,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,eminent ,,painters ,,sculptors ,,and ,,architects ,,by ,,giorgio ,,vasari ,,volume ,,ii4 ,,berna ,,to ,,michelozzo ,,michelozzi #aiab ,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,most ,,eminent ,,painters ,,sculptors ,,architects ,,by ,,giorgio ,,vasari3 ,,newly ,,translated ,,by ,,gaston ,du ,c4 ,,de ,,vere4 ,,with ,,five ,,hundred ,,illustrations3 ,,in ,,ten ,,volumes ,illustration3 #aeaa-aegd ,,philip ,,lee ,,warner1 ,,publisher ,,to ,,the ,,medici ,,society1 ,,limited #g ,,grafton ,,st4 ,,london1 ,w4 #aiab-ad ,,contents ,,of ,,volume ,,ii ,,page ,,berna #a ,,duccio #g ,,antonio ,,viniziano #ac ,,jacopo ,,di ,,casentino #ba ,,spinello ,,aretino #bg ,,gherardo ,,starnina #da ,,lippo #dg ,,don ,,lorenzo ,,monaco #ec ,,taddeo ,,bartoli #ei ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bicci #fe ,,the ,,author',s ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,part #ge ,,jacopo ,,della ,,quercia ,,jacopo ,,della ,,fonte #hi ,,niccolo ,,aretino ,,niccolo ,d',,arezzo ,,or ,,niccolo ,,di ,,piero ,,lamberti #ii ,,dello #aje ,,nanni ,d',,antonio ,,di ,,banco #aaa ,,luca ,,della ,,robbia #aag ,,paolo ,,uccello #abi ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,cione ,,ghiberti ,,or ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bartoluccio ,,ghiberti #ada ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale #afc ,,parri ,,spinelli #afi ,,masaccio #aha ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,,filippo ,,di ,,ser ,,brunellesco #aic ,,donato ,,donatello #bcg ,,michelozzo ,,michelozzi #beg ,,index ,,of ,,names #bgc ,,illustrations ,,to ,,volume ,,ii ,,plates ,,in ,,colour ,,facing ,,page ,,berna ,the ,agony in the ,garden ,san ,gimignano #d ,,duccio ,central ,panel3 ,the ,majestas ,siena3 ,opera del ,duomo #aj ,,duccio ,the ,three ,maries at the ,siena3 ,opera del ,duomo #aj ,tomb ,,bernardo ,,daddi ,altar-piece3 ,madonna and ,florence3 ,accademia1 #abg #bf ,child ,enthroned ,,spinello ,,aretino ,the ,death of the ,virgin ,siena3 ,pinacoteca1 #abe #cd ,,don ,,lorenzo ,,monaco ,the ,annunciation ,florence3 ,accademia1 #adc #eh ,,taddeo ,,bartoli ,central ,panel of ,altar- ,perugia3 ,pinacoteca #fj piece3 ,madonna1 ,child1 and ,angels ,,domenico ,,bartoli ,madonna ,orans ,siena3 ,chapel of the ,refugio #fd ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bicci ,madonna and ,child1 with ,empoli3 ,gallery #gj a ,donor ,,paolo ,,uccello ,the ,battle of ,san ,egidio ,london3 ,n4 ,g41 #ehc #acd ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale ,madonna and ,child ,empoli3 ,s4 ,stefano #aff ,,masaccio ,the ,adoration of the ,magi ,berlin3 ,kaiser ,friedrich ,museum1 #eh;,a #ahd ,,masaccio ,madonna ,enthroned1 with ,brant ,broughton3 ,rev4 ,a4 ,angel ,musicians ,f4 ,sutton's ,collection #aij ,,plates ,,in ,,monochrome ,,berna ,madonna and ,child ,asciano3 ,s4 ,francesco #b ,,luca ,,di ,,tome ,the ,assumption of the ,newhaven1 ,u4,s4,a43 ,jarvis ,virgin ,collection #f ,,duccio ,the ,madonna ,enthroned ,siena3 ,opera del ,duomo #h ,,duccio ,triptych ,london3 ,n4 ,g41 #eff #ab ,,antonio ,,viniziano ,the ,return of ,s4 ,ranieri ,pisa3 ,campo ,santo #af ,,jacopo ,,di ,,casentino ,tabernacle ,florence3 ,arte della #bd ,lana ,,spinello ,,aretino ,the ,annunciation ,arezzo3 ,,ss4 ,annunziata #cb ,,don ,,lorenzo ,,monaco ,the ,coronation of the ,virgin ,florence3 ,uffizi1 #acji #ef ,,taddeo ,,bartoli ,polyptych ,perugia3 ,gallery1 #i #fb ,,donato 7,,donatello7 ,david ,florence3 ,bargello #hf ,,jacopo ,,della ,detail from the ,tomb3 ,lucca3 ,s4 ,martino #ij ,,quercia ,head of ,ilaria del ,carretto ,,jacopo ,,della ,,quercia ,madonna and ,child ,bologna3 ,s4 ,petronio #id ,,matteo ,,civitali ,tomb of ,s4 ,romano ,lucca3 ,s4 ,romano #if ,,matteo ,,civitali ,madonna and ,child ,lucca3 ,museo #ih ,,niccolo ,,aretino ,s4 ,mark ,florence3 ,duomo #ajb ,,nanni ,d',,antonio ,,di ,,banco ,madonna ,della ,cintola ,florence3 ,duomo #aad ,,luca ,,della ,,robbia ,cantoria ,florence3 ,opera del #aah ,duomo ,,luca ,,della ,,robbia ,tomb of ,bishop ,federighi ,florence3 ,s4 ,trinita #abj ,,luca ,,della ,,robbia ,the ,madonna of the ,roses ,florence3 ,bargello #abb ,,andrea ,,della ,,robbia ,altar-piece ,arezzo3 ,s4 ,maria in ,grado #abf ,,andrea ,,della ,,robbia ,the ,annunciation ,la ,verna #abf ,,giovanni ,,della ,the ,visitation ,pistoia3 ,s4 ,giovanni ,,robbia ,fuorcivitas #abh ,,paolo ,,uccello ,the ,deluge ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria #acf ,novella ,,paolo ,,uccello ,portraits ,paris3 ,louvre1 #abgb #ach ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,s4 ,john before ,herod ,siena3 ,baptistery #aej ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,detail3 ,the ,fall of ,jericho ,florence3 ,paradise ,gate1 the ,baptistery #aef ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,detail3 ,the ,creation ,florence3 ,paradise ,gate1 ,see also at p4 #bjj of ,eve the ,baptistery #aef below ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale ,s4 ,john the ,baptist ,castiglione d',olona3 ,baptistery #afd ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale ,madonna and ,child ,bremen3 ,kunsthalle #afh ,,masaccio ,the ,trinity ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria #ahf ,novella ,,masaccio ,the ,tribute ,money ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria #aib del ,carmine ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,the ,crucifixion ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria #aih ,novella ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,the ,sacrifice of ,florence3 ,bargello #bjj ,isaac ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,the ,sacrifice of ,florence3 ,bargello #bjj ,isaac ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,the ,dome of the ,florence #baf ,cathedral ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,the ,old ,sacristy of ,florence #bbf ,s4 ,lorenzo ,,donato 7,,donatello7 ,poggio ,bracciolini ,florence3 ,duomo #bdj ,,donato 7,,donatello7 ,judith ,florence3 ,loggia #bdb dei ,lanzi ,,donato 7,,donatello7 ,general ,gattamelata ,padua3 ,piazza di #bdf ,s4 ,antonio ,,donato 7,,donatello7 ,madonna and ,child ,padua3 ,s4 ,antonio #bdh ,,donato 7,,donatello7 ,altar ,relief3 ,the ,padua3 ,s4 ,antonio #bej ,entombment ,see also at p4 #hf above ,,michelozzo ,,michelozzi ,palazzo ,riccardi ,florence #bfd ,,berna ,illustration3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child 7,after the painting by ,berna ,sanese da ,siena4 ,asciano3 ,church of ,s4 ,francesco7 ,burton ,,life ,,of ,,berna ,,painter ,,of ,,siena ,if those who labour to become excellent in some art did not very often have the thread of life cut by death in their best years1 ,i have no doubt that many intellects would arrive at that rank which is most desired both by them and by the world4 ,but the short life of men and the bitterness of various accidents1 which threaten them from all sides1 snatch them from us sometimes prematurely1 as could be seen in poor young ,berna of ,siena1 who1 although he died young1 nevertheless left so many works that he appears to have lived very long2 and those that he left were made in such a way1 that it may well be believed from this showing that he would have become excellent and rare if he had not died so soon4 ,in two chapels of ,s4 ,agostino in ,siena there are seen some little pictures with figures in fresco1 by his hand2 and in the church1 on a wall now pulled down in order to make chapels there1 was a scene of a youth led to execution1 as well made as it could possibly be imagined1 there being seen expressed in it the pallor and fear of death1 in so lifelike a manner that he deserved therefore the highest praise4 ,beside the said youth was a friar painted in a very fine attitude1 and1 in short1 everything in that work is so vividly wrought that it appears1 indeed1 that in this work ,berna imagined this event as most horrible1 as it must be1 and full of most bitter and cruel terror1 seeing that he portrayed it so well with the brush that the same scene appearing in reality would not stir greater emotion4 ,in the city of ,cortona1 also1 besides many other works scattered in many places in that city1 he painted the greater part of the vaulting and of the walls of the ,church of ,s4 ,margherita1 where to-day is the seat of the ,frati ,zoccolanti4 ,from ,cortona he went to ,arezzo in the year #acfi1 exactly when the ,tarlati1 formerly ,lords of ,pietramala1 had caused ,moccio1 a sculptor and architect of ,siena1 to finish the ,convent and the body of the ,church of ,s4 ,agostino in that city1 in the lesser aisles of which many citizens had caused chapels and tombs to be made for their families2 and there1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,jacopo1 ,berna painted in fresco some little scenes of the life of that ,saint1 and especially vivid is the story of ,marino the swindler1 who1 having by reason of greed of gold given his soul to the ,devil and made thereunto a written contract in his own hand1 is making supplication to the ,saint to free him from this promise1 while a ,devil1 showing him the contract1 is pressing him with the greatest insistence in the world4 ,in all these figures ,berna expressed the emotions of the mind with much vivacity1 and particularly in the face of ,marino1 which shows on one side fear1 and on the other the faith and trust that make him hope for his liberation from ,s4 ,james1 although opposite there is seen the ,devil1 hideous to a marvel1 who is warmly speaking and declaring his rights to the ,saint1 who1 after having instilled into ,marino extreme penitence for his sin and for the promise made1 is liberating him and leading him back to ,god4 ,this same story1 says ,lorenzo ,ghiberti1 by the hand of the same man1 was in a chapel of the ,capponi1 dedicated to ,s4 ,nicholas1 in ,s4 ,spirito at ,florence1 before that church was burnt down4 ,after this work1 then1 ,berna painted a great ,crucifix in a chapel of the ,vescovado of ,arezzo for ,messer ,guccio di ,vanni ,tarlati da ,pietramala1 and at the foot of the ,cross a ,madonna1 ,s4 ,john the ,evangelist1 and ,s4 ,francis1 in most sorrowful attitudes1 together with a ,s4 ,michelagnolo1 with so much diligence that it merits no small praise1 and above all by reason of having been so well preserved that it appears made only yesterday4 ,below1 moreover1 is the portrait of the said ,guccio1 kneeling in armour at the foot of the ,cross4 ,in the ,pieve of the same city1 in the ,chapel of the ,paganelli1 he painted many stories of ,our ,lady1 and portrayed there after the life the ,blessed ,rinieri1 a holy man and prophet of that house1 who is giving alms to many beggars who are round him4 ,in ,s4 ,bartolommeo1 also1 he painted some stories of the ,old ,testament and the story of the ,magi2 and in the ,church of ,spirito ,santo he painted some stories of ,s4 ,john the ,evangelist1 and in certain figures the portrait of himself and of many of his friends1 nobles of that city4 ,illustration3 ,,barna3 ,,the ,,agony ,,in ,,the ,,garden 7,san ,gimignano4 ,fresco7 ,returning after these works to his own country1 he made on wood many pictures both small and great2 but he made no long stay there1 because1 being summoned to ,florence1 he painted in ,s4 ,spirito the ,chapel of ,s4 ,niccolo1 which we have mentioned above1 and which was much extolled1 and other works that were consumed in the miserable burning of that church4 ,in the ,pieve of ,san ,gimignano in ,valdelsa he wrought in fresco some stories of the ,new ,testament1 which he had already very nearly brought to completion1 when1 falling by a strange accident from his scaffolding to the ground1 he bruised himself internally in such a manner1 and injured himself so grievously1 that in the space of two days1 with greater loss to art than to himself1 who went to a better place1 he passed from this life4 ,and the people of ,san ,gimignano1 honouring him much in the way of obsequies1 gave to his body honourable burial in the aforesaid ,pieve1 holding him after death in the same repute wherein they had held him in life1 and not ceasing for many months to attach round his tomb epitaphs both ,latin and ,italian1 by reason of the men of that country being naturally given to fine letters4 ,so1 then1 they conferred a suitable reward on the honest labours of ,berna1 celebrating with their pens him who had honoured them with his pictures4 ,giovanni da ,asciano1 who was a pupil of ,berna1 brought to completion the remainder of that work2 and he painted some pictures in the ,hospital of the ,scala at ,siena1 and also some others in the old houses of the ,medici at ,florence1 which gave him considerable fame4 ,the works of ,berna of ,siena date about #acha4 ,and because1 besides what has been said1 ,berna was passing dexterous in draughtsmanship and was the first who began to portray animals well1 as bears witness a drawing by his hand that is in our book1 all full of wild beasts of diverse sorts1 he deserves to be consummately praised and to have his name held in honour by craftsmen4 ,his disciple1 too1 was ,luca di ,tome of ,siena1 who painted many works in ,siena and throughout all ,tuscany1 and in particular the panel and the chapel that are in ,s4 ,domenico at ,arezzo1 belonging to the family of the ,dragomanni2 which chapel1 ,german in architecture1 was very well adorned1 by means of the said panel and of the work that is therein in fresco1 by the hand and by the judgment and genius of ,luca of ,siena4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,assumption ,,of ,,the ,,virgin 7,after the painting by ,luca di ,tome4 ,newhaven1 ,u4,s4,a43 ,jarvis ,collection7 ,,duccio ,illustration3 ,,the ,,madonna ,,enthroned 7,after the panel by ,duccio4 ,siena3 ,opera del ,duomo7 ,alinari ,,life ,,of ,,duccio ,,painter ,,of ,,siena ,without doubt those who are inventors of anything notable receive the greatest attention from the pens of the writers of history1 and this comes to pass because the first inventions are more observed and held in greater marvel1 by reason of the delight that the novelty of the thing brings with it1 than all the improvements made afterwards by any man whatsoever when works are brought to the height of perfection1 for the reason that if a beginning were never given to anything1 there would be no advance and improvement in the middle stages1 and the end would not become excellent and of a marvellous beauty4 ,duccio1 then1 painter of ,siena and much esteemed1 deserved to carry off the palm from those who came many years after him1 since in the pavement of the ,duomo of ,siena he made a beginning in marble for the inlaid work of the figures in chiaroscuro1 wherein to-day modern craftsmen have made the marvels that are seen in them4 ,he applied himself to the imitation of the old manner1 and with very sane judgment gave dignified forms to his figures1 which he fashioned very excellently in spite of the difficulties of such an art4 ,with his own hand1 imitating the pictures in chiaroscuro1 he arranged and designed the beginnings of the said pavement1 and he made in the ,duomo a panel that was then placed on the high-altar1 and afterwards removed thence in order to place there the ,tabernacle of the ,body of ,christ1 which is seen there at the present day4 ,in this panel1 according to the description of ,lorenzo di ,bartolo ,ghiberti1 there was a ,coronation of ,our ,lady1 wrought1 as it were1 in the ,greek manner1 but blended considerably with the modern4 ,and as it was painted both on the back part and on the front1 the said high-altar being isolated right round1 on the said back part there had been made by ,duccio with much diligence all the principal stories of the ,new ,testament1 with very beautiful little figures4 ,i have sought to learn where this panel is to be found to-day1 but1 for all the diligence that ,i have thereunto used1 ,i have never been able to discover it1 or to learn what ,francesco di ,giorgio1 the sculptor1 did with it when he remade the said tabernacle in bronze1 as well as the marble ornaments that are therein4 ,he made1 likewise1 many panels on grounds of gold throughout ,siena1 and one in ,florence1 in ,s4 ,trinita1 wherein there is an ,annunciation4 ,he painted1 next1 very many works for diverse churches in ,pisa1 in ,lucca1 and in ,pistoia1 which were all consummately praised and acquired for him very great fame and profit4 ,finally1 it is not known where this ,duccio died1 nor what relatives1 disciples1 or wealth he left2 it is enough that1 for having left art the heir to his invention of making pictures of marble in chiaroscuro1 he deserves infinite commendation and praise for such a benefit to art1 and that he can be assuredly numbered among the benefactors who confer advancement and adornment on our profession1 considering that those who go on investigating the difficulties of rare inventions leave their memory behind them1 besides all their marvellous works4 ,illustration3 ,,duccio3 ,,the ,,majestas 7,,detail7 7,siena3 ,opera del ,duomo4 ,panel7 ,they say in ,siena that ,duccio1 in the year #acdh1 gave the design for the chapel that is in the square1 against the wall of the ,palazzo ,principale2 and it is read that there lived in his times a sculptor and architect of passing good talent from the same country1 named ,moccio1 who made many works throughout all ,tuscany1 and particularly one in the ,church of ,s4 ,domenico in ,arezzo1 namely1 a tomb of marble for one of the ,cerchi1 which tomb acts as support and ornament for the organ of the said church2 and although it may appear to some that it is not a very excellent work1 yet1 if it is considered that he made it while still a youth1 in the year #acef1 it cannot but seem passing good4 ,this man served in the building of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore as under-architect and as sculptor1 making certain works in marble for that fabric2 and in ,arezzo he rebuilt the ,church of ,s4 ,agostino1 which was small1 in the manner that it is to-day1 and the expense was borne by the heirs of ,piero ,saccone de' ,tarlati1 according as he had ordained before he died in ,bibbiena1 a place in the ,casentino2 and because ,moccio erected this church without any vaulting1 and laid the weight of the roof on the arches of the columns1 he exposed himself to a great peril and was truly too bold4 ,the same man made the ,church and ,convent of ,s4 ,antonio1 which1 before the siege of ,florence1 was at the ,porta a ,faenza1 and to-day is wholly ruined2 and he wrought in sculpture the door of ,s4 ,agostino in ,ancona1 with many figures and ornaments similar to those which are on the door of ,s4 ,francesco in the same city4 ,in this ,church of ,s4 ,agostino he also made the tomb of ,fra ,zenone ,vigilanti1 ,bishop1 and ,general of the ,order of the said ,s4 ,augustine2 and finally1 he built the ,loggia de' ,mercatanti of that city1 which has since received1 now for one reason and now for another1 many improvements in the modern manner1 with ornaments of various sorts4 ,all these works1 although they are in these days much less than passable1 were then much extolled1 according to the standard of knowledge of these men4 ,but returning to our ,duccio1 his works date about the year of our salvation #acej4 ,illustration3 ,,duccio3 ,,the ,,three ,,maries ,,at ,,the ,,tomb 7,siena3 ,duomo4 ,panel7 ,illustration3 ,,triptych 7,after the panel by ,duccio4 ,london3 ,n4,g4 #eff7 ,mansell4 ,,antonio ,,viniziano ,,life ,,of ,,antonio ,,viniziano ,,painter ,many who would fain stay in the country where they are born1 being torn by the tooth of envy and oppressed by the tyranny of their fellow-citizens1 take themselves off1 and choosing for country those places where they find that their talent is recognized and rewarded1 they make their works therein2 and striving to become very excellent in order to put to shame1 in some sort1 those by whom they have been outraged1 they become very often great men1 whereas1 by staying quietly in their country1 they would peradventure have had little more than a mediocre success in their arts4 ,antonio ,viniziano1 who betook himself to ,florence in the wake of ,agnolo ,gaddi in order to learn painting1 grasped the good method of working so well that he was not only esteemed and loved by the ,florentines1 but also greatly cherished by reason of this talent and of his other good qualities4 ,whereupon1 being seized by a wish to show himself in his own city in order to enjoy some fruit of the fatigues endured by him1 he returned to ,venice1 where1 having made himself known by many works wrought in fresco and in distemper1 he was commissioned by the ,signoria to paint one of the walls of the ,council ,chamber4 ,this he executed so excellently and with so great majesty that1 according to his merit1 he would have obtained an honourable reward2 but the emulation1 or rather1 the envy of the craftsmen1 and the favour that some gentlemen showed to other painters from abroad1 caused the affair to fall out otherwise4 ,wherefore the poor ,antonio1 finding himself thus crushed and overborne1 took the wiser part and returned to ,florence1 with the intention never again to consent to return to ,venice1 and determined once and for all that his country should be ,florence4 ,establishing himself1 then1 in that city1 he painted in the cloister of ,s4 ,spirito1 in a little arch1 a ,christ who is calling ,peter and ,andrew from their nets1 and ,zebedee and his sons2 and below the three little arches of ,stefano he painted the story of the miracle of ,christ with the loaves and fishes1 wherein he showed infinite diligence and lovingness1 as it is clearly seen in the figure of ,christ ,himself1 who1 in the air of ,his countenance and in ,his aspect1 is showing the compassion that ,he has for the multitude1 and the ardour of the love wherewith ,he is causing the bread to be dispensed4 ,great affection1 likewise1 is seen in the very beautiful action of an ,apostle1 who is exerting himself greatly in dispensing the bread from a basket4 ,from this work all who belong to art learn ever to paint their figures in a manner that they may appear to be speaking1 for otherwise they are not prized4 ,antonio demonstrated the same thing on the outer frontal in a little scene of the ,manna1 wrought with so great diligence1 and finished with so fine grace1 that it can be truly called excellent4 ,afterwards1 in ,s4 ,stefano al ,ponte ,vecchio1 on the predella of the high-altar1 he made some stories of ,s4 ,stephen1 with so great lovingness that it is not possible to see either more gracious or more beautiful figures1 even if they were done in miniature4 ,in ,s4 ,antonio al ,ponte alla ,carraja1 moreover1 he painted the arch over the door1 which1 with the whole church1 was thrown to the ground in our own day by ,monsignor ,ricasoli1 ,bishop of ,pistoia1 because it took away the view from his houses2 although1 even if he had not done this1 we should to-day1 in any case1 be deprived of that work1 the late flood of #aeeg1 as it has been said before1 having carried away on that side two arches and the abutment of the bridge on which was built the said little ,church of ,s4 ,antonio4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,return ,,of ,s4 ,,ranieri 7,after the fresco by ,antonio ,viniziano4 ,pisa3 ,campo ,santo7 ,alinari ,antonio1 being summoned after these works to ,pisa by the ,warden of ,works of the ,campo ,santo1 continued therein the painting of the stories of the ,blessed ,ranieri1 a holy man of that city1 formerly begun by ,simone ,sanese1 following his arrangement4 ,in the first part of the work painted by ,antonio there is seen1 in company with the said ,ranieri when he is embarking in order to return to ,pisa1 a good number of figures wrought with diligence1 among which is the portrait of ,count ,gaddo1 who died ten years before1 and that of ,neri1 his uncle1 once ,lord of ,pisa4 ,among the said figures1 also1 that of a maniac is very notable1 for1 with the features of madness1 with the person writhing in distorted gestures1 the eyes blazing1 and the mouth gnashing and showing the teeth1 it resembles a real maniac so greatly that it is not possible to imagine either a more lifelike picture or one more true to nature4 ,in the next part1 which is beside that named above1 three figures 7who are marvelling to see the ,blessed ,ranieri showing the ,devil1 in the form of a cat on a barrel1 to a fat host1 who has the air of a gay companion1 and who1 all fearful1 is commending himself to the ,saint7 can be said to be truly very beautiful1 being very well executed in the attitudes1 the manner of the draperies1 the variety of the heads1 and all the other parts4 ,not far away are the host's womenfolk1 and they1 too1 could not be wrought with more grace1 ,antonio having made them with certain tucked-up garments and with certain ways so peculiar to women who serve in hostelries1 that nothing better can be imagined4 ,nor could that scene likewise be more pleasing than it is1 wherein the ,canons of the ,duomo of ,pisa1 in very beautiful vestments of those times1 no little different from those that are used to-day and very graceful1 are receiving ,s4 ,ranieri at table1 all the figures being made with much consideration4 ,next1 in the painting of the death of the said ,saint1 he expressed very well not only the effect of weeping1 but also the movement of certain angels who are bearing his soul to ,heaven1 surrounded by a light most resplendent and made with beautiful invention4 ,and truly one cannot but marvel as one sees1 in the bearing of the body of that ,saint by the clergy to the ,duomo1 certain priests who are singing1 for in their gestures1 in the actions of their persons1 and in all their movements1 as they chant diverse parts1 they bear a marvellous resemblance to a choir of singers2 and in that scene1 so it is said1 is the portrait of the ,bavarian4#a ,in like manner1 the miracles that ,ranieri wrought as he was borne to his tomb1 and those that he wrought in another place when already laid to rest therein in the ,duomo1 were painted with very great diligence by ,antonio1 who made there blind men receiving their sight1 paralytics regaining the use of their members1 men possessed by the ,devil being delivered1 and other miracles1 all represented very vividly4 ,but among all the other figures1 that of a dropsical man deserves to be considered with marvel1 for the reason that1 with the face withered1 with the lips shrivelled1 and with the body swollen1 he is such that a living man could not show more than does this picture the very great thirst of the dropsical and the other effects of that malady4 ,a wonderful thing1 too1 in those times1 was a ship that he made in this work1 which1 being in travail in a tempest1 was saved by that ,saint2 for he made therein with great vivacity all the actions of the mariners1 and everything which is wont to befall in such accidents and travailings4 ,some are casting into the insatiable sea1 without a thought1 the precious merchandize won by so much sweat and labour1 others are running to see to their vessel1 which is breaking up1 and others1 finally1 to other mariners' duties1 whereof it would take too long to relate the whole2 it is enough to say that all are made with so great vividness and beautiful method that it is a marvel4 ,in the same place1 below the lives of the ,holy ,fathers painted by ,pietro ,laurati of ,siena1 ,antonio made the body of the ,blessed ,oliverio 7together with the ,abbot ,panuzio1 and many events of their lives71 in a sarcophagus painted to look like marble2 which figure is very well painted4 ,in short1 all these works that ,antonio made in the ,campo ,santo are such that they have been universally held1 and with great reason1 the best of all those that have been wrought by many excellent masters at various times in that place1 for the reason that1 besides the particulars mentioned1 the fact that he painted everything in fresco1 never retouching any part on the dry1 brought it about that up to our day they have remained so vivid in the colouring that they can teach the followers of that art and make them understand how greatly the retouching of works in fresco with other colours1 after they are dry1 causes injury to their pictures and labours1 as it has been said in the treatise on ,theory2 for it is a very certain fact that they are aged1 and not allowed to be purified by time1 by being covered with colours that have a different body1 being tempered with gums1 with tragacanths1 with eggs1 with size1 or some other similar substance1 which tarnishes what is below1 and does not allow the course of time and the air to purify that which has been truly wrought in fresco on the soft plaster1 as they would have done if other colours had not been superimposed on the dry4 ,footnote #a3 ,i4e41 ,emperor4 ,having finished this work1 which1 being truly worthy of all praise1 brought him honourable payment from the ,pisans1 who loved him greatly ever afterwards1 ,antonio returned to ,florence1 where1 at ,nuovoli without the ,porta a ,prato1 he painted in a shrine1 for ,giovanni degli ,agli1 a ,dead ,christ1 the story of the ,magi with many figures1 and a very beautiful ,day of ,judgment4 ,summoned1 next1 to the ,certosa1 he painted for the ,acciaiuoli1 who built that place1 the panel of the high-altar1 which was consumed by fire in our day by reason of the inadvertence of a sacristan of that monastery1 who left the thurible full of fire hanging from the altar1 wherefore the panel was burnt1 and afterwards the altar was made by those monks1 as it stands to-day1 entirely of marble4 ,in that same place1 also1 the same master made in fresco1 over a wardrobe that is in the said chapel1 a ,transfiguration of ,christ which is very beautiful4 ,and because he studied the science of herbs in ,dioscorides1 being much inclined thereunto by nature1 and delighting to understand the property and virtue of each one of them1 at last he abandoned painting and gave himself to the distilling of simples and to seeking them out with all diligence4 ,changing thus from painter to physician1 for a long time he followed this art4 ,finally1 falling sick from disease of the stomach1 or1 as others say1 from plague caught while acting as physician1 he finished the course of his life at the age of seventy-four1 in the year #achd1 when there was a very great plague in ,florence1 having been no less expert as physician than he was diligent as painter2 wherefore1 having made infinite experiments in medicine by means of those who had availed themselves of him in their necessities1 he left to the world a very good name for himself in both one and the other of these arts4 ,antonio drew very graciously with the pen1 and so well in chiaroscuro1 that some drawings by him which are in our book1 wherein he made the little arch of ,s4 ,spirito1 are the best of those times4 ,a disciple of ,antonio was ,gherardo ,starnina1 the ,florentine1 who imitated him greatly2 and ,paolo ,uccello1 who was likewise his disciple1 did him no small honour4 ,the portrait of ,antonio ,viniziano1 by his own hand1 is in the ,campo ,santo in ,pisa4 ,,jacopo ,,di ,,casentino ,,life ,,of ,,jacopo ,,di ,,casentino ,,painter ,now that the fame and the renown of the pictures of ,giotto and his disciples had been heard for many years1 many1 desirous of acquiring fame and riches by means of the art of painting1 and animated by zealous aspirations and by the inclination of nature1 began to advance towards the improvement of the art1 with a firm belief that1 exercising themselves therein1 they would surpass in excellence both ,giotto and ,taddeo and the other painters4 ,among these was one ,jacopo di ,casentino1 who1 being born1 as it is read1 of the family of ,messer ,cristoforo ,landino of ,pratovecchio1 was apprenticed by a friar of the ,casentino1 then ,prior at the ,sasso della ,vernia1 to ,taddeo ,gaddi1 while ,taddeo was working in that convent1 to the end that he might learn drawing and colouring in the art1 wherein in a few years he succeeded so well that1 betaking himself to ,florence and executing many works in company with ,giovanni da ,milano in the service of ,taddeo their master1 he was made to paint the shrine of the ,madonna of the ,mercato ,vecchio1 with the panel in distemper1 and likewise the one at the corner of the ,piazza di ,s4 ,niccolo and the ,via del ,cocomero1 which were restored a few years ago1 both one and the other1 by a worse master than was ,jacopo2 and for the ,dyers he painted that which is in ,s4 ,nofri1 at the corner of the wall of their garden1 opposite to ,s4 ,giuseppe4 ,in the meanwhile1 the vaults of ,orsanmichele over the twelve piers having been brought to a finish1 a low rustic roof was placed upon them1 in order to pursue as soon as might be possible the building of that palace1 which was to be the granary of the ,commune2 and it was given to ,jacopo di ,casentino1 as a person then much practised1 to paint these vaults1 with instructions that he should make there1 as he did1 together with the patriarchs1 some prophets and the chiefs of the tribes1 which were in all sixteen figures on a ground of ultramarine1 to-day half spoilt1 not to mention the other ornaments4 ,next1 on the walls below and on the piers1 he made many miracles of the ,madonna1 and other works that are recognized by the manner4 ,this work finished1 ,jacopo returned to the ,casentino1 and after he had made many works in ,pratovecchio1 in ,poppi1 and other places in that valley1 he betook himself to ,arezzo1 which then governed itself with the counsel of sixty of its richest and most honoured citizens1 to whose care was committed the whole administration4 ,there1 in the principal chapel of the ,vescovado1 he painted a story of ,s4 ,martin1 and in the ,duomo ,vecchio1 now in ruins1 a number of pictures1 among which was the portrait of ,pope ,innocent ,,vi1 in the principal chapel4 ,next1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,bartolommeo1 for the ,chapter of the ,canons of the ,pieve1 he painted the wall where the high-altar is1 and the ,chapel of ,s4 ,maria della ,neve2 and in the old ,company of ,s4 ,giovanni de' ,peducci he made many stories of that ,saint1 which to-day are covered with whitewash4 ,in the ,church of ,s4 ,domenico1 likewise1 he painted the ,chapel of ,s4 ,cristofano1 portraying there from nature the ,blessed ,masuolo1 who is liberating from prison a merchant of the ,fei family1 who caused that chapel to be built2 which ,blessed ,masuolo1 as prophet1 predicted many misadventures to the ,aretines in his lifetime4 ,in the ,church of ,s4 ,agostino1 in the chapel and on the altar of the ,nardi1 he painted in fresco some stories of ,s4 ,laurence1 with marvellous manner and execution4 ,illustration3 ,,tabernacle 7,after ,jacopo di ,casentino4 ,florence3 ,arte della ,lana7 ,brogi ,and because he exercised himself also in the things of architecture1 by order of the sixty aforesaid citizens he reconducted under the walls of ,arezzo the water that comes from the foot of the hill of ,pori1 three hundred braccia distant from the city4 ,this water1 in the time of the ,romans1 had been brought first to the theatre1 whereof the remains are still there1 and from that theatre1 which was on the hill where to-day there is the fortress1 to the amphitheatre of the same city1 on the plain2 but these edifices and conduits were wholly ruined and spoilt by the ,goths4 ,jacopo1 then1 as it has been said1 having brought this water below the walls1 made the fountain which was then called the ,fonte ,guizianelli1 and which is now named1 by the corruption of the word1 the ,fonte ,viniziana2 this work endured from that time1 which was the year #aced1 up to the year #aebg1 and no more1 for the reason that the plague of that year1 the war that came afterwards1 the fact that many intercepted the water at their own convenience for the use of their gardens1 and still more the fact that ,jacopo did not sink it1 brought it about that to-day it is not1 as it should be1 standing4 ,the while that the aqueduct was going on being built1 ,jacopo1 not leaving aside his painting1 wrought many scenes from the acts of ,bishop ,guido and ,piero ,sacconi in the palace that was in the old citadel1 now in ruins2 for these men1 both in peace and in war1 had done great and honourable deeds for that city4 ,in the ,pieve1 likewise1 below the organ1 he wrought the story of ,s4 ,matthew and many other works4 ,and so1 making works with his own hand throughout the whole city1 he showed to ,spinello ,aretino the principles of that art which was taught to him by ,agnolo1 and which ,spinello taught afterwards to ,bernardo ,daddi1 who1 working in his own city1 honoured it with many beautiful works of painting1 which1 together with his other most noble qualities1 brought it about that he was much honoured by his fellow-citizens1 who employed him much in magistracies and in other public affairs4 ,the paintings of ,bernardo were many and in much esteem1 and above all the ,chapel of ,s4 ,lorenzo and of ,s4 ,stefano1 belonging to the ,pulci and ,berardi1 in ,s4 ,croce1 and many other paintings in diverse places in the said church4 ,finally1 having made some pictures over the gates of the city of ,florence on the inner side1 he died1 laden with years1 and was given honourable burial in ,s4 ,felicita1 in the year #achj4 ,but returning to ,jacopo2 besides what has been told1 in his time1 in the year #acej1 there was founded the ,company and ,confraternity of ,painters2 for the masters who were then living1 both those of the old ,greek manner and those of the new manner of ,cimabue1 being a great number1 and reflecting that the arts of design had had their new birth in ,tuscany--nay rather1 in ,florence itself--created the said ,company under the name and protection of ,s4 ,luke the ,evangelist1 both in order to render praise and thanks to ,god in its oratory1 and also to come together sometimes and to give succour1 in spiritual matters as well as in temporal1 to anyone who on occasion might have need of it2 which custom is also in use among many ,guilds in ,florence1 but was much more so in ancient times4 ,their first oratory was the principal chapel of the ,hospital of ,s4 ,maria ,nuova1 which was conceded to them by the family of the ,portinari4 ,and those who were the first governors of the said ,company1 with the title of captains1 were six1 besides two counsellors and two treasurers1 as it may be seen in the old book of the said ,company1 begun at that time1 whereof the first chapter begins thus3 ,these articles and ordinances were drawn up and made by good and discreet men of the ,guild of ,painters in ,florence1 and at the time of ,lapo ,gucci1 painter2 ,vanni ,cinuzzi1 painter2 ,corsino ,buonaiuti1 painter2 ,pasquino ,cenni1 painter2 ,segna d',antignano1 painter4 ,the counsellors were ,bernardo ,daddi and ,jacopo di ,casentino1 painters2 and the treasurers1 ,consiglio ,gherardi and ,domenico ,pucci1 painters4 ,the said ,company being created in this way1 at the request of the captains and of the others ,jacopo di ,casentino painted the panel of their chapel1 making therein a ,s4 ,luke who is portraying ,our ,lady in a picture1 and on one side of the predella the men of the ,company1 and on the other all the women1 kneeling4 ,from this beginning1 sometimes assembling and sometimes not1 this ,company has continued up to its arrival at the condition wherein it stands to-day1 as it is narrated in its new articles1 approved by the most ,illustrious ,lord ,duke ,cosimo1 most benign protector of these arts of design4 ,finally1 being heavy with years and much fatigued1 ,jacopo returned to the ,casentino1 and died in ,pratovecchio at the age of eighty1 and was buried by his relatives and friends in ,s4 ,agnolo1 the ,abbey of the ,order of ,camaldoli1 without ,pratovecchio4 ,his portrait1 by the hand of ,spinello1 was in the ,duomo ,vecchio1 in a story of the ,magi2 and of the manner of his drawing there is an example in our book4 ,illustration3 ,,bernardo ,,daddi3 ,,the ,,madonna ,,and ,,child ,,enthroned 7,florence3 ,accademia1 #abg4 ,panel7 ,,spinello ,,aretino ,,life ,,of ,,spinello ,,aretino ,,painter ,luca ,spinelli having gone to dwell in ,arezzo on one of the several occasions when the ,ghibellines were driven out of ,florence1 there was born to him in that city a son1 to whom he gave the name of ,spinello1 so much inclined by nature to be a painter1 that almost without a master1 while still a boy1 he knew what many exercised under the discipline of the best masters do not know2 and what is more1 having had friendship with ,jacopo di ,casentino while he worked in ,arezzo1 and having learnt something from him1 before he was twenty years of age he was by a long way a much better master1 young as he was1 than was ,jacopo himself1 already an old painter4 ,spinello1 then1 began to be reputed a good painter1 and ,messer ,dardano ,acciaiuoli1 having caused the ,church of ,s4 ,niccolo to be built near the ,sala del ,papa1 behind ,s4 ,maria ,novella1 in the ,via della ,scala1 and having given burial therein to one his brother1 a ,bishop1 caused him to paint the whole of that church in fresco with stories of ,s4 ,nicholas1 ,bishop of ,bari2 and he delivered it completely finished in the year #accd1 having been at work on it two years without ceasing4 ,in this work ,spinello acquitted himself so well1 both in the colouring and in the design1 that up to our own day the colours had remained very well preserved and the excellence of the figures was clearly visible1 when1 a few years since1 they were in great part spoilt by a fire that burst out unexpectedly in that church1 which had been unwisely filled with straw by some foolish men who made use of it as a barn or storehouse for straw4 ,attracted by the fame of this work1 ,messer ,barone ,capelli1 citizen of ,florence1 caused ,spinello to paint in fresco1 in the principal chapel of ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore1 many stories of the ,madonna and some of ,s4 ,anthony the ,abbot1 and near these the consecration of that very ancient church1 consecrated by ,pope ,paschal1 second of that name2 and all this ,spinello wrought so well that it appears made all in one day1 and not in many months1 as it was4 ,beside the said ,pope is the portrait of ,messer ,barone himself from the life1 in the dress of those times1 made very well and with very good judgment4 ,this chapel finished1 ,spinello painted in fresco1 in the ,church of the ,carmine1 the ,chapel of ,s4 ,james and ,s4 ,john1 the ,apostles1 wherein1 among other things1 there is wrought with much diligence the scene when the wife of ,zebedee1 mother of ,james1 is demanding of ,jesus ,christ that ,he should cause one of her sons to sit on the right hand of the ,father in the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 and the other on the left2 and a little beyond are seen ,zebedee1 ,james1 and ,john abandoning their nets and following ,christ1 with liveliness and admirable manner4 ,in another chapel of the same church1 which is beside the principal chapel1 ,spinello made1 also in fresco1 some stories of the ,madonna1 and the ,apostles appearing to her miraculously before her death1 and likewise the moment when she dies and is then borne to ,heaven by the ,angels4 ,and because the scene was large and the diminutive chapel1 which was not longer than ten braccia and not higher than five1 would not contain the whole1 and above all the ,assumption of ,our ,lady herself1 ,spinello1 with beautiful judgment1 caused it to curve round within the length of the picture1 on to a part where ,christ and the ,angels are receiving her4 ,in a chapel in ,s4 ,trinita he made in fresco a very beautiful ,annunciation2 and in the ,church of ,s4 ,apostolo1 on the panel of the high-altar1 he made in distemper the ,holy ,spirit being sent down on the ,apostles in tongues of fire4 ,in ,s4 ,lucia de' ,bardi1 likewise1 he painted a little panel1 and another in ,s4 ,croce1 larger1 for the ,chapel of ,s4 ,giovanni ,battista1 which was painted by ,giotto4 ,after these works1 being recalled to ,arezzo by the sixty citizens who governed that place1 by reason of the great name that he had acquired while working in ,florence1 he was made by the ,commune to paint the story of the ,magi in the ,church of the ,duomo ,vecchio1 without the city1 and1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,gismondo1 a ,s4 ,donatus who is slaying a serpent with his benediction4 ,in like manner1 he made diverse figures on many pilasters in that ,duomo1 and1 on a wall1 the ,magdalene anointing the feet of ,christ in the house of ,simon2 with other pictures1 whereof there is no need to make mention1 since that church1 which was full of tombs1 of bones of saints1 and of other memorable things1 is to-day wholly ruined4 ,i will say1 indeed1 to the end that there may at least remain this memory of it1 that it was erected by the ,aretines more than thirteen hundred years since1 at the time when first they came into the faith of ,jesus ,christ1 converted by ,s4 ,donatus1 who was afterwards ,bishop of that city2 and that it was dedicated to his name1 and richly adorned1 both within and without1 with very ancient spoils4 ,the ground-plan of this edifice1 whereof we have discoursed at length in another place1 was divided without into sixteen sides1 and within into eight1 and all were full of the spoils of those temples which before had been dedicated to the idols2 and it was1 in short1 as beautiful as a temple thus made and very ancient can be1 when it was destroyed4 ,after the many pictures made in the ,duomo1 ,spinello painted in ,s4 ,francesco1 in the ,chapel of the ,marsuppini1 ,pope ,honorius confirming and approving the ,order of that ,saint1 and made there from nature the portrait of ,innocent ,,iv1 from whatsoever source he had it4 ,he painted also in the same church1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,michelagnolo1 many stories of him1 in the place where the bells are rung2 and a little below1 in the ,chapel of ,messer ,giuliano ,baccio1 an ,annunciation1 with other figures1 which are much praised2 all which works made in this church were wrought in fresco1 with very resolute handling1 from #accd up to #acch4 ,next1 in the ,pieve of the same city1 he painted the ,chapel of ,s4 ,pietro e ,s4 ,paolo1 and below it1 that of ,s4 ,michelagnolo2 and1 for the ,confraternity of ,s4 ,maria della ,misericordia1 he painted in fresco1 on the same side of the church1 the ,chapel of ,s4 ,jacopo e ,s4 ,filippo2 and over the principal door of the ,confraternity1 which opens on to the square--namely1 on the arch--he painted a ,pieta1 with a ,s4 ,john1 at the request of the ,rectors of that ,confraternity1 which had its origin in the following way4 ,a certain number of good and honourable citizens had begun to go about collecting alms for the poor who were ashamed to beg1 and to succour them in all their needs3 and in the year of the plague of #acdh1 by reason of the great name acquired by these good men for the ,confraternity in assisting the poor and the sick1 in burying the dead1 and in doing other similar works of charity1 so many were the legacies1 the donations1 and the inheritances that were left to it1 that it inherited the third of the riches of ,arezzo2 and the same came to pass in the year #achc1 when there was likewise a great plague4 ,spinello1 then1 belonging to this ,company1 it was often his turn to visit the sick1 to bury the dead1 and to do other similar pious exercises1 such as the best citizens of that city have ever done and still do to-day2 and in order to make some memorial of this in his pictures1 he painted for that ,company1 on the facade of the ,church of ,s4 ,laurentino e ,s4 ,pergentino1 a ,madonna who1 having her mantle open in front1 has under it the people of ,arezzo1 among whom are portrayed from life many of the chief men of the ,confraternity1 with their wallets on their shoulders and with wooden hammers in their hands1 like to those that they use for knocking at the doors when they go seeking alms4 ,in like manner1 for the ,company of the ,annunciation he painted the great shrine that is without the church1 and part of a portico that is opposite to it1 and the panel of that ,company1 wherein there is likewise an ,annunciation in distemper4 ,a work of ,spinello's1 likewise1 is the panel which is now in the ,church of the ,nuns of ,s4 ,giusto1 wherein a little ,christ1 who is in the arms of ,his mother1 is marrying ,s4 ,catherine1 together with six little scenes1 with small figures1 of her acts2 and it is much praised4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,annunciation 7,after the fresco by ,spinello ,aretino4 ,arezzo3 ,,ss4 ,annunziata7 ,alinari ,being next summoned to the famous ,abbey of ,camaldoli in the ,casentino1 in the year #acfa1 he made for the hermits of that place the panel of the high-altar1 which was removed in the year #aeci1 when1 that church having been just rebuilt completely anew1 ,giorgio ,vasari made a new panel1 and painted in fresco the whole of the principal chapel of that abbey1 and the tramezzo#b of the church1 also in fresco1 and two other panels4 ,summoned thence to ,florence by ,don ,jacopo d',arezzo1 ,abbot of ,s4 ,miniato sul ,monte1 of the ,order of ,monte ,oliveto1 ,spinello painted on the vaulting and on the four walls of the sacristy of that monastery1 besides the panel in distemper for the altar1 many scenes in fresco of the life of ,s4 ,benedict1 with great mastery and with much vivacity of colouring1 learnt by him by means of long practice and of labouring continually with zeal and diligence1 even as in truth all must do who wish to acquire any art perfectly4 ,footnote #b3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,after these works1 the said ,abbot departed from ,florence1 having been made ,governor of the ,monastery of ,s4 ,bernardo1 of the same ,order1 in his own country1 precisely when the building was almost wholly finished on the site conceded by the ,aretines to those monks1 just where there was the ,colosseum2 and he caused ,spinello to paint in fresco two chapels that are beside the principal chapel1 and two others that are one on either side of the door that leads into the choir1 in the tramezzo#c of the church4 ,in one of these1 which is beside the principal chapel1 is an ,annunciation in fresco1 made with very great diligence1 and on a wall beside it is the ,madonna ascending the steps of the ,temple1 accompanied by ,joachim and ,anna4 ,in the other chapel is a ,christ ,crucified1 with the ,madonna and ,s4 ,john1 who are bewailing ,him1 and a ,s4 ,bernard kneeling1 who is adoring ,him4 ,he made1 also1 on that inner wall of the church where there is the altar of ,our ,lady1 the ,virgin herself with her ,son in her arms1 which was held a very beautiful figure2 together with many others that he made for that church1 over the choir of which he painted ,our ,lady1 ,s4 ,mary ,magdalene1 and ,s4 ,bernard1 very vividly4 ,in the ,pieve of ,arezzo1 likewise1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,bartolommeo1 he made many scenes of the life of that ,saint2 and opposite to it1 in the other aisle1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,matteo 7which is below the organ1 and was painted by ,jacopo di ,casentino1 his master71 he made in certain medallions on the vaulting--besides many stories of that ,saint1 which are passing good--the four ,evangelists in a bizarre manner1 seeing that1 making the busts and members human1 he gave to ,s4 ,john the head of an eagle1 to ,mark the head of a lion1 to ,luke that of an ox1 and to ,matthew alone the face of a man1 or rather1 of an angel4 ,footnote #c3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,without ,arezzo1 also1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,stefano1 erected by the ,aretines on many columns of granite and of marble in order to honour and to preserve the memory of many martyrs who were put to death by ,julian the ,apostate on that spot1 he painted many figures and scenes1 with infinite diligence1 and with such a manner of colouring that they had remained very fresh up to our own day1 when1 not many years since1 they were ruined4 ,but what was marvellous in that place1 besides the stories of ,s4 ,stephen made with figures larger than life1 was to see ,joseph1 in a story of the ,magi1 beside himself with joy at the coming of those ,kings1 on whom he was gazing with most beautiful manner1 while they were opening their vessels full of treasures and were offering them to him4 ,a ,madonna in that same church1 who is handing a rose to the ,infant ,christ1 was and still is held in so great veneration among the ,aretines1 as being a very beautiful and devout figure1 that without regard for any difficulty or expense1 when the ,church of ,s4 ,stefano was thrown to the ground1 they cut the wall away round her1 and1 binding it together ingeniously1 they bore her into the city and placed her in a little church1 in order to honour her1 as they do1 with the same devotion that they showed to her before4 ,nor should this appear anything wonderful1 because1 it having been something peculiar and natural to ,spinello to give to his figures a certain simple grace1 which has much of the modest and the saintly1 it appears that the figures that he made of saints1 and above all of the ,virgin1 breathe out a certain quality of the saintly and the divine1 which moves men to hold them in supreme reverence2 as it may be seen1 apart from the said figure1 in the ,madonna that is on the ,canto degli ,albergotti1 and in that which is on an outer wall of the ,pieve in the ,seteria1 and in one of the same sort1 likewise1 that is on the ,canto del ,canale4 ,illustration3 ,,spinello ,,aretino3 ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,the ,,virgin 7,siena3 ,pinacoteca1 #abe4 ,panel7 ,by the hand of ,spinello1 also1 on a wall of the ,hospital of ,spirito ,santo1 is a scene of the ,apostles receiving the ,holy ,spirit1 which is very beautiful2 and so1 too1 are the two scenes below1 wherein ,s4 ,cosimo and ,s4 ,damiano are cutting off a sound leg from a dead ,moor1 in order to attach it to a sick man1 from whom they had cut off one that was mortified2 and likewise the very beautiful ,noli me tangere1 which is between those two works4 ,in the ,company of the ,puraccioli1 on the ,piazza di ,s4 ,agostino1 in a chapel1 he made an ,annunciation very well coloured1 and in the cloister of that convent he wrought in fresco a ,madonna1 a ,s4 ,james1 and a ,s4 ,anthony2 and he portrayed there a soldier in armour on his knees1 with these words3 ,,hoc ,,opus ,,fecit ,,fieri ,,clemens ,,pucci ,,de ,,monte ,,catino1 ,,cujus ,,corpus ,,jacet ,,hic1 ,,etc4 ,,anno ,,domini #acfg1 ,,die #ae ,,mensis ,,maii4 ,likewise1 with regard to the chapel that is in that church1 with paintings of ,s4 ,anthony and other ,saints1 it is known by the manner that they are by the hand of ,spinello1 who1 shortly afterwards1 working in the ,hospital of ,s4 ,marco 7which is to-day the ,monastery of the ,nuns of ,s4 ,croce1 by reason of their monastery1 which was without the city1 having been thrown to the ground71 painted a whole portico with many figures1 and portrayed there ,pope ,gregory ,,ix from nature1 to represent ,s4 ,gregory the ,pope1 who is standing beside a ,misericordia4 ,the ,chapel of ,s4 ,jacopo e ,s4 ,filippo1 which is in ,s4 ,domenico in the same city1 just as one enters the church1 was wrought in fresco by ,spinello with beautiful and resolute handling1 as was also the half-length of ,s4 ,anthony painted on the facade of his church1 so beautiful that he appears alive1 in the midst of four scenes of his life2 which same scenes1 with many more also of the life of ,s4 ,anthony1 likewise by the hand of ,spinello1 are in the ,church of ,s4 ,giustino1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,antonio4 ,in the ,church of ,s4 ,lorenzo1 on one side1 he made some stories of the ,madonna1 and without the church he painted her seated1 showing great grace in this work in fresco4 ,in a little hospital opposite to the ,nunnery of ,s4 ,spirito1 near the gate that leads to ,rome1 he painted a portico entirely by his own hand1 showing1 in a ,christ lying dead in the lap of the ,maries1 so great genius and judgment in painting1 that he is recognized to have proved himself the peer of ,giotto in design1 and to have surpassed him by a long way in colouring4 ,in the same place1 also1 he represented ,christ seated1 with a theological significance very ingeniously contrived1 having placed the ,trinity within a sun in such wise that from each of the three figures there are seen issuing the same rays and the same splendour4 ,but to this work1 to the great loss1 truly1 of the lovers of this art1 there has befallen the same thing as to many others1 for it was thrown to the ground in fortifying the city4 ,without the ,church of the ,company of the ,trinita there is seen a shrine wrought very well in fresco by ,spinello1 containing the ,trinity1 ,s4 ,peter1 and ,s4 ,cosimo and ,s4 ,damiano clothed in such garments as physicians used to wear in those times4 ,the while that these works were in progress1 ,don ,jacopo d',arezzo was made ,general of the ,congregation of ,monte ,oliveto1 nineteen years after he had caused many works to be wrought in ,florence and in ,arezzo1 as it has been said above1 by our ,spinello2 and living1 according to the custom of these dignitaries1 at ,monte ,oliveto ,maggiore di ,chiusuri in the district of ,siena1 as the most honoured seat of that ,order1 he conceived a desire to have a very beautiful panel made in that place4 ,sending therefore for ,spinello1 by whom he had found himself very well served at another time1 he caused him to paint in distemper the panel of the principal chapel1 wherein ,spinello made an infinite number of figures both great and small on a ground of gold1 with much judgment2 and an ornament being made for it afterwards1 carved in half-relief1 by ,simone ,cini1 the ,florentine1 he made for it in certain parts1 with gesso mixed with size and rather thick1 or truly gelatinous1 another ornament which turned out very beautiful1 and which was afterwards all overlaid with gold by ,gabriello ,saracini1 who wrote at the foot of the said panel these three names3 ,,simone ,,cini1 ,,the ,,florentine1 ,,made ,,the ,,carving2 ,,gabriello ,,saracini ,,overlaid ,,it ,,with ,,gold2 ,,and ,,spinello ,,di ,,luca ,,of ,,arezzo ,,painted ,,it ,,in ,,the ,,year #ache4 ,this work finished1 ,spinello returned to ,arezzo1 having received from that ,general and from the other monks1 besides payment1 many kindnesses2 but making no long stay there1 because ,arezzo was harassed by the ,guelph and ,ghibelline parties1 and was sacked in those days1 he betook himself with his family and his son ,parri1 who was studying painting1 to ,florence1 where he had friends and relatives enough4 ,there1 without the ,porta a ,s4 ,piero ,gattolini1 on the ,strada ,romana1 where one turns to go to ,pazzolatico1 he painted an ,annunciation1 as it were to pass the time1 in a shrine that to-day is half-ruined1 and other pictures in another shrine near the hostelry of ,galluzzo4 ,he was then summoned to ,pisa in order to finish1 below the stories of ,s4 ,ranieri in the ,campo ,santo1 certain stories that were lacking in a space that had remained not painted2 and in order to connect them together with those that had been made by ,giotto1 ,simone ,sanese1 and ,antonio ,viniziano1 he made in that place1 in fresco1 six stories of ,s4 ,petito and ,s4 ,epiro4 ,in the first is ,s4 ,epiro1 as a youth1 being presented by his mother to the ,emperor ,diocletian1 and being made ,general of the armies that were to march against the ,christians2 and also ,christ appearing to him as he is riding1 showing him a white ,cross and commanding the ,saint not to persecute ,him4 ,in another story there is seen the ,angel of the ,lord giving to that ,saint1 who is riding1 the banner of the ,faith with the white ,cross on a field of red1 which has been ever since the ensign of the ,pisans1 by reason of ,s4 ,epiro having prayed to ,god that ,he should give him a standard to bear against ,his enemies4 ,beside this story there is seen another1 wherein1 a fierce battle being contested between the ,saint and the pagans1 many angels in armour are combating to the end that he may be victorious4 ,here ,spinello wrought many things worthy of consideration for those times1 when the art had as yet neither strength nor any good method of expressing vividly with colour the conceptions of the mind2 and such1 among the many other things that are there1 were two soldiers1 who1 having gripped each other by the beard with one hand1 are seeking with their naked swords1 which they have in the other hand1 to rob each other of life1 showing in their faces and in all the movements of their members the desire that each has to come out victorious1 and how fearless and fiery of soul they are1 and how courageous beyond all belief4 ,and so1 too1 among those who are combating on horseback1 that knight is very well painted who is pinning to the ground with his lance the head of his enemy1 whom he has hurled backwards from his horse1 all dismayed4 ,another story shows the same ,saint when he is presented to the ,emperor ,diocletian1 who examines him with regard to the ,faith1 and afterwards causes him to be put to the torture1 and to be placed in a furnace1 wherein he remains unscathed1 while the ministers of torture1 who are showing great readiness there on every side1 are burnt in his stead4 ,and in short1 all the other actions of that ,saint are there1 up to his beheading1 after which his soul is borne to ,heaven2 and1 for the last1 we see the bones and relics of ,s4 ,petito being borne from ,alexandria to ,pisa4 ,this whole work1 both in colouring and in invention1 is the most beautiful1 the most finished1 and the best executed that ,spinello made1 a circumstance which can be recognized from this1 that it is so well preserved as to make everyone who sees it to-day marvel at its freshness4 ,having finished this work in the ,campo ,santo1 he painted many stories of ,s4 ,bartholomew1 ,s4 ,andrew1 ,s4 ,james1 and ,s4 ,john1 the ,apostles1 in a chapel in ,s4 ,francesco1 which is the second from the principal chapel1 and perchance he would have remained longer at work in ,pisa1 since in that city his works were known and rewarded2 but seeing the city all in confusion and uproar by reason of ,messer ,pietro ,gambacorti having been slain by the ,lanfranchi1 citizens of ,pisa1 he returned once again with all his family1 being now old1 to ,florence1 where1 in the one year and no more that he stayed there1 he made many stories of the lives and deaths of ,s4 ,philip and ,s4 ,james in the ,chapel of the ,macchiavelli in ,s4 ,croce1 dedicated to those ,saints2 and as for the panel for the said chapel1 being desirous to return to ,arezzo1 his native city1 or1 to speak more exactly1 held by him as his native city1 he wrought it in ,arezzo1 and from there sent it finished in the year #adjj4 ,having returned there1 then1 at the age of seventy-seven or more1 he was received lovingly by his relatives and friends1 and was ever afterward cherished and honoured up to the end of his life1 which was at the age of ninety-two4 ,and although he was very old when he returned to ,arezzo1 and1 having ample means1 could have done without working1 yet1 as one who was ever used to working1 he knew not how to take repose1 and undertook to make for the ,company of ,s4 ,agnolo in that city certain stories of ,s4 ,michael1 which he sketched in red on the intonaco of the wall1 in that rough fashion wherein the old craftsmen used generally to do it2 and in one corner1 for a pattern1 he wrought and coloured completely a single story1 which gave satisfaction enough4 ,then1 having agreed on the price with those who had charge thereof1 he finished the whole wall of the high-altar1 wherein he represented ,lucifer fixing his seat in the ,north2 and he made there the ,fall of the ,angels1 who are being transformed into devils and raining down to earth2 while in the air is seen a ,s4 ,michael1 who is doing combat with the ancient serpent of seven heads and ten horns2 and below1 in the centre1 there is a ,lucifer1 already transformed into a most hideous beast4 ,and ,spinello took so much pleasure in making him horrible and deformed1 that it is said 7so great1 sometimes1 is the power of imagination7 that the said figure painted by him appeared to him in a dream1 asking ,spinello where he had seen him so hideous1 and why he had offered him such an affront with his brushes2 and that he1 awaking from his sleep1 being unable to cry out by reason of his fear1 shook with a mighty trembling1 insomuch that his wife1 awaking1 came to his rescue4 ,but he was none the less thereby in peril--his heart being much strained--of dying on the spot by reason of such an accident2 and although he lived a little afterwards1 he was half mad1 with staring eyes1 and he slipped into the grave1 leaving great sorrow to his friends1 and to the world two sons1 of whom one was ,forzore1 the goldsmith1 who worked admirably at ,florence in niello1 and the other was ,parri1 who1 imitating his father1 laboured continually at painting1 and surpassed him by a long way in design4 ,this sinister misfortune1 for all that ,spinello was old1 was a great grief to the ,aretines1 who were robbed of the so great talent and excellence that were his4 ,he died at the age of ninety-two1 and was given burial at ,arezzo in ,s4 ,agostino1 where there is still seen to-day a tombstone with a coat of arms made according to his fancy1 containing a hedgehog4 ,spinello knew much better how to draw than how to execute a painting1 as it may be seen in our book of the drawings of diverse ancient painters1 in two ,evangelists in chiaroscuro and a ,s4 ,louis1 drawn by his hand and very beautiful4 ,and the portrait of the same man1 which is seen above1 was copied by me from one that was in the ,duomo ,vecchio before it was pulled down4 ,his pictures date from #achj up to #adjj4 ,,gherardo ,,starnina ,,life ,,of ,,gherardo ,,starnina ,,painter ,verily he who journeys far from his own country1 dwelling in those of other men1 gains very often a disposition and character of a fine temper1 for1 in seeing abroad diverse honourable customs1 even though he might be perverse in nature1 he learns to be tractable1 amiable1 and patient1 with much greater ease than he would have done by remaining in his own country4 ,and in truth1 he who desires to refine men in the life of the world need seek no other fire and no better touchstone than this1 seeing that those who are rough by nature are made gentle1 and the gentle become more gracious4 ,gherardo di ,jacopo ,starnina1 painter of ,florence1 being nobler in blood than in nature1 and very harsh and rough in his manners1 brought more harm thereby on himself than on his friends2 and more harm still would this have brought on him if he had not dwelt a long time in ,spain1 where he learnt gentleness and courtesy1 seeing that in those parts he became in such wise contrary to that first nature of his1 that on his returning to ,florence an infinite number of those who bore him deadly hatred before his departure1 received him on his return with very great lovingness1 and ever after loved him very straitly1 so thoroughly had he become gentle and courteous4 ,gherardo was born in ,florence in the year #aced1 and growing up1 as one who had an intellect inclined by nature to design1 he was placed with ,antonio ,viniziano in order to learn to draw and to paint2 and having in the course of many years not only learnt drawing and the practice of colouring1 but also given proof of himself in certain works wrought with beautiful manner1 he took his leave of ,antonio1 and beginning to work by himself he made in ,s4 ,croce1 in the ,chapel of the ,castellani 7which was given him to paint by ,michele di ,vanni1 an honoured citizen of that family71 many stories in fresco of ,s4 ,anthony the ,abbot1 and also some of ,s4 ,nicholas the ,bishop1 with so great diligence and with so beautiful a manner that they caused him to become known to certain ,spaniards1 who were then staying in ,florence on some business of their own1 as an excellent painter1 and what is more1 caused them to take him into ,spain to their ,king1 who saw him and received him very willingly1 and above all because there was then a dearth of good painters in that land4 ,nor was it a great labour to persuade him to leave his country1 for the reason that1 having had rough words with certain people in ,florence after the affair of the ,ciompi and after ,michele di ,lando had been made ,gonfalonier1 he was rather in peril of his life than otherwise4 ,going1 then1 to ,spain1 and executing many works for that ,king1 he became1 by reason of the great rewards that he gained for his labours1 as rich and highly honoured as any man of his own rank2 wherefore1 being desirous to make himself seen and known by his friends and relatives in that better state1 he returned to his country1 and was there much cherished and received lovingly by all the citizens4 ,nor was it long before he was commissioned to paint the ,chapel of ,s4 ,girolamo in the ,carmine1 where1 making many stories of that ,saint1 he painted1 in the story of ,paola and ,eustachio and ,jerome1 certain costumes that the ,spaniards wore at that time1 with very characteristic invention1 and with an abundance of manners and conceptions in the attitudes of the figures4 ,among other things1 painting a scene of ,s4 ,jerome learning his first letters1 he made a master who has caused a boy to climb on the back of another and is beating him with his rod1 in a manner that the poor lad1 kicking out with his legs by reason of the great pain1 appears to be howling and trying to bite the ear of the one who is holding him2 and all this ,gherardo expressed gracefully and very charmingly1 as one who was going on investigating on every side the things of nature4 ,likewise1 in the scene where ,s4 ,jerome1 at the point of death1 is making his testament1 he counterfeited some friars with beautiful and very ready manner2 for while some are writing and others earnestly listening and gazing on him1 they are all hanging with great affection on the words of their master4 ,this work having acquired for ,starnina rank and fame among the craftsmen1 and his ways of life1 with the sweetness of his manners1 bringing him very great reputation1 the name of ,gherardo was famous throughout all ,tuscany--nay1 throughout all ,italy--when1 being called to ,pisa in order to paint in that city the ,chapter-house of ,s4 ,niccola1 he sent thither in his stead ,antonio ,vite of ,pistoia1 in order not to leave ,florence4 ,this ,antonio1 having learnt the manner of ,starnina under his teaching1 wrought in that chapter-house the ,passion of ,jesus ,christ1 and delivered it finished in that fashion wherein it is seen to-day1 in the year #adjc1 to the great satisfaction of the ,pisans4 ,starnina having then finished1 as it has been said1 the ,chapel of the ,pugliesi1 and the ,florentines being greatly pleased with the stories of ,s4 ,jerome that he made there1 by reason of his having represented vividly many expressions and attitudes that had never been depicted up to that time by the painters who had lived before him1 the ,commune of ,florence--in the year when ,gabriel ,maria1 ,lord of ,pisa1 sold that city to the ,florentines at the price of #bjj1jjj crowns1 after ,giovanni ,gambacorti had sustained a siege of thirteen months1 and had at last agreed to the sale--caused him to paint in memory of this1 on the facade of the ,palace of the ,guelph party1 a picture of ,s4 ,dionysius the ,bishop1 with two angels1 and below him the city of ,pisa1 portrayed from nature2 in which work he used so great diligence in everything1 and particularly in colouring it in fresco1 that in spite of the air1 the rains1 and its being turned to the north1 it has always remained and still remains at the present day a picture worthy of much praise1 by reason of its having been preserved as fresh and beautiful as though it had only just been painted4 ,gherardo1 then1 having come by reason of this and of his other works into very great repute and fame1 both in his own country and abroad1 envious death1 ever the enemy of noble actions1 cut short in the finest period of his labour the infinite expectation of much greater works1 for which the world was looking from him2 for at the age of forty-nine he came unexpectedly to his end1 and was buried with most honourable obsequies in the ,church of ,s4 ,jacopo ,sopra ,arno4 ,disciples of ,gherardo were ,masolino da ,panicale1 who was first an excellent goldsmith and afterwards a painter1 and certain others1 of whom1 seeing that they were not very able men1 there is no need to speak4 ,the portrait of ,gherardo is in the aforesaid story of ,s4 ,jerome1 in one of the figures that are round that ,saint when he is dying1 in profile1 with a cap wound round the head and wearing a buckled mantle4 ,in our book are certain drawings by ,gherardo1 made with the pen on parchment1 which are not otherwise than passing good4 ,,lippo ,,life ,,of ,,lippo ,,painter ,,of ,,florence ,invention has ever been held1 and ever will be1 the true mother of architecture1 of painting1 and of poetry--nay1 of all the finer arts also1 and of all the marvellous works that are made by men1 for the reason that it pleases the craftsmen much1 and displays their fantasies and the caprices of fanciful brains that seek out variety in all things2 and these discoveries ever exalt with marvellous praise all those who1 employing themselves in honourable ways1 give a form marvellous in beauty1 under the covering and shadow of a veil1 to the works that they make1 now praising others dexterously1 and now blaming them without being openly understood4 ,lippo1 then1 a painter of ,florence1 who was as rare and as varied in invention as he was truly unfortunate in his works and in his life--for it lasted but a little time--was born in ,florence1 about the year of our salvation #aced2 and although he applied himself to the art of painting very late1 when already grown up1 nevertheless1 he was so well assisted by nature1 which inclined him to this1 and by his intelligence1 which was very beautiful1 that soon he produced therein marvellous fruits4 ,wherefore1 beginning his labours in ,florence1 he made in ,s4 ,benedetto 7a very large and beautiful monastery of the ,order of ,camaldoli1 without the ,porta a ,pinti1 and now in ruins7 many figures that were held very beautiful1 and in particular a chapel painted entirely with his own hand1 which showed how soon diligent study can produce great works in one who labours honourably through desire of glory4 ,being summoned from ,florence to ,arezzo1 he made in fresco1 for the ,chapel of the ,magi in the ,church of ,s4 ,antonio1 a large scene wherein the ,magi are adoring ,christ2 and in the ,vescovado he painted the ,chapel of ,s4 ,jacopo e ,s4 ,cristofano for the family of the ,ubertini4 ,all these works were very beautiful1 ,lippo showing invention in the composition of the scenes and in the colouring1 and above all because he was the first who began to sport1 so to speak1 with the figures1 and to awaken the minds of those who came after him2 a thing which had not even been suggested1 much less put into use1 before his time4 ,having afterwards wrought many works in ,bologna1 and a panel in ,pistoia which was passing good1 he returned to ,florence1 where1 in the year #achc1 he painted the stories of ,s4 ,john the ,evangelist in the ,chapel of the ,beccuti1 in ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore4 ,on the wall of the church beside this chapel1 which is on the left hand of the principal chapel1 there follow six stories of the same ,saint by the same man's hand1 very well composed and ingeniously ordered1 wherein1 among other things1 there is very vividly depicted a ,s4 ,john who is causing his own garment to be placed by ,s4 ,dionysius the ,areopagite over some corpses1 which are returning to life in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 to the great marvel of some who1 being present at this deed1 can scarce believe their own eyes4 ,in the figures of the dead1 likewise1 there is seen very great mastery in some foreshortenings1 whereby it is clearly demonstrated that ,lippo knew1 and in part grappled with1 certain difficulties of the art of painting4 ,it was ,lippo1 likewise1 who painted the folding leaves in the ,church of ,s4 ,giovanni--namely1 those of the shrine wherein are the angels and the ,s4 ,john in relief by the hand of ,andrea2 and on them he wrought very diligently in distemper stories of ,s4 ,john the ,baptist4 ,and because he also delighted in working in mosaic1 in the said ,s4 ,giovanni1 over the door that leads to the ,misericordia1 between the windows1 he made a beginning1 which was held very beautiful and the best work in mosaic which had been made in that place up to that time2 and he also restored some works in that church1 likewise in mosaic1 which were spoilt4 ,without ,florence1 too1 in ,s4 ,giovanni fra l',arcora without the ,porta a ,faenza1 a church which was destroyed in the siege of the said city1 he painted in fresco1 beside a ,passion of ,christ wrought by ,buffalmacco1 many figures which were held very beautiful by all who saw them4 ,in like manner1 in certain little hospitals at the ,porta a ,faenza1 and in ,s4 ,antonio within the said gate1 near the hospital1 he painted certain beggars in fresco1 in diverse beautiful manners and attitudes2 and within the cloisters1 with beautiful and new invention1 he painted a vision wherein he represented ,s4 ,anthony gazing on the snares of the world1 and beside these the will and the desires of men1 who are drawn by both the first and the second to the diverse things of this world2 and all this he painted with much thought and judgment4 ,lippo also wrought works in mosaic in many parts of ,italy1 and in the ,palace of the ,guelph party in ,florence he made a figure with the head glazed2 and in ,pisa1 also1 there are many of his works4 ,but none the less it can be said that he was truly unfortunate1 not only because the greater part of his labours are now thrown down1 having gone to ruin in the havoc of the siege of ,florence1 but also because he ended the course of his life very unhappily2 for ,lippo being a litigious person and fonder of discord than of peace1 and having one morning used very ugly words towards an adversary at the tribunal of the ,mercanzia1#d he was waylaid by this man one evening when he was returning to his house1 and stabbed in the breast with a knife so grievously1 that a few days afterwards he died miserably4 ,his pictures date about #adaj4 ,footnote #d3 ,the ,tribunal of commerce4 ,about the same time as ,lippo there was in ,bologna another painter1 ,dalmasi1 also called ,lippo1 who was an able man1 and who painted1 among other works1 in the year #adjg 7as it may be seen in ,s4 ,petronio in ,bologna71 a ,madonna which is held in great veneration2 and in fresco1 the arch over the door of ,s4 ,procolo2 and in the ,church of ,s4 ,francesco1 in the tribune of the high-altar1 he made a large ,christ between ,s4 ,peter and ,s4 ,paul1 with good grace and manner1 and below this work there is seen his own name written in large letters4 ,he drew passing well1 as it may be seen in our book2 and he taught the art to ,m4 ,galante da ,bologna1 who afterwards drew much better than he1 as it may be seen in the said book1 in a portrait from the life1 a figure in a short coat with puffed sleeves4 ,,don ,,lorenzo ,,monaco ,,life ,,of ,,don ,,lorenzo ,,monaco ,,of ,,the ,,angeli ,,in ,,florence1 ,,painter ,for a good and religious person1 ,i believe1 there must be great contentment in having ready to his hand some honourable exercise1 whether that of letters1 or of music1 or of painting1 or of any other liberal or mechanical arts1 such as are not blameworthy1 but rather useful and helpful to other men2 for the reason that after the divine offices the time passes honourably with the delight that is taken in the sweet labours of these pleasant exercises4 ,and to this it may be added that not only is he esteemed and held in price by others the while that he lives1 provided that they be not envious and malign1 but that he is also honoured after death by all men1 by reason of his works and of the good name that he leaves to those who survive him4 ,and in truth one who spends his time in this manner1 lives in quiet contemplation and without being molested by those ambitious desires which are almost always seen1 to their shame and loss1 in the idle and unoccupied1 who are for the most part ignorant4 ,and even if it comes about that our virtuous man is sometimes smitten by the malign1 so powerful is the force of virtue that time covers up and buries the malice of the wicked1 and the virtuous man1 throughout the ages that follow1 remains ever famous and illustrious4 ,don ,lorenzo1 then1 a painter of ,florence1 was a monk of the ,order of ,camaldoli in the ,monastery of the ,angeli1 which monastery was founded in the year #abid by ,fra ,guittone d',arezzo1 of the ,militant ,order of the ,virgin ,mother of ,jesus ,christ1 or rather1 as the monks of that ,order were vulgarly called1 of the ,joyous ,friars2 and he applied himself in his earliest years to design and to painting with so great zeal1 that he was afterwards deservedly numbered among the best of the age in that exercise4 ,the first works of this painter-monk1 who held to the manner of ,taddeo ,gaddi and his disciples1 were in his ,monastery of the ,angeli1 where1 among many other things1 he painted the panel of the high-altar1 which is still seen to-day in their church1 and which was completely finished1 as it may be seen from letters written below on the ornament1 in the year #adac1 when it was set in place4 ,on a panel1 likewise1 which was in the ,monastery of ,s4 ,benedetto1 of the same ,order of ,camaldoli1 which was outside the ,porta a ,pinti and was destroyed in #aebi1 in the siege of ,florence1 ,don ,lorenzo painted a ,coronation of ,our ,lady1 even as he had also done in the panel for his own ,church of the ,angeli2 and this panel1 painted for ,s4 ,benedetto1 is to-day in the first cloister of the said ,monastery of the ,angeli1 in the ,chapel of the ,alberti1 on the right hand4 ,about the same time1 or perchance before1 in ,s4 ,trinita at ,florence1 he painted in fresco the ,chapel of the ,ardinghelli1 with its panel1 which was much praised at that time2 and there he made from nature the portraits of ,dante and of ,petrarca4 ,in ,s4 ,piero ,maggiore he painted the ,chapel of the ,fioravanti1 and the panel in a chapel in ,s4 ,piero ,scheraggio2 and in the said ,church of ,s4 ,trinita he painted the ,chapel of the ,bartolini4 ,in ,s4 ,jacopo ,sopra ,arno1 also1 there is seen a panel by his hand1 very well wrought and executed with infinite diligence according to the manner of those times4 ,in the ,certosa without ,florence1 likewise1 he painted some pictures with good mastery2 and in ,s4 ,michele in ,pisa1 a monastery of his ,order1 he painted some panels that are passing good4 ,and in ,florence1 in the ,church of the ,romiti#e 7also belonging to the ,order of ,camaldoli71 which1 being in ruins together with the monastery1 has to-day left no memory but the name to that quarter on the other side of the ,arno1 which is called ,camaldoli from the name of that holy place1 among other works1 he painted a ,crucifix on panel1 with a ,s4 ,john1 which were held very beautiful4 ,finally1 falling sick of a cruel imposthume1 which kept him suffering for many months1 he died at the age of fifty-five1 and was honourably buried by his fellow-monks1 as his virtues deserved1 in the chapter-house of their monastery4 ,footnote #e3 ,church of the ,hermits4 ,and because it often happens1 as experience shows1 that from one single germ1 with time and by means of the study and intelligence of men1 there spring up many1 in the said ,monastery of the ,angeli1 where in former times the monks ever applied themselves to painting and to design1 not only was the said ,don ,lorenzo excellent among them1 but many men excellent in the matters of design also flourished there for a long space of time1 both before and after him4 ,wherefore it appears to me by no means right to pass over in silence one ,don ,jacopo1 a ,florentine1 who lived long before the said ,don ,lorenzo1 for the reason that1 even as he was a very good and very worthy monk1 so was he a better writer of large letters than any who lived either before or after him1 not only in ,tuscany1 but in all ,europe1 as it is clearly proved not only by the twenty very large volumes of choral books that he left in his monastery1 which are the most beautiful1 as regards the writing1 as well as the largest that there are perchance in ,italy1 but also by an infinity of others which are to be found in ,rome1 in ,venice1 and in many other places1 and above all in ,s4 ,michele and in ,s4 ,mattia di ,murano1 a monastery of his ,order of ,camaldoli2 for which works this good father well deserved1 very many years after he had passed to a better life1 not only that ,don ,paolo ,orlandini1 a very learned monk of the same monastery1 should celebrate him with many ,latin verses1 but that his right hand1 wherewith he wrote the said books1 should be preserved with much veneration in a shrine1 as it still is1 together with that of another monk called ,don ,silvestro1 who1 according to the standard of those times1 illuminated the said books no less excellently than ,don ,jacopo had written them4 ,and ,i1 who have seen them many times1 remain in a marvel that they were executed with so much design and with so much diligence in those times1 when the arts of design were little less than lost2 for the works of these monks date about the year of our salvation #acej1 more or less1 as it may be seen in each of the said books4 ,it is said1 and some old men still remember it1 that when ,pope ,leo ,x came to ,florence he wished to see the said books and examine them carefully1 remembering that he had heard them much praised to ,lorenzo de' ,medici the ,magnificent1 his father2 and that after he had looked at them with attention and admiration1 as they all lay open on the desks of the choir1 he said1 ,if they were according to the ,roman ,church1 and not1 as they are1 according to the monastic use and ordering of ,camaldoli1 we would be pleased to take some volumes of them for ,s4 ,pietro in ,rome1 giving just recompense to the monks2 in which church there were formerly1 and perhaps there still are1 two others of them by the hand of the same monks1 both very beautiful4 ,in the same ,monastery of the ,angeli there are many ancient embroideries1 wrought with very beautiful manner and with much design by the ancient fathers of that place1 while they were living in perpetual enclosure under the name not of monks but of hermits1 without ever issuing from the monastery1 in such wise as do the sisters and nuns of our own day2 which enclosure lasted until the year #adgj4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,coronation ,,of ,,the ,,virgin 7,after the polyptych by ,don ,lorenzo ,monaco4 ,florence3 ,uffizi1 #acji7 ,anderson ,but to return to ,don ,lorenzo2 he taught ,francesco ,fiorentino1 who1 after his death1 painted the shrine that is on the ,canto di ,s4 ,maria ,novella1 at the head of the ,via della ,scala1 on the way to the ,sala del ,papa2 and he taught another disciple1 a ,pisan1 who painted a ,madonna1 ,s4 ,peter1 ,s4 ,john the ,baptist1 ,s4 ,francis1 and ,s4 ,ranieri1 and three scenes with little figures on the predella of the altar1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,francesco at ,pisa1 in the ,chapel of ,rutilio di ,ser ,baccio ,maggiolini2 and this work1 painted in #acae1 was held passing good for something wrought in distemper4 ,in my book of drawings ,i have1 by the hand of ,don ,lorenzo1 the ,theological ,virtues done in chiaroscuro with good design and beautiful and graceful manner1 insomuch that they are peradventure better than the drawings of any other master whatsoever of those times4 ,a passing good painter in the time of ,don ,lorenzo was ,antonio ,vite of ,pistoia1 who1 besides many other works--as it has been said in the ,life of ,starnina--painted1 in the ,palace of the ,ceppo at ,prato1 the life of ,francesco di ,marco1 founder of that holy place4 ,illustration3 ,,don ,,lorenzo ,,monaco3 ,,the ,,annunciation 7,florence3 ,accademia1 #adc4 ,panel7 ,,taddeo ,,bartoli ,illustration3 ,,taddeo ,,bartoli3 ,,madonna1 ,,child1 ,,and ,,angels 7,perugia3 ,pinacoteca4 ,panel7 ,,life ,,of ,,taddeo ,,bartoli ,,painter ,,of ,,siena ,it is the due of those craftsmen who1 in order to acquire a name1 put themselves to much fatigue in painting1 that their works should be placed1 not in a dark and dishonourable position1 wherefore they may be blamed by those who have no more understanding than this1 but in some spot where1 through the nobility of the place1 through the lights1 and through the air1 they can be rightly seen and studied by all1 as was and still is the public work of the chapel that ,taddeo ,bartoli1 painter of ,siena1 wrought in the ,palazzo della ,signoria in ,siena4 ,taddeo1 then1 was the son of ,bartolo di ,maestro ,fredi1 who was a mediocre painter in his day and painted the whole wall 7on the left hand as one enters7 of the ,pieve of ,san ,gimignano with stories of the ,old ,testament2 in which work1 which in truth was not very good1 there may still be read in the middle this epitaph3 ,a4,d4 #acef1 ,,bartolus ,,magistri ,,fredi ,,de ,,senis ,,me ,,pinxit4 ,at this time ,bartolo must have been young1 because in a panel containing the ,circumcision of ,our ,lord1 together with some saints1 wrought likewise by him in the year #achh in ,s4 ,agostino1 in the same territory1 on the left hand as one enters the church through the principal door1 it is seen that he had a much better manner both in drawing and in colouring1 seeing that some heads therein are beautiful enough1 although the feet of those figures are in the ancient manner4 ,in short1 there are seen many other works by the hand of ,bartolo in those parts4 ,but to return to ,taddeo3 the painting of the ,chapel of the ,palazzo della ,signoria in his native city being entrusted to him1 as it has been said1 as the best master of those times1 it was wrought by him with so great diligence1 and so greatly honoured with regard to its situation1 and paid for by the ,signoria in such a manner1 that ,taddeo largely increased his glory and fame thereby2 wherefore not only did he afterwards paint many panels in his own country1 to his great honour and infinite profit1 but he was invited with great favour and sought for from the ,signoria of ,siena by ,francesco da ,carrara1 ,lord of ,padua1 to the end that he might go1 as he did1 to paint certain works in that most noble city2 where1 particularly in the ,arena and in the ,santo1 he wrought some panels and other works with much diligence1 to his own great honour and to the satisfaction of that ,lord and of the whole city4 ,returning afterwards to ,tuscany1 he wrought a panel in distemper1 which inclines to the manner of ,ugolino ,sanese1 in ,san ,gimignano2 and this panel is to-day behind the high-altar of the ,pieve1 and faces the choir of the priests4 ,going next to ,siena1 he did not stay there long before he was invited by one of the ,lanfranchi1 the ,warden of ,works of the ,duomo1 to ,pisa2 and betaking himself thither1 he made in fresco1 in the ,chapel of the ,nunziata1 the scene when the ,madonna ascends the steps of the ,temple1 at the head of which the priest is awaiting her in full canonicals--a highly-finished work4 ,in the face of this priest he portrayed the said ,warden of ,works1 and beside him his own self4 ,this work finished1 the same ,warden of ,works made him paint over the chapel in the ,campo ,santo a ,madonna being crowned by ,jesus ,christ1 with many angels in very beautiful attitudes and very well coloured4 ,in like manner1 for the ,chapel of the ,sacristy of ,s4 ,francesco in ,pisa ,taddeo made a ,madonna and some saints on a panel painted in distemper1 placing thereon his name and the year when it was painted1 which was the year #acid4 ,and about this same time he wrought certain panels in distemper at ,volterra1 and a panel at ,monte ,oliveto1 with a ,hell in fresco on a wall1 wherein he followed the invention of ,dante in so far as relates to the division of the sins and to the form of the punishments1 but in the place itself he either could not or would not imitate him1 or knew not how4 ,he also sent to ,arezzo a panel that is in ,s4 ,agostino1 wherein he portrayed ,pope ,gregory ,,xi--namely1 the ,pope who brought the ,court back to ,italy after it had been so many decades of years in ,france4 ,illustration3 ,,polyptych 7,after the panel by ,taddeo ,bartoli4 ,perugia3 ,gallery #i7 ,anderson ,returning after these works to ,siena1 he made no very long stay there1 because he was called to work at ,perugia in the ,church of ,s4 ,domenico1 where1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,caterina1 he painted in fresco all the life of that ,saint2 and in ,s4 ,francesco1 beside the door of the sacristy1 he made some figures which1 although to-day little can be discerned of them1 are known to be by the hand of ,taddeo1 who held ever to one unchanging manner4 ,a little time afterwards there befell the death of ,biroldo1 ,lord of ,perugia1 who was murdered in the year #acih2 whereupon ,taddeo returned to ,siena1 where1 labouring continually1 he applied himself so zealously to the studies of his art1 in order to become an able painter1 that it can be affirmed1 if perchance he did not realize his intention1 that this was certainly not by reason of any defect or negligence that he showed in his work1 but rather through indisposition caused by an internal obstruction1 which afflicted him in a manner that he could not attain to the fulness of his desire4 ,having taught the art to one his nephew1 called ,domenico1 ,taddeo died at the age of fifty-nine2 and his pictures date about the year of our salvation #adaj4 ,he left1 then1 as it has been said1 ,domenico ,bartoli1 his nephew and disciple1 who1 following the art of painting1 painted with greater and better mastery1 and in the scenes that he wrought he showed much more fertility1 varying them in diverse ways1 than his uncle had done4 ,in the pilgrim's hall of the great hospital at ,siena there are two large scenes1 wrought in fresco by ,domenico1 wherein are seen perspectives and other adornments very ingeniously composed4 ,domenico is said to have been modest and gentle1 and a man of singular amiability and most liberal courtesy2 and this is said to have done no less honour to his name than the art of painting itself4 ,his works date about the year of our ,lord #adcf1 and the last were a panel containing an ,annunciation in ,s4 ,trinita in ,florence1 and the panel of the high-altar in the ,church of the ,carmine4 ,there lived at the same time and painted in almost the same manner1 although he made the colouring more brilliant and the figures lower1 one ,alvaro di ,piero1 a ,portuguese1 who made many panels in ,volterra1 and one in ,s4 ,antonio in ,pisa1 and others in other places1 whereof1 seeing that they are of no great excellence1 there is no need to make further record4 ,in our book there is a drawing made with great mastery by ,taddeo1 wherein are ,christ and two angels4 ,illustration3 ,,domenico ,,bartoli3 ,,madonna ,,orans 7,siena3 ,refugio4 ,panel7 ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bicci ,,life ,,of ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bicci ,,painter ,,of ,,florence ,when men who are excellent in any honourable exercise whatsoever accompany their ability in working with gentle ways and good habits1 and particularly with courtesy1 serving readily and willingly all who have need of their assistance1 they secure without fail1 together with much praise and profit for themselves1 everything that in a certain sense is desirable in this world2 as did ,lorenzo di ,bicci1 painter of ,florence1 who1 being born in ,florence in #adjj1 precisely when ,italy was beginning to be harassed by the wars which shortly afterwards brought her to an evil pass1 was in very good credit almost from his childhood1 for the reason that1 having learnt good ways under the discipline of his father and the art of painting from the painter ,spinello1 he had ever the name not only of an excellent painter1 but of a most courteous and honourable and able man4 ,lorenzo1 then1 young as he was1 having made some works in fresco both within and without ,florence for the sake of practice1 ,giovanni di ,bicci de' ,medici1 seeing his good manner1 caused him to paint in the hall of the old house of the ,medici--which afterwards came into the possession of ,lorenzo1 brother of ,cosimo the ,elder1 when the great palace was built--all those famous men that are still seen there to-day1 very well preserved4 ,this work finished1 seeing that ,lorenzo di ,bicci wished to exercise himself in his study of painting in places where work was not so minutely examined1 as the doctors still do1 who make experiments in their art on the hides of needy countrymen1 for some time he accepted all the work that came to his hand1 and therefore painted a shrine on the bridge of ,scandicci1 without the ,porta a ,s4 ,friano1 in the manner wherein it is still seen to-day1 and at ,cerbaia1 on a wall below a portico1 he painted many saints very creditably1 together with a ,madonna4 ,next1 being commissioned by the family of the ,martini to paint a chapel in ,s4 ,marco in ,florence1 he wrought in fresco on the walls many stories of the ,madonna1 and on the panel the ,virgin herself in the midst of many saints2 and in the same church1 over the ,chapel of ,s4 ,giovanni ,evangelista1 belonging to the family of the ,landi1 he painted in fresco an ,angel ,raphael with ,tobias4 ,and afterwards1 in the year #adah1 for ,ricciardo di ,messer ,niccolo ,spinelli1 on the facade of the ,convent of ,s4 ,croce facing the square1 he painted a large scene in fresco of ,s4 ,thomas looking for the wound in the side of ,jesus ,christ1 and beside him and round him all the other ,apostles1 who1 kneeling reverently1 are watching this event4 ,and beside the said scene he made1 likewise in fresco1 a ,s4 ,christopher twelve braccia and a half high1 which is something rare1 because up to then1 excepting the ,s4 ,christopher of ,buffalmacco1 there had not been seen a greater figure1 nor1 for something so large1 any image more creditable or better proportioned in all its parts than that one1 although it is not in a good manner2 not to mention that these pictures1 both the one and the other1 were wrought with so much mastery1 that1 although they have been exposed to the air for many years and buffeted by the rains and tempests1 being turned to the ,north1 yet they have never lost their vividness of colouring1 nor have they been injured in any part4 ,within the door1 moreover1 which is between these figures1 called the ,martello door1 the same ,lorenzo1 at the request of the said ,ricciardo and of the ,prior of the convent1 made a ,crucifixion with many figures1 and1 on the walls around1 the confirmation of the ,rule of ,s4 ,francis by ,pope ,honorius1 and beside it the martyrdom of certain friars of that ,order1 who went to preach the ,faith among the ,saracens4 ,on the arches and on the vaulting he made certain ,kings of ,france1 friars and devout followers of ,s4 ,francis1 and he portrayed them from nature2 and likewise many learned men of that ,order1 and men distinguished for dignity of rank1 such as ,bishops1 ,cardinals1 and ,popes1 among whom are portraits from nature1 in two medallions on the vaulting1 of ,pope ,nicholas ,,iv and ,pope ,alexander ,v4 ,in all these figures1 although ,lorenzo made their garments grey1 he varied them1 nevertheless1 by reason of the good practice that he had in working1 in a manner that they are all different one from the other2 some incline to reddish1 others to bluish1 while some are dark and others lighter1 and in short1 all are varied and worthy of consideration2 and what is more1 it is said that he wrought this work with so great facility and readiness1 that being called once by the ,prior1 who was bearing his expenses1 to his dinner1 at the very moment when he had made the intonaco for a figure and had begun it1 he answered3 ,pour out the soup4 ,let me finish this figure1 and ,i'm with you4 ,wherefore it is with good reason that men say that ,lorenzo had so great rapidity of hand1 so great practice in colouring1 and so great resolution1 that no other man ever had more4 ,by his hand are the shrine in fresco which is on the corner of the ,convent of the ,nuns of ,foligno1 and the ,madonna and some saints that are over the door of the church of that convent1 among whom is a ,s4 ,francis who is espousing ,poverty4 ,in the ,church of the ,order of ,camaldoli in ,florence1 also1 he painted for the ,company of the ,martyrs some scenes of the martyrdom of some saints1 and two chapels in the church1 one on either side of the principal chapel4 ,and because these pictures gave universal pleasure to the whole city1 after he had finished them he was commissioned by the family of the ,salvestrini--which to-day is almost extinct1 there being to my knowledge none left save a friar of the ,angeli in ,florence1 called ,fra ,nemesio1 a good and worthy churchman--to paint a wall of the ,church of the ,carmine1 whereon he made the scene when the martyrs1 being condemned to death1 are stripped naked and made to walk barefoot over spikes strewn by ministers of the tyrants1 while they were going to be placed on the cross2 and higher up they are seen placed thereon1 in various extravagant attitudes4 ,in this work1 which was the largest that had ever been made up to that time1 everything is seen to have been done1 according to the knowledge of those times1 with much mastery and design1 for it is all full of those various emotions that nature arouses in those who are made to die a violent death2 wherefore ,i do not marvel that many able men have contrived to avail themselves of certain things that are seen in this picture4 ,after these he made many other figures in the same church1 and particularly in two chapels in the tramezzo4#f ,and about the same time he painted the shrine of the ,canto alla ,cuculia1 and that which is on the house-front in the ,via de' ,martelli2 and1 over the ,martello door in ,s4 ,spirito1 a ,s4 ,augustine in fresco presenting the ,rule to his friars4 ,in ,s4 ,trinita1 in the ,chapel of ,neri ,compagni1 he painted in fresco the life of ,s4 ,giovanni ,gualberto2 and1 in the principal chapel of ,s4 ,lucia in the ,via de' ,bardi1 some scenes in fresco of the life of that ,saint1 for ,niccolo da ,uzzano1 who was portrayed by him there from the life1 together with some other citizens4 ,footnote #f3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,this ,niccolo1 with the direction and model of ,lorenzo1 built a palace for himself near the said church1 and a magnificent beginning for a university1 or rather1 a school1 between the ,convent of the ,servi and that of ,s4 ,marco--namely1 where there are now the ,lions4 ,this work1 truly most praiseworthy and rather that of a magnanimous prince than of a private citizen1 was never finished1 for the very large sums of money that ,niccolo left at the ,monte#g in ,florence for the building and maintenance of this school1 were spent by the ,florentines in certain wars or for other necessities of the city4 ,and although ,fortune will never be able to obscure the memory and the greatness of soul of ,niccolo da ,uzzano1 it is none the less true that the public interest suffered very great harm from the fact that this work was not finished4 ,wherefore1 if a man desires to benefit the world in similar ways1 and to leave an honourable memorial of himself1 let him do it by himself while he has life1 and let him not put his trust in the good faith of posterity and of his heirs1 since anything that has been left to be done by successors is rarely seen brought to perfect completion4 ,footnote #g3 ,treasury of public funds4 ,but returning to ,lorenzo3 he painted1 besides what has been said1 a ,madonna and certain saints in fresco1 passing good1 in a shrine on the ,ponte ,rubaconte4 ,and no long time after1 ,ser ,michele di ,fruosino1 being ,director of the ,hospital of ,s4 ,maria ,nuova in ,florence--which hospital was founded by ,folco ,portinari1 citizen of ,florence--determined that1 even as the wealth of the hospital had increased1 so its church1 which was then without ,florence and very small1 dedicated to ,s4 ,egidio1 should be enlarged4 ,whereupon1 having taken counsel thereon with ,lorenzo di ,bicci1 who was very much his friend1 on ,september #e1 in the year #adah1 he began the new church1 which was finished in a year in the manner wherein it stands to-day1 and was then solemnly consecrated by ,pope ,martin ,v at the request of the said ,ser ,michele1 who was the eighth ,director of the ,hospital1 and of the men of the family of ,portinari4 ,this consecration ,lorenzo afterwards painted1 according to the wish of ,ser ,michele1 on the facade of that church1 portraying there from life that ,pope and some ,cardinals2 and this work1 as something new and beautiful1 was then much praised4 ,wherefore he obtained the honour of being the first to paint in the principal church of his city--that is1 in ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 where1 beneath the windows of each chapel1 he painted that ,saint to whom it is dedicated1 and then1 on the pilasters and throughout the church1 the twelve ,apostles with the crosses of consecration2 for that church had been most solemnly consecrated in that same year by ,pope ,eugenius ,,iv1 the ,venetian4 ,in the same church the ,wardens of ,works1 by order of the ,state1 caused him to paint in fresco1 on one wall1 a tomb in imitation of marble1 in memory of ,cardinal ,corsini1 who is portrayed there from nature on the sarcophagus2 and above that he made a similar one in memory of ,maestro ,luigi ,marsili1 a very famous theologian1 who went as ambassador1 with ,messer ,luigi ,guicciardini and ,messer ,guccio di ,gino1 most honourable cavaliers1 to the ,duke of ,anjou4 ,illustration3 ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bicci3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child1 ,,with ,a ,,donor 7,empoli3 ,gallery4 ,panel7 ,lorenzo was then summoned to ,arezzo by ,don ,laurentino1 ,abbot of ,s4 ,bernardo1 a monastery of the ,order of ,monte ,oliveto1 in the principal chapel of which he painted in fresco1 for ,messer ,carlo ,marsuppini1 stories of the life of ,s4 ,bernard4 ,but while planning to paint the life of ,s4 ,benedict in the cloister of the convent 7,i mean1 after having painted for the elder ,francesco de' ,bacci the principal chapel of the ,church of ,s4 ,francesco1 where he wrought by himself the vaulting and half of the arch7 he fell sick of a pleurisy2 wherefore1 having himself carried to ,florence1 he left directions that ,marco da ,montepulciano1 his disciple1 should paint the scenes of the life of ,s4 ,benedict in the said cloister1 from the design that he had made and left with ,don ,laurentino2 and this ,marco did as best he knew1 delivering the whole work finished in chiaroscuro on ,april #bd1 in the year #addh1 as it may be seen written by his hand in verses and words that are no less rude than the pictures4 ,having returned to his country and being restored to health1 ,lorenzo painted1 on the same wall of the ,convent of ,s4 ,croce whereon he had made the ,s4 ,christopher1 the ,assumption into ,heaven of ,our ,lady1 surrounded by a choir of angels1 and below her a ,s4 ,thomas1 who is receiving the ,girdle4 ,in the execution of this work1 being indisposed1 ,lorenzo caused ,donatello1 then a youth1 to help him2 wherefore1 with assistance so able1 it was finished in the year #adej1 in such wise that ,i believe that it is the best work1 both in design and in colouring1 that was ever made by ,lorenzo1 who1 no long time after1 being old and worn out1 died at the age of about sixty1 leaving two sons who applied themselves to painting2 one of whom1 named ,bicci1 gave him assistance in making many works1 while the other1 who was called ,neri1 portrayed his father and himself in the ,chapel of the ,lenzi in ,ognissanti1 in two medallions with letters round them1 which give the name of both one and the other4 ,in this chapel the same man1 in painting some stories of the ,madonna1 strove to counterfeit many costumes of those times1 both of men and of women2 and he made the panel in distemper for the chapel4 ,in like manner1 he made some panels for the ,abbey of ,s4 ,felice in ,piazza at ,florence1 belonging to the ,order of ,camaldoli1 and one for the high-altar of ,s4 ,michele in ,arezzo1 a church of the same ,order4 ,and at ,s4 ,maria delle ,grazie without ,arezzo1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,bernardino1 he made a ,madonna that has under her mantle the people of ,arezzo1 and on one side that ,s4 ,bernardino kneeling with a wooden cross in his hand1 such as he was wont to carry when he went preaching through ,arezzo1 and on the other side and about her ,s4 ,nicholas and ,s4 ,michelagnolo2 and on the predella are painted stories of the acts of the said ,s4 ,bernardino1 and of the miracles that he wrought1 particularly in that place4 ,the same ,neri made the panel of the high-altar of ,s4 ,romolo in ,florence2 and in ,s4 ,trinita1 in the ,chapel of the ,spini1 he painted in fresco the life of ,s4 ,giovanni ,gualberto1 and in distemper the panel that is over the altar4 ,from these works it is recognized that if ,neri had lived1 and had not died at the age of thirty-six1 he would have made more numerous and better works than did ,lorenzo1 his father1 whose ,life1 seeing that he was the last of the masters of the old manner of ,giotto1 will also be the last of this ,first ,part1 which with the aid of the blessed ,god we have brought to conclusion4 ,,the ,,second ,,part ,,of ,,the ,,lives ,,of ,,the ,,sculptors1 ,,painters1 ,,and ,,architects1 ,,who ,,have ,,lived ,,from ,,cimabue ,,to ,,our ,,own ,,day4 ,,written ,,by ,,messer ,,giorgio ,,vasari1 ,,painter ,,and ,,architect ,,of ,,arezzo ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,part ,when first ,i undertook to write these ,lives1 it was not my intention to make a list of the craftsmen1 and an inventory1 so to speak1 of their works1 nor did ,i ever judge it a worthy end for these my labours--,i will not call them beautiful1 but certainly long and fatiguing--to discover their numbers1 their names1 and their countries1 and to tell in what cities1 and in what places exactly in those cities1 their pictures1 or sculptures1 or buildings were now to be found2 for this ,i could have done with a simple table1 without interposing my own judgment in any part4 ,but seeing that the writers of history--those of them who1 by common consent1 are reputed to have written with the best judgment--have not only refused to content themselves with the simple narration of the succession of events1 but1 with all diligence and with the greatest power of research at their disposal1 have set about investigating the methods1 the means1 and the ways that men of mark have used in the management of their enterprises2 and seeing that they have striven to touch on their errors1 and at the same time on their fine achievements and on the expedients and resolutions sometimes wisely adopted in their government of affairs1 and on everything1 in short1 that these men have effected therein1 sagaciously or negligently1 or with prudence1 or piety1 or magnanimity2 which these writers have done as men who knew history to be truly the mirror of human life1 not in order to make a succinct narration of the events that befell a ,prince or a ,republic1 but in order to observe the judgments1 the counsels1 the resolutions1 and the intrigues of men1 leading subsequently to fortunate and unfortunate actions2 for this is the true soul of history1 and is that which truly teaches men to live and makes them wise1 and which1 besides the pleasure that comes from seeing past events as present1 is the true end of that art2 for this reason1 having undertaken to write the history of the most noble craftsmen1 in order to assist the arts in so far as my powers permit1 and besides that to honour them1 ,i have held to the best of my ability1 in imitation of men so able1 to the same method1 and ,i have striven not only to say what these craftsmen have done1 but also1 in treating of them1 to distinguish the better from the good and the best from the better1 and to note with no small diligence the methods1 the feeling1 the manners1 the characteristics1 and the fantasies of the painters and sculptors2 seeking with the greatest diligence in my power to make known1 to those who do not know this for themselves1 the causes and origins of the various manners and of that amelioration and that deterioration of the arts which have come to pass at diverse times and through diverse persons4 ,and because at the beginning of these ,lives ,i spoke of the nobility and antiquity of these arts1 in so far as it was then necessary for our subject1 leaving on one side many things from ,pliny and other authors whereof ,i could have availed myself1 had ,i not wished--contrary1 perhaps1 to the judgment of many--to leave each man free to see the fantasies of others in their proper sources2 it appears to me expedient to do at present that which1 in avoidance of tedium and prolixity 7mortal enemies of attention71 it was not permitted me to do then--namely1 to declare more diligently my mind and intention1 and to demonstrate to what end ,i have divided this book of the ,lives into ,three ,parts4 ,now it is true that greatness in the arts springs in one man from diligence1 in another from study1 in this man from imitation1 in that man from knowledge of the sciences1 which all render assistance to the arts1 and in some from all the aforesaid sources together1 or from the greater part of them2 yet ,i1 none the less1 having discoursed sufficiently1 in the ,lives of the individuals1 of their methods of art1 their manners1 and the causes of their good1 better1 and best work1 will discourse of this matter in general terms1 and rather of the characteristics of times than of persons2 having made a distinction and division1 in order not to make too minute a research1 into ,three ,parts1 or we would rather call them ages1 from the second birth of these arts up to the century wherein we live1 by reason of that very manifest difference that is seen between one and another of them4 ,in the first and most ancient age these three arts are seen to have been very distant from their perfection1 and1 although they had something of the good1 to have been accompanied by so great imperfection that they certainly do not merit too great praise2 although1 seeing that they gave a beginning and showed the path and method to the better work that followed later1 if for no other reason1 we cannot but speak well of them and give them a little more glory than the works themselves have merited1 were we to judge them by the perfect standard of art4 ,next1 in the second1 it is manifestly seen that matters were much improved1 both in the inventions and in the use of more design1 better manner1 and greater diligence1 in their execution2 and likewise that the rust of age and the rudeness and disproportion1 wherewith the grossness of that time had clothed them1 were swept away4 ,but who will be bold enough to say that there was to be found at that time one who was in every way perfect1 and who brought his work1 whether in invention1 or design1 or colouring1 to the standard of to-day1 and contrived the sweet gradation of his figures with the deep shades of colour1 in a manner that the lights remained only on the parts in relief1 and likewise contrived those perforations and certain extraordinary refinements in marble statuary that are seen in the statues of to-day8 ,the credit of this is certainly due to the third age1 wherein it appears to me that ,i can say surely that art has done everything that it is possible for her1 as an imitator of nature1 to do1 and that she has climbed so high that she has rather to fear a fall to a lower height than to ever hope for more advancement4 ,having pondered over these things intently in my own mind1 ,i judge that it is the peculiar and particular nature of these arts to go on improving little by little from a humble beginning1 and finally to arrive at the height of perfection2 and of this ,i am persuaded by seeing that almost the same thing came to pass in other faculties1 which is no small argument in favour of its truth1 seeing that there is a certain degree of kinship between all the liberal arts4 ,now this must have happened to painting and sculpture in former times in such similar fashion1 that1 if the names were changed round1 their histories would be exactly the same4 ,for if we can put faith in those who lived near those times and could see and judge the labours of the ancients1 it is seen that the statues of ,canachus were very stiff and without any vivacity or movement1 and therefore very distant from the truth2 and the same is said of those of ,calamis1 although they were somewhat softer than those aforesaid4 ,then came ,myron1 who was no very close imitator of the truth of nature1 but gave so much proportion and grace to his works that they could be reasonably called beautiful4 ,there followed in the third degree ,polycletus and the other so famous masters1 who1 as it is said and must be believed1 made them entirely perfect4 ,the same progress must have also come about in painting1 because it is said1 and it is reasonable to suppose that it was so1 that in the works of those who painted with only one colour1 and were therefore called ,monochromatists1 there was no great perfection4 ,next1 in the works of ,zeuxis1 ,polygnotus1 ,timanthes1 and the others who used only four colours1 there is nothing but praise for their lineaments1 outlines1 and forms2 yet1 without doubt1 they must have left something to be desired4 ,but in ,erion1 ,nicomachus1 ,protogenes1 and ,apelles1 everything is perfect and most beautiful1 and nothing better can be imagined1 seeing that they painted most excellently not only the forms and actions of bodies1 but also the emotions and passions of the soul4 ,but1 passing these men by1 since for knowledge of them we must refer to others1 who very often do not agree in their judgments on them1 or even1 what is worse1 as to the dates1 although in this ,i have followed the best authorities2 let us come to our own times1 wherein we have the help of the eye1 a much better guide and judge than the ear4 ,is it not clearly seen how great improvement was acquired by architecture--to begin with one starting-point--from the time of the ,greek ,buschetto to that of the ,german ,arnolfo and of ,giotto8 ,see the buildings of those times1 and the pilasters1 the columns1 the bases1 the capitals1 and all the cornices1 with their ill-formed members1 such as there are in ,florence1 in ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 in the external incrustations of ,s4 ,giovanni1 and in ,s4 ,miniato sul ,monte2 in the ,vescovado of ,fiesole1 in the ,duomo of ,milan1 in ,s4 ,vitale at ,ravenna1 in ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore at ,rome1 and in the ,duomo ,vecchio without ,arezzo2 wherein1 excepting that little of the good which survived in the ancient fragments1 there is nothing that has good order or form4 ,but these men certainly improved it not a little1 and under their guidance it made no small progress1 seeing that they reduced it to better proportion1 and made their buildings not only stable and stout1 but also in some measure ornate1 although it is true that their ornamentation was confused and very imperfect1 and1 so to speak1 not greatly ornamental4 ,for they did not observe that measure and proportion in the columns that the art required1 or distinguish one ,order from another1 whether ,doric1 ,corinthian1 ,ionic1 or ,tuscan1 but mixed them all together with a rule of their own that was no rule1 making them very thick or very slender1 as suited them best2 and all their inventions came partly from their own brains1 and partly from the relics of the antiquities that they saw2 and they made their plans partly by copying the good1 and partly by adding thereunto their own fancies1 which1 when the walls were raised1 had a very different appearance4 ,nevertheless1 whosoever compares their works with those before them will see in them an improvement in every respect1 although he will also see some things that give no little displeasure to our own times2 as1 for example1 some little temples of brick1 wrought over with stucco1 at ,s4 ,giovanni ,laterano in ,rome4 ,the same do ,i say of sculpture1 which1 in that first age of its new birth1 had no little of the good2 for after the extinction of the rude ,greek manner1 which was so uncouth that it was more akin to the art of quarrying than to the genius of the craftsmen--their statues being entirely without folds1 or attitudes1 or movement of any kind1 and truly worthy to be called stone images--when design was afterwards improved by ,giotto1 many men also improved the figures in marble and stone1 as did ,andrea ,pisano and his son ,nino and his other disciples1 who were much better than the early sculptors and gave their statues more movement and much better attitudes2 as also did those two ,sienese masters1 ,agostino and ,agnolo1 who made the tomb of ,guido1 ,bishop of ,arezzo1 as it has been said1 and those ,germans who made the facade at ,orvieto4 ,it is seen1 then1 that during this time sculpture made a little progress1 and that there was given a somewhat better form to the figures1 with a more beautiful flow of folds in the draperies1 and sometimes a better air in the heads and certain attitudes not so stiff2 and finally1 that it had begun to seek the good1 but was nevertheless lacking in innumerable respects1 seeing that design was in no great perfection at that time and there was little good work seen that could be imitated4 ,wherefore those masters who lived at that time1 and were put by me in the ,first ,part of the book1 deserve to be thus praised and to be held in that credit which the works made by them merit1 if only one considers--as is also true of the works of the architects and painters of those times--that they had no help from the times before them1 and had to find the way by themselves2 and a beginning1 however small1 is ever worthy of no small praise4 ,nor did painting encounter much better fortune in those times1 save that1 being then more in vogue by reason of the devotion of the people1 it had more craftsmen and therefore made more evident progress than the other two4 ,thus it is seen that the ,greek manner1 first through the beginning made by ,cimabue1 and then with the aid of ,giotto1 was wholly extinguished2 and there arose a new one1 which ,i would fain call the manner of ,giotto1 seeing that it was discovered by him and by his disciples1 and then universally revered and imitated by all4 ,by this manner1 as we see1 there were swept away the outlines that wholly enclosed the figures1 and those staring eyes1 and the feet stretched on tip-toe1 and the pointed hands1 with the absence of shadow and the other monstrous qualities of those ,greeks2 and good grace was given to the heads1 and softness to the colouring4 ,and ,giotto1 in particular1 gave better attitudes to his figures1 and revealed the first effort to give a certain liveliness to the heads and folds to his draperies1 which drew more towards nature than those of the men before him2 and he discovered1 in part1 something of the gradation and foreshortening of figures4 ,besides this1 he made a beginning with the expression of emotions1 so that fear1 hope1 rage1 and love could in some sort be recognized2 and he reduced his manner1 which at first was harsh and rough1 to a certain degree of softness2 and although he did not make the eyes with that beautiful roundness that makes them lifelike1 and with the tear-channels that complete them1 and the hair soft1 and the beards feathery1 and the hands with their due joints and muscles1 and the nudes true to life1 let him find excuse in the difficulty of the art and in the fact that he saw no better painters than himself2 and let all remember1 amid the poverty of art in those times1 the excellence of judgment in his stories1 the observation of feeling1 and the subordination of a very ready natural gift1 seeing that his figures were subordinate to the part that they had to play4 ,and thereby it is shown that he had a very good1 if not a perfect judgment2 and the same is seen in the others after him1 as in the colouring of ,taddeo ,gaddi1 who is both sweeter and stronger1 giving better tints to the flesh and better colour to the draperies1 and more boldness to the movements of his figures4 ,in ,simone ,sanese there is seen dignity in the composition of stories2 and ,stefano the ,ape#h and his son ,tommaso brought about great improvement and perfection in design1 invention in perspective1 and harmony and unity in colouring1 ever maintaining the manner of ,giotto4 ,the same was done for mastery and dexterity of handling by ,spinello ,aretino and his son ,parri1 ,jacopo di ,casentino1 ,antonio ,viniziano1 ,lippo1 ,gherardo ,starnina1 and the other painters who laboured after ,giotto1 following his feeling1 lineaments1 colouring1 and manner1 and even improving them somewhat1 but not so much as to make it appear that they were aiming at another goal4 ,whosoever considers this my discourse1 therefore1 will see that these three arts were up to this time1 so to speak1 only sketched out1 and lacking in much of that perfection that was their due2 and in truth1 without further progress1 this improvement was of little use and not to be held in too great account4 ,nor would ,i have anyone believe that ,i am so dull and so poor in judgment that ,i do not know that the works of ,giotto1 of ,andrea ,pisano1 of ,nino1 and of all the others1 whom ,i have put together in the ,first ,part by reason of their similarity of manner1 if compared with those of the men who laboured after them1 do not deserve extraordinary or even mediocre praise2 or that ,i did not see this when ,i praised them4 ,but whosoever considers the character of those times1 the dearth of craftsmen1 and the difficulty of finding good assistance1 will hold them not merely beautiful1 as ,i have called them1 but miraculous1 and will take infinite pleasure in seeing the first beginnings and those sparks of excellence that began to be rekindled in painting and sculpture4 ,the victory of ,lucius ,marcius in ,spain was certainly not so great that the ,romans did not have many much greater2 but in consideration of the time1 the place1 the circumstances1 the men1 and the numbers1 it was held stupendous1 and even to-day it is held worthy of the infinite and most abundant praises that are given to it by writers4 ,to me1 likewise1 by reason of all the aforesaid considerations1 it has appeared that these masters deserve to be not only described by me with all diligence1 but praised with that love and confidence wherewith ,i have done it4 ,nor do ,i think that it can have been wearisome to my brother-craftsmen to read these their ,lives1 and to consider their manners and methods1 and from this1 perchance1 they will derive no little profit2 which will be right pleasing to me1 and ,i will esteem it a good reward for my labours1 wherein ,i have sought to do nought else but give them profit and delight to the best of my power4 ,footnote #h3 ,the ,ape of ,nature4 ,and now that we have weaned these three arts1 to use such a fashion of speaking1 and brought them through their childhood1 there comes their second age1 wherein there will be seen infinite improvement in everything2 invention more abundant in figures1 and richer in ornament2 more depth and more lifelike reality in design2 some finality1 moreover1 in the works1 which are executed thoughtfully and with diligence1 although with too little mastery of handling2 with more grace in manner and more loveliness in colouring1 so that little is wanting for the reduction of everything to perfection and for the exact imitation of the truth of nature4 ,wherefore1 with the study and the diligence of the great ,filippo ,brunelleschi1 architecture first recovered the measures and proportions of the ancients1 both in the round columns and in the square pilasters1 and in the corner-stones both rough and smooth2 and then one ,order was distinguished from another1 and it was shown what differences there were between them4 ,it was ordained that all works should proceed by rule1 should be pursued with better ordering1 and should be distributed with due measure4 ,design grew in strength and depth2 good grace was given to buildings2 the excellence of that art made itself known2 and the beauty and variety of capitals and cornices were recovered in such a manner1 that the ground-plans of his churches and of his other edifices are seen to have been very well conceived1 and the buildings themselves ornate1 magnificent1 and beautifully proportioned1 as it may be seen in the stupendous mass of the cupola of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore in ,florence1 and in the beauty and grace of its lantern2 in the ornate1 varied1 and graceful ,church of ,s4 ,spirito1 and in the no less beautiful edifice of ,s4 ,lorenzo2 in the most bizarre invention of the octagonal ,temple of the ,angeli2 in the most fanciful ,church and ,convent of the ,abbey of ,fiesole1 and in the magnificent and vast beginning of the ,pitti ,palace2 besides the great and commodious edifice that ,francesco di ,giorgio made in the ,palace and ,church of the ,duomo at ,urbino1 and the very strong and rich ,castle of ,naples1 and the impregnable ,castle of ,milan1 not to mention many other notable buildings of that time4 ,and although there were not therein that delicacy and a certain exquisite grace and finish in the mouldings1 and certain refinements and beauties in the carving of the leafage and in making certain extremities in the foliage1 and other points of perfection1 which all came later1 as it will be seen in the ,third ,part1 wherein there will follow those who will attain to all that perfection1 whether in grace1 or refinement1 or abundance1 or dexterity1 to which the old architects did not attain2 none the less1 they can be safely called beautiful and good4 ,i do not call them yet perfect1 because later there was seen something better in that art1 and it appears to me that ,i can reasonably affirm that there was something wanting in them4 ,and although there are in them some parts so miraculous that nothing better has yet been done in our own times1 nor will be1 peradventure1 in times to come1 such as1 for example1 the lantern of the cupola of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 and1 in point of grandeur1 the cupola itself1 wherein ,filippo was emboldened not only to equal the ancients in the extent of their structures1 but also to excel them in the height of the walls2 yet we are speaking generically and universally1 and we must not deduce the excellence of the whole from the goodness and perfection of one thing alone4 ,this ,i can also say of painting and sculpture1 wherein very rare works of the masters of that second age may still be seen to-day1 such as those in the ,carmine by ,masaccio1 who made a naked man shivering with cold1 and lively and spirited figures in other pictures2 but in general they did not attain to the perfection of the third1 whereof we will speak at the proper time1 it being necessary now to discourse of the second1 whose craftsmen1 to speak first of the sculptors1 advanced so far beyond the manner of the first and improved it so greatly1 that they left little to be done by the third4 ,they had a manner of their own1 so much more graceful and more natural1 and so much richer in order1 in design1 and in proportion1 that their statues began to appear almost like living people1 and no longer figures of stones1 like those of the first age2 and to this those works bear witness that were wrought in that new manner1 as it will be seen in this ,second ,part1 among which the figures of ,jacopo della ,quercia have more movement1 more grace1 more design1 and more diligence2 those of ,filippo1 a more beautiful knowledge of muscles1 better proportion1 and more judgment2 and so1 too1 those of their disciples4 ,but the greatest advance came from ,lorenzo ,ghiberti in the work of the gates of ,s4 ,giovanni1 wherein he showed such invention1 order1 manner1 and design1 that his figures appear to move and to have souls4 ,but as for ,donato1#i although he lived in their time1 ,i am not wholly sure whether ,i ought not to place him in the third age1 seeing that his works challenge comparison with the good works of the ancients2 but this ,i will say1 that he can be called the pattern of the others in this second age1 having united in his own self all the qualities that were divided singly among many1 for he brought his figures to actual motion1 giving them such vivacity and liveliness that they can stand beside the works of to-day1 and1 as ,i have said1 beside the ancient as well4 ,footnote #i3 ,i4e41 ,donatello4 ,the same advance was made at this time by painting1 from which that most excellent ,masaccio swept away completely the manner of ,giotto in the heads1 the draperies1 the buildings1 the nudes1 the colouring1 and the foreshortenings1 all of which he made new1 bringing to light that modern manner which was followed in those times and has been followed up to our own day by all our craftsmen1 and enriched and embellished from time to time with better grace1 invention1 and ornament2 as it will be seen more particularly in the ,life of each master1 wherein there will appear a new manner of colouring1 of foreshortenings1 and of natural attitudes1 with much better expression for the emotions of the soul and the gestures of the body1 and an attempt to approach closer to the truth of nature in draughtsmanship1 and an effort to give to the expressions of the faces so complete a resemblance to the living men1 that it might be known for whom they were intended4 ,thus they sought to imitate that which they saw in nature1 and no more1 and thus their works came to be better planned and better conceived2 and this emboldened them to give rules to their perspectives and to foreshorten them in a natural and proper form1 just as they did in relief2 and thus1 too1 they were ever observing lights and shades1 the projection of shadows1 and all the other difficulties1 and the composition of stories with more characteristic resemblance1 and attempted to give more reality to landscapes1 trees1 herbs1 flowers1 skies1 clouds1 and other objects of nature1 insomuch that we may boldly say that these arts were not only reared but actually carried to the flower of their youth1 giving hope of that fruit which afterwards appeared1 and that1 in short1 they were about to arrive at their most perfect age4 ,illustration3 ,,david 7,after the bronze by ,donatello4 ,florence3 ,bargello7 ,anderson ,with the help of ,god1 then1 we will begin the ,life of ,jacopo della ,quercia of ,siena1 and afterwards those of the other architects and sculptors1 until we come to ,masaccio1 who1 having been the first to improve design in the art of painting1 will show how great an obligation is owed to him for the new birth that he gave to her4 ,having chosen the aforesaid ,jacopo for the honour of beginning this ,second ,part1 ,i will follow the order of the various manners1 and proceed to lay open1 together with the ,lives themselves1 the difficulties of arts so beautiful1 so difficult1 and so highly honoured4 ,,jacopo ,,della ,,quercia ,illustration3 ,,head ,,of ,,ilaria ,,del ,,carretto1 ,,from ,,the ,,tomb 7,after ,jacopo della ,quercia4 ,lucca3 ,s4 ,martino7 ,alinari ,,life ,,of ,,jacopo ,,della ,,quercia ,,jacopo ,,della ,,fonte ,,sculptor ,,of ,,siena ,the sculptor ,jacopo1 son of ,maestro ,piero di ,filippo of ,la ,quercia1 a place in the district of ,siena1 was the first--after ,andrea ,pisano1 ,orcagna1 and the others mentioned above--who1 labouring in sculpture with greater zeal and diligence1 began to show that it was possible to make an approach to nature1 and the first who encouraged the others to hope to be able in a certain measure to equal her4 ,his first works worthy of account were made by him in ,siena at the age of nineteen1 with the following occasion4 ,the people of ,siena having their army in the field against the ,florentines under the captainship of ,gian ,tedesco1 nephew of ,saccone da ,pietramala1 and of ,giovanni d',azzo ,ubaldini1 this ,giovanni d',azzo fell sick in camp and was carried to ,siena1 where he died2 wherefore1 being grieved at his death1 the people of ,siena caused to be made for his obsequies1 which were most honourable1 a catafalque of wood in the shape of a pyramid1 and on this they placed the statue of ,giovanni himself on horseback1 larger than life1 made by the hand of ,jacopo with much judgment and invention4 ,for he1 in order to execute this work1 discovered a method of making the skeletons of the horse and of the figure which had never been used up to that time--namely1 with pieces of wood and planking fastened together1 and then swathed round with hay1 tow1 and ropes1 the whole being bound firmly together2 and over all there was spread clay mixed with paste1 glue1 and shearings of woollen cloth4 ,this method1 truly1 was and still is better than any other for such things1 for1 although the works that are made in this fashion have the appearance of weight1 none the less after they are finished and dried they turn out light1 and1 being covered with white1 look like marble and are very lovely to the eye1 as was the said work of ,jacopo4 ,to this it may be added that statues made in this fashion and with the said mixtures do not crack1 as they would do if they were made simply of pure clay4 ,and in this manner are made to-day the models for sculpture1 with very great convenience for the craftsmen1 who1 by means of these1 have ever before them the patterns and the true measurements of the sculptures that they make2 and for this method no small obligation is owed to ,jacopo1 who is said to have been its inventor4 ,after this work1 ,jacopo made in ,siena two panels of lime-wood1 carving the figures in them1 with their beards and hair1 with so great patience that it was a marvel to see4 ,and after these panels1 which were placed in the ,duomo1 he made some prophets in marble1 of no great size1 which are in the facade of the said ,duomo2 and he would have continued to labour at the works of this building1 if plague1 famine1 and the discords of the citizens of ,siena had not brought that city to an evil pass2 for1 after having many times risen in tumult1 they drove out ,orlando ,malevolti1 by whose favour ,jacopo had enjoyed creditable employment in his native city4 ,departing then from ,siena1 he betook himself by the agency of certain friends to ,lucca1 and there1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,martino1 he made a tomb for the wife1 who had died a short time before1 of ,paolo ,guinigi1 who was ,lord of that city2 on the base of which tomb he carved some boys in marble that are supporting a garland1 so highly finished that they appeared to be of flesh2 and on the sarcophagus laid on the said base he made1 with infinite diligence1 the image of the wife of ,paolo ,guinigi herself1 who was buried within it1 and at her feet1 from the same block1 he made a dog in full relief1 signifying the fidelity shown by her to her husband4 ,after ,paolo had departed1 or rather1 had been driven out of ,lucca in the year #adbi1 when the city became free1 this sarcophagus was removed from that place and was almost wholly destroyed1 by reason of the hatred that the people of ,lucca bore to the memory of ,guinigi2 but the reverence that they bore to the beauty of the figure and of the so many ornaments restrained them1 and brought it about that a little time afterwards the sarcophagus and the figure were placed with diligence near the door of the sacristy1 where they are at present1 while the ,chapel of ,guinigi was taken over by the ,commune4 ,meanwhile ,jacopo had heard that the ,guild of the ,merchants of ,calimara in ,florence wished to have a bronze door made for the ,church of ,s4 ,giovanni1 where1 as it has been said1 ,andrea ,pisano had wrought the first2 and he had come to ,florence in order to make himself known1 above all because this work was to be allotted to the man who1 in making one of those scenes in bronze1 should give the best proof of himself and of his talent4 ,having therefore come to ,florence1 he not only made the model1 but delivered one very well executed scene1 completely finished and polished1 which gave so great satisfaction1 that1 if he had not had as rivals those most excellent masters1 ,donatello and ,filippo ,brunelleschi1 who in truth surpassed him in their specimens1 it would have fallen to him to make this work of so great importance4 ,but the business having concluded otherwise1 he went to ,bologna1 where1 by the favour of ,giovanni ,bentivogli1 he was commissioned by the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,petronio to make in marble the principal door of that church1 which he continued in the ,german manner1 in order not to alter the style wherein it had already been begun1 filling up what was lacking in the design of the pilasters that support the cornice and the arch1 with scenes wrought with infinite love within the space of the twelve years that he was engaged in this work1 wherein he made with his own hand all the foliage and ornamentation of the said door1 with the greatest diligence and care that he could command4 ,on each of the pilasters that support the architrave1 the cornice1 and the arch1 there are five scenes1 and five on the architrave1 making fifteen in all2 and in them all he carved in low-relief stories from the ,old ,testament--namely1 from the ,creation of man by ,god up to the ,deluge and ,noah's ,ark1 thus conferring very great benefit on sculpture1 since from the ancients up to that time there had been no one who had wrought anything in low-relief1 wherefore that method of working was rather out of mind than out of fashion4 ,in the arch of this door he made three figures in marble1 as large as life and all in the round--namely1 a very beautiful ,madonna with the ,child in her arms1 ,s4 ,petronius1 and another ,saint1 all very well grouped and in beautiful attitudes2 wherefore the people of ,bologna1 who did not think that there could be made a work in marble1 ,i do not say surpassing1 but even equalling that one which ,agostino and ,agnolo of ,siena had made in the ancient manner on the high-altar of ,s4 ,francesco in their city1 were amazed to see that this one was by a great measure more beautiful4 ,after this1 being requested to return to ,lucca1 ,jacopo went there very willingly1 and made on a marble panel in ,s4 ,friano1 for ,federigo di ,maestro ,trenta del ,veglia1 a ,virgin with her ,son in her arms1 and ,s4 ,sebastian1 ,s4 ,lucia1 ,s4 ,jerome1 and ,s4 ,gismondo1 with good manner1 grace1 and design2 and in the predella below he made in half-relief1 under each ,saint1 some scene from the life of each1 which was something very lovely and pleasing1 seeing that ,jacopo gave gradation to his figures from plane to plane with beautiful art1 making them lower as they receded4 ,in like manner1 he gave much encouragement to others to acquire grace and beauty for their works with new methods1 when he portrayed from the life the patron of the work1 ,federigo1 and his wife1 on two great slabs wrought in low-relief for two tombs2 on which slabs are these words3 ,,hoc ,,opus ,,fecit ,,jacobus ,,magistri ,,petri ,,de ,,senis1 #adbb4 ,afterwards1 on ,jacopo coming to ,florence1 the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 by reason of the good report that they had heard of him1 commissioned him to make in marble the frontal that is over that door of the church which leads to the ,nunziata1 wherein1 in a mandorla1 he made the ,madonna being borne to ,heaven by a choir of angels sounding instruments and singing1 with the most beautiful movements and the most beautiful attitudes--seeing that they have vivacity and motion in their flight--that had ever been made up to that time4 ,in like manner1 the ,madonna is draped with so great grace and dignity that nothing better can be imagined1 the flow of the folds being very beautiful and soft1 while the borders of the draperies are seen following closely the nude form of the figure1 which1 with its very covering1 reveals every curve of the limbs2 and below this ,madonna there is a ,s4 ,thomas1 who is receiving the ,girdle4 ,in short1 this work was executed by ,jacopo in four years with all the possible perfection that he could give to it1 for the reason that1 besides the natural desire that he had to do well1 the rivalry of ,donato1 of ,filippo1 and of ,lorenzo di ,bartolo1 from whose hands there had already issued some works that were highly praised1 incited him even more in the doing of what he did2 and that was so much that this work is studied even to-day by modern craftsmen1 as something very rare4 ,on the other side of the ,madonna1 opposite to ,s4 ,thomas1 ,jacopo made a bear that is climbing a pear-tree2 and with regard to this caprice1 even as many things were said then1 so also there could be others said by me1 but ,i will forbear1 wishing to let everyone believe and think in his own fashion in the matter of this invention4 ,illustration3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child 7,after ,jacopo della ,quercia4 ,bologna3 ,s4 ,petronio7 ,alinari ,after this1 desiring to revisit his own country1 ,jacopo returned to ,siena1 where1 on his arrival1 there came to him1 according to his desire1 an occasion to leave therein some honourable memorial of himself4 ,for the ,signoria of ,siena1 having resolved to make a very rich adornment in marble for the waters that ,agostino and ,agnolo of ,siena had brought into the square in the year #acdc1 allotted that work to ,jacopo1 at the price of #b1bjj crowns of gold2 wherefore he1 having made the model and collected the marbles1 put his hand to the work and finally completed it so greatly to the satisfaction of his fellow-citizens1 that he was ever afterwards called1 not ,jacopo della ,quercia1 but ,jacopo della ,fonte4 ,in the middle of this work1 then1 he carved the ,glorious ,virgin ,mary1 the particular ,patroness of that city1 a little larger than the other figures1 and in a manner both gracious and singular4 ,round her1 next1 he made the seven ,theological ,virtues1 the heads of which are delicate1 pleasing1 beautiful in expression1 and wrought with certain methods which show that he began to discover the good and the secrets of the arts1 and to give grace to the marble1 sweeping away that ancient manner which had been used up to that time by the sculptors1 who made their figures rigid and without the least grace in the world2 whereas ,jacopo made them as soft as flesh1 giving finish to his marble with patience and delicacy4 ,besides this1 he made there some stories from the ,old ,testament--namely1 the ,creation of our first parents1 and the eating of the forbidden fruit1 wherein1 in the figure of the woman1 there is seen an expression of countenance so beautiful1 with a grace and an attitude so deferential towards ,adam as she offers him the apple1 that it appears impossible for him to refuse it2 to say nothing of the remainder of the work1 which is all full of most beautiful ideas1 and adorned with most beautiful children and other ornaments in the shape of lions and she-wolves1 emblems of the city1 all executed by ,jacopo with love1 mastery1 and judgment in the space of twelve years4 ,by his hand1 likewise1 are three very beautiful scenes in half-relief from the life of ,s4 ,john the ,baptist1 wrought in bronze1 which are round the baptismal font of ,s4 ,giovanni1 below the ,duomo2 and also some figures in the round1 likewise in bronze1 one braccio in height1 which are between each of the said scenes1 and are truly beautiful and worthy of praise4 ,wherefore1 by reason of these works1 which showed his excellence1 and of the goodness and uprightness of his life1 ,jacopo was deservedly made chevalier by the ,signoria of ,siena1 and1 shortly afterwards1 ,warden of ,works of the ,duomo2 which office he filled so well that neither before nor since were these ,works better directed1 for1 although he did not live more than three years after undertaking this charge1 he made many useful and honourable improvements in that ,duomo4 ,and although ,jacopo was only a sculptor1 nevertheless he drew passing well1 as is demonstrated by some drawings made by him1 to be found in our book1 which appear to be rather by the hand of an illuminator than of a sculptor4 ,and his portrait1 similar to the one that is seen above1 ,i had from ,maestro ,domenico ,beccafumi1 painter of ,siena1 who has related to me many things about the excellence1 goodness1 and gentleness of ,jacopo1 who finally died1 exhausted by fatigues and by continuous labour1 at the age of sixty-four1 and was lamented and honourably buried in ,siena1 the place of his birth1 by his friends and relatives--nay1 by the the whole city4 ,and truly it was no small good-fortune for him to have his so great excellence recognized in his own country1 seeing that it rarely comes to pass that men of excellence are universally loved and honoured in their own country4 ,illustration3 ,,tomb ,,of ,s4 ,,romano 7,after ,matteo ,civitali4 ,lucca3 ,s4 ,romano7 ,brogi ,a disciple of ,jacopo was ,matteo1 a sculptor of ,lucca1 who made the little octagonal temple of marble--in the ,church of ,s4 ,martino in his own city1 in the year #addd1 for ,domenico ,galigano of ,lucca--wherein there is the image of the ,holy ,cross1 a piece of sculpture miraculously wrought1 so it is said1 by ,nicodemus1 one of the seventy-two disciples of the ,saviour2 which temple is truly nothing if not very beautiful and well-proportioned4 ,the same man carved in marble a figure of ,s4 ,sebastian wholly in the round1 three braccia high1 and very beautiful by reason of its having been made with good design and in a beautiful attitude and wrought with a high finish4 ,by his hand1 also1 is a panel wherein there are three very beautiful figures in three niches1 in the church where the body of ,s4 ,regulus is said to be2 and likewise the panel that is in ,s4 ,michele1 wherein are three figures in marble2 and in like manner the statue that is on the corner of the said church1 on the outer side--namely1 a ,madonna1 which shows that ,matteo was ever striving to equal his master ,jacopo4 ,niccolo ,bolognese was also a disciple of ,jacopo1 and he1 among other works1 brought to completion divinely well--having found it unfinished--the marble sarcophagus full of scenes and figures wherein lies the body of ,s4 ,dominic1 a work made long ago by ,niccola ,pisano in ,bologna2 and he gained thereby1 besides profit1 that name of honour1 ,maestro ,niccolo dell',arca1 which he bore ever after4 ,he finished this work in the year #adfj1 and afterwards1 for the facade of the palace where the ,legate of ,bologna now lives1 he made a ,madonna in bronze1 four braccia high1 and placed it in position in the year #adgh4 ,in a word1 he was an able master and a worthy disciple of ,jacopo della ,quercia of ,siena4 ,illustration3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child 7,after ,matteo ,civitali4 ,lucca3 ,museo7 ,brogi ,,niccolo ,,aretino ,,life ,,of ,,niccolo ,,aretino ,,niccolo ,d',,arezzo ,,or ,,niccolo ,,di ,,piero ,,lamberti ,,sculptor ,about the same time1 engaged in the same pursuit of sculpture1 and almost of the same excellence in the art1 lived ,niccolo di ,piero1 a citizen of ,arezzo1 to whom ,nature was as liberal with her gifts of intellect and vivacity of mind as ,fortune was niggardly with her benefits4 ,he1 then1 being a needy fellow1 and having received some affront from his nearest of kin in his own country1 departed1 in order to come to ,florence1 from ,arezzo1 where--under the discipline of ,maestro ,moccio1 sculptor of ,siena1 who1 as it has been said in another place1 wrought some works in ,arezzo--he had applied himself to sculpture with no little fruit1 although the said ,maestro ,moccio was not very excellent4 ,and so1 having arrived in ,florence1 ,niccolo at first for many months wrought whatsoever work came to his hand1 both because poverty and want were pressing him hard1 and also out of rivalry with certain young men1 who1 competing together honourably with much study and labour1 were occupying themselves with sculpture4 ,finally1 after many labours1 ,niccolo became a creditable sculptor1 and was commissioned by the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore to make two statues for the ,campanile2 these statues1 having been placed therein on the side facing the ,canon's house1 stand one on either side of those that ,donato afterwards made2 and since nothing better in full-relief had been seen1 they were held passing good4 ,next1 departing from ,florence by reason of the plague of #achc1 he went to his own country4 ,there he found that by reason of the said plague the men of the ,confraternity of ,s4 ,maria della ,misericordia1 whereof we have spoken above1 had acquired great wealth by means of bequests made by diverse persons in the city through the devotion that they felt for that holy place and for its brethren1 who attend to the sick and bury the dead in every pestilence1 without fear of any peril2 and that therefore they wished to make a facade for that place1 but in grey-stone1 for lack of a supply of marble4 ,this work1 which had been begun before in the ,german style1 he undertook to do2 and assisted by many stonecutters from ,settignano1 he brought it to perfect completion1 making with his own hand1 in the lunette of the facade1 a ,madonna with the ,child in her arms1 and certain angels who are holding open her mantle1 under which the people of that city appear to be taking shelter1 while ,s4 ,laurentino and ,s4 ,pergentino1 kneeling below1 are interceding for them4 ,next1 in two niches at the sides1 he made two statues1 each three braccia high--namely1 one of ,s4 ,gregory the ,pope1 and one of ,s4 ,donatus the ,bishop1 ,protector of that city1 with good grace and passing good manner4 ,it appears that in his youth1 before making these works1 he had formerly made three large figures of terra-cotta which were placed over the door of the ,vescovado1 and which are now in great part eaten away by frost1 as is also a ,s4 ,luke of grey-stone1 made by the same man while he was a youth and placed in the facade of the said ,vescovado4 ,in the ,pieve1 likewise1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,biagio1 he made a very beautiful figure of the said ,saint in terra-cotta2 and one of that ,saint in the ,church of ,s4 ,antonio1 also in terra-cotta and in relief2 and another ,saint1 seated1 over the door of the hospital of the said city4 ,illustration3 ,s4 ,,mark 7,after ,niccolo ,aretino4 ,florence3 ,duomo7 ,brogi ,while he was making these and some other similar works1 the walls of ,borgo a ,san ,sepolcro were ruined by an earthquake1 and ,niccolo was sent for to the end that he might make--as he did with good judgment--a design for a new wall1 which turned out much better and stronger than the first4 ,and so1 continuing to work now in ,arezzo1 and now in the neighbouring places1 ,niccolo was living very quietly and at his ease in his own country1 when war1 the capital enemy of the arts1 compelled him to leave it1 for1 after the sons of ,piero ,saccone had been driven out of ,pietramala and the castle had been destroyed down to its foundations1 the city and the district of ,arezzo were all in confusion4 ,wherefore1 departing from that territory1 ,niccolo betook himself to ,florence1 where he had worked at other times1 and for the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore he made a statue of marble1 four braccia high1 which was afterwards placed on the left hand of the principal door of that church4 ,in this statue1 which is an ,evangelist seated1 ,niccolo showed that he was truly an able sculptor1 and he was therefore much praised1 since up to then there had not been seen1 as there was afterwards1 any better work in wholly round relief4 ,being then summoned to ,rome by order of ,pope ,boniface ,,ix1 as the best of all the architects of his time1 he fortified and gave better form to the ,castle of ,s4 ,angelo4 ,on returning to ,florence1 he made two little figures in marble for the ,masters of the ,mint1 on that corner of ,orsanmichele that faces the ,guild of ,wool1 in the pilaster1 above the niche wherein there is now the ,s4 ,matthew1 which was made afterwards2 and these figures were so well made and so well placed on the summit of that shrine that they were then much extolled1 as they have been ever afterwards1 and in them ,niccolo appears to have surpassed himself1 for he never did anything better4 ,in short1 they are such that they can stand beside any other work of that kind2 wherefore he acquired so great credit that he was thought worthy to be in the number of those who were under consideration for the making of the bronze doors of ,s4 ,giovanni1 although1 when the proof was made1 he was left behind1 and they were allotted1 as it will be said in the proper place1 to another4 ,after these labours ,niccolo went to ,milan1 where he was made ,overseer of the ,works of the ,duomo in that city2 and there he wrought some things in marble which gave great satisfaction4 ,finally1 being called back to his own country by the ,aretines to the end that he might make a tabernacle for the ,sacrament1 while returning he was forced to stay in ,bologna and to make the tomb of ,pope ,alexander ,v1 who had finished the course of his years in that city1 for the ,convent of the ,friars ,minor4 ,and although he was very unwilling to accept this work1 he could not1 however1 but comply with the prayers of ,messer ,leonardo ,bruni1 the ,aretine1 who had been a highly-favoured ,secretary of that ,pontiff4 ,niccolo1 then1 made the said tomb and portrayed that ,pope thereon from nature2 although it is true that from lack of marble and other stone the tomb and its ornaments were made of stucco and brick-work1 and likewise the statue of the ,pope on the sarcophagus1 which is placed behind the choir of the said church4 ,this work finished1 ,niccolo fell grievously sick and died shortly afterwards at the age of sixty-seven1 and was buried in the same church1 in the year #adag4 ,his portrait was made by ,galasso of ,ferrara1 very much his friend1 who was painting at that time in ,bologna in competition with ,jacopo and ,simone1 painters of ,bologna1 and one ,cristofano--,i know not whether of ,ferrara1 or1 as others say1 of ,modena--who all painted many works in fresco in a church called the ,casa di ,mezzo1 without the ,porta di ,s4 ,mammolo4 ,cristofano painted scenes on one side1 from the ,creation of ,adam by ,god up to the death of ,moses1 ,simone and ,jacopo painted thirty scenes1 from the ,birth of ,christ up to the ,last ,supper that ,he held with the ,apostles1 and ,galasso then painted the ,passion1 as it is seen from the name of each man1 written below4 ,these pictures were made in the year #adjd1 and afterwards the rest of the church was painted by other masters with stories of ,david1 wrought with a high finish4 ,and in truth it is not without reason that these pictures are held in much esteem by the ,bolognese1 both because1 for old things1 they are passing good1 and also because the work1 having been preserved fresh and vivacious1 deserves much praise4 ,some say that the said ,galasso1 when very old1 painted also in oil1 but neither in ,ferrara nor in any other place have ,i found any works of his save in fresco4 ,a disciple of ,galasso was ,cosme1 who painted a chapel in ,s4 ,domenico at ,ferrara1 and the folding doors that close the organ of the ,duomo1 and many other works1 which are better than the pictures of ,galasso1 his master4 ,niccolo was a good draughtsman1 as it may be seen in our book1 wherein there are an ,evangelist and three heads of horses by his hand1 very well drawn4 ,,dello ,,life ,,of ,,dello ,,painter ,,of ,,florence ,although ,dello the ,florentine1 while he lived1 had only the name of painter1 which he has had ever since1 he applied himself none the less also to sculpture--nay1 his first works were in sculpture1 seeing that1 long before he began to paint1 he made in terra-cotta a ,coronation of ,our ,lady in the arch that is over the door of the ,church of ,s4 ,maria ,nuova1 and1 within the church1 the twelve ,apostles2 and1 in the ,church of the ,servi1 a ,dead ,christ in the lap of the ,virgin1 with many other works throughout the whole city4 ,but1 being capricious1 and also perceiving that he was gaining little by working in terra-cotta and that his poverty had need of some greater succour1 he resolved1 being a good draughtsman1 to give his attention to painting2 and in this he succeeded with ease1 for the reason that he soon acquired a good mastery in colouring1 as many pictures demonstrate that he made in his own city1 and above all those with little figures1 wherein he showed better grace than in the large4 ,and this ability served him in good stead1 because the citizens of those times used to have in their apartments great wooden chests in the form of a sarcophagus1 with the covers shaped in various fashions1 and there were none that did not have the said chests painted2 and besides the stories that were wrought on the front and on the ends1 they used to have the arms1 or rather1 insignia of their houses painted on the corners1 and sometimes elsewhere4 ,and the stories that were wrought on the front were for the most part fables taken from ,ovid and from other poets1 or rather1 stories related by the ,greek and ,latin historians1 and likewise chases1 jousts1 tales of love1 and other similar subjects1 according to each man's particular pleasure4 ,then the inside was lined with cloth or with silk1 according to the rank and means of those who had them made1 for the better preservation of silk garments and other precious things4 ,and what is more1 it was not only the chests that were painted in such a manner1 but also the couches1 the chair-backs1 the mouldings that went right round1 and other similar magnificent ornaments for apartments which were used in those times1 whereof an infinite number may be seen throughout the whole city4 ,and for many years this fashion was so much in use that even the most excellent painters exercised themselves in such labours1 without being ashamed1 as many would be to-day1 to paint and gild such things4 ,and that this is true has been seen up to our own day from some chests1 chair-backs1 and mouldings1 besides many other things1 in the apartments of the ,magnificent ,lorenzo de' ,medici1 the ,elder1 whereon there were painted--by the hand1 not of common painters1 but of excellent masters1 and with judgment1 invention1 and marvellous art--all the jousts1 tournaments1 chases1 festivals1 and other spectacles that took place in his times4 ,of such things relics are still seen1 not only in the palace and the old houses of the ,medici1 but in all the most noble houses in ,florence2 and there are men who1 out of attachment to these ancient usages1 truly magnificent and most honourable1 have not displaced these things in favour of modern ornaments and usages4 ,dello1 then1 being a very good and practised painter1 and above all1 as it has been said1 in making little pictures with much grace1 applied himself for many years1 to his great profit and honour1 to nothing else save adorning and painting chests1 chair-backs1 couches1 and other ornaments in the manner described above1 insomuch that it can be said to have been his principal and peculiar profession4 ,but since nothing in this world has permanence or can endure any long time1 however good and praiseworthy it may be1 it was not long before the refinement of men's intellects led them from that first method of working to the making of richer ornaments and of carvings in walnut-wood overlaid with gold1 which make a very rich adornment1 and to the painting and colouring in oil of very beautiful stories on similar pieces of household furniture1 which have made known1 as they still do1 both the magnificence of the citizens who use them and the excellence of the painters4 ,but to come to the works of ,dello1 who was the first who occupied himself with diligence and good mastery in such labours2 for ,giovanni de' ,medici1 in particular1 he painted the whole furniture of an apartment1 which was held something truly rare and very beautiful of its kind1 as some relics demonstrate that are still left4 ,and ,donatello1 then quite young1 is said to have assisted him1 making there by his own hand1 with stucco1 gesso1 glue1 and pounded brick1 some stories and ornaments in low-relief1 which1 being afterwards overlaid with gold1 made a beautiful accompaniment for the painted stories4 ,of this work and many others like it ,drea ,cennini makes mention in a long discourse in his work1 whereof there has been enough said above2 and since it is a good thing to maintain some memory of these old things1 ,i have had some of them1 by the hand of ,dello himself1 preserved in the ,palace of the ,lord ,duke ,cosimo1 where they are1 and they will be ever worthy of being studied1 if only for the various costumes of those times1 both of men and women1 that are seen in them4 ,dello also wrought the story of ,isaac giving his benediction to ,esau1 in fresco and with terra-verde1 in a corner of the cloister of ,s4 ,maria ,novella4 ,a little after this work1 being summoned to ,spain to enter the service of the ,king1 he came into so great credit that no craftsman could have desired much more2 and although it is not known precisely what works he made in those parts1 it may be judged1 seeing that he returned thence very rich and highly honoured1 that they were numerous and beautiful and good4 ,after a few years1 having been royally rewarded for his labours1 ,dello conceived the wish to return to ,florence1 in order to show his friends how he had climbed from extreme poverty to great riches4 ,wherefore1 having gone for permission to that ,king1 not only did he obtain it readily 7although the former would have willingly retained him1 if ,dello had been so minded71 but he was also made chevalier by that most liberal ,king1 as a greater sign of gratitude4 ,whereupon he returned to ,florence in order to obtain the banners and the confirmation of his privileges1 but they were denied him by the agency of ,filippo ,spano degli ,scolari1 who had just come back from his victories over the ,turks as ,grand ,seneschal of the ,king of ,hungary4 ,but ,dello having written immediately to the ,king of ,spain to complain of this affront1 the ,king wrote so warmly on his behalf to the ,signoria that the due and desired honour was conceded to him without opposition4 ,it is said that ,dello1 while returning to his house on horseback1 with his banners1 having been honoured by the ,signoria and robed in brocade1 was mocked at1 in passing through ,vacchereccia1 where there were then many goldsmiths' shops1 by certain old friends1 who1 having known him in youth1 did this either in scorn or in jest2 and that he1 turning in the direction whence he had heard the voice1 made a gesture of contempt with both his hands and went on his way without saying a word1 so that scarcely anyone noticed it save those who had derided him4 ,by reason of this and other signs1 which gave him to know that envy was no less active against him in his own country than malice had been formerly when he was very poor1 he determined to return to ,spain2 and so1 having written1 and having received an answer from the ,king1 he returned to those parts1 where he was welcomed with great favour and ever afterwards regarded with affection1 and there he devoted himself to work1 living like a nobleman1 and ever painting from that day onwards in an apron of brocade4 ,thus1 then1 he gave way before envy1 and lived in honour at the ,court of that ,king2 and he died at the age of forty-nine1 and was given honourable burial by the same man1 with this epitaph3 ,,dellus ,,eques ,,florentinus ,,picturae ,,arte ,,percelebris ,,regisque ,,hispaniarum ,,liberalitate ,,et ,,ornamentis ,,amplissimus4 ,h4 ,s4 ,e4 ,s4 ,t4 ,t4 ,l4 ,dello was no very good draughtsman1 but was well among the first who began to show judgment in revealing the muscles in nude bodies1 as it is seen from some drawings in our book1 made by him in chiaroscuro4 ,he was portrayed in chiaroscuro by ,paolo ,uccello in ,s4 ,maria ,novella1 in the story wherein ,noah is made drunk by his son ,ham4 ,,nanni ,d',,antonio ,,di ,,banco ,,life ,,of ,,nanni ,d',,antonio ,,di ,,banco ,,sculptor ,,of ,,florence ,nanni d',antonio di ,banco was not only rich enough by patrimony1 but also by no means humble in origin1 yet1 delighting in sculpture1 he was not only not ashamed to learn and practise it1 but took no small pride therein1 and made so much advance that his fame will ever endure2 and it will be all the more celebrated in proportion as men know that he applied himself to this noble art not through necessity1 but through a true love of the art itself4 ,this man1 who was one of the disciples of ,donato1 although ,i have placed him before his master because he died long before him1 was a somewhat sluggish person1 but modest1 humble1 and kindly in his dealings4 ,there is by his hand1 in ,florence1 the ,s4 ,philip of marble which is on a pilaster on the outside of the ,oratory of ,orsanmichele4 ,this work was at first allotted to ,donato by the ,guild of ,shoemakers1 and then1 since they could not agree with him about the price1 it was transferred1 as though in despite of ,donato1 to ,nanni1 who promised that he would take whatsoever payment they might give him1 and would ask no other4 ,but the business fell out otherwise1 for1 when the statue was finished and set in its place1 he asked a much greater price for his work than ,donato had done at the beginning2 wherefore the valuation of it was referred by both parties to ,donato1 the ,consuls of that ,guild believing firmly that he1 out of envy at not having made it1 would value it at much less than if it were his own work2 but they were disappointed in their belief1 for ,donato judged that much more should be paid to ,nanni for his statue than he had demanded4 ,being in no way willing to abide by this judgment1 the ,consuls made an outcry and said to ,donato3 ,why dost thou1 after undertaking to make this work at a smaller price1 value it higher when made by the hand of another1 and constrain us to give him more for it than he himself demands8 ,for thou knowest1 even as we do also1 that from thy hands it would have come out much better4 ,donato answered1 laughing3 ,this good man is not my equal in the art1 and endures much more fatigue than ,i do in working2 wherefore1 if you wish to give him satisfaction1 like the just men that ,i take you for1 you are bound to pay him for the time that he has spent4 ,and thus the award of ,donato was carried into effect1 both parties having agreed to abide by it4 ,this work stands well enough1 and has good grace and liveliness in the head2 the draperies are not hard1 and are in no wise badly arranged about the figure4 ,in another niche below this one there are four saints in marble1 which the same ,nanni was commissioned to make by the ,guild of ,smiths1 ,carpenters1 and ,masons2 and it is said that1 having finished them all in the round and detached one from another1 and having prepared the niche1 it was with great difficulty that he could get even three of them into it1 for he had made some of them in attitudes with the arms outstretched2 and that he besought ,donato1 in grief and despair1 to consent with his counsel to repair his own misfortune and lack of foresight4 ,and ,donato1 laughing over the mischance1 answered3 ,if thou wilt promise to pay for a supper for me and all my apprentices1 ,i will undertake to get the saints into the niche without any trouble4 ,this ,nanni promised to do right willingly1 and ,donato sent him to ,prato1 to take certain measurements and to do some other business that would take him some days4 ,whereupon1 ,nanni having departed1 ,donato1 with all his disciples and apprentices1 set to work and cut some of the statues down in the shoulders and some in the arms1 in such wise that he contrived to group them close together1 each making place for the other1 while he made a hand appear over the shoulders of one of them4 ,and thus the judgment of ,donato1 having joined them harmoniously together1 concealed the error of ,nanni so well that they still show1 in that place where they were fixed1 most manifest signs of concord and brotherhood2 and anyone who does not know the circumstance sees nothing of the error4 ,nanni1 finding on his return that ,donato had corrected everything and put all his disorder to rights1 rendered him infinite thanks1 and with great goodwill paid for the supper for him and his pupils4 ,under the feet of these four saints1 in the ornament of the shrine1 there is a scene in marble and in half-relief1 wherein a sculptor is carving a boy with great animation1 and a master is building1 with two men assisting him2 and all these little figures are seen to be very well grouped and intent on what they are doing4 ,illustration3 ,,madonna ,,della ,,cintola 7,after ,nanni d',antonio di ,banco4 ,florence3 ,duomo7 ,brogi ,in the facade of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 on the left side as one enters the church by the central door1 there is an ,evangelist by the hand of the same man1 which is a passing good figure for those times4 ,it is also reputed that the ,s4 ,lo which is without the said ,oratory of ,orsanmichele1 and which was made for the ,guild of ,farriers1 is by the hand of the same ,nanni1 and likewise the marble shrine1 in the base of which1 at the foot1 there is a scene wherein ,s4 ,lo1 the ,farrier1 is shoeing a frenzied horse1 so well made that ,nanni deserved much praise for it2 and he would have deserved and obtained much greater praise with other works1 if he had not died1 as he did1 while still young4 ,none the less1 by reason of these few works ,nanni was held a passing good sculptor2 and being a citizen1 he obtained many offices in his native city of ,florence1 and because he bore himself like a just and reasonable man both in these and in all his other affairs1 he was greatly beloved4 ,he died of colic in the year #adcj1 at the age of forty-seven4 ,,luca ,,della ,,robbia ,illustration3 ,,cantoria 7,after ,luca della ,robbia4 ,florence3 ,opera del ,duomo7 ,anderson ,,life ,,of ,,luca ,,della ,,robbia ,,sculptor ,,of ,,florence ,luca ,della ,robbia1 sculptor of ,florence1 was born in the year #achh in the house of his ancestors1 which is in ,florence1 below the ,church of ,s4 ,barnaba2 and therein he was honestly brought up until he had learnt not only to read and write but also to cast accounts1 in so far as it was likely to be needful1 after the custom of most ,florentines4 ,and afterwards he was placed by his father to learn the art of the goldsmith with ,leonardo di ,ser ,giovanni1 who was then held the best master of that art in ,florence4 ,now1 having learnt under this man to make designs and to work in wax1 ,luca grew in courage and applied himself to making certain things in marble and in bronze1 which1 seeing that he succeeded in them well enough1 brought it about that he completely abandoned his business of goldsmith and applied himself to sculpture1 insomuch that he did nothing but ply his chisel all day and draw all night2 and this he did with so great zeal1 that1 feeling his feet very often freezing at night1 he took to keeping them in a basket full of shavings1 such as carpenters strip from planks when they shape them with the plane1 in order to warm them without giving up his drawing4 ,nor do ,i marvel in any way at this1 seeing that no one ever became excellent in any exercise whatsoever without beginning from his childhood to endure heat1 cold1 hunger1 thirst1 and other discomforts2 wherefore those men are entirely deceived who think to be able1 at their ease and with all the comforts of the world1 to attain to honourable rank4 ,it is not by sleeping but by waking and studying continually that progress is made4 ,luca was barely fifteen years of age when he was summoned1 together with other young sculptors1 to ,rimini1 in order to make some figures and other ornaments in marble for ,sigismondo di ,pandolfo ,malatesti1 ,lord of that city1 who was then having a chapel made in the ,church of ,s4 ,francesco1 and a tomb for his wife1 who had died4 ,luca had given an honourable proof of his knowledge in some low-reliefs in this work1 which are still seen there1 when he was recalled by the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore to ,florence1 where1 for the campanile of that church1 he made five little scenes in marble1 which are on the side that faces the church1 and which were wanting1 according to the design of ,giotto1 to go with that wherein are the ,sciences and ,arts1 formerly made1 as it has been said1 by ,andrea ,pisano4 ,in the first ,luca made ,donato teaching grammar2 in the second1 ,plato and ,aristotle1 standing for philosophy2 in the third1 a figure playing a lute1 for music2 in the fourth1 a ,ptolemy1 for astrology2 and in the fifth1 ,euclid1 for geometry4 ,these scenes1 in perfection of finish1 in grace1 and in design1 were far in advance of the two made1 as it has been said1 by ,giotto1 in one of which ,apelles1 standing for painting1 is working with his brush1 while in the other ,pheidias1 representing sculpture1 is labouring with his chisel4 ,wherefore the said ,wardens of ,works--who1 besides the merits of ,luca1 were persuaded thereunto by ,messer ,vieri de' ,medici1 then a great citizen and a friend of the people1 who loved ,luca dearly--commissioned him1 in the year #adje1 to make the marble ornament for the organ which the ,office of ,works was then having made on a very grand scale1 to be set up over the door of the sacristy of the said church4 ,in certain scenes at the base of this work ,luca made the singing choirs1 chanting in various fashions2 and he put so much zeal into this labour and succeeded so well therein1 that1 although it is sixteen braccia from the ground1 one can see the swelling of the throats of the singers1 the leader of the music beating with his hands on the shoulders of the smaller ones1 and1 in short1 diverse manners of sounds1 chants1 dances1 and other pleasing actions that make up the delight of music4 ,next1 on the great cornice of this ornament ,luca placed two figures of gilded metal--namely1 two nude angels1 wrought with a high finish1 as is the whole work1 which was held to be something very rare1 although ,donatello1 who afterwards made the ornament of the other organ1 which is opposite to the first1 made his with much more judgment and mastery than ,luca had shown1 as will be told in the proper place2 for ,donatello executed that work almost wholly with bold studies and with no smoothness of finish1 to the end that it might show up much better from a distance1 as it does1 than that of ,luca1 which1 although it is wrought with good design and diligence1 is nevertheless so smooth and highly finished that the eye1 by reason of the distance1 loses it and does not grasp it well1 as it does that of ,donatello1 which is1 as it were1 only sketched4 ,illustration3 ,,tomb ,,of ,,bishop ,,federighi 7,after ,luca della ,robbia4 ,florence3 ,s4 ,trinita7 ,alinari ,to this matter craftsmen should pay great attention1 for the reason that experience teaches us that all works which are to be viewed from a distance1 whether they be pictures1 or sculptures1 or any other similar thing whatsoever1 have more vivacity and greater force if they are made in the fashion of beautiful sketches than if they are highly finished2 and besides the fact that distance gives this effect1 it also appears that very often in these sketches1 born in a moment from the fire of art1 a man's conception is expressed in a few strokes1 while1 on the contrary1 effort and too great diligence sometimes rob men of their force and judgment1 if they never know when to take their hands off the work that they are making4 ,and whosoever knows that all the arts of design1 not to speak only of painting1 are similar to poetry1 knows also that even as poems thrown off by the poetic fire are the true and good ones1 and better than those made with great effort1 so1 too1 the works of men excellent in the arts of design are better when they are made at one sitting by the force of that fire1 than when they go about investigating one thing after another with effort and fatigue4 ,and he who has from the beginning1 as he should have1 a clear idea of what he wishes to do1 ever advances resolutely and with great readiness to perfection4 ,nevertheless1 seeing that all intellects are not of the same stamp1 there are some1 in fact1 although they are rare1 who cannot work well save at their leisure2 and to say nothing of the painters1 it is said that the most reverend and most learned ,bembo--among the poets--sometimes laboured many months1 perchance even years1 at the making of a sonnet1 if we can believe those who affirm it2 wherefore it is no great marvel that this should happen sometimes to some of the masters of our arts4 ,but for the most part the rule is to the contrary1 as it has been said above1 although the vulgar think more of a certain external and obvious delicacy that proves to lack the essential qualities1 which are made up for by diligence1 than of the good1 wrought with reason and judgment1 but not so highly finished and polished on the outside4 ,but to return to ,luca2 the said work being finished and giving great satisfaction1 he was entrusted with the bronze door of the said sacristy1 which he divided into ten squares--namely1 five on either side1 making the head of a man at every corner of each square1 in the border2 and he varied the heads one from another1 making young men1 old1 and middle-aged1 some bearded and some shaven1 and1 in short1 each one beautiful of its kind in diverse fashions1 so that the framework of that door was beautifully adorned4 ,next1 in the scenes in the squares--to begin at the upper part--he made the ,madonna with the ,child in her arms1 with most beautiful grace2 and in the one beside it1 ,jesus ,christ issuing from the ,sepulchre4 ,below these1 in each of the first four squares1 is the figure of an ,evangelist2 and below these1 the four ,doctors of the ,church1 who are writing in different attitudes4 ,and the whole of this work is so highly finished and polished that it is a marvel1 and gives us to know that it was a great advantage to ,luca to have been a goldsmith4 ,but since1 on reckoning up after these works how much there had come to his hand and how much time he spent in making them1 he recognized that he had gained very little and that the labour had been very great1 he resolved to abandon marble and bronze and to see whether he could gather better fruits from another method4 ,wherefore1 reflecting that clay could be worked easily and with little labour1 and that it was only necessary to find a method whereby works made with it might be preserved for a long time1 he set about investigating to such purpose that he found a way to defend them from the injuries of time2 for1 after having made many experiments1 he found that by covering them with a coating of glaze1 made with tin1 litharge1 antimony1 and other minerals and mixtures fused together in a special furnace1 he could produce this effect very well and make works in clay almost eternal4 ,for this method of working1 as being its inventor1 he gained very great praise1 and all the ages to come will therefore owe him an obligation4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,madonna ,,of ,,the ,,roses 7,after ,luca della ,robbia4 ,florence3 ,bargello47 ,having then succeeded in this as much as he could desire1 he resolved that his first works should be those that are in the arch over the bronze door which he had made for the sacristy1 below the organ of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore2 and therein he made a ,resurrection of ,christ1 so beautiful for that time that it was admired1 when placed in position1 as something truly rare4 ,moved by this1 the said ,wardens of ,works desired that the arch over the door of the other sacristy1 where ,donatello had made the ornament of the other organ1 should be filled by ,luca in the same manner with similar figures and works in terra-cotta2 wherefore ,luca made therein a very beautiful ,jesus ,christ ascending into ,heaven4 ,now1 not being yet satisfied with this beautiful invention--so lovely and so useful1 above all for places where there is water1 and where1 because of damp or other reasons1 there is no scope for paintings--,luca went on seeking further progress1 and1 instead of making the said works in clay simply white1 he added the method of giving them colour1 with incredible marvel and pleasure to all4 ,wherefore the ,magnificent ,piero di ,cosimo de' ,medici1 one of the first to commission ,luca to fashion coloured works in clay1 caused him to execute the whole of the round vaulting of a study in the ,palace--built1 as it will be told1 by his father ,cosimo--with various things of fancy1 and likewise the pavement1 which was something singular and very useful for the summer4 ,and seeing that this method was then very difficult1 and that many precautions were necessary in the firing of the clay1 it is certainly a marvel that ,luca could execute these works with so great perfection that both the vaulting and the pavement appear to be made1 not of many pieces1 but of one only4 ,the fame of these works spreading not only throughout ,italy but throughout all ,europe1 there were so many who desired them that the merchants of ,florence1 keeping ,luca1 to his great profit1 continually at this labour1 sent them throughout the whole world4 ,and because he could not supply the whole1 he took his brothers1 ,ottaviano and ,agostino1 away from the chisel1 and set them to work on these labours1 wherein the three of them together gained much more than they had done up to then with the chisel1 for the reason that1 besides those of their works that were sent to ,france and ,spain1 they also wrought many things in ,tuscany2 and in particular1 for the said ,piero de' ,medici1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,miniato al ,monte1 the vaulting of the marble chapel1 which rests on four columns in the middle of the church1 and which they divided most beautifully into octagons4 ,but the most notable work of this kind that ever issued from their hands was the vaulting of the ,chapel of ,s4 ,jacopo1 where the ,cardinal of ,portugal is buried1 in the same church4 ,in this1 although it has no salient angles1 they made the four ,evangelists in four medallions at the corners1 and the ,holy ,spirit in a medallion in the middle of the vaulting1 filling the other spaces with scales which follow the curve of the vaulting and diminish little by little till they reach the centre1 insomuch that there is nothing better of that kind to be seen1 nor anything built and put together with more diligence4 ,next1 in a little arch over the door of the ,church of ,s4 ,piero ,buonconsiglio1 below the ,mercato ,vecchio1 he made the ,madonna with some angels round her1 all very vivacious2 and over a door of a little church near ,s4 ,piero ,maggiore1 in a lunette1 he made another ,madonna with some angels1 which are held very beautiful4 ,and in the ,chapter-house of ,s4 ,croce1 likewise1 built by the family of the ,pazzi under the direction of ,pippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 he made all the glazed figures that are seen therein both within and without4 ,and ,luca is said to have sent some very beautiful figures in full-relief to the ,king of ,spain1 together with some works in marble4 ,for ,naples1 also1 he made in ,florence the marble tomb for the infant brother of the ,duke of ,calabria1 with many glazed ornaments1 being assisted by his brother ,agostino4 ,after these works1 ,luca sought to find a way of painting figures and scenes on a level surface of terra-cotta1 in order to give long life to pictures1 and made an experiment in a medallion which is above the shrine of the four saints without ,orsanmichele1 on the level surface of which1 in five parts1 he made the instruments and insignia of the ,guilds of the ,masters in ,wood and ,stone1 with very beautiful ornaments4 ,and he made two other medallions in the same place1 in relief1 in one of which1 for the ,guild of ,apothecaries1 he made a ,madonna1 and in the other1 for the ,mercatanzia1 a lily on a bale1 which has round it a festoon of fruits and foliage of various sorts1 so well made1 that they appear to be real and not of painted terra-cotta4 ,in the ,church of ,s4 ,brancazio1 also1 he made a tomb of marble for ,messer ,benozzo ,federighi1 ,bishop of ,fiesole1 and ,federighi himself lying on it1 portrayed from nature1 with three other half-length figures2 and in the ornament of the pilasters of this work1 on the level surface1 he painted certain festoons with clusters of fruit and foliage1 so lifelike and natural1 that nothing better could be done in oil and on panel with the brush4 ,of a truth1 this work is marvellous and most rare1 seeing that ,luca made the lights and shades in it so well1 that it scarcely appears possible for this to be done by the action of fire4 ,and if this craftsman had lived longer than he did1 even greater works would have been seen to issue from his hands1 since1 a little before he died1 he had begun to make scenes and figures painted on a level surface1 whereof ,i once saw some pieces in his house1 which lead me to believe that he would have easily succeeded in this1 if death1 which almost always snatches the best men away just when they are on the point of conferring some benefit on the world1 had not robbed him of life before his time4 ,luca was survived by ,ottaviano and ,agostino1 his brothers1 and from ,agostino there was born another ,luca1 who was very learned in his day4 ,now ,agostino1 pursuing the art after the death of ,luca1 made the facade of ,s4 ,bernardino in ,perugia in the year #adfa1 with three scenes in low-relief therein and four figures in the round1 executed very well and with a delicate manner2 and on this work he put his name in these words1 ,,augustini ,,florentini ,,lapicidae4 ,of the same family was the nephew of ,luca1 ,andrea1 who worked very well in marble1 as it is seen in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,maria delle ,grazie1 without ,arezzo1 where he made for the ,commune1 in a great ornament of marble1 many little figures both in the round and in half-relief2 which ornament was made for a ,virgin by the hand of ,parri di ,spinello of ,arezzo4 ,the same man made the panel in terra-cotta for the ,chapel of ,puccio di ,magio1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,francesco in the same city1 and that representing the ,circumcision for the family of the ,bacci4 ,in ,s4 ,maria in ,grado1 likewise1 there is a very beautiful panel by his hand with many figures2 and on the high-altar of the ,company of the ,trinita there is a panel by his hand containing a ,god the ,father1 who is supporting ,christ ,crucified in ,his arms1 surrounded by a multitude of angels1 while ,s4 ,donatus and ,s4 ,bernard are kneeling below4 ,in the church and in other parts of the ,sasso della ,vernia1 likewise1 he made many panels1 which have been well preserved in that desert place1 where no painting could have remained fresh for even a few years4 ,the same ,andrea wrought all the figures in glazed terra-cotta which are in the ,loggia of the ,hospital of ,s4 ,paolo in ,florence1 and which are passing good2 and likewise the boys1 both swathed and nude1 that are in the medallions between one arch and another in the ,loggia of the ,hospital of the ,innocenti1 which are all truly admirable and prove the great talent and art of ,andrea2 not to mention many1 nay1 innumerable other works that he made in the course of his life1 which lasted eighty-four years4 ,andrea died in the year #aebh1 and ,i1 while still a boy1 talked with him and heard him say--nay1 boast--that he had taken part in bearing ,donato to the tomb2 and ,i remember that the good old man showed no little pride as he spoke of this4 ,illustration3 ,,altar-,,piece 7,after ,andrea della ,robbia4 ,arezzo3 ,s4 ,maria in ,grado7 ,alinari ,but to return to ,luca2 he was buried1 with the rest of his family1 in their ancestral tomb in ,s4 ,piero ,maggiore1 and in the same tomb there was afterwards buried ,andrea1 who left two sons1 friars in ,s4 ,marco1 where they received the habit from the ,reverend ,fra ,girolamo ,savonarola1 to whom that ,della ,robbia family was ever devoted1 portraying him in that manner which is still seen to-day in the medals4 ,the same man1 besides the said two friars1 had three other sons3 ,giovanni1 who devoted himself to art and had three sons1 ,marco1 ,lucantonio1 and ,simone1 who died of plague in the year #aebg1 having given great promise2 and ,luca and ,girolamo1 who devoted themselves to sculpture4 ,of these two1 ,luca was very diligent in glazed works1 and he made with his own hand1 besides many other things1 the pavements of the ,papal ,loggie which ,pope ,leo ,x caused to be made in ,rome under the direction of ,raffaello da ,urbino1 and also those of many apartments1 wherein he put the insignia of that ,pontiff4 ,girolamo1 who was the youngest of all1 devoted himself to working in marble1 in clay1 and in bronze1 and had already become an able man1 by reason of competing with ,jacopo ,sansovino1 ,baccio ,bandinelli1 and other masters of his time1 when he was brought by certain ,florentine merchants to ,france1 where he made many works for ,king ,francis at ,madri1 a place not far distant from ,paris1 and in particular a palace with many figures and other ornaments1 with a kind of stone like our ,volterra gypsum1 but of a better quality1 for it is soft when it is worked1 and afterwards with time becomes hard4 ,he also wrought many things in clay at ,orleans and made works throughout that whole kingdom1 acquiring fame and very great wealth4 ,after these works1 hearing that he had no relative left in ,florence save his brother ,luca1 and being himself rich and alone in the service of ,king ,francis1 he summoned his brother to join him in those parts1 in order to leave him in credit and good circumstances1 but it fell out otherwise1 for in a short time ,luca died there1 and ,girolamo once more found himself alone and without any of his kin2 wherefore he resolved to return1 in order to enjoy in his own country the riches that his labour and sweat had brought him1 and also to leave therein some memorial of himself1 and he was settling down to live in ,florence in the year #aeec1 when he was forced to change his mind1 as it were1 for he saw that ,duke ,cosimo1 by whom he was hoping to be honourably employed1 was occupied with the war in ,siena2 whereupon he returned to die in ,france4 ,and not only did his house remain closed and his family become extinct1 but art was deprived of the true method of making glazed work1 for the reason that1 although there have been some after them who have practised that sort of sculpture1 nevertheless they have all failed by a great measure to attain to the excellence of the elder ,luca1 ,andrea1 and the others of that family4 ,wherefore1 if ,i have spoken on this subject at greater length1 perchance1 than it appeared to be necessary1 let no man blame me1 seeing that the fact that ,luca discovered this new form of sculpture--which1 to my knowledge1 the ancient ,romans did not have--made it necessary to discourse thereon1 as ,i have done1 at some length4 ,and if1 after the ,life of the elder ,luca1 ,i have given some brief account of his descendants1 who have lived even to our own day1 ,i have done this in order not to have to return to this subject another time4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,annunciation 7,after ,andrea della ,robbia4 ,la ,verna7 ,alinari ,luca1 then1 while passing from one method of work to another1 from marble to bronze1 and from bronze to clay1 did this not by reason of laziness or because he was1 as many are1 capricious1 unstable1 and discontented with his art1 but because he felt himself drawn by nature to new things and by necessity to an exercise according to his taste1 both less fatiguing and more profitable4 ,wherefore the world and the arts of design became the richer by a new1 useful1 and most beautiful art1 and he gained immortal and everlasting glory and praise4 ,luca was an excellent and graceful draughtsman1 as it may be seen from some drawings in our book with the lights picked out with white lead1 in one of which is his portrait1 made by him with much diligence by looking at himself in a mirror4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,visitation 7,after ,giovanni della ,robbia4 ,pistoia3 ,s4 ,giovanni ,fuorcivitas7 ,alinari ,,paolo ,,uccello ,,life ,,of ,,paolo ,,uccello ,,painter ,,of ,,florence ,paolo ,uccello would have been the most gracious and fanciful genius that was ever devoted to the art of painting1 from ,giotto's day to our own1 if he had laboured as much at figures and animals as he laboured and lost time over the details of perspective2 for although these are ingenious and beautiful1 yet if a man pursues them beyond measure he does nothing but waste his time1 exhausts his powers1 fills his mind with difficulties1 and often transforms its fertility and readiness into sterility and constraint1 and renders his manner1 by attending more to these details than to figures1 dry and angular1 which all comes from a wish to examine things too minutely2 not to mention that very often he becomes solitary1 eccentric1 melancholy1 and poor1 as did ,paolo ,uccello4 ,this man1 endowed by nature with a penetrating and subtle mind1 knew no other delight than to investigate certain difficult1 nay1 impossible problems of perspective1 which1 although they were fanciful and beautiful1 yet hindered him so greatly in the painting of figures1 that the older he grew the worse he did them4 ,and there is no doubt that if a man does violence to his nature with too ardent studies1 although he may sharpen one edge of his genius1 yet nothing that he does appears done with that facility and grace which are natural to those who put each stroke in its proper place temperately and with a calm intelligence full of judgment1 avoiding certain subtleties that rather burden a man's work with a certain laboured1 dry1 constrained1 and bad manner1 which moves those who see it rather to compassion than to marvel2 for the spirit of genius must be driven into action only when the intellect wishes to set itself to work and when the fire of inspiration is kindled1 since it is then that excellent and divine qualities and marvellous conceptions are seen to issue forth4 ,now ,paolo was for ever investigating1 without a moment's intermission1 the most difficult problems of art1 insomuch that he reduced to perfection the method of drawing perspectives from the ground-plans of houses and from the profiles of buildings1 carried right up to the summits of the cornices and the roofs1 by means of intersecting lines1 making them foreshortened and diminishing towards the centre1 after having first fixed the eye-level either high or low1 according to his pleasure4 ,so greatly1 in short1 did he occupy himself with these difficulties1 that he introduced a way1 method1 and rule of placing figures firmly on the planes whereon their feet are planted1 and foreshortening them bit by bit1 and making them recede by a proportionate diminution2 which hitherto had always been done by chance4 ,he discovered1 likewise1 the method of turning the intersections and arches of vaulted roofs2 the foreshortening of ceilings by means of the convergence of the beams2 and the making of round columns at the salient angle of the walls of a house in a manner that they curve at the corner1 and1 being drawn in perspective1 break the angle and cause it to appear level4 ,for the sake of these investigations he kept himself in seclusion and almost a hermit1 having little intercourse with anyone1 and staying weeks and months in his house without showing himself4 ,and although these were difficult and beautiful problems1 if he had spent that time in the study of figures1 he would have brought them to absolute perfection2 for even so he made them with passing good draughtsmanship4 ,but1 consuming his time in these researches1 he remained throughout his whole life more poor than famous2 wherefore the sculptor ,donatello1 who was very much his friend1 said to him very often--when ,paolo showed him mazzocchi#aj with pointed ornaments1 and squares drawn in perspective from diverse aspects2 spheres with seventy-two diamond-shaped facets1 with wood-shavings wound round sticks on each facet2 and other fantastic devices on which he spent and wasted his time--,ah1 ,paolo1 this perspective of thine makes thee abandon the substance for the shadow2 these are things that are only useful to men who work at the inlaying of wood1 seeing that they fill their borders with chips and shavings1 with spirals both round and square1 and with other similar things4 ,footnote #aj3 ,mazzocchi are probably coronets placed on the arms of noble families2 also caps of a peculiar shape1 such as those worn by ,taddeo ,gaddi and others in the portraits placed by ,vasari at the beginning of each ,life2 and possibly1 also1 the wooden hoops placed inside these caps to keep them in shape4 ,the first pictures of ,paolo were in fresco1 in an oblong niche painted in perspective1 at the ,hospital of ,lelmo--namely1 a figure of ,s4 ,anthony the ,abbot1 with ,s4 ,cosimo on one side and ,s4 ,damiano on the other4 ,in the ,annalena1 a convent of nuns1 he made two figures2 and within the ,church of ,s4 ,trinita1 over the left-hand door1 he painted stories of ,s4 ,francis in fresco--namely1 the receiving of the ,stigmata2 the supporting of the ,church1 which he is upholding with his shoulders2 and his conference with ,s4 ,dominic4 ,in ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore1 also1 in a chapel near the side-door which leads to ,s4 ,giovanni1 where there are the panel and predella of ,masaccio1 he wrought an ,annunciation in fresco1 wherein he made a building worthy of consideration1 which was something new and difficult in those times1 seeing that it was the first possessing any beauty of manner which was seen by craftsmen1 showing them with grace and proportion how to manage the receding of lines1 and how to give so great an extent to a level space which is small and confined1 that it appears far distant and large2 and when to this1 with judgment and grace1 men can add shadows and lights by means of colours in their proper places1 there is no doubt that they cause an illusion to the eye1 so that it appears that the painting is real and in relief4 ,and not being satisfied with this1 he wished to demonstrate even greater difficulties in some columns1 which1 foreshortened in perspective1 curve round and break the salient angle of the vaulting wherein are the four ,evangelists2 which was held something beautiful and difficult1 and1 in truth1 in that branch of his profession ,paolo was ingenious and able4 ,in a cloister of ,s4 ,miniato without ,florence1 also1 he wrought the lives of the ,holy ,fathers1 chiefly in terra-verde1 and partly in colour2 wherein he paid little regard to effecting harmony by painting with one colour1 as should be done in painting stories1 for he made the fields blue1 the cities red1 and the buildings varied according to his pleasure2 and in this he was at fault1 for something which is meant to represent stone cannot and should not be tinted with another colour4 ,it is said that while ,paolo was labouring at this work1 the ,abbot who was then head of that place gave him scarcely anything to eat but cheese4 ,wherefore ,paolo1 having grown weary of this1 determined1 like the shy fellow that he was1 to go no more to work there2 whereupon the ,abbot sent to look for him1 and ,paolo1 when he heard friars asking for him1 would never be at home1 and if peradventure he met any couples of that ,order in the streets of ,florence1 he would start running and flying from them with all his might4 ,now two of them1 more curious than the rest and younger than ,paolo1 caught him up one day and asked him for what reason he did not return to finish the work that he had begun1 and why he fled at the sight of a friar2 and ,paolo answered3 ,you have murdered me in a manner that ,i not only fly from you1 but cannot show myself near any carpenter's shop or pass by one1 and all because of the thoughtlessness of your ,abbot1 who1 what with pies and with soups always made of cheese1 has crammed so much cheese into me that ,i am in terror lest1 being nothing but cheese1 they may use me for making glue4 ,and if it were to go on any longer1 ,i would probably be no more ,paolo1 but cheese4 ,the friars1 leaving him with peals of laughter1 told everything to the ,abbot1 who made him return to his work1 and ordered him some other fare than cheese4 ,after this1 he painted the dossal of ,s4 ,cosimo and ,s4 ,damiano in the ,carmine1 in the ,chapel of ,s4 ,girolamo 7of the ,pugliesi74 ,in the house of the ,medici he painted some scenes on canvas and in distemper1 representing animals2 in these he ever took delight1 and in order to paint them well he gave them very great attention1 and1 what is more1 he kept ever in his house pictures of birds1 cats1 dogs1 and every sort of strange animal whereof he could get the likeness1 being unable to have them alive by reason of his poverty2 and because he delighted in birds more than in any other kind1 he was given the name of ,paolo of the ,birds 7,paolo ,uccelli74 ,in the said house1 among other pictures of animals1 he made some lions1 which were fighting together with movements and a ferocity so terrible that they appeared alive4 ,but the rarest scene among them all was one wherein a serpent1 combating with a lion1 was showing its ferocity with violent movements1 with the venom spurting from its mouth and eyes1 while a country girl who is present is looking after an ox made with most beautiful foreshortening4 ,the actual drawing for this ox1 by the hand of ,paolo1 is in my book of drawings1 and likewise that of the peasant girl1 all full of fear1 and in the act of running away from those animals4 ,there are likewise certain very lifelike shepherds1 and a landscape which was held something very beautiful in his time4 ,in the other canvases he made some studies of men-at-arms of those times1 on horseback1 with not a few portraits from the life4 ,illustration3 ,,paolo ,,uccello3 ,,the ,,battle ,,of ,s4 ,,egidio 7,london3 ,national ,gallery1 #ehc4 ,panel7 ,afterwards he was commissioned to paint some scenes in the cloister of ,s4 ,maria ,novella2 and the first1 which are at the entrance from the church into the cloister1 represent the ,creation of the animals1 with an infinite number and variety of kinds belonging to water1 earth1 and air4 ,and since he was very fanciful and took great delight1 as it has been said1 in painting animals to perfection1 he showed in certain lions1 who are seeking to bite each other1 the great ferocity that is in them1 and swiftness and fear in some stags and fallow-deer2 not to mention that the birds and fishes1 with their feathers and scales1 are most lifelike4 ,he made there the ,creation of man and of woman1 and their ,fall1 with a beautiful manner and with good and careful execution4 ,and in this work he took delight in making the trees with colours1 which the painters of those times were not wont to do very well2 and in the landscapes1 likewise1 he was the first among the old painters to make a name for himself by his work1 executing them well and with greater perfection than the painters before him had done2 although afterwards there came men who made them more perfect1 for with all his labour he was never able to give them that softness and harmony which have been given to them in our own day by painting them in oil-colours4 ,it was enough for ,paolo to go on1 according to the rules of perspective1 drawing and foreshortening them exactly as they are1 making in them all that he saw--namely1 ploughed fields1 ditches1 and other minutenesses of nature--with that dry and hard manner of his2 whereas1 if he had picked out the best from everything and had made use of those parts only that come out well in painting1 they would have been absolutely perfect4 ,this labour finished1 he worked in the same cloister below two stories by the hand of others2 and lower down he painted the ,flood1 with ,noah's ,ark1 wherein he put so great pains and so great art and diligence into the painting of the dead bodies1 the tempest1 the fury of the winds1 the flashes of the lightning1 the shattering of trees1 and the terror of men1 that it is beyond all description4 ,and he made1 foreshortened in perspective1 a corpse from which a raven is picking out the eyes1 and a drowned boy1 whose body1 being full of water1 is swollen out into the shape of a very great arch4 ,he also represented various human emotions1 such as the little fear of the water shown by two men who are fighting on horseback1 and the extreme terror of death seen in a woman and a man who are mounted on a buffalo1 which is filling with water from behind1 so that they are losing all hope of being able to save themselves2 and the whole work is so good and so excellent1 that it brought him very great fame4 ,he diminished the figures1 moreover1 by means of lines in perspective1 and made mazzocchi and other things1 truly very beautiful in such a work4 ,below this story1 likewise1 he painted the drunkenness of ,noah1 with the contemptuous action of his son ,ham--in whom he portrayed ,dello1 the ,florentine painter and sculptor1 his friend--with ,shem and ,japhet1 his other sons1 who are covering him up as he lies showing his nakedness4 ,here1 likewise1 he made in perspective a cask that curves on every side1 which was held something very beautiful1 and also a pergola covered with grapes1 the wood-work of which1 composed of squared planks1 goes on diminishing to a point2 but here he was in error1 since the diminishing of the plane below1 on which the figures are standing1 follows the lines of the pergola1 and the cask does not follow these same receding lines2 wherefore ,i marvel greatly that a man so accurate and diligent could make an error so notable4 ,he made there also the ,sacrifice1 with the ,ark open and drawn in perspective1 with the rows of perches in the upper part1 distributed row by row2 these were the resting-places of the birds1 many kinds of which are seen issuing and flying forth in foreshortening1 while in the sky there is seen ,god the ,father1 who is appearing over the sacrifice that ,noah and his sons are making2 and this figure1 of all those that ,paolo made in this work1 is the most difficult1 for it is flying1 with the head foreshortened1 towards the wall1 and has such force and relief that it seems to be piercing and breaking through it4 ,besides this1 ,noah has round him an infinite number of diverse animals1 all most beautiful4 ,in short1 he gave to all this work so great softness and grace1 that it is beyond comparison superior to all his others2 wherefore it has been greatly praised from that time up to our own4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,deluge 7,after the fresco by ,paolo ,uccello4 ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria ,novella7 ,alinari ,in ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 in memory of ,giovanni ,acuto1 an ,englishman1 ,captain of the ,florentines1 who had died in the year #acic1 he made in terra-verde a horse of extraordinary grandeur1 which was held very beautiful1 and on it the image of the ,captain himself1 in chiaroscuro and coloured with terra-verde1 in a picture ten braccia high on the middle of one wall of the church2 where ,paolo drew in perspective a large sarcophagus1 supposed to contain the corpse1 and over this he placed the image of him in his ,captain's armour1 on horseback4 ,this work was and still is held to be something very beautiful for a painting of that kind1 and if ,paolo had not made that horse move its legs on one side only1 which naturally horses do not do1 or they would fall--and this perchance came about because he was not accustomed to ride1 nor used to horses as he was to other animals--this work would be absolutely perfect1 since the proportion of that horse1 which is colossal1 is very beautiful2 and on the base there are these letters3 ,,pauli ,,uccelli ,,opus4 ,at the same time1 and in the same church1 he painted in colours the hour-dial above the principal door within the church1 with four heads coloured in fresco at the corners4 ,he wrought in terra-verde1 also1 the loggia that faces towards the west above the garden of the ,monastery of the ,angeli1 painting below each arch a story of the acts of ,s4 ,benedict the ,abbot1 and of the most notable events of his life1 up to his death4 ,here1 among many most beautiful scenes1 there is one wherein a monastery is destroyed by the agency of the ,devil1 while a friar is left dead below the stones and beams4 ,no less notable is the terror of another monk1 whose draperies1 as he flies1 cling round his nude form and flutter with most beautiful grace2 whereby ,paolo awakened the minds of the craftsmen so greatly1 that they have ever afterwards followed that method4 ,very beautiful1 also1 is the figure of ,s4 ,benedict1 the while that with dignity and devoutness1 in the presence of his monks1 he restores the dead friar to life4 ,finally1 in all these stories there are features worthy of consideration1 and above all in certain places where the very tiles of the roof1 whether flat or round1 are drawn in perspective4 ,and in the death of ,s4 ,benedict1 while his monks are performing his obsequies and bewailing him1 there are some sick men and cripples1 all most beautiful1 who stand gazing on him2 and it is noticeable1 also1 that among many loving and devout followers of that ,saint there is an old monk with crutches under his arms1 in whom there is seen a marvellous expression1 with even a hope of being made whole4 ,in this work there are no landscapes in colour1 nor many buildings1 nor difficult perspectives1 but there is truly great design1 with no little of the good4 ,in many houses of ,florence there are many pictures in perspective by the hand of the same man1 for the adornment of couches1 beds1 and other little things2 and in ,gualfonda1 in particular1 on a terrace in the garden which once belonged to the ,bartolini1 there are four battle-scenes painted on wood by his hand1 full of horses and armed men1 with very beautiful costumes of those days2 and among the men are portraits of ,paolo ,orsino1 ,ottobuono da ,parma1 ,luca da ,canale1 and ,carlo ,malatesti1 ,lord of ,rimini1 all captains-general of those times4 ,and these pictures1 since they were spoilt and had suffered injury1 were restored in our own day by the agency of ,giuliano ,bugiardini1 who did them more harm than good4 ,paolo was summoned to ,padua by ,donato1 when the latter was working there1 and at the entrance of the house of the ,vitali he painted some giants in terra-verde1 which1 as ,i have found in a ,latin letter written by ,girolamo ,campagnola to ,messer ,leonico ,tomeo1 the philosopher1 are so beautiful that ,andrea ,mantegna held them in very great account4 ,paolo wrought in fresco the ,volta de' ,peruzzi1 with triangular sections in perspective1 and in the angles of the corners he painted the four elements1 making for each an appropriate animal--for the earth a mole1 for the water a fish1 for the fire a salamander1 and for the air a chameleon1 which lives on it and assumes any colour4 ,and because he had never seen a chameleon1 he painted a camel1 which is opening its mouth and swallowing air1 and therewith filling its belly2 and great1 indeed1 was his simplicity in making allusion by means of the name of the camel to an animal that is like a little dry lizard1 and in representing it by a great uncouth beast4 ,illustration3 ,,portraits 7,after the panel by ,paolo ,uccello4 ,paris3 ,louvre1 #abgb7 ,mansell ,truly great were the labours of ,paolo in painting1 for he drew so much that he left to his relatives1 as ,i have learnt from their own lips1 whole chests full of drawings4 ,but1 although it is a good thing to draw1 it is nevertheless better to make complete pictures1 seeing that pictures have longer life than drawings4 ,in our book of drawings there are many figures1 studies in perspective1 birds1 and animals1 beautiful to a marvel1 but the best of all is a mazzocchio drawn only with lines1 so beautiful that nothing save the patience of ,paolo could have executed it4 ,paolo1 although he was an eccentric person1 loved talent in his fellow-craftsmen1 and in order that some memory of them might go down to posterity1 he painted five distinguished men with his own hand on a long panel1 which he kept in his house in memory of them4 ,one was ,giotto1 the painter1 standing for the light and origin of art2 the second was ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 for architecture2 ,donatello1 for sculpture2 himself1 for perspective and animals2 and1 for mathematics1 ,giovanni ,manetti1 his friend1 with whom he often conferred and discoursed on the problems of ,euclid4 ,it is said that having been commissioned to paint1 over the door of ,s4 ,tommaso in the ,mercato ,vecchio1 that ,saint feeling for the wound in the side of ,christ1 ,paolo put into that work all the effort that he could1 saying that he wished to show therein the full extent of his worth and knowledge2 and so he caused a screen of planks to be made1 to the end that no one might be able to see his work until it was finished4 ,wherefore ,donato1 meeting him one day all alone1 said to him3 ,and what sort of work may this be of thine1 that thou keepest it screened so closely8 ,and ,paolo said in answer3 ,thou shalt see it4 ,let that suffice thee4 ,donato would not constrain him to say more1 thinking to see some miracle1 as usual1 when the time came4 ,afterwards1 chancing one morning to be in the ,mercato ,vecchio buying fruit1 ,donato saw ,paolo uncovering his work1 whereupon he saluted him courteously1 and was asked by ,paolo himself1 who was curious and anxious to hear his judgment on it1 what he thought of that picture4 ,donato1 having studied the work long and well1 exclaimed3 ,ah1 ,paolo1 thou oughtest to be covering it up1 and here thou art uncovering it6 ,whereupon ,paolo was much aggrieved1 feeling that he was receiving much more by way of blame than he expected to receive by way of praise for this last labour of his2 and not having courage1 lowered as he was1 to go out any more1 he shut himself up in his house1 devoting himself to perspective1 which kept him ever poor and depressed up to his death4 ,and so1 growing very old1 and having but little contentment in his old age1 he died in the eighty-third year of his life1 in #adcb1 and was buried in ,s4 ,maria ,novella4 ,he left a daughter1 who had knowledge of drawing1 and a wife1 who was wont to say that ,paolo would stay in his study all night1 seeking to solve the problems of perspective1 and that when she called him to come to bed1 he would say3 ,oh1 what a sweet thing is this perspective6 ,and in truth1 if it was sweet to him1 it was not otherwise than dear and useful1 thanks to him1 to those who exercised themselves therein after his time4 ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,,life ,,of ,,lorenzo ,,ghiberti ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,cione ,,ghiberti ,,or ,,lorenzo ,,di ,,bartoluccio ,,ghiberti ,,painter ,,of ,,florence ,there is no doubt that in every city those who1 by reason of any talent1 come into some fame among men1 are a most blessed light and example to many who are either born after them or live in the same age1 not to mention the infinite praise and the extraordinary rewards that they themselves gain thereby while living4 ,nor is there anything that does more to arouse the minds of men1 and to render the discipline of study less fatiguing to them1 than the honour and profit which are afterwards won by labouring at the arts1 for the reason that these make every difficult undertaking easy to them all1 and give a greater stimulus to the growth of their talents1 when they are urged to greater efforts by the praises of the world4 ,wherefore infinite numbers of men1 who feel and see this1 put themselves to great fatigues1 in order to attain to the honour of winning that which they see to have been won by some compatriot2 and for this reason in ancient times men of talent were rewarded with riches1 or honoured with triumphs and images4 ,but since it is seldom that talent is not persecuted by envy1 men must continue to the best of their power1 by means of the utmost excellence1 to assure it of victory1 or at least to make it stout and strong to sustain the attacks of that enemy2 even as ,lorenzo di ,cione ,ghiberti1 otherwise called ,di ,bartoluccio1 was enabled to do both by his own merits and by fortune4 ,this man well deserved the honour of being placed before themselves by the sculptor ,donato and by the architect and sculptor ,filippo ,brunelleschi1 both excellent craftsmen1 since they recognized1 in truth1 although instinct perchance constrained them to do the contrary1 that ,lorenzo was a better master of casting than they were4 ,this truly brought glory to them1 and confusion to many who1 presuming on their worth1 set themselves to work and occupy the place due to the talents of others1 and1 without producing any fruits themselves1 but labouring a thousand years at the making of one work1 impede and oppress the knowledge of others with malignity and with envy4 ,lorenzo1 then1 was the son of ,bartoluccio ,ghiberti1 and from his earliest years learnt the art of the goldsmith from his father1 who was an excellent master and taught him that business1 which ,lorenzo grasped so well that he became much better therein than his father4 ,but delighting much more in the arts of sculpture and design1 he would sometimes handle colours1 and at other times would cast little figures in bronze and finish them with much grace4 ,he also delighted in counterfeiting the dies of ancient medals1 and he portrayed many of his friends from the life in his time4 ,now1 while he was working with ,bartoluccio and seeking to make progress in his profession1 the plague came to ,florence in the year #adjj1 as he himself relates in a book by his own hand wherein he discourses on the subject of art1 which is now in the possession of the ,reverend ,maestro ,cosimo ,bartoli1 a gentleman of ,florence4 ,to this plague were added civil discords and other troubles in the city1 and he was forced to depart and to go in company with another painter to ,romagna1 where they painted for ,signor ,pandolfo ,malatesti1 in ,rimini1 an apartment and many other works1 which were finished by them with diligence and to the satisfaction of that ,lord1 who1 although still young1 took great delight in matters of design4 ,meanwhile ,lorenzo did not cease to study the arts of design1 and to work in relief with wax1 stucco1 and other similar materials1 knowing very well that these small reliefs are the drawing-exercises of sculptors1 and that without such practice nothing can be brought by them to perfection4 ,now1 when he had been no long time out of his own country1 the pestilence ceased2 wherefore the ,signoria of ,florence and the ,guild of ,merchants--since at that time sculpture had many excellent craftsmen1 both foreign and ,florentine--determined that there should be made1 as it had been already discussed many times1 the other two doors of ,s4 ,giovanni1 a very ancient temple1 indeed1 the oldest in that city2 and they ordained among themselves that instructions should be sent to all the masters who were held the best in ,italy1 to repair to ,florence in order that their powers might be tested by a specimen scene in bronze1 similar to one of those which ,andrea ,pisano had formerly made for the first door4 ,word of this determination was written to ,lorenzo1 who was working at ,pesaro1 by ,bartoluccio1 urging him to return to ,florence in order to give a proof of his powers1 and saying that this was an occasion to make himself known and to demonstrate his genius1 not to mention that he might gain such profit that neither the one nor the other of them would ever again need to labour at making ear-rings4 ,the words of ,bartoluccio stirred the spirit of ,lorenzo so greatly1 that although ,signor ,pandolfo1 with all his ,court and the other painter1 kept showing him the greatest favour1 ,lorenzo took leave of that lord and of the painter1 and they1 with great unwillingness and displeasure1 allowed him to go1 neither promises nor increase of payment availing to detain him1 since to ,lorenzo every hour appeared a thousand years until he could return to ,florence4 ,having departed1 therefore1 he arrived safely in his own city4 ,many foreigners had already assembled and presented themselves to the ,consuls of the ,guild1 by whom seven masters were elected out of the whole number1 three being ,florentines and the others ,tuscans2 and it was ordained that they should have an allowance of money1 and that within a year each man should finish a scene in bronze by way of test1 of the same size as those in the first door4 ,and for the subject they chose the story of ,abraham sacrificing his son ,isaac1 wherein they thought that the said masters should be able to show their powers with regard to the difficulties of their art1 seeing that this story contained landscapes1 figures both nude and clothed1 and animals1 while the foremost figures could be made in full-relief1 the second in half-relief1 and the third in low-relief4 ,the competitors for this work were ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 ,donato1 and ,lorenzo di ,bartoluccio1 all ,florentines2 ,jacopo della ,quercia of ,siena1 and ,niccolo d',arezzo1 his pupil2 ,francesco di ,valdambrina2 and ,simone da ,colle1 called ,simone de' ,bronzi4 ,all these men promised before the ,consuls that they would deliver their scenes finished within the said time2 and each making a beginning with his own1 with all zeal and diligence they exerted all their strength and knowledge in order to surpass one another in excellence1 keeping their work hidden and most secret1 lest they should copy each other's ideas4 ,lorenzo alone1 who had ,bartoluccio to guide him and to compel him to labour at many models before they resolved to adopt any one of them--,lorenzo alone was ever inviting the citizens1 and sometimes any passing stranger who had some knowledge of the art1 to see his work1 in order to hear what they thought and these opinions enabled him to execute a model very well wrought and without one defect4 ,and so1 when he had made the moulds and cast the work in bronze1 it came out very well2 whereupon1 with his father ,bartoluccio1 he polished it with such love and patience that nothing could be executed or finished better4 ,and when the time came for comparing the various works1 his and those of the other masters were completely finished1 and were given to the ,guild of ,merchants for judgment2 but after all had been seen by the ,consuls and by many other citizens1 diverse opinions were expressed about them4 ,many foreigners had assembled in ,florence1 some painters1 some sculptors1 and others goldsmiths2 and they were invited by the ,consuls to give judgment on these works1 together with the other men of that profession who lived in ,florence4 ,they numbered thirty-four in all1 each well experienced in his own art4 ,now1 although there were differences of opinion among them1 some liking the manner of one man and some that of another1 nevertheless they were agreed that ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco and ,lorenzo di ,bartoluccio had composed and completed their scenes better and with a richer abundance of figures than ,donato had done in his1 although in that one1 also1 there was grand design4 ,in that of ,jacopo della ,quercia the figures were good1 but they had no delicacy1 although they were made with design and diligence4 ,the work of ,francesco di ,valdambrina had good heads and was well finished1 but was confused in the composition4 ,that of ,simone da ,colle was a beautiful casting1 because the doing of this was his art1 but it had not much design4 ,the specimen of ,niccolo d',arezzo1 which was made with good mastery1 had the figures squat and was badly finished4 ,only that scene which ,lorenzo made as a specimen1 which is still seen in the ,audience ,chamber of the ,guild of ,merchants1 was in every part wholly perfect4 ,the whole work had design1 and was very well composed4 ,the figures had so graceful a manner1 being made with grace and with very beautiful attitudes1 and the whole was finished with so great diligence1 that it appeared not made by casting and polished with tools of iron1 but blown with the breath4 ,donato and ,filippo1 seeing the diligence that ,lorenzo had used in his work1 drew aside1 and1 conferring together1 they resolved that the work should be given to ,lorenzo1 it appearing to them that thus both the public and the private interest would be best served1 and that ,lorenzo1 being a young man not more than twenty years of age1 would be able to produce by this exercise of his profession those greater fruits that were foreshadowed by the beautiful scene which he1 in their judgment1 had executed more excellently than the others2 saying that there would have been more sign of envy in taking it from him1 than there was justice in giving it to him4 ,beginning the work of that door1 then1 for that entrance which is opposite to the ,office of ,works of ,s4 ,giovanni1 ,lorenzo made for one part of it a large framework of wood1 of the exact size that it was to be1 with mouldings1 and with the ornaments of the heads at the corners1 round the various spaces wherein the scenes were to be placed1 and with those borders that were to go round them4 ,having then made and dried the mould with all diligence1 he made a very great furnace 7that ,i remember seeing7 in a room that he had hired opposite to ,s4 ,maria ,nuova1 where to-day there is the ,hospital of the ,weavers1 on the spot that was called the ,aia1 and he cast the said framework in bronze4 ,but1 as chance would have it1 it did not come out well2 wherefore1 having realized the mischief1 without losing heart or giving way to depression1 he promptly made another mould and cast it again1 without telling anyone about it1 and it came out very well4 ,whereupon he went on and continued the whole work in this manner1 casting each scene by itself1 and putting it1 when finished1 into its place4 ,the arrangement of the scenes was similar to that which ,andrea ,pisano had formerly made in the first door1 which ,giotto designed for him4 ,he made therein twenty scenes from the ,new ,testament2 and below1 in eight spaces similar to these1 after the said scenes1 he made the four ,evangelists1 two on each side of the door1 and likewise the four ,doctors of the ,church1 in the same manner2 which figures are all different in their attitudes and their draperies4 ,one is writing1 another is reading1 others are in contemplation1 and all1 being varied one from another1 appear lifelike and very well executed2 not to mention that in the framework of the border surrounding the scenes in squares there is a frieze of ivy leaves and other kinds of foliage1 with mouldings between each2 and on every corner is the head of a man or a woman in the round1 representing prophets and sibyls1 which are very beautiful1 and demonstrate with their variety the excellence of the genius of ,lorenzo4 ,above the aforesaid ,doctors and ,evangelists1 which are in the four squares below1 there follows1 on the side towards ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 the first scene2 and here1 in the first square1 is the ,annunciation of ,our ,lady1 wherein1 in the attitude of the ,virgin1 he depicted terror and a sudden alarm1 as she turns away gracefully by reason of the coming of the ,angel4 ,and next to this he made the ,nativity of ,christ1 wherein the ,madonna1 having given birth to ,him1 is lying down and taking repose2 with ,joseph in contemplation1 the shepherds1 and the ,angels singing4 ,in the scene next to this1 on the other half of the door1 on the same level1 there follows the story of the coming of the ,magi1 and of their adoration of ,christ1 while they give ,him their tribute2 and their ,court is following them1 with horses and other equipage1 wrought with great genius4 ,and beside this1 likewise1 there is ,his ,disputation with the ,doctors in the ,temple1 wherein the admiration and the attention which the ,doctors give to ,christ are no less well expressed than the joy of ,mary and ,joseph at finding ,him again4 ,above these--beginning again over the ,annunciation--there follows the story of the ,baptism of ,christ by ,john in the ,jordan1 wherein there are seen in their gestures the reverence of the one and the faith of the other4 ,beside this there follows the ,temptation of ,christ by the ,devil1 who1 terrified by the words of ,jesus1 stands in an attitude of terror1 showing thereby that he knows ,him to be the ,son of ,god4 ,next to this1 on the other side1 is the scene where ,he is driving the traders from the ,temple1 overturning their money and the victims1 doves1 and other merchandise2 wherein the figures1 falling over each other1 have a very beautiful and well conceived grace in their headlong flight4 ,next to this ,lorenzo placed the shipwreck of the ,apostles1 wherein ,s4 ,peter is issuing from the ship and is sinking into the water1 and ,christ is upholding him4 ,this scene shows an abundance of various gestures in the ,apostles1 who are toiling to save the ship2 and the faith of ,s4 ,peter is recognized in his coming towards ,christ4 ,beginning again above the story of the ,baptism1 on the other side1 there is ,his ,transfiguration on ,mount ,tabor1 wherein ,lorenzo demonstrated1 in the attitudes of the three ,apostles1 how celestial visions dazzle the eyes of mortals2 even as the ,divinity of ,christ is also recognized as ,he holds ,his head high and ,his arms outstretched1 between ,elias and ,moses4 ,and next to this is the ,resurrection of the dead ,lazarus1 who1 having issued from the sepulchre1 is standing upright with his feet and his hands bound1 to the marvel of the bystanders4 ,martha is there1 with ,mary ,magdalene1 who is kissing the feet of the ,lord with very great humility and reverence4 ,beside this1 on the other half of the door1 there follows the scene when ,he rides on an ass into ,jerusalem1 while the children of the ,hebrews1 in various attitudes1 are casting their garments on the ground1 with the olives and palms2 not to mention the ,apostles1 who are following the ,saviour4 ,and next to this is the ,last ,supper1 very beautiful and well composed1 the ,apostles being placed at a long table1 half on the near side and half on the farther side4 ,above the scene of the ,transfiguration there is the ,prayer in the ,garden1 wherein the three ,apostles are seen asleep in various attitudes4 ,and beside this there follows the scene when ,he is taken and ,judas kisses ,him1 wherein there are many things worthy of consideration1 since we see therein both the ,apostles1 who are flying1 and the ,jews1 who1 in taking ,christ1 are making most violent gestures and efforts4 ,on the other side1 next to this1 is the scene when ,he is bound to the ,column1 wherein is the figure of ,jesus ,christ writhing not a little with the pain of the blows1 in a pitiful attitude1 while there are seen1 in those gestures that the ,jews who are scourging ,him are making1 terrible rage and lust of vengeance4 ,next to this there follows the leading of ,christ before ,pilate1 who washes his hands and condemns ,him to the ,cross4 ,above the ,prayer in the ,garden1 on the other side and in the last row of scenes1 is ,christ bearing ,his ,cross and going to ,his death1 led by a crowd of soldiers1 who appear1 with strange attitudes1 to be dragging ,him by force2 besides the gestures of sorrow and lamentation that the ,maries are making1 insomuch that one who was present could not have seen them better4 ,beside this he made ,christ on the ,cross1 and ,our ,lady and ,s4 ,john the ,evangelist seated on the ground1 with gestures full of sorrow and wrath4 ,next to this1 on the other side1 there follows ,his ,resurrection1 wherein the guards1 stunned by the thunder1 are lying like dead men1 while ,christ is ascending on high in such an attitude that ,he truly appears glorified1 by reason of the perfection of ,his beautiful limbs1 wrought by the most ingenious industry of ,lorenzo4 ,in the last space is the coming of the ,holy ,spirit1 wherein are very sweet expressions and attitudes in those who are receiving it4 ,this work was brought to that completion and perfection without sparing any labour or time that could be devoted to a work in bronze1 seeing that the limbs of the nudes are most beautiful in every part2 and in the draperies1 although they hold a little to the old manner of ,giotto's time1 there is a general feeling that inclines to the manner of the moderns1 and produces1 in figures of that size1 a certain very lovely grace4 ,and in truth the composition of each scene is so well ordered and so finely arranged1 that he rightly deserved to obtain that praise which ,filippo had given him at the beginning--nay1 even more4 ,and in like manner he gained most honourable recognition among his fellow-citizens1 and was consummately extolled by them and by the native and foreign craftsmen4 ,the cost of this work1 with the exterior ornaments1 which are also of bronze1 wrought with festoons of fruits and with animals1 was #bb1jjj florins1 and the bronze door weighed #cd1jjj libbre4 ,illustration3 ,s4 ,,john ,,before ,,herod 7,after ,lorenzo ,ghiberti4 ,siena3 ,baptistery7 ,alinari ,this work finished1 it appeared to the ,consuls of the ,guild of ,merchants that they had been very well served1 and by reason of the praises given by all to ,lorenzo they determined that he should make a statue of bronze1 four braccia and a half high1 in memory of ,s4 ,john the ,baptist1 on a pilaster without ,orsanmichele1 in one of the niches there--namely1 the one facing the ,cloth-dressers4 ,this he began1 nor did he ever leave it until he delivered it finished4 ,it was and still is a work highly praised1 and in it1 on the mantle1 he made a border of letters1 wherein he wrote his own name4 ,in this work1 which was placed in position in the year #adad1 there is seen the beginning of the good modern manner1 in the head1 in an arm which appears to be living flesh1 in the hands1 and in the whole attitude of the figure4 ,he was thus the first who began to imitate the works of the ancient ,romans1 whereof he was an ardent student1 as all must be who desire to do good work4 ,and in the frontal of that shrine he tried his hand at mosaic1 making therein a half-length prophet4 ,the fame of ,lorenzo1 by reason of his most profound mastery in casting1 had now spread throughout all ,italy and abroad1 insomuch that ,jacopo della ,fonte1 ,vecchietto of ,siena1 and ,donato having made for the ,signoria of ,siena some scenes and figures in bronze that were to adorn the baptismal font of their ,church of ,s4 ,giovanni1 the people of ,siena1 having seen the works of ,lorenzo in ,florence1 came to an agreement with him and caused him to make two scenes from the life of ,s4 ,john the ,baptist4 ,in one he made ,s4 ,john baptizing ,christ1 accompanying it with an abundance of figures1 both nude and very richly draped2 and in the other he made ,s4 ,john being taken and led before ,herod4 ,in these scenes he surpassed and excelled the men who had made the others2 wherefore he was consummately praised by the people of ,siena1 and by all others who have seen them4 ,the ,masters of the ,mint in ,florence had a statue to make for one of those niches that are round ,orsanmichele1 opposite to the ,guild of ,wool1 and it was to be a ,s4 ,matthew1 of the same height as the aforesaid ,s4 ,john4 ,wherefore they allotted it to ,lorenzo1 who executed it to perfection2 and it was much more praised than the ,s4 ,john1 for he made it more in the modern manner4 ,this statue brought it about that the ,consuls of the ,guild of ,wool determined that he should make in the same place1 for the niche next to that1 a statue likewise in bronze1 which should be of the same proportions as the other two1 representing ,s4 ,stephen1 their ,patron ,saint4 ,and he brought it to completion1 giving a very beautiful varnish to the bronze2 and this statue gave no less satisfaction than the other works already wrought by him4 ,the ,general of the ,preaching ,friars at that time1 ,maestro ,lionardo ,dati1 wishing to leave a memorial of himself to his country in ,s4 ,maria ,novella1 where he had taken his vows1 caused ,lorenzo to construct a tomb of bronze1 with himself lying dead thereon1 portrayed from nature2 and this tomb1 which was admired and extolled1 led to another being erected by ,lodovico degli ,albizzi and ,niccolo ,valori in ,s4 ,croce4 ,after these things1 ,cosimo and ,lorenzo de' ,medici1 wishing to honour the bodies and relics of the three martyrs1 ,protus1 ,hyacinthus1 and ,nemesius1 had them brought from the ,casentino1 where they had been held in little veneration for many years1 and caused ,lorenzo to make a sarcophagus of bronze1 in the middle of which are two angels in low-relief who are holding a garland of olive1 within which are the names of those martyrs2 and they caused the said relics to be put into the said sarcophagus1 which they placed in the ,church of the ,monastery of the ,angeli in ,florence1 with these words below1 carved in marble1 on the side of the church of the monks3 ,,clarissimi ,,viri ,,cosmas ,,et ,,laurentius ,,fratres ,,neglectas ,,diu ,,sanctorum ,,reliquias ,,martyrum ,,religioso ,,studio ,,ac ,,fidelissima ,,pietate ,,suis ,,sumptibus ,,aereis ,,loculis ,,condendas ,,colendasque ,,curarunt4 ,and on the outer side1 facing the little church in the direction of the street1 below a coat of arms of balls1 there are these other words carved on marble3 ,,hic ,,condita ,,sunt ,,corpora ,,sanctorum ,,christi ,,martyrum ,,proti ,,et ,,hyacinthi ,,et ,,nemesii1 ,,ann4 ,,dom4 #adbh4 ,and by reason of this work1 which succeeded very nobly1 there came a wish to the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore to have a sarcophagus and tomb of bronze made to contain the body of ,s4 ,zanobi1 ,bishop of ,florence4 ,this tomb was three braccia and a half in length1 and two in height2 and besides adorning it with diverse varied ornaments1 he made therein on the front of the body of the sarcophagus itself a scene with ,s4 ,zanobi restoring to life a child which had been left in his charge by the mother1 and which had died while she was on a pilgrimage4 ,in a second scene is another child1 who has been killed by a wagon1 and also the ,saint restoring to life one of the two servants sent to him by ,s4 ,ambrose1 who had been left dead on the ,alps2 and the other is there1 making lamentation in the presence of ,s4 ,zanobi1 who1 seized with compassion1 said3 ,go1 he doth but sleep2 thou wilt find him alive4 ,and at the back are six little angels1 who are holding a garland of elm-leaves1 within which are carved letters in memory and in praise of that ,saint4 ,this work he executed and finished with the utmost ingenuity and art1 insomuch that it received extraordinary praise as something beautiful4 ,the while that the works of ,lorenzo were every day adding lustre to his name1 by reason of his labouring and serving innumerable persons1 working in bronze as well as in silver and gold1 it chanced that there fell into the hands of ,giovanni1 son of ,cosimo de' ,medici1 a very large cornelian containing the flaying of ,marsyas by command of ,apollo1 engraved in intaglio2 which cornelian1 so it is said1 once served the ,emperor ,nero for a seal4 ,and it being something rare1 by reason both of the size of the stone1 which was very great1 and of the marvellous beauty of the intaglio1 ,giovanni gave it to ,lorenzo1 to the end that he might make a gold ornament in relief round it2 and he1 after toiling at it for many months1 finished it completely1 making round it a work in relief of a beauty not inferior to the excellence and perfection of the intaglio on the stone2 which work brought it about that he wrought many other things in gold and silver1 which to-day are not to be found4 ,for ,pope ,martin1 likewise1 he made a gold button which he wore in his cope1 with figures in full-relief1 and among them jewels of very great price--a very excellent work2 and likewise a most marvellous mitre of gold leaves in open-work1 and among them many little figures in full-relief1 which were held very beautiful4 ,and for this work1 besides the name1 he acquired great profit from the liberality of that ,pontiff4 ,in the year #adci1 ,pope ,eugenius came to ,florence--where the ,council was held--in order to unite the ,greek ,church with the ,roman2 and seeing the works of ,lorenzo1 and being no less pleased with his person than with the works themselves1 he caused him to make a mitre of gold1 weighing fifteen libbre1 with pearls weighing five libbre and a half1 which1 with the jewels set in the mitre1 were estimated at #cj1jjj ducats of gold4 ,it is said that in this work were six pearls as big as filberts1 and it is impossible to imagine1 as was seen later in a drawing of it1 anything more beautiful and bizarre than the settings of the jewels and the great variety of children and other figures1 which served for many varied and graceful ornaments4 ,for this work he received infinite favours from that ,pontiff1 both for himself and his friends1 besides the original payment4 ,florence had received so much praise by reason of the excellent works of this most ingenious craftsman1 that the ,consuls of the ,guild of ,merchants determined to commission him to make the third door of ,s4 ,giovanni1 likewise in bronze4 ,now1 in the door that he had made before1 he had followed their directions and had made it with that ornament which goes round the figures1 and which encircles the framework of both parts of the door1 as in the one of ,andrea ,pisano2 but on seeing how greatly ,lorenzo had surpassed him1 the ,consuls determined to remove that of ,andrea from its position in the centre1 and to place it in the doorway that is opposite to the ,misericordia1 and to commission ,lorenzo to make a new door to be placed in the centre1 looking to him to put forth the greatest effort of which he was capable in that art4 ,and they placed themselves in his hands1 saying that they gave him leave to make it as he pleased1 and in whatsoever manner he thought it would turn out as ornate1 as rich1 as perfect1 and as beautiful as it could be made or imagined2 nor was he to spare time or expense1 to the end that1 even as he had surpassed all other sculptors up to his own time1 he might surpass and excel all his own previous works4 ,lorenzo began the said work1 putting therein all the knowledge that he could2 wherefore he divided the said door into ten squares1 five on each side1 so that the spaces enclosing the scenes were one braccio and a third in extent1 and round them1 to adorn the framework that surrounds the scenes1 there are niches--upright1 in that part of the door--containing figures in almost full-relief1 twenty in number and all most beautiful1 such as a nude ,samson1 who1 embracing a column1 with a jawbone in his hand1 displays a perfection as great as can be shown by anything made in the time of the ancients1 in their figures of ,hercules1 whether in bronze or in marble2 and to this a ,joshua bears witness1 who1 in the act of speaking1 appears to be really addressing his army2 besides many prophets and sibyls1 all of which he adorned with various manners of draperies over their shoulders1 and with head-dresses1 hair1 and other adornments2 not to mention twelve figures which are lying down in the niches that go horizontally along the ornament of the scenes4 ,at the intersections of the corners1 in certain medallions1 he made heads of women1 of youths1 and of old men1 to the number of thirty-four2 among which1 in the middle of the said door1 near the place where he engraved his own name1 is the portrait of his father ,bartoluccio1 who is the oldest of them1 while the youngest is his son ,lorenzo himself1 the master of the whole work2 besides an infinite quantity of foliage1 mouldings1 and other ornaments1 made with the greatest mastery4 ,the scenes that are in the said door are from the ,old ,testament2 and in the first is the ,creation of ,adam1 and of ,eve1 his wife1 who are executed most perfectly1 it being evident that ,lorenzo strove to make their limbs as beautiful as he was able to do1 wishing to show that1 even as these figures by the hand of ,god were the most beautiful that were ever made1 so these by his own hand should surpass all the others that had been made by him in his other works--truly a very grand intention4 ,in the same scene1 likewise1 he made them eating the apple1 and also being driven out of ,paradise2 and in these actions the figures express the effect1 first of their sin1 recognizing their nakedness and covering it with their hands1 and then of repentance1 when they are made by the ,angel to go forth out of ,paradise4 ,in the second square are figures of ,adam and ,eve1 with ,cain and ,abel as little children1 born from them2 and there1 also1 is ,abel making a sacrifice of his firstlings1 with ,cain making one not so good1 while in the expression of ,cain there is shown envy against his brother1 and in ,abel love towards ,god4 ,and what is singularly beautiful is to see ,cain ploughing the earth with a pair of oxen1 which1 with their labouring to pull at the yoke of the plough1 appear real and natural2 and the same is shown in ,abel1 who is watching his flocks1 and ,cain puts him to death1 when he is seen1 in a most impious and cruel attitude1 slaughtering his brother with a club1 in such a manner that the very bronze shows the limpness of the dead limbs in the most beautiful person of ,abel2 and in the distance1 likewise1 there is ,god asking ,cain what he has done with ,abel4 ,each square contains the representation of four stories4 ,in the third square ,lorenzo made ,noah issuing from the ,ark1 with his wife1 his sons and daughters1 and his sons' wives1 together with all the animals1 both of the air and of the earth1 which1 each in its kind1 are wrought with the greatest perfection wherewith art is able to imitate nature2 the ,ark is seen open1 with the poles in perspective1 in very low-relief1 insomuch that their grace cannot be expressed2 besides that1 the figures of ,noah and of his kindred could not be more lively or more vivacious1 while1 as he is offering sacrifice1 there is seen the rainbow1 a sign of peace between ,god and ,noah4 ,but much more excellent than all the others are the scenes where he is planting the vine1 and1 having been made drunk by the wine1 is showing his nakedness1 and his son ,ham is deriding him2 and in truth a man sleeping could not be imitated better1 the limbs being seen outstretched in drunken abandonment1 while his other two sons1 with consideration and love1 are covering him in very beautiful attitudes2 not to mention that there are the cask1 the vine-leaves1 and the other features of the vintage1 so carefully made and fitted into certain places1 that they do not impede the story1 but serve as a most beautiful adornment4 ,in the fourth scene it pleased ,lorenzo to make the apparition of the three ,angels in the valley of ,mamre1 giving them a close likeness one to the other1 while that most holy patriarch is seen adoring them1 with much appropriateness and vivacity in the position of his hands and the expression of his countenance2 and1 in addition1 ,lorenzo showed very beautiful feeling in the figures of his servants1 who1 remaining at the foot of the mountain with an ass1 are awaiting ,abraham1 who had gone to sacrifice his son4 ,isaac is placed naked on the altar1 and his father1 with uplifted arm1 is about to show his obedience1 but he is hindered by the ,angel1 who is restraining him with one hand1 while with the other he is pointing to where is the ram for the sacrifice1 and delivering ,isaac from death4 ,this scene is truly very beautiful1 since1 among other things1 there is seen a very great difference between the delicate limbs of ,isaac and those of the servants1 which are more robust2 insomuch that there appears to be no touch therein that was not given with the greatest art4 ,in this work1 also1 ,lorenzo showed that he surpassed his own self in the difficulties of making buildings2 in the birth-scene of ,isaac1 ,jacob1 and ,esau2 in the scene when ,esau is hunting1 at the wish of his father2 and in that when ,jacob1 instructed by ,rebecca1 is offering the cooked kid1 with its skin wrapped round his neck1 while ,isaac is feeling for him and giving him his blessing4 ,in this scene there are some dogs1 very beautiful and lifelike1 besides the figures1 which produce the very same effect that ,jacob1 ,isaac1 and ,rebecca did by their actions when they were alive4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,fall ,,of ,,jericho 7,detail1 after ,lorenzo ,ghiberti1 from the ,paradise ,gate of the ,baptistery1 ,florence7 ,brogi ,illustration3 ,,the ,,creation ,,of ,,eve 7,detail1 after ,lorenzo ,ghiberti1 from the ,paradise ,gate of the ,baptistery1 ,florence7 ,brogi ,emboldened by his study of the art1 which was making it ever easier to him1 he tried his genius on matters more complicated and difficult2 wherefore1 in the sixth square1 he made ,joseph cast by his brethren into the well1 and the scene when they sell him to the merchants1 and where he is given by them to ,pharaoh1 to whom he interprets the dream of the famine2 together with the provision against it1 and the honours given by ,pharaoh to ,joseph4 ,likewise there is ,jacob sending his sons for corn into ,egypt1 and ,joseph recognizing them and making them return for their father2 in which scene ,lorenzo made a round temple1 drawn in perspective with great mastery1 wherein are figures in diverse manners which are loading corn and flour1 together with some marvellous asses4 ,likewise there is the feast that ,joseph gives them1 and the hiding of the gold cup in ,benjamin's sack1 and its discovery1 and how he embraces and acknowledges his brethren2 which scene1 by reason of the many effects and the great variety of incidents1 is held the most noble1 the most difficult1 and the most beautiful of all his works4 ,and in truth1 having so beautiful a genius and so good a grace in this manner of statuary1 when there came into his mind the compositions of beautiful scenes1 ,lorenzo could not but make the figures most beautiful2 as it is apparent in the seventh square1 where he represents ,mount ,sinai1 and on its summit ,moses1 who is receiving the ,laws from ,god4 ,reverently kneeling1 half-way up the mountain1 is ,joshua1 who is awaiting him1 and at the foot are all the people1 terrified by the thunder1 lightning1 and earthquakes1 in diverse attitudes wrought with very great vivacity4 ,after this1 he showed diligence and great love in the eighth square1 wherein he made ,joshua marching against ,jericho and turning back the ,jordan1 and placed there the twelve tents of the twelve ,tribes1 full of very lifelike figures2 but more beautiful are some in low-relief1 in the scene when1 as they go with the ,ark round the walls of the aforesaid city1 these walls fall down at the sound of trumpets1 and the ,hebrews take ,jericho2 and here the landscape is ever diminished and made lower with great judgment1 from the first figures to the mountains1 from the mountains to the city1 and from the city to the distant part of the landscape1 in very low relief1 the whole being executed with great perfection4 ,and since ,lorenzo became from day to day more practised in that art1 there is next seen1 in the ninth square1 the slaying of the giant ,goliath by ,david1 who is cutting off his head in a proud and boyish attitude2 and the host of the ,lord is routing that of the ,philistines1 wherein ,lorenzo made horses1 chariots1 and other warlike things4 ,next1 he made ,david returning with the head of ,goliath in his hand1 and the people are meeting him1 sounding instruments and singing2 and these effects are all appropriate and vivacious4 ,it now remained for ,lorenzo to do all that he was able in the tenth and last scene1 wherein the ,queen of ,sheba is visiting ,solomon1 with a very great train2 in this part he made a very beautiful building drawn in perspective1 with all the other figures similar to the aforesaid scenes2 not to mention the ornaments of the architraves1 which go round the said doors1 wherein are fruits and festoons made with his usual excellence4 ,in this work1 both in detail and as a whole1 it is seen how much the ability and the power of a craftsman in statuary can effect by means of figures1 some being almost in the round1 some in half-relief1 some in low-relief1 and some in the lowest1 with invention in the grouping of the figures1 and extravagance of attitude both in the males and in the females2 and by variety in the buildings1 by perspectives1 and by having likewise shown a sense of fitness in the gracious expressions of each sex throughout the whole work1 giving to the old gravity1 and to the young elegance and grace4 ,and it may be said1 in truth1 that this work is in every way perfect1 and that it is the most beautiful work which has ever been seen in the world1 whether ancient or modern4 ,and right truly does ,lorenzo deserve to be praised1 seeing that one day ,michelagnolo ,buonarroti1 having stopped to look at this work1 and being asked what he thought of it1 and whether these doors were beautiful1 answered3 ,they are so beautiful that they would do well for the gates of ,paradise3 praise truly appropriate1 and given by an able judge4 ,and well indeed might ,lorenzo complete them1 seeing that from the age of twenty1 when he began them1 he worked at them for forty years1 with labour beyond belief4 ,lorenzo was assisted in finishing and polishing this work1 after it was cast1 by many men1 then youths1 who afterwards became excellent masters--namely1 by ,filippo ,brunelleschi1 ,masolino da ,panicale1 and ,niccolo ,lamberti1 goldsmiths2 and by ,parri ,spinelli1 ,antonio ,filarete1 ,paolo ,uccello1 ,antonio del ,pollaiuolo1 who was then quite young1 and many others1 who1 growing intimate together over that work1 and conferring one with another1 as men do when they work in company1 gained no less advantage for themselves than they gave to ,lorenzo4 ,to him1 besides the payment that he had from the ,consuls1 the ,signoria gave a good farm near the ,abbey of ,settimo1 and no long time elapsed before he was made one of the ,signori1 and honoured with the supreme magistracy of the city2 wherefore the ,florentines deserve no less to be praised for their gratitude to him1 than they deserve to be blamed for having been little grateful to other excellent men of their city4 ,after this most stupendous work1 ,lorenzo made the ornament in bronze for that door of the same church which is opposite to the ,misericordia1 with that marvellous foliage which he was not able to finish1 death coming unexpectedly upon him when he was preparing--having already almost made the model--to reconstruct the said door1 which ,andrea ,pisano had formerly made2 which model has now been lost1 although ,i saw it formerly1 when a youth1 in ,borgo ,allegri1 before it was allowed to be lost by the descendants of ,lorenzo4 ,lorenzo had a son called ,bonaccorso1 who finished with his own hand the frieze and that ornament1 which had been left incomplete1 with very great diligence2 which ornament1 ,i declare1 is the rarest and most marvellous work that there is to be seen in bronze4 ,bonaccorso1 dying young1 did not afterwards make many works1 as he would have done1 seeing that he had been left with the secret of making castings in such a way as to make them come out delicate1 and also with the knowledge and the method of perforating the metal in that manner which is seen in the works left by ,lorenzo4 ,the latter1 besides the works by his own hand1 bequeathed to his heirs many antiquities both in marble and in bronze1 such as the bed of ,polycletus1 which was something very rare2 a leg of bronze as large as life2 some heads1 both male and female2 together with some vases1 all procured by him from ,greece at no small cost4 ,he left1 likewise1 some torsi of figures1 and many other things2 and all were dispersed together with the property of ,lorenzo1 some being sold to ,messer ,giovanni ,gaddi1 then ,clerk of the ,chamber to the ,pope1 and among these was the said bed of ,polycletus1 with the rest of the finer things4 ,bonaccorso had a son called ,vittorio1 who survived him4 ,he applied himself to sculpture1 but with little profit1 as it is shown by the heads that he made at ,naples for the ,palace of the ,duke of ,gravina1 which are not very good1 since he never applied himself to art with love or with diligence1 but rather to scattering the property and the other things which had been left him by his father and his grandfather4 ,finally1 going to ,ascoli as architect under ,pope ,paul ,,iii1 he had his throat cut one night by one of his servants1 who came to rob him4 ,and thus the family of ,lorenzo became extinct1 but not so his fame1 which will live to all eternity4 ,but returning to the said ,lorenzo3 he applied himself1 while he lived1 to many things1 and delighted in painting and in working in glass1 and for ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore he made the round windows that are round the cupola1 excepting one1 which is by the hand of ,donato--namely1 the one wherein ,christ is crowning ,our ,lady4 ,lorenzo likewise made the three that are over the principal door of the same ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 and all those of the chapels and of the tribunes1 and also the rose-window in the facade of ,s4 ,croce4 ,in ,arezzo he made a window for the principal chapel of the ,pieve1 containing the ,coronation of ,our ,lady1 with two other figures1 for ,lazzaro di ,feo di ,baccio1 a very rich merchant2 but since they were all of ,venetian glass1 loaded with colour1 they make the places where they were put rather dark than otherwise4 ,lorenzo was chosen to assist ,brunellesco1 when the latter was commissioned to make the ,cupola of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 but he was afterwards relieved of the task1 as it will be told in the ,life of ,filippo4 ,the same ,lorenzo wrote a book in the vulgar tongue1 wherein he treated of many diverse matters1 but in such wise that little profit can be drawn from it4 ,the only good thing in it1 in my judgment1 is this1 that after having discoursed of many ancient painters1 and particularly of those cited by ,pliny1 he makes brief mention of ,cimabue1 ,giotto1 and many others of those times2 and this he did1 with much more brevity than was right1 for no other reason but to slip with a good grace into a discourse about himself1 and to enumerate minutely1 as he did1 one by one1 all his own works4 ,nor will ,i forbear to say that he feigns that his book was written by another1 whereas afterwards1 in the process of writing--as one who knew better how to draw1 to chisel1 and to cast in bronze1 than how to weave stories--talking of himself1 he speaks in the first person1 ,i made1 ,i said1 ,i was making1 ,i was saying4 ,finally1 having come to the sixty-fourth year of his age1 and being assailed by a grievous and continuous fever1 he died1 leaving immortal fame for himself by reason of the works that he made1 and through the pens of writers2 and he was honourably buried in ,s4 ,croce4 ,his portrait is on the principal bronze door of the ,church of ,s4 ,giovanni1 on the border that is in the middle when the door is closed1 in the form of a bald man1 and beside him is his father ,bartoluccio2 and near them may be read these words3 ,,laurentii ,,cionis ,,de ,,ghibertis ,,mira ,,arte ,,fabricatum4 ,the drawings of ,lorenzo were most excellent1 being made with much relief1 as it is seen in our book of drawings1 in an ,evangelist by his hand1 and in some others in chiaroscuro1 which are very beautiful4 ,his father ,bartoluccio was also a passing good draughtsman1 as it is shown by another ,evangelist in the said book1 which is by his hand1 but no little inferior to that of ,lorenzo4 ,these drawings1 with some by ,giotto and by others1 ,i had from ,vittorio ,ghiberti in the year #aebh1 when a youth1 and ,i have ever held and still hold them in veneration1 both because they are beautiful and as memorials of men so great4 ,and if1 when ,i was living in strait friendship and intimacy with ,vittorio1 ,i had known what ,i know now1 it would have been easy for me to obtain many other truly beautiful things by the hand of ,lorenzo4 ,among many verses1 both in ,latin and in the vulgar tongue1 which were written at diverse times in honour of ,lorenzo1 it will be enough for me1 in order not to weary my readers overmuch1 to put down these that follow ,dum cernit valvas aurato ex aere nitentes ,in templo ,michael ,angelus1 obstupuit3 ,attonitusque diu1 sic alta silentia rupit3 ,o divinum opus6 ,o janua digna polo6 ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale ,illustration3 ,s4 ,,john ,,the ,,baptist 7,after the fresco by ,masolino da ,panicale4 ,castiglione d',olona3 ,baptistery7 ,alinari ,,life ,,of ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale ,,painter ,truly great1 ,i believe1 must be the contentment of those who are approaching the highest rank in the science wherein they are labouring2 and those1 likewise1 who1 besides the delight and pleasure that they feel in working valiantly1 enjoy some fruit from their labours1 without doubt live a quiet and very happy life4 ,and if perchance it comes to pass that one1 while advancing towards perfection in any science or art1 is overtaken by death in the happy course of his life1 his memory does not become wholly spent1 if only he has laboured worthily in order to attain to the true end of his art4 ,wherefore every man should labour the most that he can in order to attain to perfection1 since1 although he may be hindered in the midst of his course1 he will gain praise1 if not for the works that he has not been able to finish1 at least for the excellent intention and diligent study which are seen in the little that he leaves behind4 ,masolino da ,panicale of ,valdelsa1 who was a disciple of ,lorenzo di ,bartoluccio ,ghiberti1 was a very good goldsmith in his youth1 and the best finisher that ,lorenzo had in the labour of the doors2 and he was very dexterous and able in making the draperies of the figures1 and had very good manner and understanding in the work of finishing4 ,wherefore with his chisel he made with all the more dexterity certain soft and delicate hollows1 both in human limbs and in draperies4 ,he devoted himself to painting at the age of nineteen1 and practised it ever afterwards1 learning the art of colouring from ,gherardo ,starnina4 ,and having gone to ,rome in order to study1 the while that he dwelt there he painted the hall of the old house of the ,orsini on ,monte ,giordano2 and then1 having returned to ,florence by reason of a pain in the head that the air was causing him1 he made in the ,carmine1 beside the ,chapel of the ,crucifixion1 that figure of ,s4 ,peter which is still seen there4 ,this figure1 being praised by the craftsmen1 brought it about that he was commissioned to adorn the ,chapel of the ,brancacci1 in the said church1 with the stories of ,s4 ,peter2 of which chapel1 with great diligence1 he brought a part to completion1 as on the vaulting1 where there are the four ,evangelists1 with ,christ taking ,andrew and ,peter from the nets and then ,peter weeping for the sin committed in denying ,him1 and next to that his preaching in order to convert the ,gentiles4 ,he painted there the shipwreck of the ,apostles in the tempest1 and the scene when ,s4 ,peter is delivering his daughter ,petronilla from sickness2 and in the same scene he made him going with ,s4 ,john to the ,temple1 where1 in front of the portico1 there is the lame beggar asking him for alms1 and ,s4 ,peter1 not being able to give him either gold or silver1 is delivering him with the sign of the ,cross4 ,throughout all that work the figures are made with very good grace1 and they show grandeur in the manner1 softness and harmony in the colouring1 and relief and force in the draughtsmanship2 the work was much esteemed by reason of its novelty and of the methods used in many parts1 which were totally different from the manner of ,giotto2 but1 being overtaken by death1 he left these scenes unfinished4 ,illustration3 ,,masolino ,,da ,,panicale3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child 7,empoli3 ,s4 ,stefano4 ,fresco7 ,masolino was a person of very good powers1 with much harmony and facility in his pictures1 which are seen to have been executed with diligence and with great love4 ,this zeal and this willingness to labour1 which he never ceased to show1 brought about in him a bad habit of body1 which ended his life before his time and snatched him prematurely from the world4 ,masolino died young1 at the age of thirty-seven1 cutting short the expectations that people had conceived of him4 ,his pictures date about the year #addj4 ,and ,paolo ,schiavo--who painted the ,madonna and the figures with their feet foreshortened on the cornice on the ,canto de' ,gori in ,florence--strove greatly to follow the manner of ,masolino1 from whose works1 having studied them many times1 ,i find his manner very different from that of those who were before him1 seeing that he added majesty to the figures1 and gave softness and a beautiful flow of folds to the draperies4 ,the heads of his figures1 also1 are much better than those made before his day1 for he was a little more successful in making the roundness of the eyes1 and many other beautiful parts of the body4 ,and since he began to have a good knowledge of light and shade1 seeing that he worked in relief1 he made many difficult foreshortenings very well1 as is seen in that beggar who is seeking alms from ,s4 ,peter2 for his leg1 which is trailing behind him1 is so well proportioned in its outlines1 with regard to draughtsmanship1 and in its shadows1 with regard to colouring1 that it appears to be really piercing the wall4 ,masolino began likewise to give more sweetness of expression to the faces of women1 and more loveliness to the garments of young men1 than the old craftsmen had done2 and he also drew passing well in perspective4 ,but that wherein he excelled1 more than in anything else1 was colouring in fresco1 for this he did so well that his pictures are blended and harmonized with so great grace1 that his painting of flesh has the greatest softness which one is able to imagine2 wherefore1 if he had shown absolute perfection in draughtsmanship1 as perchance he might have done if he had lived longer1 he might have been numbered among the best1 since his works are executed with good grace1 and with grandeur in the manner1 softness and harmony in the colouring1 and much relief and force in the draughtsmanship1 although this is not in all parts perfect4 ,illustration3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child 7,after the panel by ,masolino de ,panicale4 ,bremen3 ,kunsthalle7 ,n4 ,p4--,g4 ,,parri ,,spinelli ,,life ,,of ,,parri ,,spinelli ,,painter ,,of ,,arezzo ,parri di ,spinello ,spinelli1 painter of ,arezzo1 having learnt the first principles of art from his own father1 was brought to ,florence by the agency of ,messer ,leonardo ,bruni of ,arezzo1 and was received by ,lorenzo ,ghiberti into his school1 where many young men were learning under his discipline3 and since the doors of ,s4 ,giovanni were then being given their finish1 he was put to labour on those figures1 in company with many others1 as it has been said above4 ,and having1 in this work1 contracted a friendship with ,masolino da ,panicale1 and being pleased with his method of drawing1 he set about imitating him in many respects1 as he also imitated in others the manner of ,don ,lorenzo degli ,angeli4 ,parri made his figures much longer and more slender than any painter who had lived before him1 and whereas the others make them in the proportion of ten heads at most1 he gave them eleven1 and sometimes twelve2 nor did this make them awkward1 although they were slender and were ever bent in an arch either to the right side or to the left1 for the reason that this1 as it appeared to him1 and as he himself said1 gave them more vigour4 ,the flow of his draperies was very delicate1 with abundance of folds1 which fell from the arms of his figures right down to the feet4 ,he coloured very well in distemper1 and perfectly in fresco1 and he was the first who1 in working in fresco1 ceased to use verdaccio below flesh-colours1 to be afterwards washed over with rosy flesh-tints in chiaroscuro1 in the manner of water-colours1 as ,giotto and the other old masters had done4 ,parri1 on the other hand1 used body colours in making his grounds and tints1 placing them with much discretion where it appeared to him that they would look best--that is1 the lights on the highest points1 the middle tints towards the sides1 and the darks on the outlines2 with which method of painting he showed more facility in his works and gave longer life to pictures in fresco1 seeing that1 having laid the colours in their places1 he would blend them together with a rather thick and soft brush1 and would execute his works with so high a finish that nothing better can be desired2 and his colouring has no equal4 ,parri1 then1 having been absent many years from his country1 was recalled by his relatives1 after the death of his father1 to ,arezzo1 where1 besides many works which it would take too long to recount1 he made some which do not in any way deserve to be passed over in silence4 ,in the ,duomo ,vecchio he made in fresco three different figures of ,our ,lady2 and within the principal door of that church1 on the left hand as one enters1 he painted in fresco a story of the ,blessed ,tommasuolo1 a sack-cloth hermit and a holy man of that time4 ,and since this man was wont to carry in his hand a mirror wherein he saw1 so he declared1 the ,passion of ,christ1 ,parri portrayed him in that story kneeling1 with that mirror in his right hand1 which he was holding uplifted towards ,heaven4 ,and painting ,jesus ,christ above on a throne of clouds1 and round him all the ,mysteries of the ,passion1 with most beautiful art he made them all reflected in that mirror1 in such wise that not only the ,blessed ,tommasuolo but all who beheld that picture could see them1 which invention was truly fanciful and difficult1 and so beautiful that it taught those who came after him to counterfeit many things by means of mirrors4 ,nor will ,i forbear to tell1 now that ,i am dealing with this subject1 what this holy man did once in ,arezzo2 and it is this4 ,labouring continually1 without ever ceasing1 to induce the ,aretines to live at peace with one another1 now preaching1 and now foretelling many misadventures1 he recognized finally that he was wasting his time4 ,whereupon1 entering one day into the ,palace where the ,sixty were wont to assemble1 the said ,blessed ,tommasuolo--who saw them every day deliberating1 and never coming to any resolution save such as injured the city--when he saw that the ,hall was full1 placed a quantity of burning coals into a great fold in his robe1 and1 advancing with these towards the ,sixty and all the other magistrates of the city1 he threw them boldly at their feet1 saying3 ,my lords1 the fire is among you2 take heed lest ruin come upon you2 and this said1 he went his way4 ,such was the effect of the simplicity1 and1 as it pleased ,god1 of the good counsel of that holy man1 that the said action completely accomplished what his preachings and threatenings had never been able to do1 insomuch that1 becoming united among themselves no long time after1 they governed that city for many years afterwards with much peace and quiet for all4 ,but returning to ,parri3 after the said work1 he painted in fresco in a chapel of the ,church and ,hospital of ,s4 ,cristofano1 beside the ,company of the ,nunziata1 for ,mona ,mattea de' ,testi1 wife of ,carcascion ,florinaldi1 who left a very good endowment to that little church2 and there he made ,christ ,crucified1 with many angels round ,him and above ,him1 flying in a certain dark sky and weeping bitterly4 ,at the foot of the ,cross1 on one side1 are the ,magdalene and the other ,maries1 who are holding the fainting ,madonna in their arms2 and on the other side are ,s4 ,james and ,s4 ,christopher4 ,on the walls he painted ,s4 ,catherine1 ,s4 ,nicholas1 the ,annunciation1 and ,jesus ,christ at the ,column2 and1 in an arch over the door of the said church1 a ,pieta1 ,s4 ,john1 and ,our ,lady4 ,but the paintings within 7save those of the chapel7 have been spoilt1 and the arch was pulled down in the substituting of a modern door of grey-stone1 and in the making of a convent for one hundred nuns with the revenues of that ,company4 ,for this convent ,giorgio ,vasari made a most careful model1 but it was afterwards altered1 nay1 reduced to the vilest form1 by those who most unworthily had charge of so great a fabric4 ,for it comes to pass very often that one stumbles against certain men1 said to be very learned1 but for the most part ignorant1 who1 under pretence of understanding1 set themselves arrogantly many times to try to play the architect and to superintend2 and more often than not they spoil the arrangements and the models of those who1 having spent their lives in the study and practice of building1 can act with judgment in works of architecture2 and this brings harm to posterity1 which is thus deprived of the utility1 convenience1 beauty1 ornament1 and grandeur that are requisite in buildings1 and particularly in those that are to be used for the public service4 ,in the ,church of ,s4 ,bernardo1 also1 a monastery of the ,monks of ,monte ,oliveto1 ,parri painted two chapels1 one on either side within the principal door4 ,in that which is on the right hand1 dedicated to the ,trinity1 he made a ,god the ,father1 who is supporting ,christ ,crucified in ,his arms1 and above there is the ,dove of the ,holy ,spirit in the midst of a choir of angels2 and on one wall of the same chapel he painted some saints in fresco1 perfectly4 ,in the other1 dedicated to ,our ,lady1 is the ,nativity of ,christ1 with some women who are washing ,him in a little wooden tub1 with a womanly grace marvellously well expressed4 ,there are also some shepherds in the distance1 who are guarding their sheep1 clothed in the rustic dress of those times and very lifelike1 and listening attentively to the words of the ,angel1 who is telling them to go to ,nazareth4 ,on the opposite wall is the ,adoration of the ,magi1 with baggage1 camels1 giraffes1 and all the ,court of those three ,kings1 who1 reverently offering their treasures1 are adoring ,christ1 who is lying upon the lap of ,his mother4 ,besides this1 he painted on the vaulting1 and in the frontals of some arches outside1 some very beautiful scenes in fresco4 ,it is said that while ,parri was executing this work1 ,fra ,bernardino da ,siena1 a friar of ,s4 ,francis and a man of holy life1 was preaching in ,arezzo1 and that having brought many of his brother monks into the true religious life1 and having converted many other persons1 he caused ,parri to make the model for the ,church of ,sargiano1 which he was building for them2 and that afterwards1 having heard that many evil things were going on in a wood near a fountain1 a mile distant from the city1 he went there one morning1 followed by the whole people of ,arezzo1 with a great wooden cross in his hand1 such as he was wont to carry1 and after preaching a solemn sermon he had the fountain destroyed and the wood cut down2 and a little later he caused a beginning to be made with a little chapel which was built there in honour of ,our ,lady1 with the title of ,s4 ,maria delle ,grazie1 wherein he afterwards asked ,parri to paint with his own hand1 as he did1 the ,virgin in ,glory1 who1 opening her arms1 is covering under her mantle the whole people of ,arezzo4 ,this most holy ,virgin afterwards worked and still continues to work many miracles in that place4 ,the ,commune of ,arezzo has since caused a very beautiful church to be built in this place1 accommodating within it the ,madonna made by ,parri1 for which many ornaments of marble have been made1 with some figures1 both round and above the altar1 as it has been said in the ,lives of ,luca della ,robbia and of his nephew ,andrea1 and as it will be said in due succession in the ,lives of those whose works adorn that holy place4 ,no long time after1 by reason of the devotion that he bore to that holy man1 ,parri portrayed the said ,s4 ,bernardino in fresco on a large pilaster in the ,duomo ,vecchio2 in which place1 in a chapel dedicated to the same ,saint1 he also painted him glorified in ,heaven and surrounded by a legion of angels1 with three half-length figures1 one on either side--,patience and ,poverty--and one above--,chastity--with which three virtues that ,saint held company up to his death4 ,under his feet he had some ,bishops' mitres and ,cardinals' hats1 in order to show that1 laughing at the world1 he had despised such dignities2 and below these pictures was portrayed the city of ,arezzo1 such as it was in those times4 ,for the ,company of the ,nunziata1 likewise1 in a little chapel1 or rather maesta1#aa without the ,duomo1 ,parri made a ,madonna in fresco1 who1 receiving the ,annunciation from the ,angel1 is turning away all in terror2 and in the sky on the vaulting1 which is groined1 he made angels1 two in each angle1 who1 flying through the air and making music with various instruments1 appear to be playing together1 so that one almost hears a very sweet harmony2 and on the walls are four saints--namely1 two on each side4 ,but the pictures wherein he showed best his power of varying the expression of his conception are seen on the two pilasters that support the arch in front1 where the entrance is1 for the reason that on one there is a very beautiful ,charity1 who is affectionately suckling one infant1 fondling a second1 and holding a third by the hand1 while on the other there is ,faith1 painted in a new manner1 holding the ,chalice and the ,cross in one hand1 and in the other a cup of water1 which she is pouring over the head of a boy1 making him a ,christian4 ,all these figures are without doubt the best that ,parri ever made in all his life1 and even in comparison with the modern they are marvellous4 ,footnote #aa3 ,a street-shrine1 generally containing a picture of the ,virgin in ,glory4 ,within the city1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,agostino1 in the choir of the friars1 the same man painted many figures in fresco1 which are known by the manner of the draperies1 and by their being long1 slender1 and bent1 as it has been said above4 ,in the tramezzo#ab of the ,church of ,s4 ,giustino he painted in fresco a ,s4 ,martin on horseback1 who is cutting off a piece of his garment to give it to a beggar1 and two other saints4 ,in the ,vescovado1 also1 on the face of one wall1 he painted an ,annunciation1 which to-day is half spoilt through having been exposed for many years4 ,in the ,pieve of the same city he painted the chapel which is now near the ,office of ,works2 and this has been almost wholly ruined by damp4 ,truly unfortunate has this poor painter been with his works1 seeing that almost the greater part of them have been destroyed1 either by damp or by the ruin of the buildings4 ,on a round column in the said ,pieve he painted a ,s4 ,vincent in fresco2 and in ,s4 ,francesco he made some saints round a ,madonna in half-relief1 for the family of the ,viviani1 with the ,apostles on the arch above1 receiving the ,holy ,spirit1 and some other saints in the vaulting1 and on one side ,christ with the ,cross on ,his shoulder1 pouring blood from ,his side into the ,chalice1 and round ,christ some angels very well wrought4 ,opposite to this1 in the ,chapel of the ,company of ,stone-cutters1 ,masons1 and ,carpenters1 dedicated to the four ,crowned ,saints1 he made a ,madonna1 and the said ,saints with the instruments of those trades in their hands1 and below1 also in fresco1 two scenes of their acts1 and the ,saints being beheaded and thrown into the sea4 ,in this work there are very beautiful attitudes and efforts in the figures that are raising those bodies1 placed in sacks1 on their shoulders1 in order to carry them to the sea1 for there are seen in them liveliness and vivacity4 ,in ,s4 ,domenico1 also1 near the high-altar1 on the right-hand wall1 he painted in fresco a ,madonna1 ,s4 ,anthony1 and ,s4 ,nicholas1 for the family of the ,alberti da ,catenaia1 of which place they were the ,lords before its destruction1 when they came to dwell1 some in ,arezzo and some in ,florence4 ,and that they are one and the same family is shown by the arms of both one and the other1 which are the same2 although it is true that to-day those of ,arezzo are called1 not ,degli ,alberti1 but ,da ,catenaia1 and those of ,florence not ,da ,catenaia1 but ,degli ,alberti4 ,and ,i remember to have seen1 and also read1 that the ,abbey of the ,sasso--which was in the mountains of ,catenaia1 and which has now been pulled down and rebuilt lower down towards the ,arno--was erected by the same ,alberti for the ,congregation of ,camaldoli2 and to-day it belongs to the ,monastery of the ,angeli in ,florence1 which acknowledges it as coming from the said family1 which is among the noblest in ,florence4 ,footnote #ab3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,in the old ,audience ,chamber of the ,fraternity of ,s4 ,maria della ,misericordia1 ,parri painted a ,madonna who has under her mantle the people of ,arezzo1 wherein he portrayed from the life those who then ruled that holy place1 clothed according to the use of those times2 and among them one called ,braccio1 who is now called1 when there is talk of him1 ,lazzaro ,ricco1 and who died in the year #adbb1 leaving all his riches and means to that place1 which dispenses them in the service of ,god's poor1 performing the holy works of mercy with much charity4 ,on one side of this ,madonna is ,s4 ,gregory the ,pope1 and on the other ,s4 ,donatus1 ,bishop and ,protector of the people of ,arezzo4 ,and since those who then ruled that ,fraternity had been very well served in this work by ,parri1 they caused him to make on a panel1 in distemper1 a ,madonna with the ,child in her arms1 with some angels who are opening her mantle1 beneath which is the said people2 with ,s4 ,laurentino and ,s4 ,pergentino1 the martyrs1 below4 ,this panel is brought out every year on the second day of ,june1 and1 after it has been borne in solemn procession by the men of the said ,company as far as the church of the said ,saints1 there is placed over it a coffer of silver1 wrought by the goldsmith ,forzore1 brother of ,parri1 within which are the bodies of the said ,,ss4 ,laurentino and ,pergentino2 it is brought out1 ,i say1 and the said altar is made under covering of a tent in the ,canto alla ,croce1 where the said church stands1 because1 being a small church1 it would not hold all the people who assemble for this festival4 ,the predella whereon the said panel rests contains the martyrdom of those two ,saints1 made with little figures1 and so well wrought1 that for a small work it is truly a marvel4 ,in ,borgo ,piano1 under the projection of a house1 there is a shrine by the hand of ,parri1 within which is an ,annunciation in fresco1 which is much extolled2 and in ,s4 ,agostino1 for the ,company of the ,puraccioli1 he made in fresco a very beautiful picture of ,s4 ,catherine1 virgin and martyr4 ,in the ,church of ,muriello1 likewise1 for the ,fraternity of the ,clerks1 he painted a ,s4 ,mary ,magdalene1 three braccia high2 and in ,s4 ,domenico1 at the entrance of the door1 where the bell-ropes are1 he painted in fresco the ,chapel of ,s4 ,niccolo1 making therein a large ,crucifix with four figures1 so well wrought that it seems made only yesterday4 ,in the arch he painted two stories of ,s4 ,nicholas--namely1 his throwing the golden balls to the maidens1 and his delivering two from death1 while the executioner is seen apparelled and ready to cut off their heads1 and very well wrought4 ,the while that ,parri was making this work1 he was set upon with weapons by some of his relatives1 with whom he had a dispute about some dowry2 but1 since some other men ran up immediately1 he was succoured in a manner that they did him no harm4 ,but nevertheless1 so it is said1 the fright that he experienced brought it about that1 besides making his figures bending over to one side1 from that day onward he made them almost always with an expression of terror4 ,and since he found himself many times attacked by slanderous tongues and torn by the tooth of envy1 he made in that chapel a scene of tongues burning1 with some devils round them that were heaping them with fire2 and in the sky was ,christ cursing them1 and on one side these words3 ,to the false tongue4 ,parri was very studious in the matters of art1 and drew very well1 as it is shown by many drawings by his hand1 which ,i have seen1 and in particular by a border of twenty scenes from the life of ,s4 ,donatus1 made for a sister of his own1 who embroidered very well2 and this he is reputed to have done because there was a question of making adornments for the high-altar of the ,vescovado4 ,and in our book there are some drawings by his hand1 done very well with the pen4 ,parri was portrayed by ,marco da ,montepulciano1 a disciple of ,spinello1 in the cloister of ,s4 ,bernardo in ,arezzo4 ,he lived fifty-six years1 and he shortened his life by reason of being by nature melancholic1 solitary1 and too assiduous in the studies of his art and in his labours4 ,he was buried in ,s4 ,agostino1 in the same tomb wherein his father ,spinello had been laid1 and his death caused displeasure to all the men of culture who knew him4 ,,masaccio ,,life ,,of ,,masaccio ,,painter ,,of ,,san ,,giovanni ,,in ,,valdarno ,it is the custom of nature1 when she makes a man very excellent in any profession1 very often not to make him alone1 but at the same time1 and in the same neighbourhood1 to make another to compete with him1 to the end that they may assist each other by their talent and emulation2 which circumstance1 besides the singular advantage enjoyed by the men themselves1 who thus compete with each other1 also kindles beyond measure the minds of those who come after that age1 to strive with all study and all industry to attain to that honour and that glorious reputation which they hear highly extolled without ceasing in those who have passed away4 ,and that this is true we see from the fact that ,florence produced in one and the same age ,filippo1 ,donato1 ,lorenzo1 ,paolo ,uccello1 and ,masaccio1 each most excellent in his own kind1 and thus not only swept away the rough and rude manners that had prevailed up to that time1 but incited and kindled so greatly1 by reason of the beautiful works of these men1 the minds of those who came after1 that the work of those professions has been brought to that grandeur and to that perfection which are seen in our own times4 ,wherefore1 in truth1 we owe a great obligation to those early craftsmen who showed to us1 by means of their labours1 the true way to climb to the greatest height2 and with regard to the good manner of painting1 we are indebted above all to ,masaccio1 seeing that he1 as one desirous of acquiring fame1 perceived that painting is nothing but the counterfeiting of all the things of nature1 vividly and simply1 with drawing and with colours1 even as she produced them for us1 and that he who attains to this most perfectly can be called excellent4 ,this truth1 ,i say1 being recognized by ,masaccio1 brought it about that by means of continuous study he learnt so much that he can be numbered among the first who cleared away1 in a great measure1 the hardness1 the imperfections1 and the difficulties of the art1 and that he gave a beginning to beautiful attitudes1 movements1 liveliness1 and vivacity1 and to a certain relief truly characteristic and natural2 which no painter up to his time had ever done4 ,and since he had excellent judgment1 he reflected that all the figures that did not stand firmly with their feet in foreshortening on the level1 but stood on tip-toe1 were lacking in all goodness of manner in the essential points1 and that those who make them thus show that they do not understand foreshortening4 ,and although ,paolo ,uccello had tried his hand at this1 and had done something1 solving this difficulty to some extent1 yet ,masaccio1 introducing many new methods1 made foreshortenings from every point of view much better than any other who had lived up to that time4 ,and he painted his works with good unity and softness1 harmonizing the flesh-colours of the heads and of the nudes with the colours of the draperies1 which he delighted to make with few folds and simple1 as they are in life and nature4 ,this has been of great use to craftsmen1 and he deserves therefore to be commended as if he had been its inventor1 for in truth the works made before his day can be said to be painted1 while his are living1 real1 and natural1 in comparison with those made by the others4 ,illustration3 ,,masaccio3 ,,the ,,adoration ,,of ,,the ,,magi 7,berlin3 ,kaiser ,friedrich ,museum1 #eh;,a4 ,panel7 ,this man was born at ,castello ,san ,giovanni in ,valdarno1 and they say that one may still see there some figures made by him in his earliest childhood4 ,he was a very absent-minded and careless person1 as one who1 having fixed his whole mind and will on the matters of art1 cared little about himself1 and still less about others4 ,and since he would never give any manner of thought to the cares and concerns of the world1 or even to clothing himself1 and was not wont to recover his money from his debtors1 save only when he was in the greatest straits1 his name was therefore changed from ,tommaso to ,masaccio1#ac not1 indeed1 because he was vicious1 for he was goodness itself1 but by reason of his so great carelessness2 and with all this1 nevertheless1 he was so amiable in doing the service and pleasure of others1 that nothing more could be desired4 ,footnote #ac3 ,careless ,tom1 or ,hulking ,tom 7not necessarily in disapproval74 ,he began painting at the time when ,masolino da ,panicale was working on the ,chapel of the ,brancacci in the ,carmine1 in ,florence1 ever following1 in so far as he was able1 in the steps of ,filippo and ,donato1 although their branch of art was different1 and seeking continually in his work to make his figures very lifelike and with a beautiful liveliness in the likeness of nature4 ,and his lineaments and his painting were so modern and so different from those of the others1 that his works can safely stand in comparison with any drawing and colouring of our own day4 ,he was very zealous at his labours1 and a marvellous master of the difficulties of perspective1 as it is seen in a story painted by him with small figures1 which is to-day in the house of ,ridolfo del ,ghirlandajo4 ,in this story1 besides a ,christ who is delivering the man possessed by a devil1 there are very beautiful buildings in perspective1 drawn in a manner that they show at one and the same time both the inside and the outside1 by reason of his having chosen the point of view1 not of the front1 but over the corners1 as being more difficult4 ,he sought more than any other master to make his figures nude and foreshortened1 which was little done before his day4 ,he had great facility in handling1 and1 as it has been said1 he is very simple in his draperies4 ,there is a panel by his hand1 wrought in distemper1 wherein is a ,madonna upon the lap of ,s4 ,anne1 with the ,child in her arms4 ,this panel is to-day in ,s4 ,ambrogio in ,florence1 in the chapel that is beside the door that leads to the parlour of the nuns4 ,and in the tramezzo#ad of the ,church of ,s4 ,niccolo1 on the other side of the ,arno1 there is a panel by the hand of ,masaccio1 painted in distemper1 wherein1 besides the ,madonna1 who is receiving the ,annunciation from the ,angel1 there is a building with many columns1 drawn in perspective and very beautiful1 seeing that1 besides the drawing of the lines1 which is perfect1 he made it recede by means of the colouring1 in a manner that little by little1 almost imperceptibly1 it is lost to view2 thus showing clearly his knowledge of perspective4 ,in the ,badia of ,florence1 on a pilaster opposite to one of those that support the arch of the high-altar1 he painted in fresco ,s4 ,ivo of ,brittany1 representing him within a niche1 in order that the feet might appear foreshortened to the eye below2 which device1 not having been used so well by others1 acquired for him no small praise4 ,and below the said ,saint1 over another cornice1 he made a throng of widows1 orphans1 and beggars1 who receive assistance from that ,saint in their needs4 ,in ,s4 ,maria ,novella1 also1 below the tramezzo#ae of the church1 he painted a ,trinity in fresco1 which is placed over the altar of ,s4 ,ignazio1 with ,our ,lady on one side and ,s4 ,john the ,evangelist on the other contemplating ,christ ,crucified4 ,on the sides are two figures on their knees1 which1 in so far as it can be determined1 are portraits of the men who had the picture painted2 but little is seen of them1 for they have been covered with a gilt ornament4 ,but the most beautiful thing1 apart from the figures1 is a barrel-shaped vaulting1 drawn in perspective and divided into squares filled with rosettes1 which are foreshortened and made to diminish so well that the wall appears to be pierced4 ,in ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore1 also1 near the side-door that leads to ,s4 ,giovanni1 on the panel of a chapel1 he painted a ,madonna1 with ,s4 ,catherine and ,s4 ,julian4 ,on the predella he made some little figures1 connected with the life of ,s4 ,catherine1 with ,s4 ,julian murdering his father and mother2 and in the middle he made the ,nativity of ,christ1 with that simplicity and vividness which were characteristic of his work4 ,footnote #ad3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,footnote #ae3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,in the ,church of the ,carmine in ,pisa1 on a panel that is in a chapel in the tramezzo1#af there is a ,madonna with the ,child1 by his hand1 and at her feet are certain little angels sounding instruments1 one of whom1 playing on a lute1 is listening attentively to the harmony of that sound4 ,on either side of the ,madonna are ,s4 ,peter1 ,s4 ,john the ,baptist1 ,s4 ,julian1 and ,s4 ,nicholas1 all very lifelike and vivacious figures4 ,in the predella below are scenes from the lives of those ,saints1 with little figures2 and in the centre are the three ,magi offering their treasures to ,christ4 ,in this part are some horses portrayed from life1 so beautiful that nothing better can be desired2 and the men of the ,court of those three ,kings are clothed in various costumes that were worn in those times4 ,and above1 as an ornament for the said panel1 there are1 in several squares1 many saints round a ,crucifix4 ,it is believed that the figure of a saint1 in the robes of a ,bishop and painted in fresco1 which is in that church1 beside the door that leads into the convent1 is by the hand of ,masaccio2 but ,i hold it as certain that it is by the hand of ,fra ,filippo1 his disciple4 ,footnote #af3 ,see note above4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,trinity 7,after the fresco by ,masaccio4 ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria ,novella7 ,anderson ,returning from ,pisa to ,florence1 he wrought there a panel containing a man and a woman1 nude and of the size of life1 which is to-day in the ,palla ,rucellai ,palace4 ,then1 not feeling at ease in ,florence1 and stimulated by his affection and love for art1 he determined to go to ,rome1 in order to learn and to surpass others2 and this he did4 ,and having acquired very great fame there1 he painted for ,cardinal ,san ,clemente a chapel in the ,church of ,s4 ,clemente1 wherein he made in fresco the ,passion of ,christ1 with the ,thieves on the ,cross1 and the stories of ,s4 ,catherine the martyr4 ,he also made many panels in distemper1 which have been all lost or destroyed in the troublous times of ,rome2 one being in the ,church of ,s4 ,maria ,maggiore1 in a little chapel near the sacristy1 wherein are four saints1 so well wrought that they appear to be in relief1 and in the midst of them is ,s4 ,maria della ,neve1 with the portrait from nature of ,pope ,martin1 who is tracing out the foundations of that church with a hoe1 and beside him the ,emperor ,sigismund ,,ii4 ,michelagnolo and ,i were one day examining this work1 when he praised it much1 and then added that these men were alive in ,masaccio's time4 ,to him1 while ,pisanello and ,gentile da ,fabriano were labouring in ,rome for ,pope ,martin on the walls of the ,church of ,s4 ,gianni1 these masters had allotted a part of the work1 when he returned to ,florence1 having had news that ,cosimo de' ,medici1 by whom he was much assisted and favoured1 had been recalled from exile2 and there he was commissioned to paint the ,chapel of the ,brancacci in the ,carmine1 by reason of the death of ,masolino da ,panicale1 who had begun it2 but before putting his hand to this1 he made1 by way of specimen1 the ,s4 ,paul that is near the bell-ropes1 in order to show the improvement that he had made in his art4 ,and he demonstrated truly infinite excellence in this picture1 for in the head of that ,saint1 who is ,bartolo di ,angiolino ,angiolini portrayed from life1 there is seen an expression so awful that there appears to be nothing lacking in that figure save speech2 and he who has not known ,s4 ,paul will see1 by looking at this picture1 his honourable ,roman culture1 together with the unconquerable strength of that most divine spirit1 all intent on the work of the faith4 ,in this same picture1 likewise1 he showed a power of foreshortening things viewed from below upwards which was truly marvellous1 as may still be seen to-day in the feet of the said ,apostle1 for this was a difficulty that he solved completely1 in contrast with the old rude manner1 which1 as ,i said a little before1 used to make all the figures on tip-toe2 which manner lasted up to his day1 without any other man correcting it1 and he1 by himself and before any other1 brought it to the excellence of our own day4 ,it came to pass1 the while that he was labouring at this work1 that the said ,church of the ,carmine was consecrated2 and ,masaccio1 in memory of this1 painted the consecration just as it took place1 with terra-verde and in chiaroscuro1 over the door that leads into the convent1 within the cloister4 ,and he portrayed therein an infinite number of citizens in mantles and hoods1 who are following the procession1 among whom he painted ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco in wooden shoes1 ,donatello1 ,masolino da ,panicale1 who had been his master1 ,antonio ,brancacci1 who caused him to paint the chapel1 ,niccolo da ,uzzano1 ,giovanni di ,bicci de' ,medici1 and ,bartolommeo ,valori1 who are all also portrayed by the hand of the same man in the house of ,simon ,corsi1 a gentleman of ,florence4 ,he also painted there ,lorenzo ,ridolfi1 who was at that time the ambassador of the ,florentine ,republic in ,venice2 and not only did he portray there the aforesaid gentlemen from the life1 but also the door of the convent and the porter with the keys in his hand4 ,this work1 truly1 shows great perfection1 for ,masaccio was so successful in placing these people1 five or six to a file1 on the level of that piazza1 and in making them diminish to the eye with proportion and judgment1 that it is indeed a marvel1 and above all because we can recognize there the wisdom that he showed in making those men1 as if they were alive1 not all of one size1 but with a certain discretion which distinguishes those who are short and stout from those who are tall and slender2 while they are all standing with their feet firmly on one level1 and so well foreshortened along the files that they would not be otherwise in nature4 ,after this1 returning to the work of the ,chapel of the ,brancacci1 and continuing the stories of ,s4 ,peter begun by ,masolino1 he finished a part of them--namely1 the story of the ,chair1 the healing of the sick1 the raising of the dead1 and the restoring of the cripples with his shadow as he was going to the ,temple with ,s4 ,john4 ,but the most notable among them all is that one wherein ,s4 ,peter1 at ,christ's command1 is taking the money from the belly of the fish1 in order to pay the tribute1 since 7besides the fact that we see there in an ,apostle1 the last of the group1 the portrait of ,masaccio himself1 made by his own hand with the help of a mirror1 so well that it appears absolutely alive7 we can recognize there the ardour of ,s4 ,peter in his questioning and the attentiveness of the ,apostles1 who are standing in various attitudes round ,christ1 awaiting his determination1 with gestures so vivid that they truly appear alive4 ,wonderful1 above all1 is the ,s4 ,peter who1 while he is labouring to draw the money from the belly of the fish1 has his head suffused with blood by reason of bending down2 and he is even more wonderful as he pays the tribute1 for here we see his expression as he counts it1 and the eagerness of him who is receiving it and looking at the money in his hand with the greatest pleasure4 ,there1 also1 he painted the resurrection of the ,king's son1 wrought by ,s4 ,peter and ,s4 ,paul2 although by reason of the death of ,masaccio the work remained unfinished1 and was afterwards completed by ,filippino4 ,in the scene wherein ,s4 ,peter is baptizing1 a naked man1 who is trembling and shivering with cold among the others who are being baptized1 is greatly esteemed1 having been wrought with very beautiful relief and sweet manner2 which figure has ever been held in reverence and admiration by all craftsmen1 both ancient and modern4 ,for this reason that chapel has been frequented continually up to our own day by innumerable draughtsmen and masters2 and there still are therein some heads so lifelike and so beautiful1 that it may truly be said that no master of that age approached so nearly as this man did to the moderns4 ,his labours therefore deserve infinite praise1 and above all because he gave form in his art to the beautiful manner of our times4 ,and that this is true is proved by the fact that all the most celebrated sculptors and painters1 who have lived from his day to our own1 have become excellent and famous by exercising themselves and studying in this chapel--namely1 ,fra ,giovanni da ,fiesole1 ,fra ,filippo1 ,filippino1 who finished it1 ,alesso ,baldovinetti1 ,andrea dal ,castagno1 ,andrea del ,verrocchio1 ,domenico del ,ghirlandajo1 ,sandro di ,botticello1 ,leonardo da ,vinci1 ,pietro ,perugino1 ,fra ,bartolommeo di ,san ,marco1 ,mariotto ,albertinelli1 and the most divine ,michelagnolo ,buonarroti2 likewise ,raffaello da ,urbino1 who owed to this chapel the beginning of his beautiful manner1 ,granaccio1 ,lorenzo di ,credi1 ,ridolfo del ,ghirlandajo1 ,andrea del ,sarto1 ,rosso1 ,franciabigio1 ,baccio ,bandinelli1 ,alonso ,spagnuolo1 ,jacopo da ,pontormo1 ,pierino del ,vaga1 and ,toto del ,nunziata2 and in short1 all those who have sought to learn that art have ever gone to this chapel to learn and to grasp the precepts and the rules for good work from the figures of ,masaccio4 ,and if ,i have not named many foreigners and many ,florentines who have gone to that chapel for the sake of study1 let it suffice to say that where the heads of art go1 the members also follow4 ,but although the works of ,masaccio have ever been in so great repute1 it is nevertheless the opinion--nay1 the firm belief--of many1 that he would have produced even greater fruits in his art1 if death1 which tore him from us at the age of twenty-six1 had not snatched him away from us so prematurely4 ,but either by reason of envy1 or because good things rarely have any long duration1 he died in the flower of his youth1 and that so suddenly1 that there were not wanting people who put it down to poison rather than to any other reason4 ,illustration3 ,,masaccio3 ,,the ,,madonna ,,enthroned ,,with ,,angel ,,musicians 7,collection of ,rev4 ,a4 ,f4 ,sutton4 ,panel7 ,it is said that ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 hearing of his death1 exclaimed1 ,we have suffered a very great loss in ,masaccio1 and that it grieved him infinitely1 for he had spent much time in demonstrating to ,masaccio many rules of perspective and of architecture4 ,he was buried in the same ,church of the ,carmine in the year #addc1 and although1 since he had been little esteemed when alive1 no memorial was then placed over his tomb1 yet after his death there were not wanting men to honour him with these epitaphs3 ,,by ,,annibal ,,caro4 ,,pinsi1 ,e ,,la ,,mia ,,pittura ,,al ,,ver ,,fu ,,pari2 ,l',,atteggiai1 ,l',,avvivai1 ,,le ,,diedi ,,il ,,moto1 ,,le ,,diedi ,,affetto4 ,,insegni ,,il ,,buonarroto ,a ,,tutti ,,gli ,,altri1 ,e ,,da ,,me ,,solo ,,impari4 ,,by ,,fabio ,,segni4 ,,invida ,,cur ,,lachesis ,,primo ,,sub ,,flore ,,juventae ,,pollice ,,discindis ,,stamina ,,funereo8 ,,hoc ,,uno ,,occiso ,,innumeros ,,occidis ,,apelles2 ,,picturae ,,omnis ,,obit1 ,,hoc ,,obeunte1 ,,lepos4 ,,hoc ,,sole ,,extincto1 ,,extinguuntur ,,sidera ,,cuncta4 ,,heu6 ,,decus ,,omne ,,perit1 ,,hoc ,,pereunte1 ,,simul4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,tribute ,,money 7,after the fresco by ,masaccio4 ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria del ,carmine7 ,anderson ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,,life ,,of ,,filippo ,,brunelleschi ,,filippo ,,di ,,ser ,,brunellesco ,,sculptor ,,and ,,architect ,many men are created by nature small in person and in features1 who have a mind full of such greatness and a heart of such irresistible vehemence1 that if they do not begin difficult--nay1 almost impossible--undertakings1 and bring them to completion to the marvel of all who behold them1 they have never any peace in their lives2 and whatsoever work chance puts into their hands1 however lowly and base it may be1 they give it value and nobility4 ,wherefore no one should turn up his nose when he encounters people who have not1 in their aspect1 that primal grace or beauty which nature should give1 on his coming into the world1 to a man who works at any art1 seeing that there is no doubt that beneath the clods of the earth are hidden veins of gold4 ,and very often1 in those who are most insignificant in form1 there are born so great generosity of mind and so great sincerity of heart1 that1 if nobility be mingled with these1 nothing short of the greatest marvels can be looked for from them1 for the reason that they strive to embellish the ugliness of the body with the beauty of the intellect2 as it is clearly seen in ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 who was no less insignificant in person than ,messer ,forese da ,rabatta and ,giotto1 but so lofty in intellect that it can be truly said that he was sent to us by ,heaven in order to give new form to architecture1 which had been out of mind for hundreds of years2 for the men of those times had spent much treasure to no purpose1 making buildings without order1 with bad method1 with sorry design1 with most strange inventions1 with most ungraceful grace1 and with even worse ornament4 ,and ,heaven ordained1 since the earth had been for so many years without any supreme mind or divine spirit1 that ,filippo should bequeath to the world the greatest1 the most lofty1 and the most beautiful building that was ever made in modern times1 or even in those of the ancients1 proving that the talent of the ,tuscan craftsmen1 although lost1 was not therefore dead4 ,heaven adorned him1 moreover1 with the best virtues1 among which was that of kindliness1 so that no man was ever more benign or more amiable than he4 ,in judgment he was free from passion1 and when he saw worth and merit in others he would sacrifice his own advantage and the interest of his friends4 ,he knew himself1 he shared the benefit of his own talent with many1 and he was ever succouring his neighbour in his necessities4 ,he declared himself a capital enemy of vice1 and a friend of those who practised virtue4 ,he never spent his time uselessly1 but would labour to meet the needs of others1 either by himself or by the agency of other men2 and he would visit his friends on foot and ever succour them4 ,it is said that there was in ,florence a man of very good repute1 most praiseworthy in his way of life and active in his business1 whose name was ,ser ,brunellesco di ,lippo ,lapi1 who had had a grandfather called ,cambio1 who was a learned person and the son of a physician very famous in those times1 named ,maestro ,ventura ,bacherini4 ,now ,ser ,brunellesco1 taking to wife a most excellent young woman from the noble family of the ,spini1 received1 as part payment of her dowry1 a house wherein he and his sons dwelt to the day of their death4 ,this house stands opposite to one side of ,s4 ,michele ,berteldi1 in a close past the ,piazza degli ,agli4 ,the while that he was occupying himself thus and living happily1 in the year #acih there was born to him a son1 to whom he gave the name ,filippo1 after his own father1 now dead2 and he celebrated this birth with the greatest gladness possible4 ,thereupon he taught him in his childhood1 with the utmost attention1 the first rudiments of letters1 wherein the boy showed himself so ingenious and so lofty in spirit that his brain was often in doubt1 as if he did not care to become very perfect in them--nay1 it appeared that he directed his thoughts on matters of greater utility--wherefore ,ser ,brunellesco1 who wished him to follow his own vocation of notary1 or that of his great-great-grandfather1 was very much displeased4 ,but seeing him continually investigating ingenious problems of art and mechanics1 he made him learn arithmetic and writing1 and then apprenticed him to the goldsmith's art with one his friend1 to the end that he might learn design4 ,and this gave great satisfaction to ,filippo1 who1 not many years after beginning to learn and to practise that art1 could set precious stones better than any old craftsman in that vocation4 ,he occupied himself with niello and with making larger works1 such as some figures in silver1 whereof two1 half-length prophets1 are placed at the head of the altar of ,s4 ,jacopo in ,pistoia2 these figures1 which are held very beautiful1 were wrought by him for the ,wardens of ,works in that city2 and he made works in low-relief1 wherein he showed that he had so great knowledge in his vocation that his intellect must needs overstep the bounds of that art4 ,wherefore1 having made acquaintance with certain studious persons1 he began to penetrate with his fancy into questions of time1 of motion1 of weights1 and of wheels1 and how the latter can be made to revolve1 and by what means they can be set in motion2 and thus he made some very good and very beautiful clocks with his own hand4 ,not content with this1 there arose in his mind a very great inclination for sculpture2 and this took effect1 for ,donatello1 then a youth1 being held an able sculptor and one of great promise1 ,filippo began to be ever in his company1 and the two conceived such great love for each other1 by reason of the talents of each1 that one appeared unable to live without the other4 ,whereupon ,filippo1 who was most capable in various ways1 gave attention to many professions1 nor had he practised these long before he was held by persons qualified to judge to be a very good architect1 as he showed in many works in connection with the fitting up of houses1 such as the house of ,apollonio ,lapi1 his kinsman1 in the ,canto de' ,ciai1 towards the ,mercato ,vecchio1 wherein he occupied himself greatly while the other was having it built2 and he did the same in the tower and in the house of ,petraia1 at ,castello without ,florence4 ,in the ,palace that was the habitation of the ,signoria1 he arranged and distributed all those rooms wherein the officials of the ,monte had their office1 and he made doors and windows there in the manner copied from the ancient1 which was then little used1 for architecture was very rude in ,tuscany4 ,in ,florence1 a little later1 there was a statue of lime-wood to be made for the ,friars of ,s4 ,spirito1 representing ,s4 ,mary ,magdalene in ,penitence1 to be placed in a chapel2 and ,filippo1 who had wrought many little things in sculpture1 desiring to show that he was able to succeed in large works as well1 undertook to make the said figure1 which1 when put into execution and finished1 was held something very beautiful2 but it was destroyed afterwards1 together with many other notable works1 in the year #adga1 when that church was burnt down4 ,he gave much attention to perspective1 which was then in a very evil plight by reason of many errors that were made therein2 and in this he spent much time1 until he found by himself a method whereby it might become true and perfect--namely1 that of tracing it with the ground-plan and profile and by means of intersecting lines1 which was something truly most ingenious and useful to the art of design4 ,in this he took so great delight that he drew with his own hand the ,piazza di ,s4 ,giovanni1 with all the compartments of black and white marble wherewith that church was incrusted1 which he foreshortened with singular grace2 and he drew1 likewise1 the building of the ,misericordia1 with the shops of the ,wafer-,makers and the ,volta de' ,pecori1 and the column of ,s4 ,zanobi on the other side4 ,this work1 bringing him praise from craftsmen and from all who had judgment in that art1 encouraged him so greatly that it was not long before he put his hand to another and drew the ,palace1 the ,piazza1 and the ,loggia of the ,signori1 together with the roof of the ,pisani and all the buildings that are seen round that ,piazza2 and these works were the means of arousing the minds of the other craftsmen1 who afterwards devoted themselves to this with great zeal4 ,he taught it1 in particular1 to the painter ,masaccio1 then a youth and much his friend1 who did him credit in this art that ,filippo showed him1 as it is apparent from the buildings in his works4 ,nor did he refrain from teaching it even to those who worked in tarsia1 which is the art of inlaying coloured woods2 and he stimulated them so greatly that he was the source of a good style and of many useful changes that were made in that craft1 and of many excellent works wrought both then and afterwards1 which have brought fame and profit to ,florence for many years4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,crucifixion 7,after ,filippo ,brunelleschi4 ,florence3 ,s4 ,maria ,novella7 ,alinari ,now ,messer ,paolo dal ,pozzo ,toscanelli1 returning from his studies1 and chancing one evening to be at supper in a garden with some of his friends1 invited ,filippo1 who1 hearing him discourse on the mathematical arts1 formed such an intimacy with him that he learnt geometry from ,messer ,paolo2 and although ,filippo had no learning1 he reasoned so well in every matter with his instinct1 sharpened by practice and experience1 that he would many times confound him4 ,and so he went on to give attention to the study of the ,christian ,scriptures1 never failing to be present at the disputations and preachings of learned persons1 from which he gained so much advantage1 by reason of his admirable memory1 that the aforesaid ,messer ,paolo was wont to extol him and to say that in hearing ,filippo argue he appeared to be hearing a new ,s4 ,paul4 ,he also gave much attention at this time to the works of ,dante1 which he understood very well with regard to the places described and their proportions1 and he would avail himself of them in his conversations1 quoting them often in making comparisons4 ,he did naught else with his thoughts but invent and imagine ingenious and difficult things2 nor could he ever find an intellect more to his satisfaction than that of ,donato1 with whom he was ever holding familiar discourse1 and they took pleasure in one another and would confer together over the difficulties of their vocation4 ,now in those days ,donato had finished a ,crucifix of wood1 which was placed in ,s4 ,croce in ,florence1 below the scene of the child being restored to life by ,s4 ,francis1 painted by ,taddeo ,gaddi1 and he wished to have the opinion of ,filippo about this work2 but he repented1 for ,filippo answered that he had placed a ploughman on the ,cross2 whence there arose the saying1 ,take wood and make one thyself1 as it is related at length in the ,life of ,donato4 ,whereupon ,filippo1 who would never get angry1 whatever might be said to him1 although he might have reason for anger1 stayed in seclusion for many months until he had finished a ,crucifix of wood of the same size1 so excellent1 and wrought with so much art1 design1 and diligence1 that ,donato--whom he had sent to his house ahead of himself1 as it were to surprise him1 for he did not know that ,filippo had made such a work--having an apron full of eggs and other things for their common dinner1 let it fall as he gazed at the work1 beside himself with marvel at the ingenious and masterly manner that ,filippo had shown in the legs1 the trunk1 and the arms of the said figure1 which was so well composed and united together that ,donato1 besides admitting himself beaten1 proclaimed it a miracle4 ,this work is placed to-day in ,s4 ,maria ,novella1 between the ,chapel of the ,strozzi and that of the ,bardi da ,vernia1 and it is still very greatly extolled by the moderns4 ,wherefore1 the talent of these truly excellent masters being recognized1 they received a commission from the ,guild of ,butchers and from the ,guild of ,linen-,manufacturers for two figures in marble1 to be made for their niches1 which are on the outside of ,orsanmichele4 ,having undertaken other work1 ,filippo left these figures to ,donato to make by himself1 and ,donato executed them to perfection4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,sacrifice ,,of ,,isaac 7,after ,lorenzo ,ghiberti4 ,florence3 ,bargello7 ,brogi ,after these things1 in the year #adja1 now that sculpture had risen to so great a height1 it was determined to reconstruct the two bronze doors of the ,church and ,baptistery of ,s4 ,giovanni1 since1 from the death of ,andrea ,pisano to that day1 they had not had any masters capable of executing them4 ,this intention being1 therefore1 communicated to those sculptors who were then in ,tuscany1 they were sent for1 and each man was given a provision and the space of a year to make one scene2 and among those called upon were ,filippo and ,donato1 each of them being required to make one scene by himself1 in competition with ,lorenzo ,ghiberti1 ,jacopo#ag della ,fonte1 ,simone da ,colle1 ,francesco di ,valdambrina1 and ,niccolo d',arezzo4 ,these scenes1 being finished in the same year and being brought together for comparison1 were all most beautiful and different one from the other2 one was well designed and badly wrought1 as was that of ,donato2 another was very well designed and diligently wrought1 but the composition of the scene1 with the gradual diminution of the figures1 was not good1 as was the case with that of ,jacopo della ,quercia2 a third was poor in invention and in the figures1 which was the manner wherein ,francesco di ,valdambrina had executed his2 and the worst of all were those of ,niccolo d',arezzo and ,simone da ,colle4 ,the best was that of ,lorenzo di ,cione ,ghiberti1 which had design1 diligence1 invention1 art1 and the figures very well wrought4 ,nor was that of ,filippo much inferior1 wherein he had represented ,abraham sacrificing ,isaac2 and in that scene a slave who is drawing a thorn from his foot1 while he is awaiting ,abraham and the ass is browsing1 deserves no little praise4 ,footnote #ag3 ,i4e41 ,jacopo della ,quercia4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,sacrifice ,,of ,,isaac 7,after ,filippo ,brunelleschi4 ,florence3 ,bargello7 ,anderson ,the scenes1 then1 being exhibited1 ,filippo and ,donato were not satisfied with any save with that of ,lorenzo1 and they judged him to be better qualified for that work than themselves and the others who had made the other scenes4 ,and so with good reasons they persuaded the ,consuls to allot the work to ,lorenzo1 showing that thus both the public and the private interest would be best served2 and this was indeed the true goodness of friendship1 excellence without envy1 and a sound judgment in the knowledge of their own selves1 whereby they deserved more praise than if they had executed the work to perfection4 ,happy spirits6 who1 while they were assisting one another1 took delight in praising the labours of others4 ,how unhappy are those of our own day1 who1 not sated with injuring each other1 burst with envy while rending others4 ,the ,consuls besought ,filippo to undertake the work in company with ,lorenzo1 but he refused1 being minded rather to be first in an art of his own than an equal or a second in that work4 ,wherefore he presented the scene that he had wrought in bronze to ,cosimo de' ,medici1 who after a time had it placed on the dossal of the altar in the old ,sacristy of ,s4 ,lorenzo1 where it is to be found at present2 and that of ,donato was placed in the ,guild of the ,exchange4 ,the commission being given to ,lorenzo ,ghiberti1 ,filippo and ,donato1 who were together1 resolved to depart from ,florence in company and to live for some years in ,rome1 to the end that ,filippo might study architecture and ,donato sculpture2 and this ,filippo did from his desire to be superior both to ,lorenzo and to ,donato1 in proportion as architecture is held to be more necessary for the practical needs of men than sculpture and painting4 ,after he had sold a little farm that he had at ,settignano1 they departed from ,florence and went to ,rome1 where1 seeing the grandeur of the buildings and the perfection of the fabrics of the temples1 ,filippo would stand in a maze like a man out of his mind4 ,and so1 having made arrangements for measuring the cornices and taking the ground-plans of those buildings1 he and ,donato kept labouring continually1 sparing neither time nor expense4 ,there was no place1 either in ,rome or in the ,campagna without1 that they left unvisited1 and nothing of the good that they did not measure1 if only they could find it4 ,and since ,filippo was free from domestic cares1 he gave himself over body and soul to his studies1 and took no thought for eating or sleeping1 being intent on one thing only--namely1 architecture1 which was now dead 7,i mean the good ancient ,orders1 and not the barbarous ,german1 which was much in use in his time74 ,and he had in his mind two vast conceptions1 one being to restore to light the good manner of architecture1 since he believed that if he could recover it he would leave behind no less a name for himself than ,cimabue and ,giotto had done2 and the other was to find a method1 if he could1 of raising the ,cupola of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore in ,florence1 the difficulties of which were such that after the death of ,arnolfo ,lapi there had been no one courageous enough to think of raising it without vast expenditure for a wooden framework4 ,yet he did not impart this his invention to ,donato or to any living soul1 nor did he rest in ,rome till he had considered all the difficulties connected with the ,ritonda1 wondering how the vaulting was raised4 ,he had noted and drawn all the ancient vaults1 and was for ever studying them2 and if peradventure they had found pieces of capitals1 columns1 cornices1 and bases of buildings buried underground1 they would set to work and have them dug out1 in order to examine them thoroughly4 ,wherefore a rumour spread through ,rome1 as they passed through the streets1 going about carelessly dressed1 so that they were called the treasure-seekers1 people believing that they were persons who studied geomancy in order to discover treasure2 and this was because they had one day found an ancient earthenware vase full of medals4 ,filippo ran short of money and contrived to make this good by setting jewels of price for certain goldsmiths who were his friends2 and thus he was left alone in ,rome1 for ,donato returned to ,florence1 while he1 with greater industry and labour than before1 was for ever investigating the ruins of those buildings4 ,nor did he rest until he had drawn every sort of building--round1 square1 and octagonal temples1 basilicas1 aqueducts1 baths1 arches1 colossea1 amphitheatres1 and every temple built of bricks1 from which he copied the methods of binding and of clamping with ties1 and also of encircling vaults with them2 and he noted the ways of making buildings secure by binding the stones together1 by iron bars1 and by dove-tailing2 and1 discovering a hole hollowed out under the middle of each great stone1 he found that this was meant to hold the iron instrument1 which is called by us the ulivella1#ah wherewith the stones are drawn up2 and this he reintroduced and brought into use afterwards4 ,he then distinguished the different ,orders one from another--,doric1 ,ionic1 and ,corinthian2 and so zealous was his study that his intellect became very well able to see ,rome1 in imagination1 as she was when she was not in ruins4 ,in the year #adjg the air of that city gave ,filippo a slight indisposition1 wherefore1 being advised by his friends to try a change of air1 he returned to ,florence4 ,there many buildings had suffered by reason of his absence2 and for these1 on his arrival1 he gave many designs and much advice4 ,footnote #ah3 ,this was probably something like the modern lewis4 ,in the same year a congress of architects and engineers of the country was summoned by the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore and by the ,consuls of the ,guild of ,wool1 to discuss methods for raising the cupola4 ,among these appeared ,filippo1 giving it as his advice that it was necessary1 not to raise the fabric directly from the roof according to the design of ,arnolfo1 but to make a frieze fifteen braccia in height1 with a large round window in the middle of each of its sides1 since not only would this take the weight off the supports of the tribunes1 but it would become easier to raise the cupola2 and models were made in this way1 and were put into execution4 ,filippo1 being restored to health after some months1 was standing one morning in the ,piazza di ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore with ,donato and other craftsmen1 when they began to talk of antiquities in connection with sculpture1 and ,donato related how1 when he was returning from ,rome1 he had made the journey through ,orvieto1 in order to see that marble facade of the ,duomo1 a work greatly celebrated1 wrought by the hands of diverse masters and held to be something notable in those times2 and how1 in passing afterwards by ,cortona1 he entered the ,pieve and saw a very beautiful ancient sarcophagus1 whereon there was a scene in marble--a rare thing then1 when there had not been unearthed that abundance which has been found in our own day4 ,and as ,donato went on to describe the method that the master of that work had used in its execution1 and the finish that was to be seen therein1 together with the perfection and the excellence of the workmanship1 ,filippo became fired with an ardent desire to see it1 and went off on foot just as he was1 in his mantle1 cap1 and wooden shoes1 without saying where he was going1 and allowed himself to be carried to ,cortona by the devotion and love that he bore to art4 ,and having seen the sarcophagus1 and being pleased with it1 he made a drawing of it with the pen1 and returned with that to ,florence1 without ,donato or any other person knowing that he had been away1 for they thought he must have been drawing or inventing something4 ,having thus returned to ,florence1 he showed him the drawing of the sarcophagus1 which he had made with great patience1 whereat ,donato marvelled not a little1 seeing how much love ,filippo bore to art4 ,after this he stayed many months in ,florence1 where he kept making models and machines in secret1 all for the work of the cupola1 exchanging jokes the while with his fellow-craftsmen--for it was then that he played the jest of the ,fat ,man and ,matteo--and going very often1 for recreation1 to assist ,lorenzo ,ghiberti in polishing some part of his doors4 ,but hearing that there was some talk of providing engineers for the raising of the cupola1 and being taken one morning with the idea of returning to ,rome1 he went there1 thinking that he would be in greater repute and would be more sought for from abroad than he would be if he stayed in ,florence4 ,when he was in ,rome1 therefore1 the work came to be considered1 and so1 too1 the great acuteness of his intellect1 for he had shown in his discourse such confidence and such courage as had not been found in the other masters1 who1 together with the builders1 were standing paralyzed and helpless1 thinking that no way of raising the cupola could ever be found1 nor beams to make a bridge strong enough to sustain the framework and the weight of so great an edifice2 and having determined to make an end of the matter1 they wrote to ,filippo in ,rome1 praying him to come to ,florence4 ,he1 desiring nothing better1 returned with great readiness2 and the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore and the ,consuls of the ,guild of ,wool1 assembling on his arrival1 explained to ,filippo all the difficulties1 from the greatest to the smallest1 which were being raised by the masters1 who were in his presence at the audience together with them4 ,whereupon ,filippo spoke these words3 ,my ,lords the ,wardens1 there is no doubt that great enterprises ever present difficulties in their execution1 and if any ever did so1 this of yours presents them1 and even greater than perchance you are aware of1 for the reason that ,i do not know whether even the ancients ever raised a vault so tremendous as this will be2 and although ,i have often pondered over the framework necessary both within and without1 and how it may be possible to work at it securely1 ,i have never been able to come to any resolution1 and ,i am aghast no less at the breadth than at the height of the edifice1 for the reason that1 if it could be made round1 we might use the method used by the ,romans in raising the dome over the ,pantheon in ,rome1 that is1 the ,ritonda1 whereas here we must follow the eight sides1 and bind the stones together with ties and by dove-tailing them1 which will be something very difficult4 ,but remembering that this is a temple consecrated to ,god and to the ,virgin1 ,i am confident1 since this is being done in memory of her1 that she will not fail to infuse knowledge where it is lacking1 and to give strength1 wisdom1 and genius to him who is to be the author of such a work4 ,but how can ,i help you in this matter1 since the task is not mine8 ,i tell you1 indeed1 that if the work fell to me1 ,i would have resolution and courage enough to find the method whereby the vault might be raised without so many difficulties2 but as yet ,i have given no thought to it1 and you would have me tell you the method6 ,and when at last your ,lordships determine to have it raised1 you will be forced not only to make trial of me1 for ,i do not think myself able to be the sole adviser in so great a matter1 but also to spend money and to ordain that within a year and on a fixed day many architects shall come to ,florence1 not merely ,tuscans and ,italians1 but ,germans1 ,french1 and of every other nation2 and to propose this work to them1 to the end that1 after discussing and deciding among so many masters1 it may be begun1 being entrusted to him who shall give the most direct proof of ability or possess the best method and judgment for such an undertaking4 ,nor could ,i give you other counsel or a better plan than this4 ,the plan and the counsel of ,filippo pleased the ,consuls and the ,wardens of ,works1 but they would have liked him in the meanwhile to have made a model and to have given thought to the matter4 ,but he showed that he cared nothing for it2 nay1 taking leave of them1 he said that he had received letters soliciting him to return to ,rome4 ,whereupon the ,consuls1 perceiving that their prayers and those of the ,wardens did not avail to detain him1 caused many of his friends to entreat him2 but ,filippo would not give way1 and one morning 7on ,may #bf1 #adag7 the ,wardens decreed him a present of money1 which is found entered to the credit of ,filippo in the books of the ,office of ,works2 and all this was to conciliate him4 ,but he1 steadfast in his resolution1 took his departure none the less from ,florence and returned to ,rome1 where he studied continuously for that undertaking1 making arrangements and preparing himself for the completion of the work1 thinking1 as was true1 that no other than himself could carry it out4 ,and as for his counsel that new architects should be summoned1 ,filippo had advanced it for no other reason but that they might serve to prove the greatness of his own intellect1 and not because he thought that they would be able to vault that tribune or to undertake such a charge1 which was too difficult for them4 ,and thus much time was consumed before those architects arrived from their countries1 whom they had caused to be summoned from afar by means of orders given to ,florentine merchants who dwelt in ,france1 in ,germany1 in ,england1 and in ,spain1 and who were commissioned to spend any sum of money1 if only they could obtain the most experienced and able intellects that there were in those regions from the ,princes of those countries1 and send them to ,florence4 ,by the year #adbj1 all these ultramontane masters were finally assembled in ,florence1 and likewise those of ,tuscany and all the ingenious craftsmen of design in ,florence2 and so ,filippo returned from ,rome4 ,they all assembled1 therefore1 in the ,office of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 in the presence of the ,consuls and of the ,wardens1 together with a select body of the most ingenious citizens1 to the end that these might hear the mind of each master on the question and might decide on a method of vaulting this tribune4 ,having called them1 then1 into the audience1 they heard the minds of all1 one by one1 and the plan that each architect had devised for that work4 ,and a fine thing it was to hear their strange and diverse opinions about the matter1 for the reason that some said that piers must be built up from the level of the ground1 which should have the arches turned upon them and should uphold the wooden bridges for sustaining the weight2 others said that it was best to make the cupola of sponge-stone1 to the end that the weight might be less2 and many were agreed that a pier should be built in the centre1 and that the cupola should be raised in the shape of a pavilion1 like that of ,s4 ,giovanni in ,florence4 ,nor were there wanting men who said that it would have been a good thing to fill it with earth mingled with small coins1 to the end that1 when it had been raised1 anyone who wanted some of that earth might be given leave to go and fetch it1 and thus the people would carry it away in a moment without any expense4 ,filippo alone said that it could be raised without so much wood-work1 without piers1 without earth1 without so great expenditure on so many arches1 and very easily without any framework4 ,it appeared to the ,consuls1 who were expecting to hear of some beautiful method1 and to the ,wardens of ,works and to all those citizens1 that ,filippo had talked like a fool2 and deriding him with mocking laughter1 they turned away1 bidding him talk of something else1 seeing that this was the plan of a madman1 as he was4 ,whereupon ,filippo1 feeling himself affronted1 answered3 ,my ,lords1 rest assured that it is not possible to raise the cupola in any other manner than this2 and although you laugh at me1 you will recognize1 unless you mean to be obstinate1 that it neither must nor can be done in any other way4 ,and it is necessary1 if you wish to erect it in the way that ,i have thought of1 that it should be turned with the curve of a quarter-acute arch1 and made double1 one vault within1 and the other without1 in such wise that a man may be able to walk between the one and the other4 ,and over the corners of the angles of the eight sides the fabric must be bound together through its thickness by dove-tailing the stones1 and its sides1 likewise1 must be girt round with oaken ties4 ,and it is necessary to think of the lights1 the staircases1 and the conduits whereby the rain-water may be able to run off2 and not one of you has remembered that you must provide for the raising of scaffoldings within1 when the mosaics come to be made1 together with an infinite number of difficulties4 ,but ,i1 who see the vaulting raised1 know that there is no other method and no other way of raising it than this that ,i am describing4 ,and growing heated as he spoke1 the more he sought to expound his conception1 to the end that they might understand it and believe in it1 the greater grew their doubts about his proposal1 so that they believed in him less and less1 and held him to be an ass and a babbler4 ,whereupon1 having been dismissed several times and finally refusing to go1 he was carried away bodily from the audience by their servants1 being thought to be wholly mad2 and this affront was the reason that ,filippo could afterwards say that he did not dare to pass through any part of the city1 for fear lest someone might say3 ,there goes that madman4 ,the ,consuls remained in the ,audience ,chamber all confused1 both by the difficult methods of the original masters and by this last method of ,filippo's1 which they thought absurd1 for it appeared to them that he would ruin the work in two ways3 first1 by making the vaulting double1 which would have made it enormous and unwieldy in weight2 and secondly1 by making it without a framework4 ,on the other hand1 ,filippo1 who had spent so many years in study in order to obtain the commission1 knew not what to do and was often tempted to leave ,florence4 ,however1 wishing to prevail1 he was forced to arm himself with patience1 having insight enough to know that the brains of the men of that city did not abide very firmly by any one resolution4 ,filippo could have shown a little model that he had in his possession1 but he did not wish to show it1 having recognized the small intelligence of the ,consuls1 the envy of the craftsmen1 and the instability of the citizens1 who favoured now one and now another1 according as it pleased each man best2 and ,i do not marvel at this1 since every man in that city professes to know as much in these matters as the experienced masters know1 although those who truly understand them are but few2 and let this be said without offence to those who have the knowledge4 ,what ,filippo1 therefore1 had not been able to achieve before the tribunal1 he began to effect with individuals1 talking now to a ,consul1 now to a ,warden1 and likewise to many citizens2 and showing them part of his design1 he induced them to determine to allot this work either to him or to one of the foreigners4 ,wherefore the ,consuls1 the ,wardens of ,works1 and those citizens1 regaining courage1 assembled together1 and the architects disputed concerning this matter1 but all were overcome and conquered by ,filippo with many arguments2 and here1 so it is said1 there arose the dispute about the egg1 in the following manner4 ,they would have liked ,filippo to speak his mind in detail1 and to show his model1 as they had shown theirs2 but this he refused to do1 proposing instead to those masters1 both the foreign and the native1 that whosoever could make an egg stand upright on a flat piece of marble should build the cupola1 since thus each man's intellect would be discerned4 ,taking an egg1 therefore1 all those masters sought to make it stand upright1 but not one could find the way4 ,whereupon ,filippo1 being told to make it stand1 took it graciously1 and1 giving one end of it a blow on the flat piece of marble1 made it stand upright4 ,the craftsmen protested that they could have done the same2 but ,filippo answered1 laughing1 that they could also have raised the cupola1 if they had seen the model or the design4 ,and so it was resolved that he should be commissioned to carry out this work1 and he was told that he must give fuller information about it to the ,consuls and the ,wardens of ,works4 ,going to his house1 therefore1 he wrote down his mind on a sheet of paper as clearly as he was able1 to give to the tribunal1 in the following manner3 ,having considered the difficulties of this structure1 ,magnificent ,lords ,wardens1 ,i find that it is in no way possible to raise the cupola perfectly round1 seeing that the surface above1 where the lantern is to go1 would be so great that the laying of any weight thereupon would soon destroy it4 ,now it appears to me that those architects who have no regard for the durability of their structures1 have no love of lasting memorials1 and do not even know why they are made4 ,wherefore ,i have determined to turn the inner part of this vault in pointed sections1 following the outer sides1 and to give to these the proportion and the curve of the quarter-acute arch1 for the reason that this curve1 when turned1 ever pushes upwards1 so that1 when it is loaded with the lantern1 both will unite to make the vaulting durable4 ,at the base it must be three braccia and three quarters in thickness1 and it must rise pyramidically1 narrowing from without1 until it closes at the point where the lantern is to be2 and at this junction the vaulting must be one braccio and a quarter in thickness4 ,then on the outer side there must be another vault1 which must be two braccia and a half thick at the base1 in order to protect the inner one from the rain4 ,this one must also diminish pyramidically in due proportion1 so that it may come together at the foot of the lantern1 like the other1 in such wise that at the summit it may be two-thirds of a braccio in thickness4 ,at each angle there must be a buttress1 making eight in all3 and in the middle of every side there must be two buttresses1 making sixteen in all3 and between the said angles1 on every side1 both within and without1 there must be two buttresses1 each four braccia thick at the base4 ,the two said vaults1 built in the form of a pyramid1 must rise together in equal proportion up to the height of the round window closed by the lantern4 ,there must then be made twenty-four buttresses with the said vaults built round them1 and six arches of grey-stone blocks1 stout and long1 and well braced with irons1 which must be covered with tin2 and over the said blocks there must be iron ties1 binding the said vaulting to its buttresses4 ,the first part of the masonry1 up to the height of five braccia and a quarter1 must be solid1 leaving no vacant space1 and then the buttresses must be continued and the two vaults separated4 ,the first and second courses at the base must be strengthened throughout with long blocks of grey-stone laid horizontally across them1 in such wise that both vaults of the cupola may rest on the said blocks4 ,at the height of every nine braccia in the said vaults there must be little arches between one buttress and another1 with thick ties of oak1 to bind together the said buttresses1 which support the inner vault2 and then the said ties of oak must be covered with plates of iron1 for the sake of the staircases4 ,the buttresses must be all built of grey-stone and hard-stone1 and all the sides of the cupola must be likewise of hard-stone and bound with the buttresses up to the height of twenty-four braccia2 and from there to the top the material must be brick1 or rather1 spongestone1 according to the decision of the builder1 who must make the work as light as he is able4 ,a passage must be made on the outside above the windows1 forming a gallery below1 with an open parapet two braccia in height1 proportionately to those of the little tribunes below2 or rather1 two passages1 one above the other1 resting on a richly adorned cornice1 with the upper passage uncovered4 ,the rain water must flow from the cupola into a gutter of marble1 a third of a braccio wide1 and must run off through outlets made of hard-stone below the gutter4 ,eight ribs of marble must be made at the angles in the outer surface of the cupola1 of such thickness as may be required1 rising one braccio above the cupola1 with a cornice above by way of roof1 two braccia wide1 to serve as gable and eaves to the whole2 and these ribs must rise pyramidically from their base up to the summit4 ,the two vaults of the cupola must be built in the manner described above1 without framework1 up to the height of thirty braccia1 and from that point upwards in the manner recommended by those masters who will have the building of them1 since practice teaches us what course to pursue4 ,filippo1 having finished writing all that is above1 went in the morning to the tribunal and gave them that paper1 which they studied from end to end4 ,and although they could not grasp it all1 yet1 seeing the readiness of ,filippo's mind1 and perceiving that not one of the other architects had better ground to stand on--for he showed a manifest confidence in his speech1 ever repeating the same thing in such wise that it appeared certain that he had raised ten cupolas--the ,consuls1 drawing aside1 were minded to give him the work1 saying only that they would have liked to see something to show how this cupola could be raised without framework1 for they approved of everything else4 ,to this desire fortune was favourable1 for ,bartolommeo ,barbadori having previously resolved to have a chapel built in ,s4 ,felicita and having spoken of this to ,filippo1 the latter had put his hand to the work and had caused that chapel to be vaulted without framework1 at the right hand of the entrance into the church1 where the holy-water basin is1 also made by his hand4 ,in those days1 likewise1 he caused another to be vaulted beside the ,chapel of the ,high ,altar in ,s4 ,jacopo sopra ,arno1 for ,stiatta ,ridolfi2 and these works were the means of bringing him more credit than his words4 ,and so the ,consuls and the ,wardens of ,works1 being assured by the writing and by the work that they had seen1 gave him the commission for the cupola1 making him principal superintendent by the vote with the beans4 ,but they did not contract with him for more than twelve braccia of the whole height1 saying to him that they wished to see how the work succeeded1 and that if it succeeded as well as he promised they would not fail to commission him to do the rest4 ,it appeared a strange thing to ,filippo to see so great obstinacy and distrust in the ,consuls and ,wardens1 and1 if it had not been that he knew himself to be the only man capable of executing the work1 he would not have put his hand to it4 ,however1 desiring to gain the glory of its construction1 he undertook it1 and pledged himself to bring it to perfect completion4 ,his written statement was copied into a book wherein the provveditore kept the accounts of the debtors and creditors for wood and marble1 together with the aforesaid pledge2 and they undertook to make him the same allowance of money as they had given up to then to the other superintendents4 ,the commission given to ,filippo becoming known among the craftsmen and the citizens1 some thought well of it and others ill1 as it has ever been the case with the opinions of the populace1 of the thoughtless1 and of the envious4 ,the while that the preparations for beginning to build were being made1 a faction was formed among craftsmen and citizens1 and they appeared before the ,consuls and the ,wardens1 saying that there had been too much haste in the matter1 and that such a work as this should not be carried out by the counsel of one man alone2 that they might be pardoned for this if they had been suffering from a dearth of excellent masters1 whereas they had them in abundance2 and that it was not likely to do credit to the city1 because1 if some accident were to happen1 as is wont to come to pass sometimes in buildings1 they might be blamed1 as persons who had laid too great a charge on one man1 without considering the loss and the shame that might result to the public interest2 wherefore it would be well to give ,filippo a companion1 in order to restrain his rashness4 ,now ,lorenzo ,ghiberti had come into great repute1 by reason of having formerly given proof of his genius in the doors of ,s4 ,giovanni2 and that he was beloved by certain men who were very powerful in the ,government was proved clearly enough1 since1 seeing the glory of ,filippo waxing so great1 they wrought on the ,consuls and the ,wardens so strongly1 under the pretext of love and affection towards that building1 that he was united to ,filippo as his colleague in the work4 ,how great were the despair and the bitterness of ,filippo1 on hearing what the ,wardens had done1 may be seen from this1 that he was minded to fly from ,florence2 and if it had not been for ,donato and ,luca della ,robbia1 who comforted him1 he would have lost his reason4 ,truly impious and cruel is the rage of those who1 blinded by envy1 put into peril the honours and the beautiful works of others in their jealous emulation6 ,it was no fault of theirs1 in truth1 that ,filippo did not break his models into pieces1 burn his designs1 and throw away in less than half an hour all that labour which had occupied him for so many years4 ,the ,wardens at first made excuses to ,filippo and exhorted him to proceed1 saying that he himself and no other was the inventor and the creator of so noble a building2 but at the same time they gave the same salary to ,lorenzo as to ,filippo4 ,the work was pursued with little willingness on the part of ,filippo1 who saw that he must endure the labours that it entailed1 and must then divide the honour and the fame equally with ,lorenzo4 ,making up his mind1 however1 that he would find means to prevent ,lorenzo from continuing very long in the work1 he went on pursuing it in company with him1 in the manner suggested by the writing given to the ,wardens4 ,meanwhile1 there arose in the mind of ,filippo the idea of making such a model as had not yet been made2 wherefore1 having put his hand to this1 he had it wrought by one ,bartolommeo1 a carpenter1 who lived near the ,studio4 ,in this model1 which had all the exact proportions measured to scale1 he made all the difficult parts1 such as staircases both lighted and dark1 and every sort of window1 door1 tie1 and buttress1 together with a part of the gallery4 ,lorenzo1 hearing of this1 wished to see it1 but ,filippo refused to let him1 whereupon he flew into a rage and ordered another model to be made for himself1 to the end that he might not appear to be drawing his salary for nothing and to be of no account in the work4 ,with regard to these models1 ,filippo was paid fifty lire and fifteen soldi for his1 as we see from an order in the book of ,migliore di ,tommaso1 dated ,october #c1 #adai1 whereas three hundred lire are entered as paid to ,lorenzo ,ghiberti for the labour and expense of his model1 more in consequence of the friendship and favour that he enjoyed than of any profit or need that the building had of it4 ,this torment lasted before the eyes of ,filippo until #adbf1 the friends of ,lorenzo calling him the inventor equally with ,filippo2 and this annoyance disturbed the mind of ,filippo so greatly that he was living in the utmost restlessness4 ,now1 having thought of various new devices1 he determined to rid himself entirely of ,lorenzo1 recognizing that he was of little account in the work4 ,filippo had already raised the cupola right round1 what with the one vault and the other1 to the height of twelve braccia1 and he had now to place upon them the ties both of stone and of wood2 and as this was a difficult matter1 he wished to discuss it with ,lorenzo1 in order to see if he had considered this difficulty4 ,and he found ,lorenzo so far from having thought of such a matter1 that he replied that he referred it to ,filippo as the inventor4 ,lorenzo's answer pleased ,filippo1 since it appeared to him that this was the way to get him removed from the work1 and to prove that he did not possess that intelligence which was claimed for him by his friends1 and to expose the favour that had placed him in that position4 ,now the masons engaged on the work were at a standstill1 waiting to be told to begin the part above the twelve braccia1 and to make the vaults and bind them with ties4 ,having begun the drawing in of the cupola towards the top1 it was necessary for them to make the scaffoldings1 to the end that the masons and their labourers might be able to work without danger1 seeing that the height was such that merely looking down brought fear and terror into the stoutest heart4 ,the masons and the other master-builders were standing waiting for directions as to the ties and the scaffoldings2 and since no decision was made either by ,lorenzo or by ,filippo1 there arose a murmuring among the masons and the other master-builders1 who saw no signs of the solicitude that had been shown before2 and because1 being poor people1 they lived by the work of their hands1 and suspected that neither one nor the other of the architects had enough courage to carry the work any further1 they went about the building occupying themselves1 to the best of their knowledge and power1 with filling up and finishing all that had as yet been built4 ,one morning ,filippo did not appear at the work1 but bound up his head and went to bed1 and caused plates and cloths to be heated with great solicitude1 groaning continually and pretending to be suffering from colic4 ,the master-builders1 who were standing waiting for orders as to what they were to do1 on hearing this1 asked ,lorenzo what they were to go on with3 but he replied that it was for ,filippo to give orders1 and that they must wait for him4 ,there was one who said1 ,what1 dost thou not know his mind8 ,yes1 answered ,lorenzo1 but ,i would do nothing without him2 and this he said to excuse himself1 because1 not having seen the model of ,filippo1 and having never asked him what method he intended to follow1 he would never commit himself in talking of the matter1 in order not to appear ignorant1 and would always make a double-edged answer1 the more so as he knew that he was employed in the work against the will of ,filippo4 ,the illness of the latter having already lasted for more than two days1 the provveditore and many of the master-masons went to see him and asked him repeatedly to tell them what they were to do4 ,and he replied1 ,you have ,lorenzo1 let him do something2 nor could they get another word out of him4 ,whereupon1 this becoming known1 there arose discussions and very adverse judgments with regard to the work3 some saying that ,filippo had gone to bed in his vexation at finding that he had not the courage to raise the cupola1 and that he was repenting of having meddled with the matter2 while his friends defended him1 saying that his anger1 if anger it was1 came from the outrage of having been given ,lorenzo as colleague1 but that his real trouble was colic1 caused by fatiguing himself overmuch at the work4 ,now1 while this noise was going on1 the building was at a standstill1 and almost all the work of the masons and stone-cutters was suspended2 and they murmured against ,lorenzo1 saying1 ,he is good enough at drawing the salary1 but as for directing the work1 not a bit of it6 ,if we had not ,filippo1 or if he were ill for long1 what would the other do8 ,is it ,filippo's fault that he is ill8 ,the ,wardens of ,works1 seeing themselves disgraced by this state of things1 determined to go and find ,filippo2 and after arriving and sympathizing with him first about his illness1 they told him in how great confusion the building stood and what troubles his illness had brought upon them4 ,whereupon ,filippo1 speaking with great heat both under the cloak of illness and from love of the work1 replied1 ,is not that ,lorenzo there8 ,can he do nothing8 ,and ,i marvel at you as well4 ,then the ,wardens answered1 ,he will do naught without thee2 and ,filippo retorted1 ,but ,i could do well without him4 ,this retort1 so acute and double-edged1 was enough for them1 and they went their way1 convinced that ,filippo was ill from nothing but the desire to work alone4 ,they sent his friends1 therefore1 to get him out of bed1 with the intention of removing ,lorenzo from the work4 ,wherefore ,filippo returned to the building1 but1 seeing that ,lorenzo was still strongly favoured and that he would have his salary without any labour whatsoever1 he thought of another method whereby he might disgrace him and demonstrate conclusively his little knowledge in that profession2 and he made the following discourse to the ,wardens in the presence of ,lorenzo3 ,my ,lords the ,wardens of ,works1 if the time that is lent to us to live were as surely ours as the certainty of dying1 there is no doubt whatsoever that many things which are begun would be completed instead of remaining unfinished4 ,the accident of this sickness from which ,i have suffered might have cut short my life and put a stop to the work2 wherefore ,i have thought of a plan whereby1 if ,i should ever fall sick again1 or ,lorenzo1 which ,god forbid1 one or the other may be able to pursue his part of the work4 ,even as your ,lordships have divided the salary between us1 let the work also be divided1 to the end that each of us1 being spurred to show his knowledge1 may be confident of acquiring honour and profit from our ,republic4 ,now there are two most difficult things which have to be put into execution at the present time3 one is the making of the scaffoldings to enable the masons to do their work1 which have to be used both within and without the building1 where they must support men1 stones1 and lime1 and sustain the crane for lifting weights1 with other instruments of that kind2 the other is the chain of ties which has to be placed above the twelve braccia1 surrounding and binding together the eight sides of the cupola1 and clamping the fabric together1 so that it may bind and secure all the weight that is laid above1 in such a manner that the weight may not force it out or stretch it1 and that the whole structure may rest firmly on its own basis4 ,let ,lorenzo1 then1 take one of these two works1 whichever he may think himself best able to execute2 and ,i will undertake to accomplish the other without difficulty1 to the end that no more time may be lost4 ,hearing this1 ,lorenzo was forced for the sake of his honour to accept one of these tasks1 and1 although he did it very unwillingly1 he resolved to take the chain of ties1 as being the easier1 relying on the advice of the masons and on the remembrance that in the vaulting of ,s4 ,giovanni in ,florence there was a chain of stone ties1 wherefrom he might take a part of the design1 if not the whole4 ,and so one put his hand to the scaffoldings and the other to the ties1 and each carried out his work4 ,the scaffoldings of ,filippo were made with so great ingenuity and industry1 that the very opposite opinion was held in this matter to that which many had previously conceived1 for the builders stood on them1 working and drawing up weights1 as securely as if they had been on the surface of the ground2 and the models of the said scaffoldings were preserved in the ,office of ,works4 ,lorenzo had the chain of ties made on one of the eight sides with the greatest difficulty2 and when it was finished1 the ,wardens caused ,filippo to look at it4 ,to them he said nothing1 but he discoursed thereon with some of his friends1 saying that it was necessary to have some form of fastening different from that one1 and to apply it in a better manner than had been done1 and that it was not strong enough to withstand the weight that was to be laid above1 for it did not bind the masonry together firmly enough2 adding that the supplies given to ,lorenzo1 as well as the chain that he had caused to be made1 had been simply thrown away4 ,the opinion of ,filippo became known1 and he was charged to show what was the best way of making such a chain4 ,whereupon1 having already made designs and models1 he immediately showed them1 and when they had been seen by the ,wardens and the other masters1 it was recognized into what great error they had fallen by favouring ,lorenzo2 and wishing to atone for this error and to show that they knew what was good1 they made ,filippo overseer and superintendent of the whole fabric for life1 saying that nothing should be done in that work without his command4 ,and as a proof of approbation they gave him one hundred florins1 decreed by the ,consuls and ,wardens under date of ,august #ac1 #adbc1 by the hand of ,lorenzo ,paoli1 notary to the ,office of ,works1 and under the name of ,gherardo di ,messer ,filippo ,corsini2 and they voted him an allowance of one hundred florins a year as a provision for life4 ,wherefore1 giving orders for the building to be pushed on1 he pursued it with such scrupulous care and so great attention1 that not a stone could be put into place without his having wished to see it4 ,lorenzo1 on the other hand1 finding himself vanquished1 and1 as it were1 put to shame1 was favoured and assisted by his friends so powerfully that he went on drawing his salary1 claiming that he could not be dismissed until three years had passed4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dome ,,of ,,the ,,cathedral 7,after ,filippo ,brunelleschi4 ,florence7 ,alinari ,filippo was for ever making1 on the slightest occasion1 designs and models of stages for the builders and of machines for lifting weights4 ,but this did not prevent certain malicious persons1 friends of ,lorenzo1 from putting ,filippo into despair by spending their whole time in making models in opposition to his1 insomuch that some were made by one ,maestro ,antonio da ,verzelli and other favoured masters1 and were brought into notice now by one citizen and now by another1 demonstrating their inconstancy1 their little knowledge1 and their even smaller understanding1 since1 having perfection in their grasp1 they brought forward the imperfect and the useless4 ,the ties were now finished right round the eight sides1 and the masons1 being encouraged1 were labouring valiantly2 but being pressed more than usual by ,filippo1 and resenting certain reprimands received with regard to the building and other things that were happening every day1 they had conceived a grievance against him4 ,wherefore1 moved by this and by envy1 the foremen leagued themselves together into a faction and declared that the work was laborious and dangerous1 and that they would not build the cupola without great payment--although their pay had been raised higher than usual--thinking in this way to take vengeance on ,filippo and to gain profit for themselves4 ,this affair displeased the ,wardens and also ,filippo1 who1 having pondered over it1 made up his mind one ,saturday evening to dismiss them all4 ,they1 seeing themselves dismissed and not knowing how the matter would end1 were very evilly disposed2 but on the following ,monday ,filippo set ten ,lombards to work1 and by standing ever over them and saying1 ,do this here1 and1 ,do that there1 he taught them so much in one day that they worked there for many weeks4 ,the masons1 on the other hand1 seeing themselves dismissed1 deprived of their work1 and thus disgraced1 and having no work as profitable as this1 sent mediators to ,filippo1 saying that they would willingly return1 and recommending themselves to him as much as they were able4 ,filippo kept them for many days in suspense as to his willingness to take them back2 then he reinstated them at lower wages than they had before2 and thus where they thought to gain they lost1 and in taking vengeance on ,filippo they brought harm and disgrace on themselves4 ,the murmurings were now silenced1 and meanwhile1 on seeing that building being raised so readily1 men had come to recognize the genius of ,filippo2 and it was already held by those who were not prejudiced that he had shown such courage as perchance no ancient or modern architect had shown in his works4 ,this came to pass because he brought out his model1 wherein all could see how much thought he had given to the planning of the staircases and of the lights both within and without1 in order that no one might be injured in the darkness by reason of fear1 and how many diverse balusters of iron he had placed where the ascent was steep1 for the staircases1 arranging them with much consideration4 ,besides this1 he had even thought of the irons for fixing scaffoldings within1 in case mosaics or paintings had ever to be wrought there2 and in like manner1 by placing the different kinds of water-conduits1 some covered and some uncovered1 in the least dangerous positions1 and by duly accompanying these with holes and diverse apertures1 to the end that the force of the winds might be broken and that neither exhalations nor the tremblings of the earth might be able to do any harm1 he showed how great assistance he had received from his studies during the many years that he stayed in ,rome4 ,and in addition1 when men considered what he had done in the way of dove-tailing1 joining1 fixing1 and binding together the stones1 it made them marvel and tremble to think that one single mind should have been capable of all that the mind of ,filippo had proved itself able to execute4 ,so greatly did his powers continue to increase that there was nothing1 however difficult and formidable1 that he did not render easy and simple2 and this he showed in the lifting of weights by means of counterweights and wheels1 so that one ox could raise what six pairs could scarcely have raised before4 ,the building had now risen to such a height that it was a very great inconvenience for anyone who had climbed to the top to descend to the ground1 and the builders lost much time in going to eat and drink1 and suffered great discomfort in the heat of the day4 ,filippo therefore made arrangements for eating-houses with kitchens to be opened on the cupola1 and for wine to be sold there1 so that no one had to leave his labour until the evening1 which was convenient for the men and very advantageous for the work4 ,seeing the work making great progress and succeeding so happily1 ,filippo had grown so greatly in courage that he was continually labouring1 going in person to the furnaces where the bricks were being shaped and demanding to see the clay and to feel its consistency1 and insisting on selecting them with his own hand when baked1 with the greatest diligence4 ,when the stonecutters were working at the stones1 he would look at them to see if they showed flaws and if they were hard1 and he would give the men models in wood or wax1 or#ai made simply out of turnips2 and he would also make iron tools for the smiths4 ,he invented hinges with heads1 and hinge-hooks1 and he did much to facilitate architecture1 which was certainly brought by him to a perfection such as it probably had never enjoyed among the ,tuscans4 ,footnote #ai3 ,to make this passage intelligible1 the word or has been added in the later editions4 ,in the year #adbc the greatest possible happiness and rejoicing were prevailing in ,florence1 when ,filippo was chosen as one of the ,signori for the quarter of ,san ,giovanni1 for ,may and ,june1 ,lapo ,niccolini being chosen as ,gonfalonier of ,justice for the quarter of ,santa ,croce4 ,and if he is found registered in the ,priorista as ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco ,lippi1 no one need marvel1 seeing that he was called thus after his grandfather ,lippo1 and not de' ,lapi1 as he should have been2 which method is seen from the said ,priorista to have been used in innumerable other cases1 as is well known to all who have seen it or who know the custom of those times4 ,filippo exercised that office and also other magisterial functions that he obtained in his city1 wherein he ever bore himself with most profound judgment4 ,seeing that the two vaults were beginning to close in on the round window where the lantern was to rise1 it now remained to ,filippo 7who had made many models of clay and of wood for both the one and the other in ,rome and in ,florence1 without showing them7 to make up his mind finally which of these he would put into execution4 ,wherefore1 having determined to finish the gallery1 he made diverse designs1 which remained after his death in the ,office of ,works2 but they have since been lost by reason of the negligence of those officials4 ,in our own day1 to the end that the whole might be completed1 a part of it was made on one of the eight sides1 but by the advice of ,michelagnolo ,buonarroti it was abandoned and not carried further1 because it clashed with the original plan4 ,filippo also made with his own hand a model for the lantern2 this was octagonal1 with proportions in harmony with those of the cupola1 and it turned out very beautiful in invention1 variety1 and adornment4 ,he made therein the staircase for ascending to the ball1 which was something divine1 but1 since ,filippo had stopped up the entrance with a piece of wood let in below1 no one save himself knew of this staircase4 ,and although he was praised and had now overcome the envy and the arrogance of many1 he could not prevent all the other masters who were in ,florence from setting themselves1 at the sight of this model1 to make other in various fashions1 and finally a lady of the house of ,gaddi had the courage to compete with the one made by ,filippo4 ,but he1 meanwhile1 kept laughing at their presumption1 and when many of his friends told him that he should not show his model to any craftsmen1 lest they should learn from it1 he would answer that there was but one true model and that the others were of no account4 ,some of the other masters had used some of the parts of ,filippo's model for their own1 and ,filippo1 on seeing these1 would say1 ,the next model that this man makes will be my very own4 ,filippo's model was infinitely praised by all2 only1 not seeing therein the staircase for ascending to the ball1 they complained that it was defective4 ,the ,wardens determined1 none the less1 to give him the commission for the said work1 but on the condition that he should show them the staircase4 ,whereupon ,filippo1 removing the small piece of wood that there was at the foot of the model1 showed in a pilaster the staircase that is seen at the present day1 in the form of a hollow blow-pipe1 having on one side a groove with rungs of bronze1 whereby one ascends to the top1 putting one foot after another4 ,and because he could not live long enough1 by reason of his old age1 to see the lantern finished1 he left orders in his testament that it should be built as it stood in the model and as he had directed in writing2 protesting that otherwise the structure would collapse1 since it was turned with the quarter-acute arch1 so that it was necessary to burden it with this weight in order to make it stronger4 ,he was not able to see this edifice finished before his death1 but he raised it to the height of several braccia1 and caused almost all the marbles that were going into it to be well wrought and prepared2 and the people1 on seeing them prepared1 were amazed that it should be possible for him to propose to lay so great a weight on that vaulting4 ,it was the opinion of many ingenious men that it would not bear the weight1 and it appeared to them great good-fortune that he had carried it so far1 and a tempting of ,providence to burden it so heavily4 ,filippo1 ever laughing to himself1 and having prepared all the machines and all the instruments that were to be used in building it1 spent all his time and thought in foreseeing1 anticipating1 and providing for every detail1 even to the point of guarding against the chipping of the dressed marbles as they were drawn up1 insomuch that the arches of the tabernacles were built with wooden protections2 while for the rest1 as it has been said1 there were written directions and models4 ,how beautiful is this building it demonstrates by itself4 ,from the level of the ground to the base of the lantern it is one hundred and fifty-four braccia in height2 the body of the lantern is thirty-six braccia2 the copper ball1 four braccia2 the cross1 eight braccia2 and the whole is two hundred and two braccia4 ,and it can be said with confidence that the ancients never went so high with their buildings1 and never exposed themselves to so great a risk as to try to challenge the heavens1 even as this structure truly appears to challenge them1 seeing that it rises to such a height that the mountains round ,florence appear no higher4 ,and it seems1 in truth1 that the heavens are envious of it1 since the lightning keeps on striking it every day4 ,the while that this work was in progress1 ,filippo made many other buildings1 which we will enumerate below in their order4 ,with his own hand he made the model of the ,chapter-house of ,s4 ,croce in ,florence1 a varied and very beautiful work1 for the family of the ,pazzi2 and the model of the house of the ,busini1 for the habitation of two families2 and also the model of the house and loggia of the ,innocenti1 the vaulting of which was executed without framework1 a method that is still followed by all in our own day4 ,it is said that ,filippo was summoned to ,milan in order to make the model of a fortress for ,duke ,filippo ,maria1 and that he left this building of the ,innocenti in charge of ,francesco della ,luna1 who was very much his friend4 ,this ,francesco made an architrave-ornament running downward from above1 which is wrong according to the rules of architecture4 ,wherefore ,filippo1 on returning1 reproved him for having done such a thing1 and he answered that he copied it from the ,church of ,s4 ,giovanni1 which is ancient4 ,there is one sole error1 said ,filippo1 in that edifice1 and thou hast followed it4 ,the model of this building1 by the hand of ,filippo1 was for many years in the hands of the ,guild of ,por ,santa ,maria1 being held in great account because a part of the fabric was still unfinished2 but it is now lost4 ,he made the model of the ,abbey of the ,canons-,regular of ,fiesole1 for ,cosimo de' ,medici1 the architecture being ornate1 commodious1 fanciful1 and1 in short1 truly magnificent4 ,the church is lofty1 with the vaulting barrel-shaped1 and the sacristy1 like all the rest of the monastery1 has its proper conveniences4 ,but what is most important and most worthy of consideration is that1 having to place that edifice on the downward slope of that mountain and yet on the level1 he availed himself of the part below with great judgment1 making therein cellars1 wash-houses1 bread-ovens1 stables1 kitchens1 rooms for storing firewood1 and so many other conveniences1 that it is not possible to see anything better2 and thus he laid the base of the edifice on the level4 ,wherefore he was afterwards able to make the loggie1 the refectory1 the infirmary1 the noviciate1 the dormitory1 and the library1 with the other principal rooms proper to a monastery1 on one plane4 ,all this was carried out by the ,magnificent ,cosimo de' ,medici at his own expense1 partly through the piety that he showed in all matters in connection with the ,christian faith1 and partly through the affection that he bore to ,don ,timoteo da ,verona1 a most excellent preacher of that ,order1 whose conversation he was so anxious to enjoy that he also built many rooms for himself in that monastery and lived there at his own convenience4 ,on this edifice ,cosimo spent one hundred thousand crowns1 as may be seen in an inscription4 ,filippo also designed the model for the fortress of ,vico ,pisano2 and he designed the old ,citadel of ,pisa1 and fortified the ,ponte a ,mare1 and also gave the design for the new ,citadel1 closing the bridge with the two towers4 ,in like manner1 he made the model for the fortress of the port of ,pesaro4 ,returning to ,milan1 he made many designs for the ,duke1 and some for the masters of the ,duomo of that city4 ,the ,church of ,s4 ,lorenzo had been begun in ,florence at this time by order of the people of that quarter1 who had made the ,prior superintendent of that building4 ,this person made profession of much knowledge in architecture1 and was ever amusing himself therewith by way of pastime4 ,and they had already begun the building by making piers of brick1 when ,giovanni di ,bicci de' ,medici1 who had promised the people of that quarter and the ,prior to have the sacristy and a chapel made at his own expense1 invited ,filippo one morning to dine with him1 and after much discourse asked him what he thought of the beginning of ,s4 ,lorenzo4 ,filippo was constrained by the entreaties of ,giovanni to say what he thought1 and being compelled to speak the truth1 he criticized it in many respects1 as something designed by a person who had perchance more learning than experience of buildings of that sort4 ,whereupon ,giovanni asked ,filippo if something better and more beautiful could be made3 to which ,filippo replied1 ,without a doubt1 and ,i marvel that you1 being the chief in the enterprise1 do not devote a few thousand crowns to building a body of a church with all its parts worthy of the place and of so many noble owners of tombs1 who1 seeing it begun1 will proceed with their chapels to the best of their power2 above all1 because there remains no memorial of us save walls1 which bear testimony for hundreds and thousands of years to those who built them4 ,giovanni1 encouraged by the words of ,filippo1 determined to build the sacristy and the principal chapel1 together with the whole body of the church1 although only seven families were willing to co-operate1 since the others had not the means3 these seven were the ,rondinelli1 ,ginori1 ,dalla ,stufa1 ,neroni1 ,ciai1 ,marignolli1 ,martelli1 and ,marco di ,luca1 and these chapels were to be made in the cross4 ,the sacristy was the first part to be undertaken1 and afterwards the church1 little by little4 ,the other chapels along the length of the church came to be granted afterwards1 one by one1 to other citizens of the quarter4 ,the roofing of the sacristy was not finished when ,giovanni de' ,medici passed to the other life1 leaving behind him his son ,cosimo1 who1 having a greater spirit than his father and delighting in memorials1 caused this one to be carried on4 ,it was the first edifice that he erected1 and he took so great delight therein that from that time onwards up to his death he was for ever building4 ,cosimo pressed this work forward with greater ardour1 and while one part was being begun1 he would have another finished4 ,looking on the work as a pastime1 he was almost always there1 and it was his solicitude that caused ,filippo to finish the sacristy1 and ,donato to make the stucco-work1 with the stone ornaments for those little doors and the doors of bronze4 ,in the middle of the sacristy1 where the priests don their vestments1 he had a tomb made for his father ,giovanni1 under a great slab of marble supported by four little columns2 and in the same place he made a tomb for his own family1 separating that of the women from that of the men4 ,in one of the two little rooms that are on either side of the altar in the said sacristy he made a well in one corner1 with a place for a lavatory4 ,in short1 everything in this fabric is seen to have been built with much judgment4 ,giovanni and the others had arranged to make the choir in the middle1 below the tribune2 but ,cosimo changed this at the wish of ,filippo1 who made the principal chapel--which had been designed at first as a smaller recess--so much greater1 that he was able to make the choir therein1 as it is at present4 ,this being finished1 there remained to be made the central tribune and the rest of the church2 but this tribune1 with the rest1 was not vaulted until after the death of ,filippo4 ,this church is one hundred and forty-four braccia in length1 and many errors are seen therein1 one being that the columns are placed on the level of the ground instead of being raised on a dado1 which should have been as high as the level of the bases of the pilasters which stand on the steps1 so that1 as one sees the pilasters shorter than the columns1 the whole of that work appears badly proportioned4 ,all this was caused by the counsels of his successors1 who were jealous of his name and had made models in opposition to his during his lifetime4 ,for these they had been put to shame with sonnets written by ,filippo1 and after his death they took vengeance on him in this manner1 not only in this work but in all those that remained to be carried out by them4 ,he left the model for the presbytery of the priests of ,s4 ,lorenzo1 and part of the building finished1 wherein he made the cloister one hundred and forty-four braccia in length4 ,the while that this edifice was building1 ,cosimo de' ,medici determined to have a palace made for himself1 and therefore revealed his intention to ,filippo1 who1 putting aside every other care1 made him a great and very beautiful model for the said palace1 which he wished to place opposite to ,s4 ,lorenzo1 on the ,piazza1 entirely isolated on every side4 ,in this the art of ,filippo had achieved so much that ,cosimo1 thinking it too sumptuous and great a fabric1 refrained from putting it into execution1 more to avoid envy than by reason of the cost4 ,while the model was making1 ,filippo used to say that he thanked his fortune for such an opportunity1 seeing that he had such a house to build as he had desired for many years1 and because he had come across a man who had the wish and the means to have it built4 ,but1 on learning afterwards the determination of ,cosimo not to put this project into execution1 in disdain he broke the design into a thousand pieces4 ,deeply did ,cosimo repent1 after he had made that other palace1 that he had not adopted the design of ,filippo2 and this ,cosimo was wont to say that he had never spoken to a man of greater intelligence and spirit than ,filippo4 ,he also made the model of the most bizarre ,temple of the ,angeli1 for the family of the ,scolari2 but it remained unfinished and in the condition wherein it is now to be seen1 because the ,florentines spent the money which lay in the ,monte for this purpose on certain requirements of their city1 or1 as some say1 in the war that they waged formerly against the people of ,lucca1 wherein they also spent the money that had been left in like manner by ,niccolo da ,uzzano for building the ,sapienza1 as it has been related at length in another place4 ,and in truth1 if this ,temple of the ,angeli had been finished according to the model of ,brunellesco1 it would have been one of the rarest things in ,italy1 for the reason that what is seen of it cannot be sufficiently extolled4 ,the drawings by the hand of ,filippo for the ground-plan and for the completion of this octagonal temple are in our book1 with other designs by the same man4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,old ,,sacristy ,,of ,s4 ,,lorenzo 7,after ,filippo ,brunelleschi4 ,florence7 ,alinari ,filippo also designed a rich and magnificent palace for ,messer ,luca ,pitti at a place called ,ruciano1 without the ,porta a ,san ,niccolo in ,florence1 but this failed by a great measure to equal the one that he began in ,florence for the same man1 carrying it to the second range of windows1 with such grandeur and magnificence that nothing more rare or more magnificent has yet been seen in the ,tuscan manner4 ,the doors of this palace are double1 with the opening sixteen braccia in length and eight in breadth2 the windows both of the first and second range are in every way similar to these doors1 and the vaultings double2 and the whole edifice is so masterly in design1 that any more beautiful or more magnificent architecture cannot be imagined4 ,the builder of this palace was ,luca ,fancelli1 an architect of ,florence1 who erected many buildings for ,filippo1 and one for ,leon ,batista ,alberti1 namely1 the principal chapel of the ,nunziata in ,florence1 by order of ,lodovico ,gonzaga1 who took him to ,mantua1 where he made many works and married a wife and lived and died1 leaving heirs who are still called the ,luchi from his name4 ,this palace was bought not many years ago by the most ,illustrious ,lady ,leonora di ,toledo1 ,duchess of ,florence1 on the advice of the most ,illustrious ,lord ,duke ,cosimo1 her consort2 and she increased the grounds all round it so greatly that she made a very large garden1 partly on the plain1 partly on the top of the hill1 and partly on the slope1 filling it with all the sorts of trees both of the garden and of the forest1 most beautifully laid out1 and making most delightful little groves with innumerable sorts of evergreens1 which flourish in every season2 to say nothing of the waters1 the fountains1 the conduits1 the fishponds1 the fowling-places1 the espaliers1 and an infinity of other things worthy of a magnanimous prince1 about which ,i will be silent1 because it is not possible1 without seeing them1 ever to imagine their grandeur and their beauty4 ,and in truth ,duke ,cosimo could have chanced upon nothing more worthy of the power and greatness of his mind than this palace1 which might truly appear to have been erected by ,messer ,luca ,pitti1 from the design of ,brunellesco1 for his most ,illustrious ,excellency4 ,messer ,luca left it unfinished by reason of his cares in connection with the ,state1 and his heirs1 having no means wherewith to complete it1 and being unwilling to let it go to ruin1 were content to make it over to the ,duchess1 who was ever spending money on it as long as she lived1 but not so much as to give hope that it would be soon finished4 ,it is true1 indeed1 according to what ,i once heard1 that she was minded to spend #dj1jjj ducats in one year alone1 if she lived1 in order to see it1 if not finished1 at least well on the way to completion4 ,and because the model of ,filippo has not been found1 his ,excellency has caused ,bartolommeo ,ammanati1 an excellent sculptor and architect1 to make another1 according to which the work is being carried on2 and a great part of the courtyard is already completed in rustic work1 similar to the exterior4 ,and in truth1 if one considers the grandeur of this work1 one marvels how the mind of ,filippo could conceive so great an edifice1 which is truly magnificent not only in the external facade1 but also in the distribution of all the apartments4 ,i say nothing of the view1 which is most beautiful1 and of the kind of theatre formed by the most lovely hills that rise round the palace in the direction of the walls1 because1 as ,i have said1 it would take too long to try to describe them in full1 nor could anyone1 without seeing this palace1 imagine how greatly superior it is to any other royal edifice whatsoever4 ,it is also said that the machinery for the ,paradise of ,s4 ,felice in ,piazza1 in the said city1 was invented by ,filippo in order to hold the ,representation1 or rather1 the ,festival of the ,annunciation1 in the manner wherein the ,florentines were wont to hold it in that place in olden times4 ,this was truly something marvellous1 demonstrating the genius and the industry of him who was its inventor1 for the reason that there was seen on high a ,heaven full of living figures in motion1 with an infinity of lights appearing and disappearing almost in a flash4 ,now ,i do not wish to grudge the labour of giving an exact description of the machinery of that engine1 seeing that it has all disappeared and that the men who could speak of it from personal knowledge are dead1 so that there is no hope of its being reconstructed1 that place being inhabited no longer by the ,monks of ,camaldoli1 but by the ,nuns of ,s4 ,pier ,martire2 and above all since the one in the ,carmine has been destroyed1 because it was pulling down the rafters that support the roof4 ,for this purpose1 then1 ,filippo had suspended1 between two of the beams that supported the roof of the church1 the half of a globe in the shape of an empty bowl1 or rather1 of a barber's basin1 with the rim downwards2 this half-globe was made of thin and light planks fastened to a star of iron which radiated round the curve of the said half-globe1 and these planks narrowed towards the point of equilibrium in the centre1 where there was a great ring of iron round which there radiated the iron star that secured the planks of the half-globe4 ,the whole mass was upheld by a stout beam of pine-wood1 well shod with iron1 which lay across the timbers of the roof2 and to this beam was fastened the ring that sustained and balanced the half-globe1 which from the ground truly appeared like a ,heaven4 ,at the foot of the inner edge it had certain wooden brackets1 large enough for one person to stand on and no more1 and at the height of one braccio there was also an iron fastening1 likewise on the inner edge2 on each of these brackets there was placed a boy about twelve years old1 who was girt round with the iron fastening one braccio and a half high1 in such wise that he could not have fallen down even if he had wanted to4 ,these boys1 who were twelve in all1 were placed on the brackets1 as it has been said1 and dressed like angels1 with gilded wings and hair made of gold thread2 and when it was time they took one another by the hand and waved their arms1 so that they appeared to be dancing1 and the rather as the half-globe was ever moving and turning round4 ,within it1 above the heads of the angels1 were three circles or garlands of lights1 contained in certain little lamps that could not be overturned4 ,from the ground these lights appeared like stars1 and the brackets1 being covered with cotton-wool1 appeared like clouds4 ,from the aforesaid ring there issued a very stout bar of iron1 which had at the end another ring1 to which there was fastened a thin rope reaching to the ground1 as it will be told later4 ,the said stout bar of iron had eight arms1 spreading out in an arc large enough to fill the space within the hollow half-globe1 and at the end of each arm there was a stand about the size of a trencher2 on each stand was a boy about nine years old1 well secured by an iron soldered on to the upper part of the arm1 but loosely enough to allow him to turn in every direction4 ,these eight angels1 supported by the said iron1 were lowered from the space within the half-globe by means of a small windlass that was unwound little by little1 to a depth of eight braccia below the level of the square beams that support the roof1 in such a manner that they were seen without concealing the view of the angels who were round the inner edge of the half-globe4 ,in the midst of this cluster of eight angels--for so was it rightly called--was a mandorla of copper1 hollow within1 wherein were many holes showing certain little lamps fixed on iron bars in the form of tubes2 which lamps1 on the touching of a spring which could be pressed down1 were all hidden within the mandorla of copper1 whereas1 when the spring was not pressed down1 all the lamps could be seen alight through some holes therein4 ,when the cluster of angels had reached its place1 this mandorla1 which was fastened to the aforesaid little rope1 was lowered very gradually by the unwinding of the rope with another little windlass1 and arrived at the platform where the ,representation took place2 and on this platform1 precisely on the spot where the mandorla was to rest1 there was a raised place in the shape of a throne with four steps1 in the centre of which there was a hole wherein the iron point of the mandorla stood upright4 ,below the said throne was a man who1 when the mandorla had reached its place1 made it fast with a bolt without being seen1 so that it stood firmly on its base4 ,within the mandorla was a youth about fifteen years of age in the guise of an angel1 girt round the middle with an iron1 and secured by a bolt to the foot of the mandorla in a manner that he could not fall2 and to the end that he might be able to kneel1 the said iron was divided into three parts1 whereof one part entered readily into another as he knelt4 ,thus1 when the cluster of angels had descended and the mandorla was resting on the throne1 the man who fixed the mandorla with the bolt also unbolted the iron that supported the angel2 whereupon he issued forth and walked across the platform1 and1 having come to where the ,virgin was1 saluted her and made the ,annunciation4 ,he then returned into the mandorla1 and the lights1 which had gone out on his issuing forth1 being rekindled1 the iron that supported him was once more bolted by the man who was concealed below1 the bolt that held the mandorla firm was removed1 and it was drawn up again2 while the singing of the angels in the cluster1 and of those in the ,heaven1 who kept circling round1 made it appear truly a ,paradise1 and the rather because1 in addition to the said choir of angels and to the cluster1 there was a ,god the ,father on the outer edge of the globe1 surrounded by angels similar to those named above and supported by irons1 in such wise that the ,heaven1 the ,god the ,father1 the cluster1 and the mandorla1 with innumerable lights and very sweet music1 truly represented ,paradise4 ,in addition to this1 in order to be able to open and close that ,heaven1 ,filippo had made two great doors1 each five braccia both in length and breadth1 which had rollers of iron1 or rather1 of copper1 in certain grooves running horizontally2 and these grooves were oiled in a manner that when a thin rope1 which was on either side1 was pulled by means of a little windlass1 any one could open or close the ,heaven at his pleasure1 the two parts of the door coming together or drawing apart horizontally along the grooves4 ,and these two doors1 made thus1 served for two purposes3 when they were moved1 being heavy1 they made a noise like thunder2 and when they were closed1 they formed a platform for the apparelling of the angels and for the making of the other preparations which it was necessary to carry out within4 ,these engines1 made thus1 together with many others1 were invented by ,filippo1 although others maintain that they had been invented long before4 ,however this may be1 it was well to speak of them1 seeing that they have gone completely out of use4 ,but to return to ,filippo himself2 his renown and his name had grown so great that he was sent for from far distant places by all who wished to erect buildings1 in their desire to have designs and models by the hand of so great a man2 and to this end the most powerful means and friendships were employed4 ,wherefore the ,marquis of ,mantua1 among others1 desiring to have him1 wrote with great insistence to the ,signoria of ,florence1 by whom he was sent to that city1 where he gave designs for dykes on the ,po and certain other works according to the pleasure of that ,prince1 who treated him very lovingly1 being wont to say that ,florence was as worthy to have ,filippo as a citizen as he was to have so noble and beautiful a city for his birthplace4 ,in ,pisa1 likewise1 ,count ,francesco ,sforza and ,niccolo da ,pisa1 being surpassed by him in the making of certain fortifications1 commended him in his presence1 saying that if every ,state possessed a man like ,filippo it would be possible to live in security without arms4 ,in ,florence1 also1 ,filippo gave the design for the house of the ,barbadori1 near the tower of the ,rossi in the ,borgo ,san ,jacopo1 but it was not put into execution2 and he also made the design for the house of the ,giuntini on the ,piazza d',ognissanti1 on the ,arno4 ,afterwards1 the ,captains of the ,guelph party in ,florence1 wishing to build an edifice containing a hall and an audience-chamber for that body1 gave the commission to ,francesco della ,luna1 who began the work1 and he had already raised it to the height of ten braccia above the ground1 making many errors therein1 when it was put into the hands of ,filippo1 who brought the said palace to that magnificent form which we see4 ,in this work he had to compete with the said ,francesco1 who was favoured by many4 ,even so did he spend his whole life1 competing now with one man and now with another2 for many were ever making war against him and harassing him1 and very often seeking to gain honour for themselves with his designs1 so that he was reduced in the end to showing nothing and trusting no one4 ,the hall of this palace is no longer used by the said ,captains of the ,guelphs1 because the flood of the year #aeeg did so great damage to the papers of the ,monte1 that the ,lord ,duke ,cosimo1 for the greater security of the said papers1 which are of the greatest importance1 removed them to the said hall together with the institution itself4 ,and to the end that the old staircase of this palace might serve for the said body of ,captains--who gave up that hall in favour of the ,monte and retired to another part of that palace--,giorgio ,vasari was commissioned by his ,excellency to make the very commodious staircase that now ascends to the said hall of the ,monte4 ,in like manner1 from a design by the same man there was made a coffer-work ceiling which was placed1 after the plans of ,filippo1 on certain fluted pillars of grey-stone4 ,one year the ,lenten sermons in ,s4 ,spirito had been preached by ,maestro ,francesco ,zoppo1 who was then very dear to the people of ,florence1 and he had strongly recommended the claims of that convent1 of the school for youths1 and particularly of the church1 which had been burnt down about that time4 ,whereupon the chief men of that quarter1 ,lorenzo ,ridolfi1 ,bartolommeo ,corbinelli1 ,neri di ,gino ,capponi1 and ,goro di ,stagio ,dati1 with very many other citizens1 obtained an order from the ,signoria for the rebuilding of the ,church of ,s4 ,spirito1 and made ,stoldo ,frescobaldi provveditore4 ,this man1 by reason of the interest that he had in the old church1 the principal chapel and the high-altar of which belonged to his house1 took very great pains therewith2 nay1 at the beginning1 before the money had been collected from the taxes imposed on the owners of burial-places and chapels1 he spent many thousands of crowns of his own1 for which he was repaid4 ,now1 after the matter had been discussed1 ,filippo was sent for and asked to make a model with all the features1 both useful and honourable1 that might be possible and suitable to a ,christian church4 ,whereupon he urged strongly that the ground-plan of that edifice should be turned right round1 because he greatly desired that the square should extend to the bank of the ,arno1 to the end that all those who passed that way from ,genoa1 from the ,riviera1 from the ,lunigiana1 and from the districts of ,pisa and ,lucca1 might see the magnificence of that building4 ,but since certain citizens objected1 refusing to have their houses pulled down1 the desire of ,filippo did not take effect4 ,he made the model of the church1 therefore1 with that of the habitation of the monks1 in the form wherein it stands to-day4 ,the length of the church was one hundred and sixty-one braccia1 and the width fifty-four braccia1 and it was so well planned1 both in the ordering of the columns and in the rest of the ornaments1 that it would be impossible to make a work richer1 more lovely1 or more graceful than that one4 ,and in truth1 but for the malevolence of those who are ever spoiling the beautiful beginnings of any work in order to appear to have more understanding than others1 this would now be the most perfect church in ,christendom2 and even as it stands it is more lovely and better designed than any other1 although it has not been carried out according to the model1 as may be seen from certain parts begun on the outside1 wherein the design observed within has not been followed1 as it appears from the model that the doors and the borders round the windows were meant to do4 ,there are some errors1 attributed to him1 about which ,i will be silent1 for it is believed that if he had completed the building he would not have endured them1 seeing that he had brought all his work to perfection with so much judgment1 discrimination1 intellect1 and art2 and this work likewise established him as a genius truly divine4 ,filippo was very humorous in his discourse and very acute in repartee1 as he showed when he wished to hit at ,lorenzo ,ghiberti1 who had bought a farm on ,monte ,morello1 called ,lepriano1 on which he spent twice as much as he gained by way of income1 so that he grew weary of this and sold it4 ,some one asked ,filippo what was the best thing that ,lorenzo had ever done1 thinking perchance1 by reason of the enmity between them1 that he would criticize ,lorenzo2 and he replied1 ,the selling of ,lepriano4 ,finally1 having now grown very old--he was sixty-nine years of age--he passed to a better life on ,april #af1 in the year #addf1 after having exhausted himself greatly in making the works that enabled him to win an honoured name on earth and to obtain a place of repose in ,heaven4 ,his death caused infinite grief to his country1 which recognized and esteemed him much more when dead than it had done when he was alive2 and he was buried with the most honourable obsequies and distinctions in ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 although his burial-place was in ,s4 ,marco1 under the pulpit opposite to the door1 where there is a coat of arms with two fig-leaves and certain green waves on a field of gold1 because his family came from the district of ,ferrara1 that is1 from ,ficaruolo1 a township on the ,po1 as it is shown by the leaves1 which denote the place1 and by the waves1 which signify the river4 ,he was mourned by innumerable brother-craftsmen1 and particularly by the poorer among them1 whom he was ever helping4 ,thus then1 living the life of a ,christian1 he left to the world the sweet savour of his goodness and of his noble talents4 ,it seems to me that it can be said for him that from the time of the ancient ,greeks and ,romans to our own there has been no rarer or more excellent master than ,filippo2 and he is all the more worthy of praise because in his times the ,german manner was held in veneration throughout all ,italy and practised by the old craftsmen1 as it may be seen in innumerable edifices4 ,he recovered the ancient mouldings and restored the ,tuscan1 ,corinthian1 ,doric and ,ionic ,orders to their original forms4 ,he had a disciple from ,borgo a ,buggiano1 called ,il ,buggiano1 who made the lavatory of the ,sacristy of ,s4 ,reparata1 with certain boys who pour out water2 and he made a head of his master in marble1 taken from the life1 which was placed after the death of ,filippo in ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 beside the door on the right hand as one enters the church1 where there is also the following epitaph1 placed there by public decree in order to honour him after his death1 even as he had honoured his country when alive3 ,d4,s4 ,,quantum ,,philippus ,,architectus ,,arte ,,daedalea ,,valuerit1 ,,cum ,,hujus ,,celeberrimi ,,templi ,,mira ,,testudo1 ,,tum ,,plures ,,aliae ,,divino ,,ingenio ,,ab ,,eo ,,adinventae ,,machinae ,,documento ,,esse ,,possunt2 ,,quapropter ,,ob ,,eximias ,,sui ,,animi ,,dotes ,,singularesque ,,virtutes ,,xv ,,kal4 ,,maias ,,anno ,,mccccxlvi ,,ejus ,b4,m4 ,,corpus ,,hac ,,humo ,,supposita ,,grata ,,patria ,,sepeliri ,,jussit4 ,to do him even greater honour1 others have gone so far as to add these two other inscriptions3 ,,philippo ,,brunellesco ,,antiquae ,,architecturae ,,instauratori ,s4,p4 ,q4,f4 ,,civi ,,suo ,,bene ,,merenti4 ,giovan ,battista ,strozzi made the second3 ,,tal ,,sopra ,,sasso ,,sasso ,,di ,,giro ,,in ,,giro ,,eternamente ,,io ,,strussi2 ,,che ,,cosi ,,passo ,,passo ,,alto ,,girando ,,al ,,ciel ,,mi ,,ricondussi4 ,other disciples of ,filippo were ,domenico dal ,lago di ,lugano2 ,geremia da ,cremona1 who worked very well in bronze1 together with a ,sclavonian who made many works in ,venice2 ,simone1 who died at ,vicovaro while executing a great work for the ,count of ,tagliacozzo1 after having made the ,madonna in ,orsanmichele for the ,guild of the ,apothecaries2 ,antonio and ,niccolo1 both ,florentines1 who1 working in metal at ,ferrara1 made a horse of bronze for ,duke ,borso in the year #adfa2 and many others1 of whom it would take too long to make particular mention4 ,filippo was unfortunate in certain respects1 for1 besides the fact that he ever had some one to contend with1 some of his buildings were not completed in his time and are still unfinished4 ,to mention only one1 it was a great pity that the ,monks of the ,angeli1 as it has been said1 could not finish the temple begun by him1 since1 after they had spent on the portion that is now seen more than three thousand crowns1 drawn partly from the ,guild of ,merchants and partly from the ,monte1 where their money was kept1 the capital was squandered and the building remained1 as it still remains1 unfinished4 ,wherefore1 as it was said in the life of ,niccolo da ,uzzano1 if a man desires to leave such memorials behind him1 let him do it for himself the while that he lives1 and let him not put his trust in anyone2 and what has been said of this edifice could be said of many others designed by ,filippo ,brunelleschi4 ,,donato ,,life ,,of ,,donato ,,donatello ,,sculptor ,,of ,,florence ,donato1 who was called ,donatello by his relatives and wrote his name thus on some of his works1 was born in ,florence in the year #adjc4 ,devoting himself to the arts of design1 he was not only a very rare sculptor and a marvellous statuary1 but also a practised worker in stucco1 an able master of perspective1 and greatly esteemed as an architect2 and his works showed so great grace1 design1 and excellence1 that they were held to approach more nearly to the marvellous works of the ancient ,greeks and ,romans than those of any other craftsman whatsoever4 ,wherefore it is with good reason that he is ranked as the first who made a good use of the invention of scenes in low-relief1 which he wrought so well that it is recognized from the thought1 the facility1 and the mastery that he showed therein1 that he had a true understanding of them1 making them with a beauty far beyond the ordinary2 for not only did no craftsman in this period ever surpass him1 but no one even in our own age has equalled him4 ,donatello was brought up from his early childhood in the house of ,ruberto ,martelli1 where1 by his good qualities and by his zealous talent1 he won the affection not only of ,martelli himself but of all that noble family4 ,as a youth he wrought many things1 which were not held in great account1 by reason of their number2 but what made him known for what he was and gave him a name was an ,annunciation in grey-stone1 which was placed close to the altar of the ,chapel of the ,cavalcanti1 in the ,church of ,s4 ,croce in ,florence4 ,for this he made an ornament composed in the grotesque manner1 with a base of varied intertwined work and a decoration of quadrantal shape1 adding six boys bearing certain festoons1 who appear to be holding one another securely with their arms in their fear of the height4 ,but the greatest genius and art that he showed was in the figure of the ,virgin1 who1 alarmed by the unexpected apparition of the ,angel1 is making a most becoming reverence with a sweet and timid movement of her person1 turning with most beautiful grace towards him who is saluting her1 in a manner that there are seen in her countenance that humility and gratitude which are due to one who presents an unexpected gift1 and the more when the gift is a great one4 ,besides this1 ,donato showed a masterly flow of curves and folds in the draperies of that ,madonna and of the ,angel1 demonstrating with the suggestion of the nude forms below how he was seeking to recover the beauty of the ancients1 which had lain hidden for so many years2 and he displayed so great facility and art in this work1 that nothing more could be desired1 in fact1 with regard to design1 judgment1 and mastery in handling the chisel4 ,in the same church1 below the tramezzo1#bj and beside the scene painted by ,taddeo ,gaddi1 he made a ,crucifix of wood with extraordinary care2 and when he had finished this1 thinking that he had made a very rare work1 he showed it to ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 who was very much his friend1 wishing to have his opinion4 ,filippo1 whom the words of ,donato had led to expect something much better1 smiled slightly on seeing it4 ,donato1 perceiving this1 besought him by all the friendship between them to tell him his opinion2 whereupon ,filippo1 who was most obliging1 replied that it appeared to him that ,donato had placed a ploughman on the ,cross1 and not a body like that of ,jesus ,christ1 which was most delicate and in all its parts the most perfect human form that was ever born4 ,donato1 hearing himself censured1 and that more sharply than he expected1 whereas he was hoping to be praised1 replied1 ,if it were as easy to make this figure as to judge it1 my ,christ would appear to thee to be ,christ and not a ploughman2 take wood1 therefore1 and try to make one thyself4 ,filippo1 without another word1 returned home and set to work to make a ,crucifix1 without letting anyone know2 and seeking to surpass ,donato in order not to confound his own judgment1 after many months he brought it to the height of perfection4 ,this done1 he invited ,donato one morning to dine with him1 and ,donato accepted the invitation4 ,whereupon1 as they were going together to the house of ,filippo1 they came to the ,mercato ,vecchio1 where ,filippo bought some things and gave them to ,donato1 saying1 ,do thou go with these things to the house and wait for me there1 ,i am coming in a moment4 ,donato1 therefore1 entering the house and going into the hall1 saw the ,crucifix of ,filippo1 placed in a good light2 and stopping short to study it1 he found it so perfectly finished1 that1 being overcome and full of amazement1 like one distraught1 he spread out his hands1 which were holding up his apron2 whereupon the eggs1 the cheese1 and all the other things fell to the ground1 and everything was broken to pieces4 ,but he was still marvelling and standing like one possessed1 when ,filippo came up and said with a laugh1 ,what is thy intention1 ,donato1 and what are we to have for dinner1 now that thou hast upset everything8 ,for my part1 answered ,donato1 ,i have had my share for this morning3 if thou must have thine1 take it4 ,but enough2 it is thy work to make ,christ and mine to make ploughmen4 ,footnote #bj3 ,see note on p4 #eg1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,illustration3 ,,poggio ,,bracciolini 7,after ,donatello4 ,florence3 ,duomo7 ,alinari ,in the ,church of ,s4 ,giovanni in the same city ,donato made a tomb for ,pope ,giovanni ,coscia1 who had been deposed from the ,pontificate by the ,council of ,constance4 ,this tomb he was commissioned to make by ,cosimo de' ,medici1 who was very much the friend of the said ,coscia4 ,he wrought therein with his own hand the figure of the dead man in gilded bronze1 together with the marble statues of ,hope and ,charity that are there2 and his pupil ,michelozzo made the figure of ,faith4 ,in the same church1 opposite to this work1 there is a wooden figure by the hand of ,donato of ,s4 ,mary ,magdalene in ,penitence1 very beautiful and excellently wrought1 showing her wasted away by her fastings and abstinence1 insomuch that it displays in all its parts an admirable perfection of anatomical knowledge4 ,on a column of granite in the ,mercato ,vecchio there is a figure of ,abundance in hard grey-stone by the hand of ,donato1 standing quite by itself1 so well wrought that it is consummately praised by craftsmen and by all good judges of art4 ,the column on which this statue is placed was formerly in ,s4 ,giovanni1 where there are the others of granite supporting the gallery within2 it was removed and its place was taken by a fluted column1 on which1 in the middle of that temple1 there once stood the statue of ,mars which was taken away when the ,florentines were converted to the faith of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the same man1 while still a youth1 made a figure of the ,prophet ,daniel in marble for the facade of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore1 and afterwards one of ,s4 ,john the ,evangelist seated1 four braccia high1 and clothed in a simple garment3 which figure is much extolled4 ,on one corner of the same place1 on the side that faces towards the ,via del ,cocomero1 there is an old man between two columns1 more akin to the ancient manner than any other work that there is to be seen by the hand of ,donato1 the head revealing the thoughts that length of years brings to those who are exhausted by time and labour4 ,within the said church1 likewise1 he made the ornament for the organ1 which stands over the door of the old sacristy1 with those figures so boldly sketched1 as it has been said1 that they appear to the eye to have actual life and movement4 ,wherefore it may be said of this man that he worked as much with his judgment as with his hands1 seeing that many things are wrought which appear beautiful in the rooms where they are made1 and afterwards1 on being taken thence and set in another place1 in a different light or at a greater height1 present a different appearance1 and turn out the contrary to what they appeared2 whereas ,donato made his figures in such a manner1 that in the room where he was working they did not appear half as good as they turned out to be in the positions where they were placed4 ,for the new sacristy of the same church he made the design for those boys who uphold the festoons that go round the frieze1 and likewise the design for the figures that were wrought in the glass of the round window which is below the cupola1 namely1 that one which contains the ,coronation of ,our ,lady2 which design is greatly superior to those of the other round windows1 as it is clearly evident4 ,for ,s4 ,michele in ,orto in the said city he wrought the marble statue of ,s4 ,peter which is to be seen there1 a most masterly and admirable figure1 for the ,guild of ,butchers2 and for the ,guild of ,linen-manufacturers he wrought the figure of ,s4 ,mark the ,evangelist1 which1 after being commissioned to make it in company with ,filippo ,brunelleschi1 he finished by himself with the consent of ,filippo4 ,this figure was wrought by ,donato with so great judgment that its excellence was not recognized1 while it stood on the ground1 by those who had no judgment1 and the ,consuls of that ,guild were inclined to refuse to have it put into place2 whereupon ,donato besought them to let him set it on high1 saying that he wished to work on it and to show them a different figure as the result4 ,his request being granted1 he covered it up for a fortnight1 and then uncovered it without having otherwise touched it1 filling everyone with wonder4 ,illustration3 ,,judith 7,after the bronze by ,donatello4 ,florence3 ,loggia dei ,lanzi7 ,alinari ,for the ,guild of ,armourers he made a most spirited figure of ,s4 ,george in armour1 in the head of which there may be seen the beauty of youth1 courage and valour in arms1 and a proud and terrible ardour2 and there is a marvellous suggestion of life bursting out of the stone4 ,it is certain that no modern figure in marble has yet shown such vivacity and such spirit as nature and art produced in this one by means of the hand of ,donato4 ,in the base that supports the shrine enclosing that figure he wrought in marble the story of the ,saint killing the ,dragon1 in low-relief1 wherein there is a horse that is much esteemed and greatly extolled2 and in the frontal he made a half-length figure of ,god the ,father in low-relief4 ,opposite to the church of the said oratory he wrought the marble shrine for the ,mercatanzia1 following the ancient ,order known as ,corinthian1 and departing entirely from the ,german manner2 this shrine was meant to contain two statues1 but he refused to make them because he could not come to an agreement about the price4 ,after his death these figures were made in bronze by ,andrea del ,verrocchio1 as it will be told4 ,for the main front of the ,campanile of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore he wrought four figures in marble1 five braccia in height1 of which the two in the middle are portrayed from life1 one being ,francesco ,soderini as a youth1 and the other ,giovanni di ,barduccio ,cherichini1 now called ,il ,zuccone4#ba ,the latter was held to be a very rare work and the most beautiful that ,donato ever made1 and when he wished to take an oath that would command belief he was wont to say1 ,by the faith that ,i place in my ,zuccone2 and the while that he was working on it1 he would keep gazing at it and saying1 ,speak1 speak1 plague take thee1 speak6 ,over the door of the campanile1 on the side facing the ,canon's house1 he made ,abraham about to sacrifice ,isaac1 with another ,prophet3 and these figures were placed between two other statues4 ,footnote #ba3 ,i4e41 ,bald-head4 ,for the ,signoria of that city he made a casting in metal which was placed under an arch of their ,loggia in the ,piazza1 representing ,judith cutting off the head of ,holofernes2 a work of great excellence and mastery1 which1 if one considers the simplicity of the garments and aspect of ,judith on the surface1 reveals very clearly below the surface the great spirit of that woman and the assistance given to her by ,god1 even as one sees the effect of wine and sleep in the expression of ,holofernes1 and death in his limbs1 which have lost all life and are shown cold and limp4 ,this work was so well executed by ,donato that the casting came out delicate and very beautiful1 and it was afterwards finished so excellently that it is a very great marvel to behold4 ,the base1 likewise1 which is a baluster of granite1 simple in design1 appears full of grace and presents an aspect pleasing to the eye4 ,he was so well satisfied with this work that he deigned to place his name on it1 which he had not done on the others2 and it is seen in these words1 ,donatelli opus4 ,in the courtyard of the ,palace of the said ,signori there is a life-size ,david1 nude and in bronze4 ,having cut off the head of ,goliath1 he is raising one foot and placing it on him1 holding a sword in his right hand4 ,this figure is so natural in its vivacity and its softness1 that it is almost impossible for craftsmen to believe that it was not moulded on the living form4 ,this statue once stood in the courtyard of the house of the ,medici1 but it was transported to the said place on the exile of ,cosimo4 ,in our own day ,duke ,cosimo1 having made a fountain on the spot occupied by this statue1 had it removed1 and it is being kept for a very large courtyard that he intends to make at the back of the palace1 that is1 where the lions formerly stood4 ,in the hall where there is the clock of ,lorenzo della ,volpaia1 on the left1 there is a very beautiful ,david in marble2 between his legs1 under his feet1 he has the head of the dead ,goliath1 and in his hand he holds the sling wherewith he slew him4 ,in the first courtyard of the house of the ,medici there are eight medallions of marble1 wherein there are copies of ancient cameos and of the reverse sides of medals1 with certain scenes1 all made by him and very beautiful1 which are built into the frieze between the windows and the architrave above the arches of the loggie4 ,in like manner he restored an ancient statue of ,marsyas in white marble1 which was placed at the entrance of the garden2 and a great number of ancient heads1 which were placed over the doors1 were restored and embellished by him with wings and diamonds 7the emblem of ,cosimo71 wrought very well in stucco4 ,he made a very lovely vessel of granite1 which poured forth water1 and he wrought a similar one1 which also pours forth water1 for the garden of the ,pazzi in ,florence4 ,in the said ,palace of the ,medici there are ,madonnas of marble and bronze made in low-relief1 besides some scenes in marble with most beautiful figures1 marvellous in their flat-relief4 ,so great was the love that ,cosimo bore to the talent of ,donato that he kept him continually at work1 and ,donato1 on the other hand1 bore so great love to ,cosimo that he could divine his patron's every wish from the slightest sign1 and obeyed him in all things4 ,it is said that a ,genoese merchant caused ,donato to make a lifesize head of bronze1 which was very beautiful and also very light1 because it had to be carried to a great distance2 and that the commission for this work came to him through the recommendation of ,cosimo4 ,now1 when the head was finished and the merchant came to pay for it1 it appeared to him that ,donato was asking too much2 wherefore the matter was referred to ,cosimo1 who had the head carried to the upper court of the palace and placed between the battlements that overlook the street1 to the end that it might be seen better4 ,when ,cosimo sought to settle the difference1 he found the offer of the merchant very far from the demand of ,donato1 and he turned round and said that it was too little4 ,whereupon the merchant1 thinking it too much1 said that ,donato had wrought it in a month or little more1 and that this meant a gain of more than half a florin a day4 ,donato1 thinking this too much of an insult1 turned round in anger and said to the merchant that in the hundredth part of an hour he would have been able to spoil the value of a year's labour2 and giving the head a push1 he sent it flying straightway into the street below1 where it broke into a thousand pieces2 saying to him that this showed that he was more used to bargaining for beans than for statues4 ,wherefore the merchant1 regretting his meanness1 offered to give him double the sum if he would make another2 but neither his promises nor the entreaties of ,cosimo could induce ,donato to make it again4 ,in the houses of the ,martelli there are many scenes in marble and in bronze2 among others1 a ,david three braccia high1 with many other works presented by him as a free gift to that family in proof of the devotion and love that he bore them2 above all1 a ,s4 ,john of marble1 made by him in the round and three braccia high1 a very rare work1 which is to-day in the house of the heirs of ,ruberto ,martelli4 ,with regard to this work1 a legal agreement was made to the effect that it should be neither pledged1 nor sold1 nor given away1 without heavy penalties1 as a testimony and token of the affection shown by them to ,donato1 and by him to them out of gratitude that he had learnt his art through the protection and the opportunities that he received from them4 ,he also made a tomb of marble for an ,archbishop1 which was sent to ,naples and is in ,s4 ,angelo di ,seggio di ,nido2 in this tomb there are three figures in the round that support the sarcophagus with their heads1 and on the sarcophagus itself is a scene in low-relief1 so beautiful that it commands infinite praise4 ,in the house of the ,count of ,matalone1 in the same city1 there is the head of a horse by the hand of ,donato1 so beautiful that many take it for an antique4 ,in the township of ,prato he wrought the marble pulpit where the ,girdle is shown1 in which1 in several compartments1 he carved a dance of children so beautiful and so admirable1 that he may be said to have demonstrated the perfection of his art no less in this work than in his others4 ,to support this pulpit1 moreover1 he made two capitals of bronze1 one of which is still there1 while the other was carried away by the ,spaniards who sacked that district4 ,illustration3 ,,general ,,gattamelata 7,after the bronze by ,donatello4 ,padua3 ,piazzo di ,s4 ,antonio7 ,anderson ,it came to pass about this time that the ,signoria of ,venice1 hearing of his fame1 sent for him to the end that he might make the monument of ,gattamelata in the city of ,padua2 wherefore he went there right willingly and made the bronze horse that is on the ,piazza di ,s4 ,antonio1 wherein are perceived the panting and neighing of the horse1 with great spirit and pride1 most vividly expressed by his art1 in the figure of the rider4 ,and ,donato proved himself such a master in the proportions and excellence of so great a casting1 that he can truly bear comparison with any ancient craftsman in movement1 design1 art1 proportion1 and diligence2 wherefore it not only astonished all who saw it then1 but continues to astonish every person who sees it at the present day4 ,the ,paduans1 moved by this1 did their utmost to make him their fellow-citizen1 and sought to detain him with every sort of endearment4 ,in order to keep him in their midst1 they commissioned him to make the stories of ,s4 ,anthony of ,padua on the predella of the high-altar in the ,church of the ,friars ,minor1 which are in low-relief1 wrought with so great judgment1 that the most excellent masters of that art stand marvelling and amazed before them1 as they consider their beautiful and varied compositions1 with the great abundance of extraordinary figures and diminishing perspectives4 ,very beautiful1 likewise1 are the ,maries that he made on the altar-dossal1 lamenting the ,dead ,christ4 ,in the house of one of the ,counts ,capodilista he wrought the skeleton of a horse in wood1 which is still to be seen to-day without the neck2 wherein the various parts are joined together with so much method1 that1 if one considers the manner of this work1 one can judge of the ingenuity of his brain and the greatness of his mind4 ,in a convent of nuns he made a ,s4 ,sebastian in wood at the request of a chaplain1 a ,florentine1 who was their friend and an intimate of his own4 ,this man brought him a figure of that ,saint that they had1 old and clumsy1 beseeching him to make the new one like it4 ,wherefore ,donato strove to imitate it in order to please the chaplain and the nuns1 but1 although he imitated it1 clumsy as it was1 he could not help showing in his own the usual excellence of his art4 ,together with this figure he made many others in clay and in stucco1 and on one end of an old piece of marble that the said nuns had in their garden he carved a very beautiful ,madonna4 ,throughout that whole city1 likewise1 there are innumerable works by his hand1 by reason of which he was held by the ,paduans to be a marvel and was praised by every man of understanding2 but he determined to return to ,florence1 saying that if he remained any longer in ,padua he would forget everything that he knew1 being so greatly praised there by all1 and that he was glad to return to his own country1 where he would gain nothing but censure1 since such censure would urge him to study and would enable him to attain to greater glory4 ,having departed from ,padua1 therefore1 he returned by way of ,venice1 where1 as a mark of his friendliness towards the ,florentine people1 he made them a present of a ,s4 ,john the ,baptist1 wrought by him in wood with very great diligence and study1 for their chapel in the ,church of the ,friars ,minor4 ,in the city of ,faenza he carved a ,s4 ,john and a ,s4 ,jerome in wood1 which are no less esteemed than his other works4 ,afterwards1 having returned to ,tuscany1 he made a marble tomb1 with a very beautiful scene1 in the ,pieve of ,montepulciano1 and a lavatory of marble1 on which ,andrea ,verrocchio also worked1 in the ,sacristy of ,s4 ,lorenzo in ,florence2 and in the house of ,lorenzo della ,stufa he wrought some heads and figures that are very spirited and vivacious4 ,then1 departing from ,florence1 he betook himself to ,rome1 in order to try to imitate the antiques to the best of his ability2 and during this time1 while studying these1 he made a tabernacle of the ,sacrament in stone1 which is to be seen in ,s4 ,pietro at the present day4 ,passing through ,siena on his way back to ,florence1 he undertook to make a door of bronze for the ,baptistery of ,s4 ,giovanni2 and he had already made the wooden model1 and the wax moulds were almost finished and successfully covered with the outer mould1 ready for the casting1 when there arrived1 on his way back from ,rome1 one ,bernardetto di ,mona ,papera1 a ,florentine goldsmith and an intimate friend of ,donato1 who wrought upon him so strongly both with words and in other ways1 either for some business of his own or for some other reason1 that he brought him back to ,florence2 wherefore that work remained unfinished1 nay1 not begun4 ,there only remained in the ,office of ,works of the ,duomo in that city a ,s4 ,john the ,baptist in bronze by his hand1 with the right arm missing from the elbow downwards2 and this ,donato is said to have done because he had not been paid in full4 ,illustration3 ,,madonna ,,and ,,child 7,after the bronze by ,donatello4 ,padua3 ,s4 ,antonio7 ,anderson ,having returned to ,florence1 therefore1 he wrought the ,sacristy of ,s4 ,lorenzo in stucco for ,cosimo de' ,medici1 making four medallions on the pendentives of the vault containing stories of the ,evangelists1 with grounds in perspective1 partly painted and partly in low-relief4 ,and in the said place he made two very beautiful little doors of bronze in low-relief1 with the ,apostles1 ,martyrs1 and ,confessors2 and above these he made some flat niches1 one containing a ,s4 ,laurence and a ,s4 ,stephen1 and the other ,s4 ,cosimo and ,s4 ,damiano4 ,in the transept of the church he executed four saints in stucco1 each five braccia high1 which are wrought in a masterly manner4 ,he also designed the bronze pulpits that contain the ,passion of ,christ1 a work displaying design1 force1 invention1 and an abundance of figures and buildings2 but these his old age prevented him from executing1 and his pupil ,bertoldo finished them and brought them to the utmost perfection4 ,for ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore he made two colossal figures of brick and stucco1 which are placed by way of ornament without the church1 at the corners of the chapels4 ,over the door of ,s4 ,croce there is still to be seen a ,s4 ,louis wrought by him in bronze1 five braccia high2 for this someone criticized him1 saying that it was stupid and perhaps the least excellent work that he had ever made1 and he answered that he had made it so of set purpose1 seeing that the ,saint had been stupid to give up his throne and become a monk4 ,the same man made the head of the wife of the said ,cosimo de' ,medici in bronze1 and this head is preserved in the guardaroba of the ,lord ,duke ,cosimo1 wherein there are many other works in bronze and marble by the hand of ,donato2 among others1 a ,madonna with the ,child in her arms1 sunk in the marble in flat-relief1 which is the most beautiful work that it is possible to see1 and the rather as it is surrounded by a border of scenes done in miniature by ,fra ,bartolommeo1#bb which are admirable1 as it will be told in the proper place4 ,the said ,lord ,duke has a very beautiful1 nay1 miraculous ,crucifix in bronze1 by the hand of ,donato1 in his study1 wherein there are innumerable rare antiquities and most beautiful medals4 ,in the same guardaroba there is a bronze panel containing the ,passion of ,our ,lord in low-relief1 with a great number of figures2 and in another panel1 also in metal1 there is another ,crucifixion4 ,in like manner1 in the house of the heirs of ,jacopo ,capponi1 who was an excellent citizen and a true gentleman1 there is a marble panel with the ,madonna in half-relief1 which is held to be a very rare work4 ,messer ,antonio de' ,nobili1 who was ,treasurer to his ,excellency1 had in his house a marble panel by the hand of ,donato1 in which there is a half-length ,madonna in low-relief1 so beautiful that the said ,messer ,antonio valued it as much as all his possessions2 nor is it less valued by his son ,giulio1 a youth of singular goodness and judgment1 a friend to lovers of art and to all men of excellence4 ,in the house of ,giovan ,battista d',agnol ,doni1 a gentleman of ,florence1 there is a ,mercury of metal in the round by the hand of ,donato1 one braccio and a half in height and clothed in a certain bizarre manner2 which work is truly very beautiful1 and no less rare than the others that adorn his most beautiful house4 ,bartolommeo ,gondi1 of whom we have spoken in the ,life of ,giotto1 has a ,madonna in half-relief by the hand of ,donato1 wrought with so great love and diligence that it is not possible to see anything better1 or to imagine the fancifulness which he gave to her headdress and the loveliness that he put into the garments which she is wearing4 ,in like manner1 ,messer ,lelio ,torelli1 ,first ,auditor and ,secretary to our ,lord the ,duke1 and no less devoted a lover of all the honourable sciences1 arts1 and professions1 than he is excellent as a jurist1 has a marble panel of ,our ,lady by the hand of the same ,donatello4 ,footnote #bb3 ,vasari says ,fra ,ber4444 ,fra ,bernardo has been suggested1 but nothing is known of him4 ,it is more reasonable to read ,fra ,bartolommeo 7della ,porta74 ,but if one were to give a complete account of his life and of the works that he made1 it would be a far longer story than it is our intention to give in writing the ,lives of our craftsmen1 seeing that he put his hand not only to great things1 of which there has been enough said1 but also to the smallest things of art1 making the arms of families on the chimneypieces and on the fronts of the houses of citizens1 a most beautiful example of which may be seen in the house of the ,sommai1 which is opposite to that of the baker ,della ,vacca4 ,for the family of the ,martelli1 moreover1 he made a coffin in the form of a cradle wrought of wicker-work1 to serve for a tomb2 but it is beneath the ,church of ,s4 ,lorenzo1 because no tombs of any kind are to be seen above1 save only the epitaph of the tomb of ,cosimo de' ,medici1 and even that one has its entrance below1 like the others4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,entombment 7,after the relief by ,donatello4 ,padua3 ,s4 ,antonio7 ,alinari ,it is said that ,simone1 the brother of ,donato1 having wrought the model for the tomb of ,pope ,martin ,v1 sent for ,donato to the end that he might see it before it was cast4 ,going to ,rome1 therefore1 ,donato found himself in that city at the very moment when the ,emperor ,sigismund was there to receive the crown from ,pope ,eugenius ,,iv2 wherefore he was forced1 in company with ,simone1 to occupy himself with making the magnificent preparations for that festival1 whereby he acquired very great fame and honour4 ,in the guardaroba of ,signor ,guidobaldo1 ,duke of ,urbino1 there is a very beautiful head of marble by the hand of the same man1 and it is believed that it was given to the ancestors of the said ,duke by the ,magnificent ,giuliano de' ,medici1 at the time when he was staying at that ,court1 which was full of most cultured gentlemen4 ,in short1 the talent of ,donato was such1 and he was so admirable in all his actions1 that he may be said to have been one of the first to give light1 by his practice1 judgment1 and knowledge1 to the art of sculpture and of good design among the moderns2 and he deserves all the more commendation1 because in his day1 apart from the columns1 sarcophagi1 and triumphal arches1 there were no antiquities revealed above the earth4 ,and it was through him1 chiefly1 that there arose in ,cosimo de' ,medici the desire to introduce into ,florence the antiquities that were and are in the house of the ,medici2 all of which he restored with his own hand4 ,he was most liberal1 gracious1 and courteous1 and more careful for his friends than for himself2 nor did he give thought to money1 but kept his in a basket suspended by a cord from the ceiling1 wherefore all his workmen and friends could take what they needed without saying a word to him4 ,he passed his old age most joyously1 and1 having become decrepit1 he had to be succoured by ,cosimo and by others of his friends1 being no longer able to work4 ,it is said that ,cosimo1 being at the point of death1 recommended him to the care of his son ,piero1 who1 as a most diligent executor of his father's wishes1 gave him a farm at ,cafaggiuolo1 which produced enough to enable him to live in comfort4 ,at this ,donato made great rejoicing1 thinking that he was thus more than secure from the danger of dying of hunger2 but he had not held it a year before he returned to ,piero and gave it back to him by public contract1 declaring that he refused to lose his peace of mind by having to think of household cares and listen to the importunity of the peasant1 who kept pestering him every third day--now because the wind had unroofed his dovecote1 now because his cattle had been seized by the ,commune for taxes1 and now because a storm had robbed him of his wine and his fruit4 ,he was so weary and disgusted with all this1 that he would rather die of hunger than have to think of so many things4 ,piero laughed at the simplicity of ,donato2 and in order to deliver him from this torment1 he accepted the farm 7for on this ,donato insisted71 and assigned him an allowance of the same value or more from his own bank1 to be paid in cash1 which was handed over to him every week in the due proportion owing to him2 whereby he was greatly contented4 ,thus1 as a servant and friend of the house of ,medici1 he lived happily and free from care for the rest of his life4 ,when he had reached the age of eighty-three1 however1 he was so palsied that he could no longer work in any fashion1 and took to spending all his time in bed in a poor little house that he had in the ,via del ,cocomero1 near the ,nunnery of ,s4 ,niccolo2 where1 growing worse from day to day and wasting away little by little1 he died on ,december #ac1 #adff4 ,he was buried in the ,church of ,s4 ,lorenzo1 near the tomb of ,cosimo1 as he had himself directed1 to the end that his dead body might be near him1 even as he had been ever near him in spirit when alive4 ,his death caused great grief to his fellow-citizens1 to the craftsmen1 and to all who knew him when living4 ,wherefore1 in order to honour him more after death than they had done in his life1 they gave him most honourable obsequies in the aforesaid church1 and he was accompanied to the grave by all the painters1 architects1 sculptors1 and goldsmiths1 and by almost all the people of that city1 which continued for a long time to compose in his honour various kinds of verses in diverse tongues1 whereof it must suffice us to cite the few that are to be read below4 ,but before ,i come to the epitaphs1 it will not be amiss to relate the following story of him as well4 ,when he had fallen sick1 and only a little before his death1 certain of his relatives went to visit him2 and after they had greeted him1 as is customary1 and condoled with him1 they said that it was his duty to leave them a farm that he had in the district of ,prato1 although it was small and produced a very meagre income2 and they prayed him straitly to do it4 ,hearing this1 ,donato1 who showed something of the good in all that he did1 said to them1 ,i cannot satisfy you1 my kinsmen1 because ,i intend to leave it--as it appears to me reasonable--to the peasant1 who has always worked it and endured great labour thereby1 and not to you1 who1 without having bestowed upon it anything more profitable than the thought of possessing it1 expect me to leave it to you because of this your visit6 ,go1 and may ,god bless you6 ,of a truth such relatives1 who have no love unconnected with advantage or with the hope of it1 should be ever treated in this fashion4 ,sending therefore for a notary1 he left the said farm to the labourer who had always worked it1 and who perchance had behaved better to him in his need than those relatives had done4 ,his art-possessions he left to his pupils1 namely1 ,bertoldo1 a sculptor of ,florence1 who imitated him closely enough1 as may be seen from a very beautiful battle between men on horseback1 wrought in bronze1 which is now in the guardaroba of the ,lord ,duke ,cosimo2 ,nanni d',antonio di ,banco1 who died before him2 and ,rossellino1 ,desiderio1 and ,vellano da ,padova4 ,in short1 it may be said that every man who has sought to do good work in relief since the death of ,donato1 has been his disciple4 ,he was resolute in draughtsmanship1 and he made his drawings with such mastery and boldness that they have no equals1 as may be seen in my book1 wherein ,i have figures drawn by his hand1 both clothed and nude1 animals that make all who see them marvel1 and other most beautiful things of that kind4 ,his portrait was made by ,paolo ,uccello1 as it has been said in his ,life4 ,the epitaphs are as follows3 ,,scultura ,h4,m4 ,a ,,florentinis ,,fieri ,,voluit ,,donatello1 ,,utpote ,,homini1 ,,qui ,,ei1 ,,quod ,,jamdiu ,,optimis ,,artificibus ,,multisque ,,saeculis ,,tum ,,nobilitatis ,,tum ,,nominis ,,acquisitum ,,fuerat1 ,,injuriave ,,tempor4 ,,perdiderat ,,ipsa1 ,,ipse ,,unus ,,una ,,vita ,,infinitisque ,,operibus ,,cumulatiss4 ,,restituerit3 ,,et ,,patriae ,,benemerenti ,,hujus ,,restitutae ,,virtutis ,,palmam ,,reportarit4 ,,excudit ,,nemo ,,spirantia ,,mollius ,,aera2 ,,vera ,,cano2 ,,cernes ,,marmora ,,viva ,,loqui4 ,,graecorum ,,sileat ,,prisca ,,admirabilis ,,aetas ,,compedibus ,,statuas ,,continuisse ,,rhodon4 ,,nectere ,,namque ,,magis ,,fuerant ,,haec ,,vincula ,,digna ,,istius ,,egregias ,,artificis ,,statuas4 ,,quanto ,,con ,,dotta ,,mano ,,alla ,,scultura ,,gia ,,fecer ,,molti1 ,,or ,,sol ,,donato ,,ha ,,fatto2 ,,renduto ,,ha ,,vita ,a' ,,marmi1 ,,affetto1 ,,ed ,,atto2 ,,che ,,piu1 ,,se ,,non ,,parlar1 ,,puo ,,dar ,,natura8 ,the world remained so full of his works1 that it may be affirmed right truly that no craftsman ever worked more than he did4 ,for1 delighting in every kind of work1 he put his hand to anything1 without considering whether it was of little or of great value4 ,nevertheless it was indispensable to sculpture1 this vast activity of ,donato in making figures in every kind of relief1 full1 half1 low1 and the lowest2 because1 whereas in the good times of the ancient ,greeks and ,romans it was by means of many that it became perfect1 he alone by the multitude of his works brought it back to marvellous perfection in our own age4 ,wherefore craftsmen should trace the greatness of this art rather to him than to any man born in modern times1 seeing that1 besides rendering the difficulties of the art easy1 in the multitude of his works he combined together invention1 design1 practice1 judgment1 and every other quality that ever can or should be looked for in a divine genius4 ,donato was very resolute and ready1 executing all his works with consummate facility1 and he always accomplished much more than he had promised4 ,he left all his work to be completed by his pupil ,bertoldo1 and particularly the bronze pulpits of ,s4 ,lorenzo1 which were afterwards finished in great part by him1 and brought to the state in which they are seen in the said church4 ,i will not forbear to say that the most learned and very reverend ,don ,vincenzo ,borghini1 of whom mention has been made above with regard to some other matter1 has collected into a large book innumerable drawings by excellent painters and sculptors1 both ancient and modern2 and on the ornamental borders of two leaves opposite to each other1 which contain drawings by the hand of ,donato and of ,michelagnolo ,buonarroti1 he has written1 with much judgment1 these two ,greek epigrams2 on ,donato's1 ,greek3 e ,donatos ,bonarhrotizei1 and on ,michelagnolo's1 ,greek3 e ,bonarhrotos ,donatizei2 which mean in ,latin1 ,aut ,donatus ,bonarrotum exprimit et refert2 aut ,bonarrotus ,donatum1 and in our own tongue1 ,either the spirit of ,donato works in ,buonarroto1 or that of ,buonarroto began by working in ,donato4 ,,michelozzo ,,michelozzi ,,life ,,of ,,michelozzo ,,michelozzi ,,sculptor ,,and ,,architect ,,of ,,florence ,if every man who lives in this world were to realize that he may have to live when he is no longer able to work1 there would not be so many reduced to begging in their old age for that which they consumed without any restraint in their youth1 when their large and abundant gains1 blinding their true judgment1 made them spend more than was necessary and much more than was expedient4 ,for1 seeing how coldly a man is looked upon who has fallen from wealth to poverty1 every man should strive--honestly1 however1 and maintaining the proper mean--to avoid having to beg in his old age4 ,and whosoever will act like ,michelozzo--who did not imitate his master ,donato in this respect1 although he did in his virtues--will live honourably all the course of his life1 and will not be forced in his last years to go about miserably hunting for the wherewithal to live4 ,now ,michelozzo applied himself in his youth to sculpture under ,donatello1 and also to design2 and although he realized their difficulties1 nevertheless he went on ever practising so diligently with clay1 with wax1 and with marble1 that he ever showed ability and great talent in the works that he made afterwards4 ,there was one art in which he surpassed many and even his own self1 for1 after ,brunellesco1 he was held to be the most methodical architect of his times1 and the one who was best able to arrange and contrive palaces1 convents1 and houses for human habitation1 and who designed them with the greatest judgment1 as will be told in the proper place4 ,of this man ,donatello availed himself for many years1 because he was very well practised in working marble and in the business of casting in bronze2 of which we have proof in a tomb in ,s4 ,giovanni at ,florence 7which was made by ,donatello1 as it has been said1 for ,pope ,giovanni ,coscia71 since the greater part was executed by ,michelozzo2 and there we can see a very beautiful marble statue by his hand1 two braccia and a half in height1 representing ,faith 7in company with one of ,hope and one of ,charity made by ,donatello1 of the same size71 which does not suffer by comparison with the others4 ,moreover1 above the door of the sacristy and the ,office of ,works1 opposite to ,s4 ,giovanni1 ,michelozzo made a little ,s4 ,john in full-relief1 wrought with diligence1 which was much extolled4 ,michelozzo was so intimate with ,cosimo de' ,medici that the latter1 recognizing his genius1 caused him to make the model for the house and palace at the corner of the ,via ,larga1 beside ,s4 ,giovannino2 for he thought that the one made by ,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco1 as it has been said1 was too sumptuous and magnificent1 and more likely to stir up envy among his fellow-citizens than to confer grandeur or adornment on the city1 or bring comfort to himself4 ,wherefore1 being pleased with the model that ,michelozzo had made1 he had the building brought to completion under his direction in the manner that we see at the present day1 with all the beautiful and useful arrangements and graceful adornments that are seen therein1 which have majesty and grandeur in their simplicity2 and ,michelozzo deserves all the greater praise in that this was the first palace which was built in that city on modern lines1 and which was divided up into rooms both useful and most beautiful4 ,the cellars are excavated to more than half their depth underground1 namely1 four braccia below1 with three above for the sake of light2 and there are also wine-cellars and store-rooms4 ,on the ground-floor there are two courtyards with magnificent loggie1 on which open saloons1 chambers1 antechambers1 studies1 closets1 stove-rooms1 kitchens1 wells1 and staircases both secret and public1 all most convenient4 ,on each floor there are apartments with accommodation for a whole family1 with all the conveniences that are proper not only to a private citizen1 such as ,cosimo then was1 but even to the most splendid and most honourable of ,kings2 wherefore in our own times ,kings1 ,emperors1 ,popes1 and all the most illustrious ,princes of ,europe have been comfortably lodged there1 to the infinite credit both of the magnificence of ,cosimo and of the excellent ability of ,michelozzo in architecture4 ,in the year #adcc1 when ,cosimo was driven into exile1 ,michelozzo1 who loved him very greatly and was most faithful to him1 accompanied him of his own free will to ,venice and insisted on remaining with him all the time that he stayed there2 and in that city1 besides many designs and models that he made for private dwellings and public buildings and decorations for the friends of ,cosimo and for many gentlemen1 he built1 at the command and expense of ,cosimo1 the library of the ,monastery of ,s4 ,giorgio ,maggiore1 a seat of the ,black ,friars of ,s4 ,justina2 and this was not only finished with regard to walls1 book-shelves1 wood-work1 and other adornments1 but was also filled with many books4 ,such was the occupation and amusement of ,cosimo during that exile1 from which he was recalled to his country in the year #adcd2 whereupon he returned almost in triumph1 and ,michelozzo with him4 ,now1 while ,michelozzo was in ,florence1 the ,palazzo ,pubblico della ,signoria began to threaten to collapse1 for some columns in the courtyard were giving way1 either because there was too much weight pressing on them1 or because their foundations were weak and awry1 or even perchance because they were made of pieces badly joined and put together4 ,whatever may have been the reason1 the matter was put into the hands of ,michelozzo1 who accepted the undertaking willingly1 because he had provided against a similar peril near ,s4 ,barnaba in ,venice1 in the following manner4 ,a gentleman had a house that was in danger of falling down1 and he entrusted the matter to ,michelozzo2 wherefore he--according to what ,michelagnolo ,buonarroti once told me--caused a column to be made in secret1 and prepared a number of props2 and hiding everything in a boat1 into which he entered together with some builders1 in one night he propped up the house and replaced the column4 ,michelozzo1 therefore1 emboldened by this experience1 averted the danger from the palace1 doing honour both to himself and to those by whose favour he had received such a charge2 and he refounded and rebuilt the columns in the manner wherein they stand to-day4 ,first he made a stout framework of props and thick beams standing upright to support the centres of the arches1 made of nut-wood1 and upholding the vaulting1 so that this came to support equally the weight that was previously borne by the columns2 then1 little by little removing those that were made of pieces badly joined together1 he replaced them with others made of pieces and wrought with diligence1 in such a manner that the building did not suffer in any way and has never moved a hair's breadth4 ,and in order that his columns might be known from the others1 he made some of them at the corners with eight sides1 with capitals that have the foliage carved in the modern fashion1 and some round2 and all are very easily distinguished from the old columns that ,arnolfo made formerly4 ,afterwards1 by the advice of ,michelozzo1 it was ordained by those who then governed the city that the arches of those columns should be unburdened and relieved of the weight of the walls that rested upon them2 that the whole courtyard should be rebuilt from the arches upwards1 with a row of windows in modern fashion1 similar to those that he had made for ,cosimo in the courtyard of the ,palace of the ,medici2 and that designs in rustic-work should be carved on the walls1 for the reception of those golden lilies that are still seen there at the present day4 ,all this ,michelozzo did with great promptitude2 and on the second tier1 directly above the windows of the said courtyard1 he made some round windows 7so as to have them different from the aforesaid windows71 to give light to the rooms on that floor1 which are over those of the first floor1 where there is now the ,sala de' ,dugento4 ,the third floor1 where the ,signori and the ,gonfalonier lived1 he made more ornate1 and on the side towards ,s4 ,piero ,scheraggio he arranged a series of apartments for the ,signori1 who had previously slept all together in one and the same room4 ,these apartments consisted of eight for the ,signori and a larger one for the ,gonfalonier1 and they all opened on a corridor which had windows overlooking the courtyard4 ,above this he made another series of commodious rooms for the household of the ,palace1 in one of which1 used to-day as the ,treasury1 there is a portrait by the hand of ,giotto of ,charles1 ,duke of ,calabria1 son of ,king ,robert1 kneeling before a ,madonna4 ,there1 also1 he made apartments for the bailiffs1 ushers1 trumpeters1 musicians1 pipers1 mace-bearers1 court-servants1 and heralds1 with all the other apartments that are required in such a palace4 ,on the upper part of the gallery1 moreover1 he made a stone cornice that went right round the courtyard1 and beside it a water-cistern that was filled by the rains1 to make some artificial fountains play at certain times4 ,michelozzo also directed the restoration of the chapel wherein ,mass is heard1 and beside it many rooms1 with very rich ceilings painted with golden lilies on a ground of blue4 ,he had other ceilings made both for the upper and the lower rooms of the ,palace1 covering up all the old ceilings that had been made before in the ancient manner4 ,in short1 he gave it all the perfection that was demanded by so great a building2 and he contrived to convey the water from the wells right up to the highest floor1 to which it could be drawn up by means of a wheel more easily than was usual4 ,one thing alone the genius of ,michelozzo could not remedy1 namely1 the public staircase1 because it was badly conceived from the beginning1 badly situated1 awkwardly built1 steep1 and without lights1 while from the first floor upwards the steps were of wood4 ,he laboured to such purpose1 however1 that he made a flight of round steps at the entrance of the courtyard1 and a door with pilasters of hard-stone and most beautiful capitals carved by his hand1 besides a well-designed cornice with a double architrave1 in the frieze of which he placed all the arms of the ,commune4 ,and what is more1 he made the whole staircase of hard-stone up to the floor where the ,signori lived1 fortifying it at the top and half-way up with a portcullis at each point1 in case of tumults2 and at the head of the staircase he made a door which was called the catena1#bc beside which there was ever standing an usher1 who opened or closed it according as he was commanded by those in authority4 ,he strengthened the tower of the campanile1 which had cracked by reason of the weight of that part which stands out over space on corbels on the side towards the ,piazza1 with very stout bands of iron4 ,finally1 he improved and restored that ,palace so greatly1 that he was therefore commended by the whole city and made1 besides other rewards1 a member of the ,college1 which is one of the most honourable magistracies in ,florence4 ,and if it should appear to anyone that ,i have perchance spoken at greater length about this building than was needful1 ,i deserve to be excused1 because--after having shown in the ,life of ,arnolfo1 in connection with its original erection1 which was in the year #abih1 that it was built out of the square and wholly wanting in reasonable proportion1 with unequal columns in the courtyard1 arches both large and small1 inconvenient stairs1 and rooms awry and badly proportioned--it was necessary for me to show also to what condition it was brought by the intellect and judgment of ,michelozzo2 although even he did not arrange it in such a manner that it could be inhabited comfortably1 without very great inconvenience and discomfort4 ,finally1 when the ,lord ,duke ,cosimo came to occupy it in the year #aech1 his ,excellency began to bring it into better form2 but since those architects who served the ,duke for many years in that work were never able to grasp or to carry out his conception1 he determined to see whether he could effect the restoration without spoiling the old part1 in which there was no little of the good2 giving better order1 convenience1 and proportion1 according to the plan that he had in mind1 to the awkward and inconvenient stairs and apartments4 ,footnote #bc3 ,chain4 ,sending to ,rome1 therefore1 for ,giorgio ,vasari1 painter and architect of ,arezzo1 who was working for ,pope ,julius ,,iii1 he commissioned him not only to put in order the rooms that he had caused to be begun in the upper part of the side opposite to the ,corn ,market1 which were out of the straight with regard to the ground-plan1 but also to consider whether the interior of the ,palace could not1 without spoiling the work already done1 be brought to such a form that it might be possible to go all over it1 from one part to another and from one apartment to another1 by means of staircases both secret and public1 with an ascent as easy as possible4 ,thereupon1 while the said rooms1 already begun1 were being adorned with gilded ceilings and scenes painted in oil1 and with pictures in fresco on the walls1 and others were being wrought in stucco1 ,giorgio took a tracing of the ground-plan right round the whole of the ,palace1 both the new part and the old2 and then1 having arranged with no small labour and study for the execution of all that he intended to do1 he began to bring it little by little into a good form1 and to unite1 almost without spoiling any of the work already done1 the disconnected rooms1 which previously varied in height even on the same floor1 some being high and others low4 ,but in order that the ,duke might see the design of the whole1 in the space of six months he had made a well-proportioned wooden model of the whole of that pile1 which has the form and extent rather of a fortress than of a palace4 ,according to this model1 which gained the approval of the ,duke1 the building was united and many commodious rooms were made1 as well as convenient staircases1 both public and secret1 which give access to all the floors2 and in this manner a burden was removed from the halls1 which were formerly like public streets1 for it had been impossible to ascend to the upper floors without passing through them4 ,the whole was magnificently adorned with varied and diverse pictures1 and finally the roof of the ,great ,hall was raised twelve braccia above its former height2 insomuch that if ,arnolfo1 ,michelozzo1 and the others who laboured on the building from its first foundation onwards1 were to return to life1 they would not recognize it--nay1 they would believe that it was not theirs but a new erection and a different edifice4 ,illustration3 ,,palazzo ,,riccardi 7,after ,michelozzo ,michelozzi4 ,florence7 ,alinari ,but let us now return to ,michelozzo2 the ,church of ,s4 ,giorgio had just been given to the ,friars of ,s4 ,domenico da ,fiesole1 but they only remained there from about the middle of ,july to the end of ,january1 for ,cosimo de' ,medici and his brother ,lorenzo obtained for them from ,pope ,eugenius the ,church and ,convent of ,s4 ,marco1 which was previously the seat of ,silvestrine ,monks1 to whom the said ,s4 ,giorgio was given in exchange4 ,and ,cosimo and ,lorenzo1 being very devoted to religion and to divine service and worship1 ordained that the said ,convent of ,s4 ,marco should be rebuilt entirely anew after the design and model of ,michelozzo1 and should be made very vast and magnificent1 with all the conveniences that the said friars could possibly desire4 ,this work was begun in the year #adcg1 and the first part to be built was that opening out above the old refectory1 opposite to the ducal stables1 which ,duke ,lorenzo de' ,medici formerly caused to be built4 ,in this place twenty cells were built1 the roof was put on1 and the wooden furniture was made for the refectory1 the whole being finished in the manner wherein it still stands to-day4 ,but for some time the work was carried no further1 for they had to wait to see what would be the end of a law-suit that one ,maestro ,stefano1 ,general of the said ,silvestrines1 had brought against the ,friars of ,s4 ,marco with regard to that convent4 ,this suit having concluded in favour of the said ,friars of ,s4 ,marco1 the building was once more continued4 ,but since the principal chapel1 which had been built by ,ser ,pino ,bonaccorsi1 had afterwards come into the hands of a lady of the ,caponsacchi family1 and from her to ,mariotto ,banchi1 some law-suit was fought out over this1 and ,mariotto1 having upheld his rights and having taken the said chapel from ,agnolo della ,casa1 to whom the said ,silvestrines had given or sold it1 presented it to ,cosimo de' ,medici1 who gave ,mariotto #ejj crowns in return for it4 ,later1 after ,cosimo had likewise bought from the ,company of the ,spirito ,santo the site where the choir now stands1 the chapel1 the tribune1 and the choir were built under the direction of ,michelozzo1 and completely furnished in the year #adci4 ,afterwards the library was made1 eighty braccia in length and eighteen in breadth1 and vaulted both above and below1 with sixty-four shelves of cypress wood filled with most beautiful books4 ,after this the dormitory was finished1 being brought to a square shape2 and finally the cloister was completed1 together with all the truly commodious apartments of that convent1 which is believed to be the best designed1 the most beautiful1 and the most commodious that there is in ,italy1 thanks to the talent and industry of ,michelozzo1 who delivered it completely finished in the year #adeb4 ,it is said that ,cosimo spent #cf1jjj ducats on this fabric1 and that while it was building he gave the monks #cff ducats every year for their maintenance4 ,of the construction and consecration of this holy place we read in an inscription on marble over the door that leads into the sacristy1 in the following words3 ,,cum ,,hoc ,,templum ,,marco ,,evangelistae ,,dicatum ,,magnificis ,,sumptibus ,,cl4 ,v4 ,,cosmi ,,medicis ,,tandem ,,absolutum ,,esset1 ,,eugenius ,,quartus ,,romanus ,,pontifex ,,maxima ,,cardinalium1 ,,archiepiscoporum1 ,,episcoporum1 ,,aliorumque ,,sacerdotum ,,frequentia ,,comitatus1 ,,id ,,celeberrimo ,,epiphaniae ,,die1 ,,solemni ,,more ,,servato1 ,,consecravit4 ,,tum ,,etiam ,,quotannis ,,omnibus1 ,,qui ,,eodem ,,die ,,festo ,,annuas ,,statasque ,,consecrationis ,,ceremonias ,,caste ,,pieque ,,celebrarint ,,viserintve1 ,,temporis ,,luendis ,,peccatis ,,suis ,,debiti ,,septem ,,annos ,,totidemque ,,quadragesimas ,,apostolica ,,remisit ,,auctoritate1 ,a4 ,,mccccxlii4 ,in like manner1 ,cosimo erected from the design of ,michelozzo the noviciate of ,s4 ,croce in ,florence1 with the chapel of the same1 and the entrance that leads from the church to the sacristy1 to the said noviciate1 and to the staircase of the dormitory4 ,these works are not inferior in beauty1 convenience1 and adornment to any building whatsoever of all those which the truly magnificent ,cosimo de' ,medici caused to be erected1 or which ,michelozzo carried into execution2 and besides other parts1 the door that leads from the church to the said places1 which he made of grey-stone1 was much extolled in those times by reason of its novelty and of its beautifully made frontal1 for it was then very little the custom to imitate the good manner of antique work1 as this door does4 ,cosimo de' ,medici also built1 with the advice and design of ,michelozzo1 the ,palace of ,cafaggiuolo in ,mugello1 giving it the form of a fortress with ditches round it2 and he laid out farms1 roads1 gardens1 fountains with groves round them1 fowling-places1 and other appurtenances of a villa1 all very splendid2 and at a distance of two miles from the said palace1 in a place called the ,bosco a' ,frati1 with the advice of ,michelozzo1 he carried out the building of a convent for the ,frati de' ,zoccoli of the ,order of ,s4 ,francis1 which is something very beautiful4 ,at ,trebbio1 likewise1 he made many other improvements which are still to be seen2 and at a distance of two miles from ,florence1 also1 he built the palatial ,villa of ,careggi1 which was very rich and magnificent2 and thither ,michelozzo brought the water for the fountain that is seen there at the present day4 ,for ,giovanni1 son of ,cosimo de' ,medici1 the same master built another magnificent and noble palace at ,fiesole1 sinking the foundations for the lower part in the brow of the hill1 at great expense but not without great advantage1 for in that lower part he made vaults1 cellars1 stables1 vat-stores1 and many other beautiful and commodious offices2 and above1 besides the chambers1 halls1 and other ordinary rooms1 he made some for books and certain others for music4 ,in short1 ,michelozzo showed in this building how great was his skill in architecture1 for1 besides what has been mentioned1 it was constructed in such a manner that1 although it stands on that hill1 it has never moved a hair's breadth4 ,this palace finished1 he built above it1 almost on the summit of the hill1 the ,church and ,convent of the ,friars of ,s4 ,girolamo1 at the expense of the same man4 ,the same ,michelozzo made the design and model which ,cosimo sent to ,jerusalem for the hospice that he caused to be erected there1 for the pilgrims who visit the ,sepulchre of ,christ4 ,he also sent the design for six windows in the facade of ,s4 ,pietro in ,rome1 which were made there afterwards with the arms of ,cosimo de' ,medici2 but three of them were removed in our own day and replaced by ,pope ,paul ,,iii with others bearing the arms of the house of ,farnese4 ,after this1 hearing that there was a lack of water at ,s4 ,maria degli ,angeli in ,assisi1 to the very great discomfort of the people who go there every year on ,august #a to receive ,absolution1 ,cosimo sent thither ,michelozzo1 who brought the water of a spring1 which rose half-way up the brow of the hill1 to the fountain1 which he covered with a very rich and lovely loggia resting on some columns made of separate pieces and bearing the arms of ,cosimo4 ,within the convent1 also at the commission of ,cosimo1 he made many useful improvements for the friars2 and these the magnificent ,lorenzo de' ,medici afterwards renewed with more adornment and at greater expense1 besides presenting to that ,madonna the image of her in wax which is still to be seen there4 ,cosimo also caused the road that leads from the said ,madonna degli ,angeli to the city to be paved with bricks2 nor did ,michelozzo take his leave of those parts before he had made the design for the old ,citadel of ,perugia4 ,having finally returned to ,florence1 he built a house on the ,canto de' ,tornaquinci for ,giovanni ,tornabuoni1 similar in almost every way to the palace that he had made for ,cosimo1 save that the facade is not in rustic-work and has no cornices above1 but is quite plain4 ,after the death of ,cosimo1 by whom ,michelozzo had been loved as much as a dear friend can be loved1 his son ,piero caused him to build the marble ,chapel of the ,crucifix in ,s4 ,miniato sul ,monte2 and in the half-circle of the arch at the back of the said chapel ,michelozzo carved in low-relief a ,falcon with the ,diamond 7the emblem of ,cosimo1 father of ,piero71 which was truly a very beautiful work4 ,after these things1 the same ,piero de' ,medici1 intending to build the ,chapel of the ,nunziata1 in the ,church of the ,servi1 entirely of marble1 besought ,michelozzo1 now an old man1 to give him his advice in the matter1 both because he greatly admired his talents and because he knew how faithful a friend and servant he had been to his father ,cosimo4 ,this ,michelozzo did1 and the charge of constructing it was given to ,pagno di ,lapo ,partigiani1 a sculptor of ,fiesole1 who1 as one who wished to include many things in a small space1 showed many ideas in this work4 ,this chapel is supported by four marble columns about nine braccia high1 made with double flutings in the ,corinthian manner1 with the bases and capitals variously carved and with double members4 ,on the columns rest the architrave1 frieze1 and cornice1 likewise with double members and carvings and wrought with various things of fancy1 and particularly with foliage and the emblems and arms of the ,medici4 ,between these and other cornices made for another range of lights1 there is a large inscription1 very beautifully carved in marble4 ,below1 between the four columns1 forming the ceiling of the chapel1 there is a coffer-work canopy of marble all carved1 full of enamels fired in a furnace and of various fanciful designs in mosaic wrought with gold colour and precious stones4 ,the surface of the pavement is full of porphyry1 serpentine1 variegated marbles1 and other very rare stones1 put together and distributed with beautiful design4 ,the said chapel is enclosed by a grille made of bronze ropes1 with candelabra above fixed into an ornament of marble1 which makes a very beautiful finish to the bronze and to the candelabra2 and the door which closes the chapel in front is likewise of bronze and very well contrived4 ,piero left orders that the chapel should be lighted all round by thirty silver lamps1 and this was done4 ,now1 as these were ruined during the siege1 the ,lord ,duke gave orders many years ago that new ones should be made1 and the greater part of them are already finished1 while the work still goes on2 but in spite of this there has never been a moment when there has not been that full number of lamps burning1 according to the instructions of ,piero1 although1 from the time when they were destroyed1 they have not been of silver4 ,to these adornments ,pagno added a very large lily of copper1 issuing from a vase which rests on the corner of the gilt and painted cornice of wood which holds the lamps2 but this cornice does not support so great a weight by itself1 for the whole is sustained by two branches of the lily1 which are of iron painted green1 and are fixed with lead into the corner of the marble cornice1 holding those that are of copper suspended in the air4 ,this work was truly made with judgment and invention2 wherefore it is worthy of being much extolled as something beautiful and bizarre4 ,beside this chapel1 he made another on the side towards the cloister1 which serves as a choir for the friars1 with windows which take their light from the court and give it both to the said chapel and also 7since they stand opposite to two similar windows7 to the room containing the little organ1 which is by the side of the marble chapel4 ,on the front of this choir there is a large press1 in which the silver vessels of the ,nunziata are kept2 and on all these ornaments and throughout the whole are the arms and emblem of the ,medici4 ,without the ,chapel of the ,nunziata and opposite to it1 the same man made a large chandelier of bronze1 five braccia in height1 as well as the marble holy-water font at the entrance of the church1 and a ,s4 ,john in the centre1 which is a very beautiful work4 ,above the counter where the friars sell the candles1 moreover1 he made a half-length ,madonna of marble with the ,child in her arms1 in half-relief1 of the size of life and very devout2 and a similar work in the ,office of the ,wardens of ,works of ,s4 ,maria del ,fiore4 ,pagno also wrought some figures in ,s4 ,miniato al ,tedesco in company with his master ,donato1 while a youth2 and he made a tomb of marble in the ,church of ,s4 ,martino in ,lucca1 opposite to the ,chapel of the ,sacrament1 for ,messer ,piero di ,nocera1 who is portrayed there from nature4 ,filarete relates in the twenty-fifth book of his work that ,francesco ,sforza1 fourth ,duke of ,milan1 presented a very beautiful palace in ,milan to the ,magnificent ,cosimo de' ,medici1 and that ,cosimo1 in order to show the ,duke how pleased he was with such a gift1 not only adorned it richly with marbles and with carved wood-work1 but also enlarged it under the direction of ,michelozzo1 making it eighty-seven braccia and a half1 whereas it had previously been only eighty-four braccia4 ,besides this1 he had many pictures painted there1 particularly the stories of the life of the ,emperor ,trajan in a loggia1 wherein1 among certain decorations1 he caused ,francesco ,sforza himself to be portrayed1 with the ,lady ,bianca1 his consort1 ,duchess of ,milan1 and also their children1 with many other noblemen and great persons1 and likewise the portraits of eight ,emperors2 and to these portraits ,michelozzo added that of ,cosimo1 made by his own hand4 ,throughout all the apartments he placed the arms of ,cosimo in diverse fashions1 with his emblem of the ,falcon and ,diamond4 ,the said pictures were all by the hand of ,vincenzio di ,zoppa1 a painter of no small repute at that time and in that country4 ,it is recorded that the money that ,cosimo spent in the restoration of this palace was paid by ,pigello ,portinari1 a citizen of ,florence1 who then directed the bank and the accounts of ,cosimo in ,milan and lived in the said palace4 ,there are some works in marble and bronze by the hand of ,michelozzo in ,genoa1 and many others in other places1 which are all known by the manner2 but what we have already said about him must suffice4 ,he died at the age of sixty-eight1 and he was buried in his own tomb in ,s4 ,marco at ,florence4 ,his portrait1 by the hand of ,fra ,giovanni1 is in the ,sacristy of ,s4 ,trinita1 in the figure of an old man with a cap on his head1 representing ,nicodemus1 who is taking ,christ down from the ,cross4 ,,index ,,index ,,of ,,names ,,of ,,the ,,craftsmen ,,mentioned ,,in ,,volume ,,ii ,agnolo 7of ,siena71 #ha1 #id1 #ie ,agnolo ,gaddi1 #ae1 #be ,agostino 7of ,siena71 #ha1 #id1 #ie ,agostino della ,robbia1 #abc-abe ,alberti1 ,leon ,batista1 #bbg ,albertinelli1 ,mariotto1 #aij ,alessandro ,filipepi 7,sandro ,botticelli1 or ,sandro di ,botticello71 #aij ,alesso ,baldovinetti1 #aij ,alonso ,spagnuolo1 #aij ,alvaro di ,piero1 #fd ,ammanati1 ,bartolommeo1 #bbh ,andrea dal ,castagno 7called ,andrea degli ,impiccati71 #aij ,andrea del ,sarto1 #aij ,andrea della ,robbia1 #abe-abg1 #age ,andrea di ,cione ,orcagna1 #ia ,andrea ,mantegna1 #ach ,andrea ,pisano1 #ej1 #ha1 #hc1 #ia1 #ic1 #abj1 #ade1 #adg1 #aed1 #afj1 #bjj ,andrea ,verrocchio1 #aij1 #bdc1 #bdh ,angeli1 ,don ,lorenzo degli 7,don ,lorenzo ,monaco71 ,life1 #ee-eh4 #aga ,angelico1 ,fra 7,fra ,giovanni da ,fiesole71 #aij1 #bga ,antignano1 ,segna d'1 #bf ,antonio da ,verzelli1 #bah ,antonio ,filarete1 #aei1 #bgj ,antonio ,fiorentino1 #bcf ,antonio 7or ,vittore7 ,pisanello1 #ahg ,antonio ,pollaiuolo1 #aei ,antonio ,rossellino1 #bec ,antonio ,viniziano1 ,life1 #ae-bj4 #cg1 #dc1 #hc ,antonio ,vite1 #de1 #eh ,apelles1 #hj1 #abj1 #aia ,arca1 ,niccolo dell' 7,niccolo ,bolognese71 #ig ,aretino1 ,niccolo 7,niccolo d',arezzo1 ,niccolo di ,piero ,lamberti71 ,life1 #aja-ajd4 #ade1 #adf1 #aei1 #bjj ,aretino1 ,spinello1 ,life1 #bi-ci4 #be1 #bf1 #bi-ci1 #fg1 #hc1 #agi ,arezzo1 ,niccolo d' 7,niccolo ,aretino1 ,niccolo di ,piero ,lamberti71 ,life1 #aja-ajd4 #ade1 #adf1 #aei1 #bjj ,arnolfo di ,lapo 7,arnolfo ,lapo1 ,arnolfo ,lapi71 #hj1 #bjb1 #bjc1 #bfb1 #bfd1 #bfe ,asciano1 ,giovanni da1 #e ,baccio ,bandinelli1 #abg1 #aij ,baccio della ,porta 7,fra 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#aij1 #aie-bcf1 #bdj-bdc1 #bei1 #bfj ,buffalmacco1 ,buonamico1 #fh ,buggiano1 ,il1 #bce ,bugiardini1 ,giuliano1 #ach ,buonaiuti1 ,corsino1 #bf ,buonarroti1 ,michelagnolo1 #aei1 #afb1 #ahg1 #aij1 #aia1 #bba1 #bee1 #bfa ,buschetto1 #hj ,calamis1 #hj ,campagnola1 ,girolamo1 #ach ,canachus1 #hj ,casentino1 ,jacopo di1 ,life1 #bc-bf4 #bi1 #cc1 #hc ,castagno1 ,andrea dal 7called ,andrea degli ,impiccati71 #aij ,castel della ,pieve1 ,pietro da 7,pietro ,vannucci1 or ,pietro ,perugino71 #aij ,cenni1 ,pasquino1 #bf ,cennini1 ,cennino di ,drea1 #aji ,cimabue1 ,giovanni1 #be1 #hb1 #afa1 #bjb ,cini1 ,simone1 #cf ,cinuzzi1 ,vanni1 #bf ,colle1 ,simone da 7called ,simone de' ,bronzi71 #ade1 #adf1 #bjj ,consiglio ,gherardi1 #bf ,corsino ,buonaiuti1 #bf ,cosme1 #ajd ,credi1 ,lorenzo di1 #aij ,cremona1 ,geremia da1 #bcf ,cristofano1 #ajd ,daddi1 ,bernardo1 #be1 #bf ,dalmasi1 ,lippo1 #ea ,dello1 ,life1 #ajg-aaj4 #acf ,desiderio da ,settignano1 #bec ,domenico ,bartoli1 #fc1 #fd ,domenico ,beccafumi1 #if ,domenico dal ,lago di ,lugano1 #bcf ,domenico ,ghirlandajo1 #aij ,domenico ,pucci1 #bf ,don ,jacopo1 #eg ,don ,lorenzo ,monaco 7,don ,lorenzo degli ,angeli71 ,life1 #ee-eh4 #aga ,don ,silvestro1 #eg ,donato 7,donatello71 ,life1 #bci-bee4 #gb1 #hf1 #ic1 #ie1 #aja1 #aji1 #aac-aae1 #abj1 #aba1 #abc1 #abf1 #acb1 #acc1 #ach-adj1 #adc-adg1 #aea1 #afa1 #ahc1 #ahe1 #ahh1 #aig1 #aii-bjd1 #bac1 #bbe1 #bci-bee1 #bei1 #bfj1 #bgj ,duccio1 ,life1 #i-aa ,erion1 #hj ,fabriano1 ,gentile da1 #ahg ,fancelli1 ,luca1 #bbg ,fiesole1 ,fra ,giovanni da 7called ,fra ,angelico71 #aij1 #bga ,filarete1 ,antonio1 #aei1 #bgj ,filipepi1 ,alessandro 7,sandro ,botticelli1 or ,sandro di ,botticello71 #aij ,filippo ,brunelleschi 7,filippo di ,ser ,brunellesco71 ,life1 #aie-bcf4 #hd-hf1 #ic1 #ie1 #abd1 #aci1 #adc-adg1 #aej1 #aei1 #afa1 #ahc1 #ahe1 #ahh1 #aij1 #aie-bcf1 #bdj-bdc1 #bei1 #bfj ,filippo ,lippi1 ,fra1 #ahg1 #aij ,filippo ,lippi 7called ,filippino71 #ahi1 #aij ,fiorentino1 ,antonio1 #bcf ,fiorentino1 ,francesco1 #eh ,fiorentino1 ,niccolo1 #bcf ,fonte1 ,jacopo della 7,jacopo della ,quercia71 ,life1 #ia-ig4 #hf1 #hg1 #ia-ig1 #ade1 #adf1 #aea1 #bjj ,forzore di ,spinello1 #ci1 #agg ,fra ,angelico 7,fra ,giovanni da ,fiesole71 #aij1 #bga ,fra ,bartolommeo di ,san ,marco 7called ,baccio della ,porta71 #aij1 #bdi ,fra ,filippo ,lippi1 #ahg1 #aij ,fra ,giovanni da ,fiesole 7called ,fra ,angelico71 #aij1 #bga ,francesco della ,luna1 #bbc1 #bcb ,francesco di ,giorgio1 #aj1 #he ,francesco di ,valdambrina1 #ade1 #adf1 #bjj ,francesco ,fiorentino1 #eh ,francesco ,granacci 7,il ,granaccio71 #aij ,franciabigio1 #aij ,fredi1 ,bartolo di ,maestro1 #fa ,gabriello ,saracini1 #cf ,gaddi1 ,agnolo1 #ae1 #be ,gaddi1 ,taddeo1 #bc1 #ef1 #hc1 #aii1 #bdj ,galante da ,bologna1 #ea ,galasso ,galassi1 #ajd ,gentile da ,fabriano1 #ahg ,geremia da ,cremona1 #bcf ,gherardi1 ,consiglio1 #bf ,gherardo1 ,starnina1 ,life1 #dc-df4 #bj1 #dc-df1 #eh1 #hc1 #afe ,ghiberti1 ,bartoluccio1 #add-adf1 #aee1 #afa1 #afb ,ghiberti1 ,bonaccorso1 #afj ,ghiberti1 ,lorenzo 7,lorenzo di ,cione ,ghiberti1 or ,lorenzo di ,bartoluccio ,ghiberti71 ,life1 #adc-afb4 #d1 #i1 #hf1 #ie1 #adc-afb1 #afe1 #aga1 #ahc1 #bjj1 #bja1 #bjd1 #bac-bah1 #bcd ,ghiberti1 ,vittorio1 #afj1 #afb ,ghirlandajo1 ,domenico1 #aij ,ghirlandajo1 ,ridolfo1 #ahe1 #aij ,giorgio1 ,francesco di1 #aj1 #he ,giorgio ,vasari1 see ,vasari ,giottino 7,tommaso or ,maso71 #hc ,giotto1 #bc1 #cj1 #ce1 #cg1 #gc1 #hj-hc1 #hf1 #abj1 #aca1 #aci1 #adg1 #aej1 #afa1 #afb1 #aff1 #aga1 #aie1 #bjb1 #bej1 #bfb ,jacopo 7,jacopo ,avanzi71 #ajd ,jacopo1 ,don1 #eg ,jacopo da ,pontormo1 #aij ,jacopo della ,quercia 7or della ,fonte71 ,life1 #ia-ig4 #hf1 #hg1 #ia-ig1 #ade1 #adf1 #aea1 #bjj ,jacopo di ,casentino1 ,life1 #bc-bf4 #bi1 #cc1 #hc ,jacopo ,sansovino1 #abg ,lamberti1 ,niccolo di ,piero 7,niccolo d',arezzo1 ,niccolo ,aretino71 ,life1 #aja-ajd4 #ade1 #adf1 #aei1 #bjj ,lapo1 ,arnolfo di 7,arnolfo ,lapo1 ,arnolfo ,lapi71 #hj1 #bjb1 #bjc1 #bfb1 #bfd1 #bfe ,lapo 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