n the Life of Giulio Romano, built many
churches and palaces throughout all Milan, and, in particular, the
convent, church, and facade of the Nuns of S. Caterina at the Porta
Ticinese, with many other buildings similar to these.

Silvio da Fiesole, labouring at the instance of Tofano in the works of
that Duomo, executed in the ornament of a door that faces between the
west and the north, wherein are several scenes from the life of Our
Lady, the scene containing her Espousal, which is very beautiful; and
that of equal size opposite to it, in which is the Marriage of Cana in
Galilee, is by the hand of Marco da Gra, a passing well-practised
sculptor. The work of these scenes is now being continued by a very
studious young man called Francesco Brambilari, who has carried one of
them almost to completion, a very beautiful work, in which are the
Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit. He has made, also, a drop-shaped
console of marble, all in open-work, with foliage and a group of
children that are marvellous; and over that work, which is to be placed
in the Duomo, there is to go a statue in marble of Pope Pius IV, one of
the Medici, and a citizen of Milan.

If there had been in that place the study of those arts that there is
in Rome and in Florence, those able masters would have done, and would
still be doing, astonishing things. And, in truth, they are greatly
indebted at the present day to the Chevalier Leone Lioni of Arezzo, who,
as will be told, has spent much time and money in bringing to Milan
casts of many ancient works, taken in gesso, for his own use and that of
the other craftsmen.

But to return to the Milanese painters; after Leonardo da Vinci had
executed there the Last Supper already described, many sought to imitate
him, and these were Marco Oggioni and others, of whom mention has been
made in Leonardo's Life. In addition to them, Cesare da Sesto, likewise
a Milanese, imitated him very well; and, besides what has been mentioned
in the Life of Dosso, he painted a large picture that is in the house of
the Mint in Milan, a truly abundant and beautiful work, in which is
Christ being baptized by John. By the same hand, also, in that place, is
a head of Herodias, with that of S. John the Baptist in a charger,
executed with most beautiful artistry. And finally he painted for S.
Rocco, without the Porta Romana, an altar-piece containing that Saint as
a very young man; with other pictures that are much extolled.

Gaud