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.[1] 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,[2] 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.[3] 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
- ↑ “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.” - ↑ His life follows, and will be found in the present volume.
- ↑ 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,
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.
