Brief Biography-Andrea del Sarto was born in Florence in 1487. His first apprenticeship was with Giovanni Barile, a decorative artist, who, after three years, placed him with Pietro di Cosimo. However, Del Sarto took more inspiration from masters such as Da Vinci, Raphael, Ghirlandaio, and more in Rome. He established such a high reputation with his works that the French King Francis I engaged him, giving him numerous gifts and three hundred crowns of gold. However, his wife summoned him back to Florence during employment with the Queen Mother, painting Saint Jerome. The King permitted him to return and, giving him ample means, solicited him to return with statues and paintings of Italian importance. Unfortunately, Del Sarto squandered the money and never returned to France. That event led to his downfall. In poverty, his wife deserted him; he became friendless and died of the plague in 1530. Jacopo de Pontormo and Giorgio Vasari were two of his notable students.