time to complete it, caused this work to be left unfinished;[1] the picture nevertheless suffices to prove that Andrea was an excellent painter, and one who did not shrink from the labours required for the due exercise of his art.[2]
LIFE OF THE FLORENTINE PAINTER, PIERO DI COSIMO.
[born 1441. — died 1521.]
While Giorgione and Correggio were gaining honour for Lombardy, to their own great praise and glory, Tuscany on her part was not wanting in men of genius. Among these, not the most unimportant was Piero, son of a certain Lorenzo, who was a goldsmith, and godson of Cosimo Rosselli, after whom he was always called Piero di Cosimo,[3] nor was he ever known by any other name. And in truth, he to whom we are indebted for instruction, is no less entitled to our gratitude than he who has given us life, and merits indeed to be considered the true father, for the person to whom we owe the better part of our being is no less to be regarded than he from whom we simply derive existence. The father of Piero, perceiving a lively genius, and a strong inclination to the art of design in his son, entrusted him to the care of Cosimo Rosselli, who accepted the charge more than willingly, and seeing him make progress beyond most of the other disciples whom he had under his care, he bore to him
- ↑ It was afterwards successfully completed by Beinardiuo Campi. — Ed. Flor., 1832-8.
- ↑ Correggio left one son, Pomponio Quirini Allegri, who was also a painter, but did not attain high reputation, and appears to have been of a careless and restless disposition, one of the causes, it may be, of his father’s alleged parsimony. Our artist also left a daughter. His father, Pellegrino Allegri, likewise survived him, as did his mother also.
- ↑ Della Valle reproaches Vasari for seeming to raise Piero di Cosimo to the level of Giorgione and Correggio. Other Italian commentators maintain that the biographer had no such intention, but though it is indeed most improbable that Vasari should commit so manifest an injustice, as well as error of judgment, our readers will perceive that the manner in which he opens this life does give some cause for the displeasure of the Sienese editor.
