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Ciiap. XVI. FRANCESCO GRANACCI. 535 Domenico Ghirlandaio in 1488, Granacci at once observed the lad’s precocious nature, and furnished him abundantly with drawings; and thus laid the foundation of a lasting intimacy. 1 It was about this period that Lorenzo de’ Medici, having placed his collection under the charge of Bertoldo, had determined to try, if it were not possible to bring up some boys as sculptors, in view of restoring to that branch the importance it had lost in consequence of the great preeminence acquired by professors of paint ing. 2 Domenico Ghirlandaio having been consulted upon this subject, entrusted Granacci and Michael Angelo (1489) to Lorenzo as the most likely scholars; and thus the companionship which had begun under favorable circum stances seemed destined to a happy continuance. Michael Angelo soon did justice to the choice of Ghirlandaio, and during his rapid progress, repaid the kindness of Gra nacci by presents of designs and by advice. 3 But Gra nacci did not for his part take to sculpture; and Lorenzo was only enabled to use him as a draughtsman and de corator in the jousts and triumphs with which he kept the Florentines in good humour at carnival time. In these, however, according to the testimony of Vasari, Granacci was admitted to have been highly successful; and here also Domenico Ghirlandaio approved himself a compe tent judge of the ability of his pupil. 4 If it ever happened to Granacci to take an extensive share in any of the numerous undertakings in Domenico’s atelier, we should say he may have been principally oc cupied in the production of a Madonna amongst saints, now at Mr. Barker’s in London, 5 6 or a Coronation of the Virgin in Santa Cecilia at Citta di Castello.® In Ghir- 1 lb. XII. 169. I gels play musical instruments. J Ib. VII. 205; XII. 102. 3. | Below, on clouds, are SS. Francis, 3 lb. ib.ib. | Bernardino and Buonaventura 4 lb. IX. 218; XI. 203. erect (left), Louis, another, and 5 See antea, II. 492. j Anthony erect (right). In the cen- 6 See antea, II. 552. The Virgin | tre, kneeling, SS. Rosa, Mary Mag- kneels to the right, before Christ, j dalen, Catherine, and Chiara. in a circular glory of cherubs’ j This altarpiece is called a Piero heads, outside of which eight an- [ della Francesca, but the figures
