DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32873#0134
66 LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI [BK. i
often in this house of hers: this lady who was as charm-
ing as possible and unusually handsome, coming up to
me one day and regarding my drawings, asked me if
I was a sculptor or a painter. I replied to the lady that
I was a goldsmith. Said she, that I drew too well for a
goldsmith; and causing one of her maids to bring a lily of
most beautiful diamonds set in gold, showing it to me
she desired me to value it. I valued it at eight hundred
Then she said that I had valued it very excel-
lently. After that she asked me if I had sufficient spirit
to reset it handsomely; I replied that I would do so
very willingly, and in her presence I made a rough
sketch; and I executed it so much the better, inasmuch
as I took pleasure in dealing with this so very beautiful
and agreeable a gentlewoman. When I had finished the
sketch, there joined us another very beautiful Roman
gentlewoman who was upstairs and who on coming down
asked the said Madonna Portia what she was doing
there. She answered smiling: "I take great pleasure
in watching this honest youth draw, for he is clever
and handsome." I, having acquired a little confidence,
mingled nevertheless with a small amount of honest
bashfulness, blushed and said: "Whatever I may be,
Madonna, I shall always be most ready to serve you."
The gentlewoman, also blushing a little, replied: "You
know very well that I want you to serve me;" and
handing me the lily, she told me to take it with
me. And she gave me besides twenty gold that
she had in her pocket and said: "Set it after this
fashion that you have designed for me, and preserve
in 1525, married Buoncompagno Agazzari, also a Sienese. Q*-
VASARI MlLANESI AA, Vol. VI, pp. 340, 366-36$.
often in this house of hers: this lady who was as charm-
ing as possible and unusually handsome, coming up to
me one day and regarding my drawings, asked me if
I was a sculptor or a painter. I replied to the lady that
I was a goldsmith. Said she, that I drew too well for a
goldsmith; and causing one of her maids to bring a lily of
most beautiful diamonds set in gold, showing it to me
she desired me to value it. I valued it at eight hundred
Then she said that I had valued it very excel-
lently. After that she asked me if I had sufficient spirit
to reset it handsomely; I replied that I would do so
very willingly, and in her presence I made a rough
sketch; and I executed it so much the better, inasmuch
as I took pleasure in dealing with this so very beautiful
and agreeable a gentlewoman. When I had finished the
sketch, there joined us another very beautiful Roman
gentlewoman who was upstairs and who on coming down
asked the said Madonna Portia what she was doing
there. She answered smiling: "I take great pleasure
in watching this honest youth draw, for he is clever
and handsome." I, having acquired a little confidence,
mingled nevertheless with a small amount of honest
bashfulness, blushed and said: "Whatever I may be,
Madonna, I shall always be most ready to serve you."
The gentlewoman, also blushing a little, replied: "You
know very well that I want you to serve me;" and
handing me the lily, she told me to take it with
me. And she gave me besides twenty gold that
she had in her pocket and said: "Set it after this
fashion that you have designed for me, and preserve
in 1525, married Buoncompagno Agazzari, also a Sienese. Q*-
VASARI MlLANESI AA, Vol. VI, pp. 340, 366-36$.