all through Italy as I had previously done, neither had I seen the works of the above-named masters, nor those of some others, in which, during that space of twenty-four years, there must needs have been a great increase; so I determined, being almost at the end of this my work, to examine them before I should venture to write of their merits or demerits, whereof I resolved to form a judgment from the evidence of my own eyes.
Wherefore, the before-mentioned nuptials of the most Illustrious Signor Don Francesco Medici, Prince of Florence and Siena, my Lord, with the most Serene Princess, Queen Joanna of Austria, having been concluded, I, who had previously been for two years most busily occupied in painting the ceiling of the principal hall of their palace, then resolved to depart, and without sparing either cost or labour, to revisit Rome, all Tuscany, a part of the March, Umbria, Romagna, Lombardy, and Venice, with the wdiole of the Venetian territory, re-examining the old works and visiting the many new ones which have been executed since the above-named year 1542.
Having in the course of my journeys, therefore, made careful memorial of such things as I found most remarkable and worthy of being notified, that I might do no wrong to the deserts of the many artists, nor yet offer violence to that sincere truthfulness which is expected from all who write history of any kind, and who are required to speak without any bias or partiality whatever, I will now set down what may have been wanting to certain parts of that which I have already written, without departing from the order of my story, and will proceed to give notices of the works performed by certain masters who are still living, and who have produced and are producing excellent works; for it appears to me that so much is demanded by the deserts of many highly meritorious and noble artists.
I begin with the Ferrarese masters in painting.
Benvenuto Garofalo[1] was born in Ferrara, in the year
- ↑ This painter is sometimes called Benvenuto Tisio of Garofalo, a village in the province of Polesine. He was in the habit of painting a clove pink or gilliflower on his works, in place of his name, Garofalo being the name of that flower in certain parts of Italy; he was so called in consequence.
