at any work can display greater force or
show more beautifully from a distance than this one, which, on account
of the boldness of the figures and the extravagance of the attitudes, no
longer employed by any of the other painters, was held to be an
extraordinary work. And although it did not bring him much credit at
that time, the world has since come little by little to recognize its
excellence and has given it abundant praise; for with regard to the
blending of colour it would be impossible to excel it, seeing that the
lights which are in the brightest parts unite with the lower lights
little by little as they merge into the darks, with such sweetness and
harmony, and with such masterly skill in the projection of the shadows,
that the figures stand out from one another and bring each other into
relief by means of the lights and shades. Such vigour, indeed, has this
work, that it may be said to have been conceived and executed with more
judgment and mastery than any that has ever been painted by any other
master, however superior his judgment.

For S. Lorenzo, at the commission of Carlo Ginori, he painted a
panel-picture of the Marriage of Our Lady, which is held to be a most
beautiful work. And, in truth, with regard to his facility of method,
there has never been anyone who has been able to surpass him in masterly
skill and dexterity, or even to approach within any distance of him; and
he was so sweet in colouring, and varied his draperies with such grace,
and took such delight in his art, that he was always held to be
marvellous and worthy of the highest praise. Whosoever shall observe
this work must recognize that all that I have written is most true,
above all as he studies the nudes, which are very well conceived, with
all the requirements of anatomy. His women are full of grace, and the
draperies that adorn them fanciful and bizarre. He showed, also, the
sense of fitness that is necessary in the heads of the old, with their
harshness of features, and in those of women and children, with
expressions sweet and pleasing. He was so rich in invention, that he
never had any space left over in his pictures, and he executed all his
work with such facility and grace, that it was a marvel.

For Giovanni Bandini, also, he painted a picture with some very
beautiful nudes, representing the scene of Moses slaying the Egyptian,
wherein were things worthy of the highest praise; and this was sent, I
believe, into France. And fo