This eminent painter was born at San Angiolo, in the Duchy of Urbino, in
1529. At a very early age he evinced a passion for art and a precocious
genius. After having received instruction from his father, a painter of
little note, his extraordinary enthusiasm induced him, at fourteen years
of age, to go to Rome, without a penny in his pocket, where he passed
the day in designing, from the works of Raffaelle. Such was his poverty,
that he was compelled to sleep under the loggie of the Chigi palace; he
contrived to get money enough barely to supply the wants of nature, by
grinding colors for the shops. Undaunted by difficulties that would have
driven a less devoted lover of the art from the field, he pursued his
studies with undiminished ardor, till his talents and industry attracted
the notice of Daniello da Por, an artist then in repute, who generously
relieved his wants and gave him instruction. From that time he made
rapid progress, and soon acquired a distinguished reputation, but he
died at Rome in 1566, in the prime of life.