ards he was
dismissed with honourable gifts and with the dignity of Chevalier. Among
other things given to him at parting by that Sovereign, in addition to
many privileges, there was placed round his neck a chain wrought in the
Turkish manner, equal in weight to 250 gold crowns, which is still in
the hands of his heirs in Venice.

Departing from Constantinople, Gentile returned after a most prosperous
voyage to Venice, where he was received with gladness by his brother
Giovanni and by almost the whole city, all men rejoicing at the honours
paid to his talent by Mahomet. Afterwards, on going to make his
reverence to the Doge and the Signoria, he was received very warmly, and
commended for having given great satisfaction to that Emperor according
to their desire. And to the end that he might see in what great account
they held the letters in which that Prince had recommended him, they
decreed him a provision of 200 crowns a year, which was paid to him for
the rest of his life. Gentile made but few works after his return;
finally, having almost reached the age of eighty, and having executed
the aforesaid works and many others, he passed to the other life, and
was given honourable burial by his brother Giovanni in S. Giovanni e
Paolo, in the year 1501.

Giovanni, thus bereft of Gentile, whom he had ever loved most tenderly,
went on doing a little work, although he was old, to pass the time. And
having devoted himself to making portraits from the life, he introduced
into Venice the fashion that everyone of a certain rank should have his
portrait painted either by him or by some other master; wherefore in all
the houses of Venice there are many portraits, and in many gentlemen's
houses one may see their fathers and grandfathers, up to the fourth
generation, and in some of the more noble they go still farther back--a
fashion which has ever been truly worthy of the greatest praise, and
existed even among the ancients. Who does not feel infinite pleasure and
contentment, to say nothing of the honour and adornment that they
confer, at seeing the images of his ancestors, particularly if they have
been famous and illustrious for their part in governing their republics,
for noble deeds performed in peace or in war, or for learning or any
other notable and distinguished talent? And to what other end, as has
been said in another place, did the ancients set up images of their
great men in public places, with honourable inscriptions, t