Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/228

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220
lives of the artists.

they acknowledged the services performed by Domenico for Giovanni, and the good will he had ever borne to all of that house. Domenico Ghirlandajo lived forty-four years, and was borne by his brothers David and Benedetto, and Ridoifo his son, Avith sorrowing hearts and many tears to his grave in Santa Maria Novello, wherein they deposited his remains with most honourable obsequies. The loss of Domenico was a cause of great sorrow to his friends, and many eminent foreign painters, when they heard thereof, wrote to his relations to condole with them on his premature death. Of his disciples there remained David and Benedetto Ghirlandajo, Bastiano Mainardi of San Gemignano and the Florentine Michael Angelo Buonarrotti, with Francesco Granaccio, Niccolo Cieco, Jacopo del Tedesco, Jacopo dell’ Indaco, Baldino Baldinelli, and other masters, all Florentines.[1] He died in the year 1495.[2]

The art of painting in mosaic after the modern manner, was enriched by Domenico more than by any other Tuscan of the numbers who have laboured therein, as may be seen by his works, even though they are but few; wherefore he has well deserved to be honoured, for his rich and varied talents, with a high rank in art, and to be celebrated with the highest praises after his death.




ANTONIO AND PIERO POLLAIUOLO, PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS, OF FLORENCE.

[born 1433—died 1498.] [born 1443—died 1498, I.]

There are many who, with a timid mind, commence unimportant Avorks, but Avhose courage afterwards increasing with the facility obtained from practice, their power and efficiency increase in proportion, insomuch that, aspiring to

  1. The lives of David and Benedetto Ghirlandajo, Buonarrotti, Francesco Granaccio and Jacopo dell’ Indaco, will be found in the present work. Of the other masters but little is known.—Ed. Flor., 1849.
  2. In Vasari’s first edition the date of Ghirlandajo’s death is 1493, in the second it is 1495; but the examination of fiscal documents has induced good authorities of later times to assign 1498 as the more probable period of that event.