Lives of the Most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 01 (of 10): Cimabue to Agnolo GaddiVasari, Giorgio
History
Lives of the Most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 01 (of 10): Cimabue to Agnolo Gaddi
Vasari, Giorgio
Art, Italian; Artists -- Italy -- Biography
Having finished his labours for that lord, he complied with the request
of a Prior of Florence who was then at S. Cataldo d'Arimini, and made a
S. Thomas Aquinas, reading to his friars, without the door of the
church. Departing thence, he returned to Ravenna and painted a chapel in
fresco in S. Giovanni Evangelista, which is much extolled. Having next
returned to Florence with very great honour and ample means, he painted
a Crucifix on wood and in distemper for S. Marco, larger than life and
on a ground of gold, which was placed on the right hand in the church.
And he made another like it in S. Maria Novella, whereon Puccio Capanna,
his pupil, worked in company with him; and this is still to-day over the
principal door, on the right as you enter the church, over the tomb of
the Gaddi. And in the same church, over the tramezzo,[11] he made a S.
Louis for Paolo di Lotto Ardinghelli, and at the foot thereof the
portrait of him and of his wife, from the life.
Afterwards, in the year 1327, Guido Tarlati da Pietramala, Bishop and
Lord of Arezzo, died at Massa di Maremma in returning from Lucca, where
he had been to visit the Emperor, and after his body had been brought to
Arezzo and the most magnificent funeral honours had been paid to it,
Piero Saccone and Dolfo da Pietramala, the brother of the Bishop,
determined that there should be made for him a tomb in marble worthy of
the greatness of so notable a man, who had been a lord both spiritual
and temporal, and head of the Ghibelline party in Tuscany. Wherefore,
having written to Giotto that he should make the design of a tomb very
rich and with all possible adornment, and having sent him the
measurements, they prayed him afterwards that he should place at their
disposal the sculptor who was the most excellent, according to his
opinion, of all that were in Italy, because they were relying wholly on
his judgment. Giotto, who was most courteous, made the design and sent
it to them; and after this design, as will be told in the proper place,
the said tomb was made. And because the said Piero Saccone had infinite
love for the talent of this man, having taken Borgo a San Sepolcro no
long time after he had received the said design, he brought from there
to Arezzo a panel with little figures by the hand of Giotto, which
afterwards fell to pieces; and Baccio Gondi, nobleman of Florence, a
lover of these noble arts and of every talent, being Commissary of
Arezzo, sought out the pieces of this panel with great diligence, and
having found some brought them to Florence, where he holds them in great
veneration, together with some other works that he has by the hand of
the same Giotto, who wrought so many that their number is almost beyond
belief. And not many years ago, chancing to be at the Hermitage of
Camaldoli, where I have wrought many works for those reverend Fathers, I
saw in a cell, whither it had been brought by the Very Reverend Don
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