royed
at the time of the ruin and exile of the Bentivogli. In a word, he did
everything that can be done in that art better than any other man.

But that in which he delighted above all, and in which he was truly
excellent, was the making of dies for medals, wherein he was the
rarest master of his day, as may be seen in some that he made with a
most lifelike head of Pope Julius II, which bear comparison with
those of Caradosso; not to mention that he made medals of Signor
Giovanni Bentivogli, in which he appears alive, and of an infinite
number of princes, who would stop in Bologna on their way through
the city, whereupon he would make their portraits in wax for medals,
and afterwards, having finished the matrices of the dies, he would
send them; for which, besides immortal fame, he also received very
rich presents. As long as he lived he was ever Master of the Mint in
Bologna, for which he made the stamps of all the dies, both under
the rule of the Bentivogli and also during the lifetime of Pope
Julius, after their departure, as is proved by the coins struck by
that Pope on his entrance into the city, which had on one side his
head portrayed from life, and on the other these words: BONONIA PER
JULIUM A TYRANNO LIBERATA. So excellent was he held in this
profession, that he continued to make the dies for the coinage down
to the time of Pope Leo; and the impressions of his dies are so
greatly prized, and those who have some hold them in such esteem,
that money cannot buy them.

[Illustration: MADONNA AND CHILD, WITH SAINTS

(_After the panel by =Francesco Francia=. Bologna: S. Giacomo
Maggiore, Bentivoglio Chapel_)

_Anderson_]

Now it came to pass that Francia, being desirous of greater glory,
and having known Andrea Mantegna and many other painters who had
gained wealth and honours by their art, determined to try whether he
could succeed in that part of painting which had to do with colour;
his drawing was already such that it could well bear comparison with
theirs. Thereupon, having made arrangements to try his hand, he
painted certain portraits and some little things, keeping in his
house for many months men of that profession to teach him the means
and methods of colouring, insomuch that, having very good judgment,
he soon acquired the needful practice. The first work that he made
was a panel of no great size for Messer Bartolommeo[3] Felicini, who
placed it in the Misericordia, a church without Bologna; in wh