Duke for Doceno’s return, it was not found possible to secure the desired leave, so injurious had been the reports of Cristofano’s proceedings, which the Duke had received. Not having succeeded in this attempt, Vasari, as one who much loved Cristofano, set himself to work for the purpose of removing him at least from San Justino, where he, together with the other exiles, was daily living in the utmost peril.
In the year 1539, therefore, and when Vasari received commission from the Monks of Monte Oliveto to paint three large pictures in the Refectory of their Monastery of San Michele-in-Bosco, which is situate at a short distance from Bologna,[1] he wrote instantly to Cristofano, to the effect that the latter should at once depart from San Justino, and should repair to Bologna, in company with Battista Cugni, also of the Borgo and a compatriot of Doceno, which Battista had previously been in the service of Vasari for seven years. The pictures were to be in oil, each four braccia in height, they were to occupy the upper end of the Refectory, and to have a frieze or bordering of historical scenes around them, the height thereof to be three braccia, the figures very small, and the subjects, twenty in number, to be taken from the Apocalypse. Views of the various monasteries which belong to that Order were likewise to be added, each to be separated from the other by grottesche and other ornamental divisions. Around each window, moreover, there were to be depicted garlands fourteen braccia long, with the addition of fruits drawn from nature.
Cristofano and Battista repaired to Bologna accordingly, where Giorgio had not yet arrived, he being still at Camaldoli, occupied with the cartoon for a Deposition from the Cross, which he had undertaken to execute for the High Altar of that place, after having completed the rood-loft as abovenamed, and which was subsequently placed on that altar accordingly. The two artists, therefore, set themselves to prepare the intonaco for the three pictures, so as to have the ground ready by the time of Giorgio’s arrival.
Now the latter had given directions to the Jew Dattero, a man well known to Messer Ottaviano de’ Medici, and who
- ↑ The Olivetine Monks of San Michele-in-Bosco were suppressed in the year 1797.— Ed. Flor. 1832 -8.
