f S. Maria Novella, in the lunette over the
door of the library, a S. Thomas confuting the heretics with his
learning, a work which is executed with diligence and a good manner.
There, among other details, are two children who serve to uphold an
escutcheon in the ornamental border; and these are very fine, full of
the greatest beauty and grace, and painted in a most lovely manner.

He also executed a picture with little figures for Giovanni Maria
Benintendi, in competition with Jacopo da Pontormo, who painted another
of the same size for that patron, containing the story of the Magi; and
two others were painted by Francesco d' Albertino.[12] In his work
Francia represented the scene of David seeing Bathsheba in her bath; and
there he painted some women in a manner too smooth and dainty, and drew
a building in perspective, wherein is David giving letters to the
messengers, who are to carry them to the camp to the end that Uriah the
Hittite may meet his death; and under a loggia he painted a royal
banquet of great beauty. This work contributed greatly to the fame and
honour of Francia, who, if he had much ability for large figures, had
much more for little figures.

Francia also made many most beautiful portraits from life; one, in
particular, for Matteo Sofferroni, who was very much his friend, and
another for a countryman, the steward of Pier Francesco de' Medici at
the Palace of S. Girolamo da Fiesole, which seems absolutely alive, with
many others. And since he undertook any kind of work without being
ashamed, so long as he was pursuing his art, he set his hand to whatever
commission was given to him; wherefore, in addition to many works of the
meanest kind, he painted a most beautiful "Noli me tangere" for the
cloth-weaver Arcangelo, at the top of a tower that serves as a terrace,
in Porta Rossa; with an endless number of other trivial works, executed
by Francia because he was a person of sweet and kindly nature and very
obliging, of which there is no need to say more.

[Illustration: FRANCIABIGIO: PORTRAIT OF A MAN

(_Vienna: Collection of Prince Liechtenstein._ _Canvas_)]

This master loved to live in peace, and for that reason would never take
a wife; and he was always repeating the trite proverb, "The fruits of a
wife are cares and strife." He would never leave Florence, because,
having seen some works by Raffaello da Urbino, and feeling that he was
not equal to that great man and to many others of supreme re