In October of the year 1546 I left Rome, and repaired to Florence, where I painted a Last Supper, for the Nuns of the renowned Convent of the Murate, and in the Refectory of their house. The commission for this work I received from Pope Paul III., who had a sister-in-law there, she who had been Countess of Pitigliano namely.[1] I subsequently executed a Marriage of the Virgin Martyr, St. Catherine, who is accompanied by two other Saints, being commissioned to do so by Messer Tommaso Cambi, who designed the picture for a sister of his, then Abbess in the Convent of Bigallo, outside of Florence.[2] That completed, I painted two large pictures in oil, for Monsignore de’ Rozzi of the family of the Counts of San Secondo and Bishop of Pavia, one a San Jeronimo, the other a Pieta; both of which were sent into France.
In the year 1547, I undertook, at the request of Messer Bastiano della Seta, Superintendent to the Cathedral of Pisa, to finish a picture which had been commenced in that church; and for my friend, Simon Corsi, I executed a Madonna, in oil, of very large size. While occupied with these works, I had also brought almost to its conclusion my book of the Lives of our Artists, nothing more remaining than to have it arranged in a good form j when, just at this time, I made the acquaintance of Don Grian Matteo Faetani of Rimini, a monk of Monte Oliveto, and a very learned as well as intelligent person, who desired that I should execute certain works in the Church and Monastery of Santa Maria di Scolca at Rimini, of which he was Abbot. He then, having promised to get the work transcribed by one of his Monks, who was an excellent penman, and to correct it himself,[3] I repaired to Rimini, there to execute the picture for the High Altar of the above-named church, which is about three miles from the city.
- ↑ On the suppression of the Convent, this picture was removed to the Altar of the Most Holy Sacrament, in the Church of Santa Croce.
- ↑ ‘‘After various changes, this picture was sold in the year 1757 to the painter, Ignatius Hugford,” observes an Italian commentator; but the present writer has not been able to ascertain its subsequent destiny,
- ↑ “Let the proof here given of Vasari’s freedom from presumption not fail to be remarked,” exclaims a compatriot of our author. Observe, too, the candour of his confession, that these writings were subjected to the correction of others; but this confession itself is a clear proof that the work was his own, and not that of another, with which it is obvious that he would not have taken any such liberty.
