Credi, Ridolfo del Ghirlandajo, Andrea del Sarto, Rosso, Franciabigio, Baccio Bandinelli, Alonso Spagnuolo, Jacopo da Pontormo, Pierino del Vaga, and Toto del Nunziata; and in short, 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 Masaccio. And if I have not named many foreigners and many Florentines who have gone to that chapel for the sake of study, let it suffice to say that where the heads of art go, the members also follow. But although the works of Masaccio have ever been in so great repute, it is nevertheless the opinion--nay, the firm belief--of many, that he would have produced even greater fruits in his art, if death, which tore him from us at the age of twenty-six, had not snatched him away from us so prematurely. But either by reason of envy, or because good things rarely have any long duration, he died in the flower of his youth, and that so suddenly, that there were not wanting people who put it down to poison rather than to any other reason. [Illustration: MASACCIO: THE MADONNA ENTHRONED WITH ANGEL MUSICIANS] (_Collection of Rev. A. F. Sutton. Panel_) It is said that Filippo di Ser Brunellesco, hearing of his death, exclaimed, "We have suffered a very great loss in Masaccio," and that it grieved him infinitely, for he had spent much time in demonstrating to Masaccio many rules of perspective and of architecture. He was buried in the same Church of the Carmine in the year 1443, and although, since he had been little esteemed when alive, no memorial was then placed over his tomb, yet after his death there were not wanting men to honour him with these epitaphs: BY ANNIBAL CARO. PINSI, E LA MIA PITTURA AL VER FU PARI; L'ATTEGGIAI, L'AVVIVAI, LE DIEDI IL MOTO, LE DIEDI AFFETTO. INSEGNI IL BUONARROTO A TUTTI GLI ALTRI, E DA ME SOLO IMPARI. BY FABIO SEGNI. INVIDA CUR LACHESIS PRIMO SUB FLORE JUVENTAE POLLICE DISCINDIS STAMINA FUNEREO? HOC UNO OCCISO INNUMEROS OCCIDIS APELLES; PICTURAE OMNIS OBIT, HOC OBEUNTE, LEPOS. HOC SOLE EXTINCTO, EXTINGUUNTUR SIDERA CUNCTA. HEU! DECUS OMNE PERIT, HOC PEREUNTE, SIMUL. [Illustration: THE TRIBUTE MONEY (_After the fresco by_ Masaccio. _Florence: S. Maria del Carmine_) _Anderson_] FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI LIFE OF FILIPPO BRUNELLESCHI [_FILIPPO DI SER BRUNELLESCO_] SCULPTOR AND ARCHITECT