esert, and then the meeting of Christ and S. John on the
way, with Joseph and Mary standing there and beholding them embrace one
another. But more than this he did not do, on account of the return of
Andrea, who then went on to finish the rest of the work.

With Ridolfo Ghirlandajo he prepared a most beautiful festival for the
marriage of Duke Lorenzo, with two sets of scenery for the dramas that
were performed, executing them with much method, masterly judgment, and
grace; on account of which he acquired credit and favour with that
Prince. This service was the reason that he received the commission for
gilding the ceiling of the Hall of Poggio a Caiano, in company with
Andrea di Cosimo. And afterwards, in competition with Andrea del Sarto
and Jacopo da Pontormo, he began, on a wall in that hall, the scene of
Cicero being carried in triumph by the citizens of Rome. This work had
been undertaken by the liberality of Pope Leo, in memory of his father
Lorenzo, who had caused the edifice to be built, and had ordained that
it should be painted with scenes from ancient history and other
ornaments according to his pleasure. And these had been entrusted by the
learned historian, M. Paolo Giovio, Bishop of Nocera, who was then chief
in authority near the person of Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, to Andrea
del Sarto, Jacopo da Pontormo, and Franciabigio, that they might
demonstrate the power and perfection of their art in the work, each
receiving thirty crowns every month from the magnificent Ottaviano de'
Medici. Thereupon Francia executed on his part, to say nothing of the
beauty of the scene, some buildings in perspective, very well
proportioned. But the work remained unfinished on account of the death
of Leo; and afterwards, in the year 1532, it was begun again by Jacopo
da Pontormo at the commission of Duke Alessandro de' Medici, but he
lingered over it so long, that the Duke died and it was once more left
unfinished.

But to return to Francia; so ardent was his love for the matters of art,
that there was no summer day on which he did not draw some study of a
nude figure from the life in his work-room, and to that end he always
kept men in his pay. For S. Maria Nuova, at the request of Maestro
Andrea Pasquali, an excellent physician of Florence, he executed an
anatomical figure, in consequence of which he made a great advance in
the art of painting, and pursued it ever afterwards with more zeal. He
then painted in the Convent o