“On the day that it was carried to the Duomo the shops were shut; and
the Bishop bade a goodly and devout company of priests and friars
should go in solemn procession, accompanied by the Nine Magistrates
and all the officers of the Commune and all the people; all the most
worthy followed close upon the picture, according to their degree,
with lights burning in their hands; and then behind them came the
women and children with great devotion. And they accompanied the said
picture as far as the Duomo, making procession round the Campo as is
the use, all the bells sounding joyously for devotion of so noble a
picture as is this. And all that day they offered up prayers, with
great alms to the poor, praying God and His Mother who is our
advocate, that he may defend us in His infinite mercy from all
adversity and all evil, and that He may keep us from the hands of
traitors and enemies of Siena.”
Translated in Edmund G. Gardiner’s _The Story of Siena_, p. 178, from
the Anonymous contemporary chronicler published by A. Lisini in
_Notizie di Duccio_.
A CONTRACT FOR AN ALTAR-PIECE BY PIETRO LORENZETTI
“Master Pietro, son of the late Lorenzetto, who was of Siena, solemnly
and willingly promises and agrees with the venerable Father Guido, by
God’s grace Bishop of Arezzo, who stipulates in the name and stead of
the people of St. Mary of Arezzo—to paint a panel of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, ... in the centre of which panel shall be a likeness of
the Virgin Mary with her Son and with four side figures according to
the wish of the aforesaid Lord Bishop, working in the backgrounds of
these figures with finest gold leaf, 100 leaves to a florin, ... and
the other ornaments of silver and of best and choicest colors; and
using in these five figures best ultramarine blue; and in the other
adjoining and surrounding spaces (panels) of this picture to be
painted likenesses of prophets and saints, according to the wish of
this Lord Bishop, with good and choice colors.”
“It must be six braccia long and five braccia high in the middle,
apart from two columns each a half braccia wide, and in each should be
six figures worked with the aforesaid gold, and the work shall be
approved by this Lord Bishop....”
“And he [Pietro Lorenzetti] must begin this work according to the wish
of this Lord Bishop, immediately after the wooden panel shall have
been made, and must continue in this work until the completion of this
picture, not undertaking any other work &c. And therefore the said
Lord Bishop Guido promises to have given and assigned to him the panel
made of wood; and to pay him for his wages for the picture and for
colors, gold and silver one hundred and sixty Pisan lire; that is the
third part at the beginning of the work, the third part at the middle
of the work, and the remaining third part when the work is finished
and complete &c.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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