Having returned to Florence with some money, Rosselli, lived much at his ease, hut occupied himself with his labours as usual, having in his company that Piero who was always called Piero di Cosimo, his disciple, who had assisted him in his works for the chapel of San Sisto in Pome. Among other things, Piero di Cosimo[1] executed the landscape of the picture which represents the Preaching of Christ, and which is considered to be the best part of the painting. Another disciple of the same master was Andrea di Cosimo, who occupied himself much with the “Grottesche.” Having lived to the age of sixty-eight, Cosimo, who had long been consumed by a grievous infirmity, departed this life in the year 1484,[2] and was buried in Santa Croce, by the brotherhood of San Bernardino.[3]
This artist took great pleasure in alchemy, insomuch that he vainly expended all he possessed in that pursuit, as do all those wlio are addicted to it; which impoverished him while he lived, and finally conducted him from a state of ease to one of extreme poverty, Cosimo drew exceedingly well,[4] as may be seen from our book, not only in the specimen where we have the story of the above-named Preaching, executed in the chapel of Sixtus, but also in many other drawings with the pencil, and in chiaro-scuro; in the same book we have his portrait by the hand of the painter, Agnolo di Donnino,[5] his most intimate friend. The last-named artist executed his work with great care, as may be seen in the Loggia of the hospital of St. Boniface, where there is a
- ↑ Who was afterwards master of Andrea del Sarto.
- ↑ The inaccuracy of this date is shown by sufficient documentary evidence. See Gaye, Carteggio inedito di Artisti, &c., vol. ii. p. 457, note.
- ↑ Not that named in the first part of this life, which was a company of children, but one of adults, which had its seat near Santa Croce.—Ed. Flor., 1849.
- ↑ Vasari is accused of inconsistency for having before said that the drawing of Cosimo was feeble; but he is here merely alluding to that general readiness in the expression of his thoughts on paper which Cosimo possessed in common with many other painters, who are, nevertheless, far from approaching Masaccio, or other masters, distinguished for the perfection of their drawing.
- ↑ Of this master Vasari makes further mention in the life of Benedetto da Rovezzano. He was one of the painters whom Michael Angelo invited from Florence to Rome, that he might acquire from them the method of painting in fresco.— Ed. Flor., 1849.
