Lives of the Most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 04 (of 10): Filippino Lippi to Domenico PuligoVasari, Giorgio
History
Lives of the Most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects, Vol. 04 (of 10): Filippino Lippi to Domenico Puligo
Vasari, Giorgio
Art, Italian; Artists -- Italy -- Biography
He then made the great round-window of the same church, containing
the Descent of the Holy Spirit, and likewise the Baptism of Christ
by S. John, wherein he represented Christ in the Jordan, awaiting S.
John, who has taken a cup of water in order to baptize Him, while a
nude old man is taking off his shoes, and some angels are preparing
Christ's raiment, and on high is the Father, sending down the Holy
Spirit upon His Son. This window is over the baptismal font of that
Duomo, for which he also executed the window containing the
Resurrection of Lazarus on the fourth day after death; wherein it
seems impossible that he could have included in so small a space
such a number of figures, in which may be recognized the terror and
amazement of the people, with the stench from the body of Lazarus,
whose resurrection causes his two sisters to rejoice amid their
tears. In this work are innumerable colours, flashed one over the
other in the glass, and every least thing truly appears most natural
in its own kind.
And whoever wishes to learn how much the hand of the Prior was able
to effect in this art, should study the window of S. Matthew over
the Chapel of that Apostle, and observe the marvellous invention of
that scene, wherein he can see a living figure of Christ calling
Matthew from his tables, while Matthew, following Him and stretching
out his arms to receive Him, abandons the riches and treasures that
he has acquired. And at the same time an Apostle may be seen in a
very spirited attitude, awaking another who has fallen asleep on
some steps; and in like manner there may also be perceived a S.
Peter speaking with S. John, both being so beautiful that they seem
truly divine. In this same window are temples in perspective,
staircases, and figures so well grouped, and landscapes so natural,
that one would never think it was glass, but rather a thing rained
down from Heaven for the consolation of mankind. In the same place
he made the window of S. Anthony and that of S. Nicholas, both most
beautiful, with two others, one containing the scene of Christ
driving the traders from the Temple, and the other that of the woman
taken in adultery; all these works being held to be truly excellent
and marvellous.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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