, which were
much extolled. But although it was proposed that some should be made
every year, until such time as every city and district had one of its
own, which would have produced a show of extraordinary magnificence,
nevertheless this custom was abandoned in the year 1527.

Now, while Andrea was adorning his city with these and other works, and
his name was growing greater every day, the men of the Company of the
Scalzo resolved that he should finish the work in their cloister, which
he had formerly begun by painting the scene of the Baptism of Christ.
Having resumed that work, therefore, more willingly, he executed two
scenes there, with two very beautiful figures of Charity and Justice to
adorn the door that leads into the building of the Company. In one of
these scenes he represented S. John preaching to the multitude in a
spirited attitude, lean in person, as befitted the life that he was
leading, and with an expression of countenance filled with inspiration
and thoughtfulness. Marvellous, likewise, are the variety and the
vivacity of his hearers, some being shown in admiration, and all in
astonishment, at hearing that new message and a doctrine so singular and
never heard before. Even more did Andrea exert his genius in painting
the same John baptizing with water a vast number of people, some of whom
are stripping off their clothes, some receiving the baptism, and
others, naked, waiting for him to finish baptizing those who are before
them. In all of them Andrea showed a vivid emotion, with a burning
desire in the gestures of those who are eager to be purified of their
sins; not to mention that all the figures are so well executed in that
chiaroscuro, that the whole has the appearance of a real and most
lifelike scene in marble.

I will not refrain from saying that while Andrea was employed on these
and other pictures, there appeared certain copper engravings by Albrecht
Duerer, and Andrea made use of them, taking some of the figures and
transforming them into his manner. And this has caused some people,
while not saying that it is a bad thing for a man to make adroit use of
the good work of others, to believe that Andrea had not much invention.

At that time there came to Baccio Bandinelli, then a draughtsman of
great repute, a desire to learn to paint in oils. Whereupon, knowing
that no man in Florence knew how to do that better than our Andrea, he
commissioned him to paint his portrait, which was a good li