Many of his writings are in the libraries of Europe in manuscript form: his best known work is the "Trattato della Pittura," and has been translated into English. As an engineer his canal of Mortesana was enough to give him fame; as an artist he may be called the "Poet of Painters," and, if those who followed him surpassed him, it should be remembered that it is easier to advance in a path once opened than to discover a new path. Personally he was much beloved, and, though he lived when morals were at a low estimate, he led a proper and reputable life. His pictures were pure in their spirit, and he seemed only to desire the progress of art and science, and it is a pleasure to read and learn of him, as it is to see his works.
Other good artists of the Lombard school in the fifteenth century were BERNARDINO LUINI (about 1460-1530), who was the best pupil of Leonardo, GIOVANNI ANTONIO BELTRAFFIO (1467-1516), GAUDENZIO FARRARI (1484-1549), AMBROGIO BORGOGNONE (works dated about 1500), and ANDREA SOLARIO, whose age is not known.
We return now to the Florentine school at a time when the most remarkable period of its existence was about to begin. We shall speak first of FRA BARTOLOMMEO or BACCIO DELLA PORTA, also called IL FRATE (1469-1517). He was born at Savignano, and studied at Florence under Cosimo Rosselli, but was much influenced by the works of Leonardo da Vinci. This painter became famous for the beauty of his pictures of the Madonna, and at the time when the great Savonarola went to Florence Bartolommeo was employed in the Convent of San Marco, where the preacher lived. The artist became the devoted friend of the preacher, and, when the latter was seized, tortured, and burned, Bartolommeo became a friar, and left his pictures to be finished by his pupil Albertinelli. For four years he lived the most austere life, and did not touch his brush: then his superior commanded him to resume his art; but the painter had no interest in it. About this time Raphael sought him out, and became his friend; he also instructed the monk in perspective, and in turn Raphael learned from him, for Fra Bartolommeo was the first artist who used lay figures in arranging his draperies; he also told Raphael some secrets of colors.