[29] Room in which the beans used in voting for the election of magistrates were counted. [30] Office of those who had charge of the Specchio, the book in which were inscribed the names of such citizens as were in arrears with their taxes. DOMENICO PULIGO LIFE OF DOMENICO PULIGO PAINTER OF FLORENCE It is a marvellous and almost incredible thing, that many followers of the art of painting, through continual practice and handling of colours, either by an instinct of nature or by the trick of a good manner, acquired without any draughtsmanship or grounding, carry their works to such thorough completion, and very often contrive to make them so good, that, although the craftsmen themselves may be none of the rarest, their pictures force the world to extol them and to hold them in supreme veneration. And it has been perceived in the past from many examples, and in many of our painters, that the most vivacious and perfect works are produced by those who have a beautiful manner from nature, although they must exercise it with continual study and labour; while this gift of nature has such power, that even if they neglect or abandon the studies of art, and pay attention to nothing save the mere practice of painting and of handling colours with a grace infused in them by nature, at the first glance their works have the appearance of displaying all the excellent and marvellous qualities that are wont to appear after a close inspection in the works of those masters whom we hold to be the best. And that this is true, is demonstrated to us in our own day by experience, from the works of Domenico Puligo, a painter of Florence; wherein what has been said above may be clearly recognized by one who has knowledge of the matters of art. [Illustration: MADONNA AND CHILD, WITH SAINTS (_After the panel by =Domenico Puligo= (?). Florence: S. Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi_) _Alinari_]