eration. And it has been perceived in the
past from many examples, and in many of our painters, that the most
vivacious and perfect works are produced by those who have a
beautiful manner from nature, although they must exercise it with
continual study and labour; while this gift of nature has such
power, that even if they neglect or abandon the studies of art, and
pay attention to nothing save the mere practice of painting and of
handling colours with a grace infused in them by nature, at the
first glance their works have the appearance of displaying all the
excellent and marvellous qualities that are wont to appear after a
close inspection in the works of those masters whom we hold to be
the best. And that this is true, is demonstrated to us in our own
day by experience, from the works of Domenico Puligo, a painter of
Florence; wherein what has been said above may be clearly recognized
by one who has knowledge of the matters of art.

[Illustration: MADONNA AND CHILD, WITH SAINTS

(_After the panel by =Domenico Puligo= (?). Florence: S. Maria
Maddalena de' Pazzi_)

_Alinari_]

While Ridolfo, the son of Domenico Ghirlandajo, was executing a
number of works in painting at Florence, as will be related, he
followed his father's habit of always keeping many young men
painting in his workshop: which was the reason that not a few of
them, through competing one with another, became very good masters,
some at making portraits from life, some at working in fresco,
others in distemper, and others at painting readily on cloth. Making
these lads execute pictures, panels, and canvases, in the course of
a few years Ridolfo, with great profit for himself, sent an endless
number of these to England, to Germany, and to Spain. Baccio Gotti
and Toto del Nunziata, disciples of Ridolfo, were summoned, one to
France by King Francis, and the other to England by the King of that
country, each of whom invited them after having seen some of their
work. Two other disciples of the same master remained with him,
working under him for many years, because, although they had many
invitations into Spain and Hungary from merchants and others, they
were never induced either by promises or by money to tear themselves
away from the delights of their country, in which they had more work
to do than they were able to execute. One of these two was Antonio
del Ceraiuolo, a Florentine, who, having been many years with
Lorenzo di Credi, had learnt from him,