Mariotto especially attracted her by his talent and zeal. She
commissioned him to paint some pictures for her to send as a present to
her own family, the Orsini of Rome. These works, of which the subjects
are not known, passed afterwards into the possession of Casar Borgia.
She also sat to Mariotto for her own portrait. It is easily imagined
how elated the excitable youth became at this notice from the mother of
the magnificent Lorenzo. He had dreams of making a greater name than
even his master, Cosimo, whose handiwork was in the Sistine; of
excelling Michelangelo, of whose genius the world was beginning to
talk; and, as adhering to a party was the only way to success in those
days, he became a strong Pallesco, [Footnote: The Palleschi were the
partizans of the Medici, so called because they took as their standard
the Palle, or Balls, the arms of that family.] trusting wholly in the
favour of Madonna Alfonsina.
He even absented himself almost constantly from the studio, which
Baccio shared with him, and worked at the Medici palace, [Footnote:
This break is signified by Baldinucci, _Opere_, vol.
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