wall of separation having been removed, the chapel is now incorporated with the cathedral. —Tolomei, Guida di Pistoja.
4. This work is now in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, or del Letto.—Ibid.
5. Of these pictures no well-authenticated information can now be obtained.
6. This most admirable picture was sent to Paris in 1812, and is still in the Louvre. The former monastery of the Cestello is now the Convent of Santa Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi.
7. This work has become so much obscured, as scarcely to be distinguishable. — Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
8. Now in the Florentine Academy of the Fine Arts. See Lanzi, History of Painting, vol. i. p. 131.
9. These works are lost.
10. It represents the Baptism of Christ. In the year 1786 this picture was taken to the church of San Domenico, at Fiesole, and placed on the altar of the Guadagni chapel, instead of one by Pietro Perugino, which wa.s that year removed to the Tribune of "the Florentine Gallery.
11. Two round pictures of the Madonna, kneeling in adoration of the Divine Child, who is lying on the earth, are now in the eastern corridor of the Public Gallery in Florence.—I. A very beautiful and well preserved picture by this master, also representing the Madonna with the Child, is in the gallery belonging to the Public Library of Mayence. — Schorn.
12. He must have been living, according to Bottari, in 1531, that writer having seen a document registered by him in April of that year, whereby he makes a donation to the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova of a farm which he had purchased near San Casciano. Dr. Gaye also informs us that his testament was signed in 1531, and brings other documents to prove that he was living in 1535. In the next year he is found to be sick, and even bed-ridden, as early as June, and though still living on the 11th of November, may be fairly supposed to have closed Ins existence at the end of that year.
13. “It was therefore not without having well deserved it that he obtained the following,” remarks the first edition of our author:—

    “Aspicis ut niteant inaucto picta colore
    Et completa manu protinus artificis.
    Quidquid inest operi insigni candoris, et ariis
    Laurenti excellens contulit ingenium.”

14. His life follows, and will be found in the present volume.
15. This villa now belongs to the noble family of Capponi delle Rovinate, and the work of Tommaso is still in good preservation on the altar of the chapel.—Ed. Flor. 1832-8,