deeds of great men live on and on, through all
time, and it is a joy to know that though the fourscore and nine years of
the life of this artist had much of care and sorrow in them, his name and
memory are still cherished, and must continue to be, while from his life
many lessons may be drawn to benefit and encourage others--lessons which
we cannot here write out; but they teach patience, industry, and
faithfulness to duty, while they also warn us to avoid the bitterness and
roughness which are blemishes on the memory of this great, good man.

DANIELE DE VOLTERRA (1509-1566) was the best scholar of Michael Angelo.
His principal pictures are the "Descent from the Cross," in the Church of
Trinita di Monti, in Rome, and the "Massacre of the Innocents," in the
Uffizi Gallery; both are celebrated works.

The next important Florentine painter was ANDREA DEL SARTO (1488-1530).
His family name was Vannucchi; but because his father was a tailor, the
Italian term for one of his trade, _un sarto_, came to be used for the
son. Early in life Andrea was a goldsmith, as were so many artists; but,
when he was able to study painting under Pietro di Cosimo, he became
devoted to it, and soon developed his own style, which was very soft and
pleasing. His pictures cannot be called great works of art, but they are
favorites with a large number of people. He succeeded in fresco-painting,
and decorated several buildings in Florence, among them the Scalzo, which
was a place where the Barefooted Friars held their meetings, and was named
from them, as they are called _Scalzi_. These frescoes are now much
injured; but they are thought his best works of this kind.

Probably Andrea del Sarto would have come to be a better painter if he had
been a happier man. His wife, of whom he was very fond, was a mean,
selfish woman who wished only to make a great show, and did not value her
husband's talents except for the money which they brought him. She even
influenced him to desert his parents, to whom he had ever been a dutiful
son. About 1518 Francis I., king of France, invited Andrea to Paris to
execute some works for him. The painter went, and was well established
there and very popular, when his wife insisted that he should return to
Florence. Francis I. was very unwilling to spare him, but Andrea dared not
refuse to go to his wife; so he solemnly took an oath to return to Paris
and bring his wife, so that he could remain as long as pleased the king,