Andrea Dal, historical painter, was born at a small village called Castagno, belonging to the territory of Tuscany, in 1499; and being deprived of his parents, was employed by his uncle to attend the herds of cattle in the fields; but having accidentally seen an ordinary painter at work in the country, he observed him for some time with surprise and attention, and afterwards made such efforts to imitate him, as astonished all who saw his productions. The extraordinary genius of Andrea became at last a common topic of discourse in Florence; and so far excited the curiosity of Bernardo de Medici, that he sent for Andrea; and perceiving that he had promising talents, he placed him under the care of the best masters who were at that time in Florence. Andrea diligently pursued his studies, devoted himself entirely to practice under the direction of his instructors, became particularly eminent in design, and in a few years made so great a progress, that he found as much employment as he could possibly execute. He painted only in distemper, and fresco, with a manner of colouring that was not very agreeable, being rather dry and hard, till he learned the secret of painting in oil from Domenico Venetiano, who had derived his knowledge of that new discovery from Antonello da Messina. Andrea was the first of the Florentine artists who painted in oil; but although he was in the highest degree indebted to Domenico for disclosing the secret, yet he secretly envied the merit of the man who taught him the art; and because his own works seemed to be much less admired than those of Domenico, he determined to assassinate his friend and benefactor. He executed his design with the utmost ingratitude and treachery (for Domenico at that time lived with him, and painted in partnership with him), and he stabbed him at a corner of a street so secretly, that he escaped, unobserved and unsuspected, to his own house, where he composedly sat down to work; and thither Domenico was soon after conveyed, to die in the arms of his murderer. The real author of so inhuman a transaction was never discovered, till Andrea, through remorse of conscience, disclosed it on his death-bed, in 1480. He finished several considerable works at Florence, by which he gained great riches, and as great a reputation; but when his villainous misconduct became public, his memory was ever after held in the utmost detestation. The most noted work of this master is in the hall of justice at Florence, representing the execution of the conspirators against the house of Medicis.