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. S. before the
date; but the letters mean only _Anno salutis_, and are used in
very many of Francia Bigio's signed paintings. He had the commission
from Gio Maria Benintendi in 1523. It is one of those curious pictures
which have many scenes in one--a style which militates greatly against
artistic unity. On the right is David's palace, on the left Uriah's;
David is at his door watching Bathsheba and her maidens bathing. In the
centre is the siege of Rabbah; another well-draped group represents
David receiving Uriah's homage. In the foreground David gives wine to
Uriah at a banquet. There is careful painting and ingenious
composition, but a less finished manner of colouring than in Andrea's
Joseph, which was painted about the same time for Pier Borgherini.

Like Ridolfo Ghirlandajo, Francia Bigio fell off in his later style,
partly because his ambition failed him, and also because he began to
look on art as a means of livelihood--a motive which is certain death