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
Giotto was buried in S. Maria del Fiore, on the left side as you enter
the church, where there is a slab of white marble in memory of so great
a man. And, as was told in the Life of Cimabue, a commentator of Dante,
who lived at the same time as Giotto, said: "Giotto was and is the most
eminent among painters in the same city of Florence, and his works bear
testimony for him in Rome, in Naples, in Avignon, in Florence, in Padua,
and in many other parts of the world."
His disciples were Taddeo Gaddi, held by him at baptism, as has been
said, and Puccio Capanna of Florence, who, working at Rimini in the
Church of S. Cataldo, belonging to the Preaching Friars, painted
perfectly in fresco the hull of a ship which appears to be sinking in
the sea, with men who are throwing things into the sea, one of whom is
Puccio himself portrayed from life among a good number of mariners. The
same man painted many works after the death of Giotto in the Church of
S. Francesco at Assisi, and in the Church of S. Trinita in Florence,
near the side-door towards the river, he painted the Chapel of the
Strozzi, wherein is the Coronation of the Madonna in fresco, with a
choir of angels which draw very much to the manner of Giotto; and on the
sides are stories of S. Lucia, very well wrought. In the Badia of
Florence he painted the Chapel of S. Giovanni Evangelista, belonging to
the family of Covoni, beside the sacristry; and in Pistoia he wrought in
fresco the principal chapel of the Church of S. Francesco and the Chapel
of S. Lodovico, with the stories of those Saints, passing well painted.
In the middle of the Church of S. Domenico, in the same city, there are
a Crucifix, a Madonna, and a S. John, wrought with much sweetness, and
at their feet a complete human skeleton, wherein (and this was something
unusual in those times) Puccio showed that he had sought to find the
foundations of art. In this work there is read his name, written by
himself in this fashion: PUCCIO DI FIORENZA ME FECE. In the arch over
the door of S. Maria Nuova in the said church there are three
half-length figures by his hand, Our Lady with the Child in her arms,
and S. Peter on one side, and on the other S. Francis. He also painted
in the aforesaid city of Assisi, in the lower Church of S. Francesco,
some scenes of the Passion of Jesus Christ in fresco, with good and very
resolute mastery, and in the chapel of the Church of S. Maria degli
Angeli he wrought in fresco a Christ in Glory, with the Virgin praying
to Him for the Christian people; this work, which is passing good, has
been all blackened by the smoke of the lamps and the candles that are
burning there continually in great quantity. And in truth, in so far as
it can be judged, Puccio had the manner and the whole method of working
of his master Giotto, and knew how to make good use of it in the works
that he wrought, even if, as some have it, he did not live long, having
fallen sick and died by reason of labouring too much in fresco. By his
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account