ALLORI, a family of artists who flourished during the 16th century in Florence. The best of 'them was ANGELO (or Agnolo) DI Cosinto ALLORI (b. Monticelli, near Florence, about 1502; d. 1572). Like his nephew ALES sANtato (b. Florence 1535; d. 1607), he was surnamed Bronzino, and both are more often spoken of by this name than by that of their family. The third Allori to attain eminence as a painter was the son of Alessandro — Canto FANO (1577-1621), who is also, though less fre quently, referred to as Bronzino. Angelo studied mainly under Raffaelino del Garbo and Jacopo Carrucci (Pontormo). The latter, greatly attached to his pupil, associated him in the work of painting some of his most im portant decorations, notably the ceiling of the Medicean chapel of San Lorenzo, which Bron zino completed after Pontormo's death. A friendship with Vasari, biographer of the Italian painters, was one of the factors on Bronzino's coming under the influence of Michelangelo. He does not succumb to it to
the extent that his nephew Alessandro did— the latter must be classed as one of Michel angelo's imitators. Angelo, with all his classi cal study, preserved a racy force of observation that gives to his famous portraits of the Medici family, like the famous P in the Pitti Gallery, Florence, or better yet, those of the Panciaticchi family, their living appearance and their dignity. The fineness of his draughts manship — an example being the 'Venus > of the National Gallery, London — one of the high points of the later Florentine school, is stiffened and hardened by his nephew and pupil Ales sandro, who marks the beginning of the rapid decline of Florentine painting. In the hands of Cristofano it is little better than academic and sentimental. The 'Judith' in the Pitti Palace is the finest and best known work by Cristo fano.