lanthorn which he is holding; that too was done in pursuit of the same fancies and caprices which had been infused into his mind by those German prints.
Now I would have none to believe Jacopo blameable for having imitated Albert Diirer in his inventions, seeing that this is no error: it has been done and is continually being done by many painters, but Puntormo adopted the unmixed German manner in everything; in the dresses, the attitudes, and the expression of the heads: all which he ought to have avoided, and to have availed himself of the invention only, seeing that he was himself endowed most richly with the grace and beauty of the modern manner.
For the strangers’ apartments of the above-mentioned monastery, the same artist painted a very large picture in oil on cloth, and therein he did not in any way restrain himself, or do violence to his natural manner: the subject is Our Saviour Christ seated at table with Cleophas and Luke, all figures of the natural size, and as in this work Puntormo followed the bent of his genius, the picture turned out to be a very beautiful one. Among other particulars worthy of remark in this painting, are the portraits of certain lay brothers then in the convent, and whom I have myself seen there; they are represented as serving at table, and could not possibly be more life-like and animated than they are.[1]
While Jacopo was occupied with these works at the Certosa, his disciple Bronzino was zealously pursuing the study of his art at the same place; and being encouraged by Puntormo, who was most friendly and even affectionate to his disciples, he undertook the execution of a picture of St.
Lawrence, which he painted within an arch over one of the doors which conduct from the cloister into the church, depicting it in oil, although he had never then seen the method of painting on the wall with that vehicle. The Saint is lying nude on his gridiron, and the attitude in which he is placed is good and appropriate, insomuch that Bronzino here began to give some intimation of that excellence to which he afterwards attained, as will be related in its proper place.[2] This
