me Guidobaldo, Duke of Urbino, having heard the fame of the
young man, who was his vassal, and desiring to give completion to the
walls of the chapel in the Duomo of Urbino, wherein Battista Franco, as
has been related, had painted the vaulting in fresco, caused Taddeo to
be summoned to Urbino. And he, leaving Federigo in Rome, under the care
of persons who might make him give his attention to his studies, and
likewise another of his brothers, whom he placed with some friends to
learn the goldsmith's art, went off to Urbino, where many attentions
were paid him by that Duke; and then orders were given to him as to all
that he was to design in the matter of the chapel and other works. But
in the meantime the Duke, as General to the Signori of Venice, had to
visit Verona and the other fortified places of that dominion, and he
took with him Taddeo, who copied for him the picture by the hand of
Raffaello da Urbino which, as has been related in another place, is in
the house of the noble Counts of Canossa. And he afterwards began, also
for his Excellency, a large canvas with the Conversion of S. Paul,
which, unfinished as he left it, is still in the possession of his
father Ottaviano at Sant'Agnolo.

Then, having returned to Urbino, he occupied himself for a time with
continuing the designs for the above-mentioned chapel, which were of the
life of Our Lady, as may be seen from some of them that are in the
possession of his brother Federigo, drawn in chiaroscuro with the pen.
But, whether it was that the Duke had not made up his mind or considered
Taddeo to be too young, or for some other reason, Taddeo remained with
him two years without doing anything but some pictures in a little study
at Pesaro, a large coat of arms in fresco on the facade of the Palace,
and a picture with a life-size portrait of the Duke, which were all
beautiful works. Finally the Duke, having to depart for Rome to receive
from Pope Julius III his baton as General of Holy Church, left
directions that Taddeo was to proceed with the above-named chapel, and
that he was to be provided with all that he required for that purpose.
But the Duke's ministers, keeping him, as such men generally do, in want
of everything, brought it about that Taddeo, after having lost two years
of his time, had to go off to Rome, where, having found the Duke, he
excused himself adroitly, without blaming anyone, and promised that he
would not fail to do the work when the time came.