John Baptist_. These are spoken of more
at length in the life of that master, who on his return took the work
again in his own hands. In 1521 Bigio competed with Andrea and
Pontormo, in the Medici Villa at Poggio a Cajano; Andrea's _Casar
receiving Tribute_ occupies one wall of the hall, and Francia
Bigio's _Triumph of Cicero_ another. The subjects were selected by
the historian, Messer Paolo Giovio, Bishop of Nocera; it only remained
for the artists to make the most of the chosen themes. Francia Bigio
filled his background with a careful architectural perspective, and a
crowd of muscular Romans are grouped before it. This also was left
unfinished at the Pope's death, and Allori completed it in 1582.
Francia Bigio, however, did many of the gilded decorations of the hall.
In the Dresden Gallery is a work, Scenes from the Life of David, signed
A. S., MDXXIII., and his monogram, a painting very much in the style of
Andrea del Sarto's _Life of Joseph_. Reumont [Footnote: Life of
Andrea del Sarto, p. 138 et seq.] claims it as the joint work of Andrea
and Francia Bigio, founding his opinion on the letters A.
Pages:
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119