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
Wherefore the Pope and many courtiers that were versed in the
arts recognized by this how much Giotto surpassed in excellence all the
other painters of his time. This matter having afterwards spread abroad,
there was born from it the proverb that is still wont to be said to men
of gross wits: "Tu sei piu tondo che l' O di Giotto!" ("Thou art
rounder than Giotto's circle"). This proverb can be called beautiful not
only from the occasion that gave it birth, but also for its
significance, which consists in the double meaning; tondo being used, in
Tuscany, both for the perfect shape of a circle and for slowness and
grossness of understanding.
[Illustration: _Anderson_
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS
(_After the fresco by_ Giotto and his Pupils. _Assisi: Lower Church of
S. Francesco_)]
The aforesaid Pope then made him come to Rome, where, honouring him much
and appreciating his talents, he made him paint five scenes from the
life of Christ in the apse of S. Pietro, and the chief panel in the
sacristy, which were all executed by him with so great diligence that
there never issued from his hands any more finished work in distemper.
Wherefore he well deserved that the Pope, holding himself to have been
well served, should cause to be given to him six hundred ducats of gold,
besides granting him so many favours that they were talked of throughout
all Italy.
About this time--in order to withhold nothing worthy of remembrance in
connection with art--there was in Rome one Oderigi d'Agobbio, who was
much the friend of Giotto and an excellent illuminator for those days.
This man, being summoned for this purpose by the Pope, illuminated many
books for the library of the palace, which are now in great part eaten
away by time. And in my book of ancient drawings are some remains from
the very hand of this man, who in truth was an able man; although a much
better master than Oderigi was Franco Bolognese, who wrought a number of
works excellently in that manner for the same Pope and for the same
library, about the same time, as can be seen in the said book, wherein I
have designs by his hand both in painting and in illumination, and among
them an eagle very well done, and a very beautiful lion that is tearing
a tree. Of these two excellent illuminators Dante makes mention in the
eleventh canto of the _Purgatorio_, where he is talking of the
vainglorious, in these verses:
O, dissi a lui, non se' tu Oderigi,
L'onor d'Agobbio, e l'onor di quell'arte
Che alluminare e chiamata in Parigi?
Frate, diss'egli, piu ridon le carte
Che pennelleggia Franco Bolognese;
L'onor e tutto suo, e mio in parte.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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