ds--namely, His Excellency and the most illustrious Duchess
Leonora, his consort, who are both holding with their hands a medallion
containing a Florence, and beside them are portraits from life of the
Prince Don Francesco, Don Giovanni the Cardinal, Don Garzia, Don
Ernando, and Don Pietro, together with Donna Isabella and Donna
Lucrezia, all their children. It would not be possible to find a more
amazing or a larger work in cameo than this; and since it surpasses all
the other cameos and smaller works that he has made, I shall make no
further mention of them, for they are all to be seen.
Cosimo da Trezzo, also, has executed many works worthy of praise in this
profession, and has won much favour on account of his rare gifts from
Philip, the great Catholic King of Spain, who retains him about his
person, honouring and rewarding him in return for his ability in his
vocation of engraving in intaglio and in relief. He has no equal in
making portraits from life; and in other kinds of work, as well as in
that, his talent is extraordinary.
Of the Milanese Filippo Negrolo, who worked at chasing arms of iron with
foliage and figures, I shall say nothing, since copper-engravings of his
works, which have given him very great fame, may be seen about. By
Gasparo and Girolamo Misuroni, engravers of Milan, have been seen most
beautiful vases and tazze of crystal. For Duke Cosimo, in particular,
they have executed two that are marvellous; besides which, they have
made out of a piece of heliotrope a vase extraordinary in size and
admirable for its engraving, and also a large vase of lapis-lazuli,
which deserves infinite praise. Jacopo da Trezzo practises the same
profession in Milan; and these men, in truth, have brought great beauty
and facility to this art. Many masters could I mention who, in executing
in incavo heads and reverses for medals, have equalled and even
surpassed the ancients; as, for example, Benvenuto Cellini, who, during
the time when he exercised the goldsmith's art in Rome under Pope
Clement, made two medals with a head of Pope Clement that is a living
likeness, and on the reverse of one a figure of Peace that has bound
Fury and is burning her arms, and on the other Moses striking the rock
and causing water to flow to quench the thirst of his people: beyond
which it is not possible to go in that art. And the same might be said
of the coins and medals that Benvenuto afterwards made for Duke
Alessandro in Florence.
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