1513
SS. Annunziata, Florence.
Franklin, 1994, 4, 12, 13, 296, Appendix A, DOCUMENT 2, 316, transcribed the following document as related to two coats-of-arms of Pope Leo X and Giuliano de’Medici painted by Rosso assisting Andrea di Cosimo Feltrini:
Archivio di Stato, Florence. Corp. RS, 119, vol. 705, Entrata e Uscita del Camarlingo, segnato D, 1512-1516, fol. 1o3v:
[238] “A [spese di] straordinario a dì decto [5 Settembre 1513] lire dixinove, lire 14 portò Andrea dipintore, e lire 5 portò Giovanni Batista dipintore, per dipignere l’arme del Papa e di Giuliano — lire 19”
Franklin thought these payments might be connected to the arms of Leo X at the Annunziata described by Vasari in the “Life” of Feltrini (Vasari-Milanesi, V, 207) as “nel cortile…fra le dua porte.” This was a modest commission, the differences in payment indicating that Rosso’s role was subservient to Andrea’s, as Franklin interpreted the document. Thus he thought it may have been Feltrini who introduced Rosso to the Servites.
If this document does refer to Rosso, who would appear only as “Giovanni Batista,” he may have executed the arms themselves while Feltrini did the decorative surround, perhaps with figures. It should be noted that only two weeks later when paid for two other coats-of-arms at the same church (L.7) he is named “Giohanne batista rosso.” But as Franklin pointed out one payment of 18 June 1514 for Rosso’s Assumption at SS. Annunziata (P.3) calls him only “Giovanni Batista dipintore,” but this is in a sequence of documents where he is elsewhere called “Giovanni Batista di Jacopo” and “Giovanni Batista decto el Rosso dipintore.” Hence it is not absolutely certain that the assistant to Feltrini is Rosso Fiorentino. Five days later a “Giovanni Batista dipintore” was also paid to assist Baccio da Montelupo at the Annunziata (L.6). However, Franklin pointed out that no other artist with the name Giovanni Battista appears in the Annunziata documents, making it likely that Rosso is the assistant in both these documents.