DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42861#0428
384 HER ADMIRATION OF THE WORK
likeness of a lady whom he had never seen, had
not chosen to consult Madonna Lucrezia again on
the subject.
“ Our Francia, the foremost goldsmith among
painters, and among goldsmiths most illustrious as
a painter, yesterday brought me Your Illustrious
Signory’s portrait, completely finished and placed in
a gold frame, to hear my judgment on his work. I
praised it greatly, since it seemed to me to deserve
high commendation. But if Your Excellency is not
wholly satisfied after inspecting it more closely, you
must not impute the fault to me, since I only saw it
once while he was engaged on the work, although
then I certainly tried to describe Your Excellency’s
appearance to him. But you must blame the painter,
who, seeing that his work was superior to the other,
did not care to show it to me again, after promising to
bring it here many times before it was finished, and to
alter anything in it to which I took objection. I
must, however, confess that I see little in the portrait
that does not satisfy my taste. I hope Your Excel-
lency will say the same, for certainly, if you compare it
with the original sketch which was sent from Mantua,
it is no less like nature than that one, while it is far
more perfect in point of art. All those who know
you in this city agree in saying that in Francia’s por-
trait they seem to see your living image, and the
most confidential servants of your illustrious lord
the Marquis say the same—above all, Scalona, by
whom I send this letter. So I conclude that you
will be satisfied with our Francia in this first and
difficult task, which, as he himself says, has almost
more to do with chance than with art. I will send
both portraits to Your Excellency as soon as possible,
likeness of a lady whom he had never seen, had
not chosen to consult Madonna Lucrezia again on
the subject.
“ Our Francia, the foremost goldsmith among
painters, and among goldsmiths most illustrious as
a painter, yesterday brought me Your Illustrious
Signory’s portrait, completely finished and placed in
a gold frame, to hear my judgment on his work. I
praised it greatly, since it seemed to me to deserve
high commendation. But if Your Excellency is not
wholly satisfied after inspecting it more closely, you
must not impute the fault to me, since I only saw it
once while he was engaged on the work, although
then I certainly tried to describe Your Excellency’s
appearance to him. But you must blame the painter,
who, seeing that his work was superior to the other,
did not care to show it to me again, after promising to
bring it here many times before it was finished, and to
alter anything in it to which I took objection. I
must, however, confess that I see little in the portrait
that does not satisfy my taste. I hope Your Excel-
lency will say the same, for certainly, if you compare it
with the original sketch which was sent from Mantua,
it is no less like nature than that one, while it is far
more perfect in point of art. All those who know
you in this city agree in saying that in Francia’s por-
trait they seem to see your living image, and the
most confidential servants of your illustrious lord
the Marquis say the same—above all, Scalona, by
whom I send this letter. So I conclude that you
will be satisfied with our Francia in this first and
difficult task, which, as he himself says, has almost
more to do with chance than with art. I will send
both portraits to Your Excellency as soon as possible,