Bergamo, he left to Lorenzo the whole management and
administration of his revenues and affairs, and likewise all his
drawings, reliefs, statues, and art materials. And Lorenzo, on his part,
loved his master Andrea so dearly, that, besides occupying himself with
incredible zeal with his interests in Florence, he also went more than
once to Venice to see him and to render him an account of his good
administration, which was so much to the satisfaction of his master,
that, if Lorenzo had consented, Andrea would have made him his heir. Nor
did Lorenzo prove in any way ungrateful for this good-will, for, after
the death of Andrea, he went to Venice and brought his body to Florence;
and then he handed over to his heirs everything that was found to belong
to Andrea, except his drawings, pictures, sculptures, and all other
things connected with art.

The first paintings of Lorenzo were a round picture of Our Lady, which
was sent to the King of Spain (the design of which picture he copied
from one by his master Andrea), and a picture, much better than the
other, which was likewise copied by Lorenzo from one by Leonardo da
Vinci, and also sent to Spain; and so similar was it to that by
Leonardo, that no difference could be seen between the one and the
other. By the hand of Lorenzo is a Madonna in a very well executed
panel, which is beside the great Church of S. Jacopo at Pistoia; and
another, also, which is in the Hospital of the Ceppo, and is one of the
best pictures in that city. Lorenzo painted many portraits, and when he
was a young man he made that one of himself which is now in the
possession of his disciple, Gian Jacopo, a painter in Florence, together
with many other things left to him by Lorenzo, among which are the
portrait of Pietro Perugino and that of Lorenzo's master, Andrea
Verrocchio. He also made a portrait of Girolamo Benivieni, a man of
great learning, and much his friend.

[Illustration: ANDREA VERROCCHIO

(_After the panel by =Lorenzo di Credi=. Florence: Uffizi, 1163_)

_Anderson_]

For the Company of S. Sebastiano, behind the Church of the Servi in
Florence, he executed a panel-picture of Our Lady, S. Sebastian, and
other saints; and for the altar of S. Giuseppe, in S. Maria del Fiore,
he painted the first-named saint. To Montepulciano he sent a panel that
is now in the Church of S. Agostino, containing a Crucifix, Our Lady,
and S. John, painted with much diligence. But the best work that
Lorenzo e