RIDOLFO (1483-1561), son of Domenico, was eleven years old when his father died, but re ceived his artistic education in his father's studio, which was conducted by Granacci and Davide Ghirlandajo. He assisted the former in some of his works, but about 1503 he came wholly under the influence of Leonardo da Vinci (q.v.), and painted a number of excellent works, which are hardly to be distinguished from Leonardo's. In fact, paintings formerly attributed to the latter, like the "Annunciation" in the Uffizi, the "Gold smith" in the Pitti Palace, and the portrait of an "Old Man," in Palazzo Torregiani (Florence), are by Ridolfo. His best works of this character are the "Coronation of the Virgin" (1503), in the Louvre, and the altarpiece of San Jacopo in Ri poli (1505), and the "Betrothal of Saint Cather ine." Somewhat later he came under the influence of Raphael, as may be seen in his excellent portrait of an "Old Woman" (1509) in the Pitti Palace. He is reputed by Vasari to have assisted Raphael in the draperies of the "Belle Jardinière," but to have refused an invitation by him to settle at Rome. His most ambitious works are the "Cor
onation of the Virgin," the altarpiece of the Cathedral of Prato; the "Virgin Adored by Saints," altarpiece of San Pietro Maggiore, Pis toja ; and two scenes from the "Life of Saint Zenobius," in the Uffizi. In later life his pro fession degenerated into a trade; he employed a large number of assistants, and his work became mannered and stiff.
Consult: Vasari, Vite, ed. Milanesi, vol. ii. (Florence, 1878-85) ; English translation by Blashfield and Hopkins (New York, 1897) ; Crowe and Cavalcaselle, History of Painting in Italy (London, 1866) ; Liibke, Gesehichte der italienisehen Malerei (Stuttgart, 1878-79) ; Stein mann, "Oh irlandajo," in Knackings. Klinstler Monographien (Bielefeld, 1897) ; Woltmann and Woermann, History of Painting, vol. ii. (New York, 1901).