agnolo and the above-mentioned nuptials, also they
did themselves much honour. Mirabello has painted many portraits, and in
particular that of the most illustrious Prince more than once, and many
others that are in the hands of various gentlemen of Florence.

Another, also, who has done much honour to our Academy and to himself,
is Federigo di Lamberto of Amsterdam, a Fleming, the son-in-law of the
Paduan Cartaro, working in the said obsequies and in the festive
preparations for the nuptials of the Prince, and besides this he has
shown in many pictures painted in oils, both large and small, and in
other works that he has executed, a good manner and good design and
judgment. And if he has merited praise up to the present, he will merit
even more in the future, for he is labouring constantly with much
advantage in Florence, which he appears to have chosen as his country,
that city being one where young men derive much benefit from competition
and emulation.

A beautiful genius, also, universal and abundant in fine fantasies, has
been shown by Bernardo Timante Buontalenti, who had his first principles
of painting in his youth from Vasari, and then, continuing, has made so
much proficiency that he has now served for many years, and still serves
with much favour, the most illustrious Lord Don Francesco de' Medici,
Prince of Florence. That lord has kept him continually at work; and he
has executed for his Excellency many works in miniature after the manner
of Don Giulio Clovio, such as many portraits and scenes with little
figures, painted with much diligence. The same Bernardo has made with a
beautiful architectural design, by order of the said Prince, a cabinet
with compartments of ebony and columns of heliotrope, oriental jasper,
and lapis-lazuli, which have bases and capitals of chased silver; and
besides this he has filled the whole surface of the work with jewels and
most lovely ornaments of silver and beautiful little figures, within
which ornaments are to be miniatures, and, between terminals placed in
pairs, figures of silver and gold in the round, separated by other
compartments of agate, jasper, heliotrope, sardonyx, cornelian, and
others of the finest stones, to describe all which here would make a
very long story. It is enough that in this work, which is near
completion, Bernardo has displayed a most beautiful genius, equal to any
work. Thus that lord makes use of him for many ingenious fantasies of
his own of c